Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The performance of cutting tools can often be improved by
lubricating the work or ~he cutting element. In regard to
glass, for example, lubrication produces smoother and more
precise operation, and helps to prevent flaking along the
score line; it is particularly advantageous for cutting
stained glass elements. In mechanical systems, lubrication
may also serve a cooling function, thereby avoicling
overheating ancl maximizing the useful life of the tool.
The desirability of providing a reservoir o a liquid
lubricating substance for such a cutting device has long been
recognized. In Fells United States Patent No. 778,023, for
example, a manual glass cutter is disclosed which consists of
a hollow body connected to a head on which the cutting wheel
is mounted. The head has a bore providing communication
between the cutting wheel and the oil reservoir provided by
the hollow body, and a wad of cotton or the like may be used
to filter the lubricant. In one embodiment, the bore oE the
head member is closed b~ a valve whlch is operated by a
threaded knob at the end of the handle. In a second case, the
handle has a smal.l port located under a thread~d cap;
displacement of the cap wlll permit air to pass through the
port, and will thereby allow the oil to Elow lnto the bore.
deviae somewhat similar to that of the Fells Patent is
~isclosed by Rivard in United States Patent No. 2,042,965. ~le
utillzes, however, a s~op cock to control the admission of air
and escape of Eluicl through a passageway to the cutting
element, and applies his concepts to roofer's knives as well
as to rotary cutting instruments. Another similar device is
shown in Belgian Patent No. 566170, and Kurt~ et al disclose,
in United States Patent No. 1,606,802, a glass cutter having a
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separate lubricator mounted upon the holder, with a wick to
apply the lubricating fluid to the work.
The advantages of providing, in such so-called 'loil
cutters", means for automatically releasing controlled amounts
of lubricant during normal cutting operations have also been
recognized. One early device of this nature, disclosed by
Hornig in Uni-ted States Patent NoO 989,603, has a separate
reservoir from which the lubricant is dispensed, through
contact of a shank upon the work, as the cutter is moved along
it. In addition, glass cutters having a pressure-responsive
oil feed Eeature as well as a self-contained reservoir are
shown in United States Patents Nos. 4,110,907 and 4,287,699,
to Einhorn et al and Arai, respectively, and in
Offenlegunysscrift No. 1,940,442. Madge United States Patent
No. 3,136,191 discloses a head for a glass cutting machine
providing such a lubricating feature.
The prior art also discloses other types of devices for
dispensing a variety oE li~uid substances, in response to
manual eorce. Aune shows a fountain oiler in United States
Patent No. 92$,794; ~Iurt shows an oil can in United States
Patent No. 947,991; a Eountain marking devLce is disclosed by
Soldner in United States Paten~ No. 2,624,902; and a soap
dlspenser is disclosed b~ Herman et al in United States Patent
No. 2,939,613.
Glass cutters having a selE-contained oil supply have
also been offered commercially in the past~ One such device
consists of a hollow body for containing the lubricant, and a
cutting head attached to the body by a rod. The rod
simultaneously operates a pair of valves, when the head is
depressed against the workpiece; one valve permits the flow of
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oil from the reservoir, and the other controls the admission
of air~
Despite khe foregoing, a need remains for a simple,
pressure-responsive cutting device having a self-contained
supply of lubricant, which consists of a minimum number of
parts and is nevertheless highly convenient and efficient in
use.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a novel cutting device capable of discharging
lubricant to the cutting element in response to normal
operating pressure, which is of relatively uncomplicated
design, consists of a minimal number of parts, and is highly
convenient, neat and eEfective to use.
It is a more speci~ic object oE the invention to provide
a manual glass cutter having the foregoing features and
advantages, wherein the supply o~ lubricant to the cutting
element is reliable, and any dripping or leakage is minimized
or avoided.
It is also an object Oe the Lnvention t.o provide such a
device which is relativel~ Eacile and inexpensive to
manufacture.
