Patent Application
20150068044
This invention relates generally to tools used for working leather. In particular the present invention relates to a leather edge beveler useful for removing the square edges on a piece of leather when making straps or belts or the like. Specifically, the present invention is a handheld leather edge beveler which comprises a handle with an engagement means provided therein and which is useful for attaching a wide array of different edger blades thereto.
When craftsman are making belts, straps and other articles from leather they typically have to cut the leather with a sharp knife. This tends to create a sharp edge at each of the upper and lower corners of the cut face on the leather strip. If the craftsman is making a belt, for example, these sharp edges or corners will tend to cause discomfort in the end-user and so it has become customary to round off the sharp edges, i.e., to bevel the corners. This is done by cutting a strip of leather off one or both of the upper and lower corners of the leather workpiece. The tool used for this purpose is known as an edge beveler. Some edge bevelers are used on a commercial scale and are at least somewhat mechanized. These commercial-type edge bevelers are typically mounted on a work surface and include rotating heads having cutting surfaces thereon. The tools are capable of rapidly and easily cutting one or both of the upper and lower corners of a workpiece simply by puffing the workpiece through a gap between the rotating heads.
Other edge bevelers are handheld devices that are used by individual craftsman and hobbyists. It is this type of edge beveler that is the subject of the present disclosure. There are a wide variety of handheld edge bevelers available on the market. Each edge beveler includes a special type of blade that is fixedly mounted in a handle. Each blade has a specific cutting profile and is of a specific size. In order to distinguish between the different sizes of blade with the same cutting profile, handheld edge bevelers are given a number, e.g. Number 2, Number 3, or Number 4. The craftsman will select his or her tool firstly based on the type of edge he or she wishes to provide on the end product. They will then select the style of the cutting profile on the blade that will produce the desired effect. Some of the specific cutting profiles are Bisonette edgers which include a hole with two rounded cutting profiles. These edgers can round over the sharp corners on the leather workpiece if the tool is pushed or pulled along the leather. Round Bottom edgers have a single rounded cutting profile or blade which again rounds over the corners of the leather, but only if the edge beveler is pushed along the leather. Another type of cutting profile is a Vizzard edge beveler which has a rounded profile with an octagonal shank. This edger gives the corner a different appearance to the previous two edgers. Edge shavers and flat edge bevelers have a blade profile which will cut a flat or angled piece from the corners of the leather workpiece. Once the particular style of edge beveler is selected, the craftsman will decide on the size of bevel he or she wishes to cut at the corners and will then select the appropriately numbered tool for the job. So, for example, the craftsman may select a No. 2 Bisonette edge beveler or a No. 4 Vizzard edge beveler.
Each project undertaken by a craftsman will require different styles and sizes of edger beveler to create the desired aesthetic in the end product. A craftsman will therefore have to own a wide variety of differently styled and differently sized edge bevelers to practice his or her craft.
This issue has been addressed by some manufacturers by providing a single handle with a plurality of differently sized or configured cutting members. For example, Springfield Leather Company of Springfield, Mo., USA sells an edger set which comprises a handle and a plurality of cutting members. The cutting members each have a shaft which is configured at one end to be received in a chuck-type mechanism mounted at one end of the handle. The cuffing members not currently engaged with the handle are stored in a chamber in the rear of the handle.
Leathercraft4u of Yannawa, Bangkok, Thailand sell a “3 in 1 Edge Beveler” which again comprises a handle with a chuck-type mechanism mounted at one end. A plurality of cutting members having different blade sizes are sold with the handle and each cuffing member includes a shaft configured to be selectively engaged in the chuck-type mechanism.
While the edge bevelers referenced above work adequately, the chuck-type mechanism is relatively expensive to incorporate in the tool and has a tendency to work loose as the tool is used. This results in the cutting member not being tightly retained with the handle and this may cause the leather end product to have bevels cut therein which are not as aesthetically pleasing as they could have been if the engagement between the cutting member and handle was secure.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved edge beveler which addresses these issues of the prior art.
An edge beveling tool for working leather, a kit and a method of changing an edge beveling tool is disclosed. The edge beveling tool includes a handle; a cutting member comprising an arm with first and second ends, cutting surface(s) being provided on the second end; and a spring assembly for removably engaging the cutting member with the handle. The first end of the cutting member is inserted into a slot defined in the handle and is engaged by the spring assembly. The spring assembly is a spring clip which urges the first end of the cutting member into contact with an interior wall of the handle. When it is desired to replace the first cutting member with a second cutting member having a different cutting profile, the first cutting member is grasped and pulled out of the slot. A first end of the second cutting member is then inserted into the slot where the spring clip urges it contact with the interior wall of the handle.
