1976-03-15
1976-12-28
Smith, Gary L.
Cutlery
Carton openers
30162, 83 56, B67B 700, B26D 300, B26B 500
Patent
active
039992900
ABSTRACT:
A safety knife adapted for cutting corrugated cardboard boxes and the like which is characterized by having a cutting blade which is continuously biased toward a retracted position within the knife's handle. The blade is held within a carriage that is slidable along a groove within the handle. A tension spring attached to the carriage urges the carriage toward its retracted position at all times. A dragging means is provided for pulling the carriage out of the handle and bringing the blade into contact with a structure to be cut. In one embodiment, this dragging means includes a cantilevered wire firmly attached to the slidable carriage, with the distal end of said wire having a hook which is adapted to drag along the structure to be cut. When the blade is cutting, the wire flexes backward into a position alongside the blade where it does not interfere with the cutting action. If the blade is ever withdrawn from the cardboard being cut, the tension spring immediately pulls the blade safely back into the handle. Depending upon whether the hook normally rests in a protruding position, or whether it normally rests in a sheltered position where it is at least partially shielded by the handle, the knife can be designed to begin cutting anywhere along a planar surface or a cut may be initiated only at the edge of a surface. In another embodiment, the dragging means includes a cantilevered arm made of a material like nylon or acetal resin; a serrated tip is typically provided at the end of such an arm so that the tip may be engaged with the structure to be cut. After engaging the tip, pulling the handle along the surface to be cut automatically pulls the carriage out of the handle and brings the blade into a cutting position. The handle is designed to be firmly gripped in a convenient manner, with all fingers being held in a natural position. No special "finger control" is necessary to keep the blade extended, and the knife may even be easily used by a person wearing bulky gloves.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2097811 (1937-11-01), Foley
patent: 2376887 (1945-05-01), Walters
patent: 2743523 (1956-05-01), Honey
patent: 2874462 (1959-02-01), Benedict
McHugh Charles W.
Smith Gary L.
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