Patent ID: 6484406
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B26B

Abstract:
A hand-held device for forming an ellipse in a sheet of material, the device comprising:a first member having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface adapted to contact the sheet of material, the first member having an elongated slot of a first size extending through the first member; a second member having a lower surface that is at least partially in contact with the upper surface of the first member; a connecting mechanism coupled to the second member and extending through the elongated slot, the connecting mechanism including an enlarged portion located on a side of the first member away from the second member, the enlarged portion larger than the elongated slot, the connecting mechanism capable of sliding within the elongated slot while remaining fixed relative to the second member, thereby captivating the second member in a slidable relationship with respect to the first member about a first pivot point defined by the connecting mechanism; and a knob coupled in a fixed position with respect to the second member and substantially aligned with the first pivot point, the knob having a size and shape that allow grasping the knob with one hand such that rotation of the knob causes the second member to slide atop the first member as the connecting mechanism slides within the elongated slot, forming the ellipse in the sheet of material, wherein the first member has an elliptical shape with a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the first member further comprises index marks that identify the major axis and the minor axis to facilitate the alignment of the first member on the sheet of material.