Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~0~737
DESCRIPTI2~
A KNIFE B~aPE AND HANDLE
The present invention is directed to a knife,
and more particularly to a replaceable blade for a
knife, and to a handle for a knife of the type having
a replaceable blade.
In order to cut plaster or other boards to a
desired width, a workman will often use a knife of
the type having a replaceable blade together with a
tape measure of the type which is extendable and
lockable and which has a hooked portion at its free
end, instead of marking the board for cutting. The
hooked part of the tape is either placed over the
upper edge of the blade and held in position by the
workman placing his thumb on top of the tape or
simply abuts the face of the blade and is held in
that position by the workman. The other hand is used
to grasp the tape measure housing and then both hands
are drawn down the plasterboard or the like, applyir.g
pressure on the blade so as to cut into the board.
This is a very quick method, since it obviates the
need for drawing the line of cut beforehand.
However, since the workman must hold the tape in
position on or against the knife blade, it is often
difficult, if not impossible, to apply sufficient
pressure to cut sufficiently far into the board. In
addition, the tape easily slides off or away from the
knife blade, giving rise to inaccurate cutting or
injury to the workman.
In addition, it has been noted that knife
blades in general are very prone to snapping,
particularly along a line substantially parallel to
and close to the end of the handle adjacent the knife
blade. It is therefore desirable to provide means
which reduces the likelihood of snapping of the
ZqlOQ~37
,
blade, particularly in the region adjacent to the
handle of the knife.
According to a first aspect of the present
invention, a blade for a knife has a slot for
receiving the hooked part of the free end of a tape
measure.
According to a second aspect of the present
invention, a knife of the type baving a replaceable
blade comprises a handle and a blade provided with a
slot for receiving the hooked part of the free end of
a tape measure.
By this means, the hooked end of the tape
measure may be located in the slot in the blade, and
does not need holding in place by the workman during
cutting of the board.
The slot is preferably an elongate aperture in
the blade, and may be parallel to the edge of the
body of the knife adjacent to the blade.
Alternatively, the slot may be provided at some other
angle, for example, parallel to the upper and/or
lower edges of the blade.
Preferably, the blade has a pair of adjacent
slots for receiving the hooked part of the free end
of a tape measure adapted to be received in the slots.
According to a third aspect of the present
invention, there is provided, in combination, a
replaceable blade for a knife, the blade having a
pair of adjacent slots, and a tape measure provided
with a hooked part adapted to be received in the
slots.
The invention further includes a tape measure
comprising a tape having a double hook end part.
By this means, the tape is more securely held
in position when the hooked part is passed through
the blade, travel of the blade along the tape in use
being inhibited.
Alternatively or additionally the slot may be
~0~737
open at one end.
The slot may alternatively be provided in a
flange which protrudes from the plane of the blade.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, a handle for a knife of the type having a
replaceable blade comprises a mounting portion to
hold the blade in the handle, and a reinforcing
portion extending from the mounting portion 80 as to
lie at least partially over the top of the blade, the
reinforcing portion having a recess into which at
least part of the top of the blade locates in use.
It is to be understood that in the above and
following description, the term recess is to be taken
to include the space formed by projections dependent
from the reinforcing portion.
The reinforcing portion passing over and
securely engaging the top of the knife blade provides
extra rigidity and resistance to snapping by helping
to prevent twisting or bending normal to the plane of
the blade. A knife is thereby provided with a strong
blade without necessarily having to resort to using
expensive materials for the blade itself.
Preferably, the reinforcing portion of the
handle includes a curved region, between the region
adjacent the top of tbe blade and the front of the
handle adjacent the blade, for increasing further the
rigidity of the blade in use. This is achieved
because the curved region minimises the stress
applied to the blade.
The reinforcing portion may be provided with a
rest along its upper surface and which is
positioned directly above the blade. A workman can
apply pressure using his thumb or finger on the rest,
thereby facilitating cutting or scoring especially as
the rest can be positioned directly above the blade.
