Cutlery – Cutting tools – With guard and/or guide
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-14
2001-06-05
Rachuba, M. (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Cutting tools
With guard and/or guide
C030S240000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240645
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sewing cutter used for making an ornamental quilt such as “a straight slash quilt.”
2. Description of the Related Art
The above-mentioned straight slash quilt is produced as follows. First, a quilt
7
shown in
FIGS. 16A-16B
is prepared. air. The quilt
7
includes a plurality of rectangular cloth layers
7
a
-
7
d
which are sewn together by thread
70
. The lowermost cloth layer
7
a
is larger than the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d
which are equal in size. As shown in
FIG. 16A
, the seams
71
running bias extend in parallel to each other and are evenly spaced.
Then, as shown in
FIG. 17
, a plurality of straight cuts (or slashes) are made in the upper layers
7
b-
7
d
between the adjacent seams
71
for dividing the upper layers
7
b-
7
d
into plural groups of strip-shaped layers
72
. Thus, an intermediate quilt
7
′ is obtained. The intermediate quilt
7
′ is washed in water for shrinking the strip-shaped layers
72
, and dried. As a result, the layers
72
are made fluffy, as shown in FIG.
18
. Thus, a straight slash quilt
7
″ is obtained.
Conventionally, the above-mentioned cutting operation for the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d
is performed by using sewing scissors (not shown) or a ripper
9
as shown in
FIG. 19
, for example.
As shown in
FIG. 20
, the ripper
9
includes a handle
90
to be held by the user, and an elongated metal member
91
attached to the handle
90
. The elongated member
91
is provided with a protrusion
91
a
, and a recess
91
b
which is formed with a cutting edge
92
. With such an arrangement, the conventional ripper
9
is used for ripping thread to open seams by utilizing the protrusion
91
a
or for cutting cloth to make a button hole for example by utilizing the cutting edge
92
.
It has been found that, when used for cutting the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d,
the conventional ripper
9
suffers some problems which will be described below.
Specifically, to cut the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d
with the conventional ripper
9
, the user inserts the protrusion
91
a
between the lowermost layer
7
a
and the upper layers
7
b-
7
d
as shown in FIG.
21
. Then, the user moves the ripper
9
forward as indicated by an arrow in the figure. As a result, the cutting edge
92
cuts through the upper layers
7
b-
7
d
between the adjacent seams
71
, as shown in FIG.
19
.
As can be seen, for performing the cutting operation smoothly, it is necessary for the user to use his free hand for stretching the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d
transversely of the cutting direction. However, since the distance between the adjacent seams
71
is rendered rather small (about 7 mm for example), it is difficult for the user (especially for the beginner) to properly stretch the upper layers
7
b-
7
d,
while simultaneously moving the ripper
9
forward by the other hand.
Further, as shown in
FIG. 22
, the elongated member
91
of the ripper
9
has a relatively small thickness Si as compared with the distance S
2
between the adjacent seams
71
. Thus, as being moved forward, the cutting edge of the ripper
9
may unduly meander, as shown in FIG.
22
.
Still further, the protrusion
91
a
of the conventional ripper
9
is brought into direct contact with the lowermost layer
7
a,
as shown in FIG.
21
. Thus, as the ripper
9
is moved forward, the lowermost layer
7
a
will be damaged by the protrusion
91
a.
The user may encounter the same problems in using sewing scissors for cutting the upper cloth layers
7
b-
7
d.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a sewing cutter capable of overcoming the problems described above.
According to the present invention, there is provided a sewing cutter including a handle, a cutting member attached to the handle, and a guiding member supported by the handle. The guiding member has a surface brought into facing relation to cloth to be cut by the cutting member.
Preferably, the guiding member includes a plate which is elongated in a cutting direction and whose width is greater than that of the cutting member.
The cutting member may have a cutting point for the cloth to be cut, while the guiding member may be provided with a front portion arranged ahead of the cutting point in a cutting direction.
Preferably, the front portion of the guiding member is tapered.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cutting member and the guiding member are detachable from the handle.
The handle may be integrally formed with the guiding member.
The cutting member may be integrally formed with the guiding member.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cutting member includes an elongated plate which is formed with a protrusion and a cutting edge adjacent to the protrusion.
According to another embodiment, the cutting member is a circular plate which is supported for rotation and formed with a cutting edge extending circumferentially of the circular plate. In this case, the cutting of the cloth to be cut is performed when the cloth is introduced between the cutting member and the surface brought into facing relation to the cloth.
According to another embodiment, the sewing cutter further includes an attachment which is separate from the handle and integrally formed with the guiding member. In this embodiment, the guiding member is formed with a retreated portion for avoiding contact with the cutting member.
According to another embodiment, the cutting member includes an elongated plate having a longitudinal side which is entirely formed with a cutting edge. In this embodiment again, the cutting of the cloth is performed when the cloth is introduced between the cutting member and the above-mentioned surface of the guiding member. Preferably, the cutting member includes a front end portion and a rear end portion, wherein the front end portion is positioned farther from the guiding member than the rear end portion. Similarly to the previous embodiment, the guiding member is formed with a retreated portion for avoiding contact with the cutting member.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the embodiment given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 1796463 (1931-03-01), Kaltenbach et al.
patent: 1876075 (1932-09-01), Reichert, Sr. et al.
patent: 1986016 (1935-01-01), Royston
patent: 2199380 (1940-05-01), Walraven
patent: 2601414 (1952-06-01), Mittelstaedt
patent: 2610399 (1952-09-01), Adams et al.
patent: 2693641 (1954-11-01), Omoto
patent: 2701911 (1955-02-01), Maescher
patent: 2705833 (1955-04-01), Grantz
patent: 2710448 (1955-06-01), Andrews
patent: 2764814 (1956-10-01), Jecker
patent: 3028670 (1962-04-01), Tilly
patent: 3100935 (1963-08-01), Leafe
patent: 3562907 (1971-02-01), Greenberg
patent: 3972117 (1976-08-01), Fogg
patent: 3975822 (1976-08-01), Mabus
Clover Mfg. Co,. Ltd.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Rachuba M.
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