It has now been Eound that the ~oregoiny and related
objects of the inventiLon are readily attaLned in a
selE-lubricating cuttLng device including a body, having an
internal chamber and a connecting channel portion extending
inwardly from one Oe its ends, and a valve seat member
dividing the chamber into an inner, air cavity section and an
outer, reservoir section. ~he valve seat member has at least
one aperture which provides communication between the chamber
sections, and has an inner portion providing a valve seat
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surface extending about the aperture and contiguous to the
inner chamber section. A tubular valve stem is mounted for
axial movement through the seat member aperture, and has an
inner end portion lying within the inner chamber section; the
stem extends at least substantially through the outer chamber
section, and the outer end portion thereof is disposed
adjacent the channel portion of the body. Affixed to the
inner end portion of the stem, and disposed thereon for
sealingly engaging the valve seat surface of the seat member~
is a sealing member, and means is provided ~or biasing the
valve stem to a normal position with the sealing member seated
upon the valve seat surface. The device also includes a head
member having a first end portion slidably engaged within the
channel portion of the body, to mount the head member thereon
for reciprocation between inward and outward positions, and to
substantially seal the chamber thereof. A second end portion
of the head member extends outwardly oE the body and is
adapted to mount a cutting element in operative position. The
head member has a passageway comprised oE first and second
sections. The first section extends from an Lnner surface of
the first end portlon of the head member toward the second end
portion theraof, and has th~ outer end portion of the valve
~tem seated thereln$ the second section of the passageway
providas communication between the first section, the cutting
element, and the ambient. The passageway and the valve stem
outer end portlon are cooperatively dimensioned and configured
to permit flow of li~uid lubricant from the reservoir to the
passageway second section between the valve stem and the head
member, and the second section of the passageway is adapted
for the containment of a porous wick element, which is
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interposed between the outer end of the valve stem and ~he
cutting element and is in air flow communication with the
ambient~ As a result, when the sealing member is in its
normal position with the head member in its outward position,
the reservoir will be substantially sealed to the atmosphere
and lubricant flow therefrom will be substan~ially prevented.
Displacement of the head portion to its inward position will
shift the valve stem to displace the sealing member from the
seat surface, and to thereby permit the entry of air from the
air cavity of the internal chamber to the reservoir thereof,
throuyh the seat member. This will in turn equalize pressure
and permit lubricant flow through the passageway to the wick
and cutting elements, with air flow rom the ambient to the
air cavity occurring through the wick element and the bore of
the tubular valve stem.
Generally, the body, the internal cavity, and the head
member will each be of elongated configuration, and the
tubular valve stem is substantially rectilinear. The concepts
of the lnvention are partlcularly applicable eor the provislon
Oe a device adapted for manual operation, wherein the body is
conEigured for hand~h01d U8~ and the blasing means i5
responsive to forces normally lnvolved ln manual cutting, to
permit inward displacement oE the head member. Most
specifically, the devlce may be a glass cutter, wherein the
outer end portion of the head member is inwardly
longitudinally slotted to receive a cutting wheel rotatably
disposed on an axial element extending transversely across the
slot. The slot may provide the "second" section of the head
member passageway, and generally the wick of the cutter will
be disposed therewithin.
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Most desirably, the head member will be disengageably
mounted upon the body and removable therefrom, to permit
filling of the internal reservoir through the channel portion
of the body, and generally both the outer end portion of the
valve stem and the first section of the passageway in the head
member will be rectilinear. A sealing element will usually be
mounted on the head member "first" end portion and sealingly
engaged upon the inner surface of the body defining the
channel thereoE; advantageously, the first end portion of the
head member and the channel of the body will be both of
circular cross-section, and the sealing member will be an
O-ring mounted upon the head member. With such a
construction, the head member may be rotatable within the
body, ancl cooperating means will desirably be provided thereon
to limit the degree of relative rotation therebetween. More
particularly, the body may have a rectilinear groove and an
arcuate recess extending, at circumferentially spaced
location~, ~rom the "one" end thereof and along the channel
portion, and the head member may have a pln projecting
radially there~rom for engagement in either the slot or the
recess ~ngagement of the pin in the slot will constrain the
head member ayainst ~otation relative to the body, and
engageTnent thereof in the recess will permlt Eree rotation
through a Limited arc.
The valve stem may have a collar Eixedly mounted upon its
inner end porkion and dispo~ed within the inner section Oe the
body chamber, and the sealing member may comprise an O-ring
mounted upon the stem between the coLlar and the valve seat
member, the latter being an annular element for cooperation
therewith and having a conical recess leading into the
aperture therethrough to provide the seat surface. Normally,
the biasing means used will comprise a coil spring disposed
upon the inner end portion of the valve stem between the
collar and the surface of the body at the innermost end of its
chamber, and t~e body may have laterally extending wing-shaped
elements projecting from it, to afford anti-roll properties to
the device.
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a hand-held glass
cutter embodying the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the cutter, with a portion
broken away to show the attachment of the tapping ball to the
handle;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the cutter of the
foregoing Figures, predominantly in cross-section, drawn to a
greatly enlarged scale and showing the head member in fully
extended position and the fluid reservoir section sealed
against the entry of air;
Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, showing
the cutter in operation with the head member depressed
inwardly and with the valve to the re~ervoir in an open
position;
Figure 5 is an exploded Eragmentary per~pective view
showLng features of the head member, the valve operating
mechanism/ and the forward end portion of the body;
Figure 6 is an end view of the cutter, drawn to the scale
of Figures 3 and ~ and showing the cutting head in a first
angular orientation relative to the body; and
Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 6, showing
the cutting head and body in a second relative orientation.