It is to be understood that the term blade includes
blunt-edged blades, suitable for scoring, as well as
2~0~7~
,,
sharp-edged blades, suitable for cutting and scoring.
The gripping portion of tbe handle preferably
includes a hatched region provided towards the end of
the handle adjacent the knife blade, so as to provide
a region which is more easily gripped by the user,
allowinq for increased accuracy in use.
Examples of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a knife
having a replaceable blade, and a tape measure;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the blade of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a side view of a second example of ablade;
Fig. 4 is a side view of a third example of a
blade7
Fig. 5 is a side view of a fourth example of a
blade;
Fig. 6 is a side view of a fifth example of a
20 blade;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a sixth example of a
blade;
Fig. 8 is a plan view of a seventh example of a
blade;
Fig. 9 is a partial perspective view of a knife
having a replaceable blade provided with two slots,
and a correspondingly adapted tape measure;
Fig. 10 is a side view of a blade having two
slots;
Fig. 11 is a partial perspective view of the
tape measure of Fig. 1;
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the tape measure of
Fig. 9;
Fig. 13 is an external side view of a knife
handle according to the invention with a conventional
blade in position;
Fig. 14 is an external side view of the handle
2C~ 737
of Figure 13 with a blade as shown in Fig. 10 in
position;
Fix. 15 is an internal view of one half of the
knife shown in Fig. 14; and,
Fig. 16 is an internal view of one half of the
knife of Fig. 13.
A first example of a knife 1 of the type having
a replaceable blade 2 is shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The blade 2 has a slot 3 which i8 parallel to the
edge 4 of the handle 5 of the knife 1 adjacent to` the
blade. The slot 3 is elongate and of a size suitable
to receive the hooked part 6 of a tape measure 7.
In use, the workman passes the hooked part 6 of
the tape measure 7 through the slot 3 of the blade 2,
and draws the tape out to the required length. The
tape is then usually locked at that length by means
of a locking device commonly provided on the body of
such tape measures. The workman is then free to
apply full pressure to the plasterboard or the like
to be cut, since he is not required actively to hold
the hooked part 6 of the tape measure 7 in position
on the blade 2. Using his other hand to hold the
tape box (not shown) so that some tension is present
in the tape 7, an accurate cut is quickly and easily
achieved.
The slot may be positioned at other angles.
Examples of such other orientations are shown in
Figures 3, 4 and 5. However, it may be desirable to
use a blade with the slot at a different angle as
shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. In Figure 3, the slot 3
is provided in the blade 2 such that the slot 3 is
parallel to the upper edge 8 of the blade 2.
In Figure 4, a slot 3 is provided which is at a
non-zero angle to the edge 9 of the body of the knife
adjacent to the blade 2. With the slot in this
position, in use, the tape is able to be used by the
workmen so as to check the accuracy during cutting
~13~ 7 7
whilst preventing the sharp edge of the tape itself
from cutting into the plasterboard. In addition, the
likelihood of the blade snapping is kept to a minimum.
Figure 5 shows a blade 2 wherein a slot 3 is
again provided at a non-zero angle to the edge 9 of
the body of the knife adjacent to the blade 14, but
in a different orientation to the slot 11 shown ln
Figure 4.
figures 6 and 7 6how elongate slots 10 which
are open at one end. In Figure 6, the slot 10 is
provided in a blade 2, the slot being open at the end
nearest to the edge 9 of the body of the knife
adjacent to the blade 2. In Figure 7, a blade 2 is
provided with a slot 10 which is formed by means of
an L-shaped flange 11 integral with the blade 2 and
positioned at the upper edge of the blade and at
right-angles to the plane of the blade. Again, the
810t 10 iS open at the end nearest the edge 9 of the
body of the knife adjacent to the blade.
In each of the examples shown in Figure 6 and
7, where an open slot 10 is provided, the open end
should be positioned as shown since the knife is
usually drawn backwards" along the plasterboard or
the like, and thus the tape measure will be retained
in the slot 10 during cutting.
In Figure 8, a blade 2 has a flange 12
protruding out of the plane of the blade as shown. A
slot 13 is formed in the flange 12, and is closed at
both ends as shown.
