Patent ID: 8371031
Filing Date: 2013-02-12
Classification: B26B,B60J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A windshield cut-out tool for use in removing a vehicle windshield, the tool comprising: an elongate forward blade carrier providing a forward handle for the tool; an elongate rearward handle spaced from and substantially parallel to the forward blade carrier; a bridge portion, interconnecting the forward blade carrier and the rearward handle to form a rigid frame wherein both the forward blade carrier and the rearward handle extend from the bridge portion parallel to one another in respective fixed longitudinal directions, and wherein the forward blade carrier and the bridge portion and the rearward handle are decoupled from the vehicle windshield and positioned above the vehicle windshield and moveable together as parts of the rigid frame in an unrestrained manner over the vehicle windshield; a rotatable mounting mechanism enabling rotation of the forward blade carrier with respect to the bridge portion and the rearward handle about a rotational axis oriented in the longitudinal direction of the forward blade carrier in order to reconfigure the tool; and a locking mechanism for fixing rotational orientation of the forward blade carrier with respect to the bridge portion and the rearward handle, wherein the locking mechanism fixes rotational orientation of the forward blade carrier in a user-selected one of a plurality of rotational orientations about the rotational axis of the forward blade carrier; wherein the forward blade carrier includes blade securing means for securing the blade in a position on the rotational axis of the forward blade carrier, and an engagement means is rigidly coupled to the forward blade carrier and moveable with the forward blade carrier, the engagement means including an element that contacts the vehicle windshield at a level spaced above a terminal portion of the blade secured by the blade securing means and that moves along the vehicle windshield during cutting operations performed by the blade.