Turning now in detail to the drawings, therein illustrated is
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a glass cutter embodying the present invention and comprised
of a body or handle, generally designated by the numeral lO,
and a head member, generally designated by the numeral 12.
The handle 10 has corrugated surface portions 14 to provide a
secure and comfortable grip; it also has a metal sphere 18
affixed at its rearward end by a short post 20, and a pair of
transversely extending wing elements 16 adjacent thereto.
Because the exterior configuration of the remainder of the
body lO is generally circular, the wing elements 16 serve to
prevent rolling of the cutter when placed upon a Elat surface;
the sphere 18 is used to tap the glass to break it along the
score line, as is conventional.
As is best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the handle lO is
hollow and has an internal chamber which is divided by a valve
seat member, generally d0signated by the numeral 24, into an
inner air cavity section 26 and an outer lubricant reservoir
section 28. The valve seat member 24 is of generally annular
conigurat.ion, and provides a central passageway 30 with a
generally conical entrance portion 32 contiguous to the space
26; as will be more fully discus!3ed hereinbelow, the portion
32 serves as a valve seat.
~ he head member 12 ha~ a generally cylindrlcal lnner
portion aomprised o~ two elements 34, 36, of diferent outside
diameters, co.rresponding to the ln~ide diameter8 oE the
section~ 22, 23l whiah are o~ circular cross section and
constitute a channel leading to the reservoir section 28 rom
the Eorward end of the body 10. A circum~erential groove 38
is formed between the two elements 341 36, and seats therein
: an O-ring 40, by which sealing engagement is ef~ected between
the head member 12 and the inside sur~ace defining the larger
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diameter channel section 23 of the body 10. This of course
serves to seal the internal chamber against the leakage of
lubricating fluid, while at the same time permitting facile
removal for filling of the reservoir section 28.
The outer end portion of the head member 12 is
bifurcated, by an inwardly extending axial slot 42, to provide
elements 43 between which the cutting wheel 44 is mounted upon
a transversely extending axle 46. A small pad 48 of capillary
or wicking material is seated within the slot 42 above the
wheel 44 in position to wipe the lubricating fluid thereupon;
as so seated, it is also in air flow communication with the
ambient.
A bore extends longitudinally through the head member 12
into communication with the slot 42. The outer, or most
forward, section 50 is oE the smallest diamete~; the
progressively larger sections 52 and 54, and the beveled upper
edge 56, provide a lead-in to the section 50 and facilitate
manufacture.
. A rectilinear tubular valve stem, generally designated by
the numeral S8, extends through the channel 22, 23, the
chambers 26, 2a, and the valve seat member 24 oE the handle
10. The inner end portion 60 of the stem 58 is disposed
withln the alr aav:lty ~ec~ion 26, and ha~ a collar 62 rigidly
affixed thereupon. An O-ring 64 is Erictionally engaged upon
the stem 58 beneath the collar 62, and in position to
sealingly seat upon the seating surface 32 oE the member 24.
Also disposed akout the end section 60 is a coil spring 66,
which has one end bearing upon the upper surface of the collar
62 and the opposite end in contact with the internal body
surface 68. Thus, the spring 66 urges the stem 58 outwardly,
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to normally maintain the O-ring 64 in seated position against
the conical surEace 32.
The opposite end 70 of the stem 58 is engaged within the
forward section ~O of the head member bore. It is important
to note that the diameter of the section 50 is slightly larger
(e.g., about 0.005 inch) than the outside diameter of the stem
58, to define a very nar~ow cylindrical space therebetween
through which liquid lubricant can flow from the reservoir 28
to the wick pad 48. Despite the absence of a frictional fit
between the head member 12 and the stem 58, it should be
appreciated that the depth of insertion of the stem is limited
by the structure of the outer end portion of the head member.
Thus, the bore section 50 extends only to the slot 48, which
is considerably narrower than the bore diameter, so that the
elements 43 of the biEurcated portion provide laterally
extending, upwardly facing surfaces (not visible) upon which
the end of the stem 58 will bottom and seat.