Figures 9 and 10 shows a knife 40 of the type
having a replaceable blade 41, the blade having a
pair of adjacent slots 42, 43. As shown in Figures 9
and 11, a double hook end part 44 of a tape measure
is provided with two hooks 45,46 adapted to pass
3s through the slots 42,43.
The bridge portion 47 between the slots 42, 43
prevents the blade 41 from being able to move along
the length of toe tape during cutting, and Jo a ~o~e
secure locking is ensured. The provision of the two
small slows 42, 43 also serve to reduce weakening of
the blade to a minimum.
further example of position of the slots are
posslble and may correspond to those shown ln Figures
2, 3 and 5 to 8.
As shown in Figure 12, the hook end part 44 of
the tape measure should protrude ~o~ewhat from the
end of the tape RO a to leave a substantially
rectangular gap 48 between the hooks 4S, 46 and the
square end 49 of the tape. In addit$on, a shown
most clear}y on Figure ll, the hook end part 44 ha a
cut-out 50 which ~ccomodate~ the bridge portion 47 of
lS the blade. This cut-out 50 preferably extends beyond
the free end 49 of the tape so that the blade ean be
tilted relative to the tape, ensuring that the hooks
45, 46 can be easily inverted into the slots 42, 43.
These two features in particular alloy the blade 41
to be accommodated within the gap 48 Jo that the
plane of the blade is substantially perpendlcular to
the length of the tape, which ensures accurate
measuring and cutting
In each of the examples shown in figures 1 to
5, 9 and lO, a re tnforcing member snot shown) may be
clipped to the upper edge of the blade Jo as to
provide increased strength and rigidity. This member
it elongate and is provided with a channel along its
length which accept the blade in use.
Alternatlvely, the re-info~cing member may be formed
integrally with the blade.
As shown ln figures 13 and 14, a handle 51 ha
an exten6ion 52 whlc~ peso partially over the top
of a knife blade 53, 100. The extension 5~ provides
3S a eein~orcing portion along Abe top of the knife,
substantially red~lng the likelihood of -snapping ox
the blaze in u6e. The ex~en~ion may alto pa over
the pull length of the top of the blade. In the
37;~
example shown in Figure 15, the extenfiion 52 is oE a
length such that its feee end i8 it line with the
bridge potion 47 between the slot 42, 43. The
ext~nslon 52 includes a curved region 54 ~h~ch act
to increase further the rigidity of the knifeO
The handle 51 is also provided with a hatcbed
grlpping portlon S5 located near the working end of
the handle. this enables a workman to grip the
handle Gore firmly in vet thereby enabling the
workman to use the knlfe Gore accucately and cafely~
The handle comprises two halves, one half being
shown in Figure 15. A8 us vat with knives of this
type, the handle 51 it provided with a mounting peg
56 which i6 received by one of twc cutout 57,58
provlded in the knife blade 53 which i8 similar to
that shown in Pigure 10. As is common, thus knife
blade 53 i8 mounted Jo that the peg 56 received by
the forward cut-out 57, cO that a ~u~ficient region
of the blade i8 free for cutting.
The extension 52 iOE provlded with a recess 59
which recei~e~ the top of the knife blade ~3 and
~erve~ to increase further the rigidity of the
blade. The recess may be located partly in each
handle half or, alternatively, only one or other of
the handle halve may have the recess.
In Pigure 16 is shown a knife blade 100 of the
conventional type which i8 provided with two cut-outs
111,112 and which has the conventional relatively
shallow angle at the leadlng edges. When using the
handle 51 with a conventional blade 100, the blade
100 can be mounted in the handle 51 with the peg 56
located in the forward clout 111. A small region
of blade 100 it thereby provided for cuttlng.
Alternatively the blade Jan be mounted with the peg
56 located in the rearward cut-out 112. By this
means, a ~u~icient area ox blade i8 provided to
enable cuttlng to be carried out, the extension 52
relnforcing the blade to the required rigidity.
