Patent ID: 6122831
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: B26B

Abstract:
A knife for cutting fibrous insulation batts in a single motion with one hand and simultaneously compressing and cutting the insulation batt, comprising:a blade having a non-cutting back edge, a smooth, curved cutting front edge opposite the back edge adapted to compress and cut the insulation batt simultaneously, the back edge and the front edge meeting at a forward end, a rearward end, a blade length between the forward end and the rearward end, a blade width between the back edge and the front edge, and a blade longitudinal axis extending between the forward end and the rearward end intermediate the blade width; anda handle attached to the rearward end of the blade, the handle having a first end, a second end, a handle length between the first end and the second end, a back side, a front side, a handle width between the back side and the front side, and a handle longitudinal axis intermediate the handle width and substantially parallel to the back side, further comprising a blade-engaging portion adjacent the first end and a gripping portion adjacent the second end, the blade-engaging portion encompassing and supporting the blade along a substantial portion of the blade length, the gripping portion enclosing the fingers of the hand and preventing contact between the fingers and the blade and between the fingers and the insulation battwherein the gripping portion further comprises a forward blade guard, a lower blade guard, and a grip, the grip being positioned rearward of the rearward end, thereby preventing the hand from contacting the blade; wherein the handle longitudinal axis meets the blade longitudinal axis at an angle, thereby allowing the hand to be above the insulation batt as the blade contacts the insulation batt along a substantial portion of the blade.