When (as shown in Figure 4) the cutter is in use, contact
of the wheel 44 upon the glass workpiece 72 under normal
manual pressure wil:L orce the head member 12 rearwardly into
the handle 10, in turn shiEting the stem 58 axially and
liEting the O-rlng 64 away ~rom the seatlng surfac~ 32. This
wLll permit air E~om the cavit~ 26 to enter the reservoir
~ectton 28, thereby allowing the oi:L (not shown) to Elow
through the pas~agewa~ sections 54, 52, 50, along the exterior
of the stem 58, and into the wick pad 48 for distribution to
the wheel 44. At the completion of the cutting operation,
relief of the pressure on the tool will of course permit the
stem 58 to return to its normal position under the Eorce of
the coil spring 66, causing the O-ring 64 to seal the top of
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the chamber 28 and thereby terminate flow of lubricant.
Because the wick 48 is directly exposed -to the ambient within
the slot 42, air may freely enter the cavity 26, by passing
through the pad 48 ancl bore 74 of the stem 58, to thereby
maintain atmospheric pressure conditions therewithin.
The lower or outer end of the body 10 is provided with a
rectilinear slot 76 and arcuate recess 78, both extending
inwardly along the outermost channel portion 23; Eor
cooperation therewith, a short pin 80 is aEfixed within an
aperture 82 of the head member 12 and projects radially
therefrom. In Figure 6 the pin 80 is shown aligned within the
linear slo-t 76, thereby con~training the head member :L2
against rotation relative to the handle 10. In the
180-displaced orientation of Figure 7, receipt oE the pin 80
within the arcuate recess 76 permits the head member 12 to
swivel through a small arc (e.g., of about 45) as indicated
by the full and phantom line representations of the pin. The
castering efEect thereby produced is sometimes considered
desirable from the standpoint oE facilitatLng tracking oE the
cuttlng wheel ~4 along an irregular edge contour.
As illustrated in the drawing, the handle 10 wLLl
normally be molded from a plastic material ancl the head member
12 will be made of metal~ ~Iowever, the constructlon oE the
parts of the clevice will be dictated largely by economic,
manufacturing and aesthetic preEerences, and the variety of
choices will in any event be readily apparent to those skilled
in the art. Perhaps it should be speciEically mentioned,
however, that Eabricating the head member from a relatively
inexpensive synthetic resinous material (such as a tough and
rigid polye.ster), rather than from metal, may be particularly
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desirable from the standpoint o~ economical replacement when
the cutting element becomes excessively worn~ The latter will
of course generally be of carbon steel or a comparable
material, and the wick will normally be a pad of felt or the
like, although integral elements may be feasible as well.
It will also be appreciated that the exterior
configuration of the handle may take any of numerous forms, to
suit specific preferences. The interior construction may vary
similarly, as long as the features necessary to permit
reciprocal movement of the head member, the valving action,
and the flow of lubricant and air, in the manner describecl,
are prov-ded. A particularly significant feature of the
invention resides in the fact that the construction provided
employs only a single opening through which oil can flow to
the exterior (i.e., the channel through the head member),
which openiny will discharge the lubricant only where it is
desired ~i.e., onto the wick). This of course avoids the need
for any other passageway into the reservoir chamber, from
which the oil can drip or leak. ~lthough the device has been
illustrated in the form of a manual glass cutter, it will be
understood that the concepts of the lnvention are equally
applicahLe to other types of manual cutting tools, as well as
to units designed for installation into power cutting
machines.
As Lndicated above, the relationship between the
passageway o~ the cutting head and the valve stem is of
particular importance, and must provide an effective channel
for the flow of lubricating Eluid from the reservoir to the
wick. This may be achieved by utilizing a bore through the
head which is of slightly greater diameter than the stem, as
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shown in ~he drawings. Alternatively~ other configurations,
such as longitudinal grooves in the stem and/or the inside
surface of the the head member, may be utilized for oil flow.
The construction illustrated is par~.icularly preferred,
however, since it readily enables removal of the head member
12 from the body 10 and facile insertion of the stem 58 into
the bore. Although this capability is, of course, highly
desirable from the standpoint of permitting convenient illage
of the reservoir and easy replacement of the cutting head,
such removability is not essential to the invention, and other
means for permitting the addition of fluid to the reservoir
may be substitutecl if so desired.
Thus, it can be seen that the pre~ent invention provides
a novel, se].E-lubricating cutting device which is o:E
relatively uncomplicated design, is made with a minimal number
oE parts, and is highly convenient, reliable, and efective to
use. The invention more specifically prov:Ldes a manual glass
cutter having the foregoing features and advantages which is
relati.vely aci.1e and inexpen~ive to manueacture, and which :Ls
con~tructed in such a way that leakage Oe the lubricating
liquid erom its reservoir is substantlally avoided~
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