A sample embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to
Referring now to
Handle 52 is ergonomically shaped and includes a top wall 52a, a bottom wall 52b, a first end 52c and a second end 52d. Handle 52 has a longitudinal axis “Y” extending between first and second ends 52c, 40d. Preferably, handle 52 is fabricated in two sections which are then secured together by suitable means. Preferably, handle 52 is fabricated by injection molding two plastic halves of handle 52 which are then secured together by heat welding for example. Top wall 52a is gently curved (as shown in
Handle 52 includes a plurality of cut-outs 60 therein to reduce the overall weight of handle 52 and therefore make the tool light and easy to use. Handle 52 further defines a slot 62 therein. Handle 52 defines an opening 64 (
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a spring clip 66 is disposed within slot 62. A first end of spring clip 66 is disposed within first chamber 62a and a second end of spring clip 66 is disposed within second chamber 62b. The purpose of spring clip 66 will be described further herein.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, handle 52 preferably is provided with some type of textural element which aids in the craftsman gripping handle 52. In the figures attached hereto that textural element comprises a plurality of ridges or grooves 51 provided at intervals along the exterior surface of handle 52. Preferably the ridges or grooves 51 are oriented substantially at right angles to longitudinal axis “Y”. It will be understood that these textural elements may be omitted.
Each cutting member 54, 56, 58 is substantially identical except for the configuration of the tines on the end thereof as well as the shape of the cutting profile of the blades disposed between the tines. Because of the similarity between cutting members 54-58, only cutting member 54 will be described further herein. It should be understood, however, that the description applies equally to the other cutting members 56, 58. Cutting member 54 has an arm with a first end 54a and a second end 54b. The arm is substantially flattened along its length with the exception of the tines 68. In the type of cutting member 54 illustrated herein the tines 68 are disposed at an angle a relative to the rest of the arm. Tines 68 are spaced a distance apart from each other and include a blade or a cutting surface 70 on each interior side edge of each tine 68.
Referring to
The arm of cutting member 54 includes a pair of shoulders 54c which are disposed adjacent first end 52c of handle 52 when cutting member 54 is engaged therewith. The width “W4” of the arm in the region of shoulders 54c is greater than the width “W3” and is therefore such that the arm is prevented from sliding further inwardly through opening 64 in handle 52. Shoulders 54c thus limit the longitudinal travel of cutting member 54. The longitudinal travel of cutting member 54 is further arrested between the edge 54d of cutting member 54 abuts an end wall 62c in slot 62. The arm of cutting member 54 tapers from the width “W4” toward tines 68.
First end 54a of arm of cutting member 54 defines a hole 72 therein. Hole 72 is useful for hanging cutting member 54 on a hook on a storage rack or the like when cutting member 54 is disengaged from handle 52. It will be understood that instead of cutting members 54, 56, 58 being individually stored separately from handle 52, handle 52 may be configured to include a chamber (not shown) within which the cutting members 54-58 may be stored when not in use. Chamber may be such that a covering locks the cutting members 54-58 therein when not in use. Edge beveler 50 is used in the following manner. Referring to
When the craftsman desires to use another one of the cutting members 56, 58 he or she will simply grasp the second end 54b and pull cutting member 54 out of slot 62 in the opposite direction to the way it was inserted into slot 62. The other one of the cutting members 56, 58 is then inserted through opening 64 and into slot 62 in the same manner as described with reference to cutting member 54. When the other cutting member 56, 58 is locked into handle by spring clip 66 the edge beveler is ready for use.
It will therefore be seen that edge beveler is converted from one size and style of beveler to another in a very rapid and easy manner. Additionally, the fabrication of the device is relatively inexpensive when compared with previously known edge bevelers that include inter-changeable cutting members. Still further, edge beveler 50 tends not to suffer from becoming looser over time as is the case with the chuck-type mechanism bevelers (such as shown in
In accordance with an aspect of the invention there is disclosed a method of changing an edge beveler 50 comprising the steps of:
The method further comprising the steps of:
The method wherein the step of replacing first cutting member 54 with second cutting member 56 includes the steps of:
The method further comprises the steps of:
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiment of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
