Abstract:
A nipper is disclosed having light-weight alloy handles which are ergonomically shaped narrowly to accommodate smaller hands or one-handed use, and biased outwardly by a torsion type spring which additionally limit the open handle width. The nipper utilizes carbide tool steel blades affixed with fasteners for easy replacement. The nipper has a friction reducing bushing at the pivot for ease of movement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is related to the field of cutting nippers and more specifically to farrier nippers which have lightweight alloy handles biased with a torsion type spring, replaceable carbide blades, and ergonomically designed for users with small hands or to be used one-handedly. 
         [0002]    The design for nippers to trim horse hooves predates the invention of horseshoes. Horse hooves, like human fingernails or other animal nails, grow constantly. Unlike wild horses who wear their hooves down by traveling many miles each day in search of food, domestic horses are confined and relatively sedentary. Because of this human caused confinement, it is necessary for humans to trim the horse hooves before they become too long and cause injury and separation of the hoof wall, typically every six weeks. Conventional available nippers, particularly those used to trim the hooves of horses or cattle were designed in the Middle Ages and have continued to this day relatively unchanged. Indeed, in some cases of modern nippers, they are still made by hand in a blacksmith forge. They are typically large and heavy and the handles are far apart making them unwieldy for small hands or one-handed use. The perpendicular cutting edges are of the same low carbon steel material as the handles and are therefore impossible to grind to a thin edge or to properly harden so that they stay sharp. Most conventional nippers also need to be resharpened by someone highly skilled, require disassembly to sharpen properly and are often outsourced for sharpening. The pivot point is a steel rivet which can rust and cause the nippers to bind. These nippers can fall unrestrictedly open during use necessitating the use of two hands at all times. Spring biased nippers designed for self opening typically have handles even further apart when open. 
         [0003]    An improvement in the original nipper design was disclosed by G. P. Whiting (U.S. Pat. No. 532,509) where fastener affixed blades were shown. However, the described purpose of this disclosure is for the capability of adjusting the blades and makes no mention of using a different metal or for use in trimming hooves. A spring-biased nipper was disclosed by Jerry Mennicken (U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,854) where a helical spring is used to force the handles apart, and the handles are shown to be uncomfortably wide. This disclosure leaves the handles at their furthest opening and the nippers themselves are designed for parallel cutting rather than the perpendicular cutting which is required in hoof trimming. An improvement in nippers designed for cutting glass and tiles was disclosed by Bernd Siebenlist of Germany (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,498) which shows replaceable cutting wheels of carbide. Although the disclosure of carbide steel for the wheel shaped blades is an improvement, the wheels will not work for hoof trimming and the nipper handles are very heavy, as required for tile cutting. An improvement in conventional farrier nippers was disclosed by John E. Swanstrom, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,752). This disclosure shows carbide blades attached to mild steel handles. In this disclosure the carbide blades are brazed into shelves, described in the disclosure for the purpose of reducing manufacturing cost. This would require someone skilled in the art of metal working to replace the blades at a workshop location using special tools and the handles are without spring bias, heavy and ergonomically wide. Currently, the state of the art of hoof trimming tooling remains the best reason for hiring someone else to trim. Many people, particularly women, who are doing horse hoof trimming have requested a new design that is lightweight, spring-biased with easily replaceable blades, and ergonomically designed for small hands or one-hand use. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention describes nippers with ergonomically designed handles spaced narrowly apart for small hands or one-handed use. The invention also describes a torsion type spring biased means that assists in opening the nipper handles, but also holds them at a convenient distance apart rather than opening fully. The invention also describes the utilization of light weight alloy material for the nipper handles and of fastener affixed carbide blades for easy replacement and to further make cutting easier. The edges of these carbide blades, being much tougher than the conventional low carbon steel, can be ground thinner than the conventional steel cutting edges for easier cutting and can be replaced rather than resharpened. Also disclosed is the utilization of a friction reducing bushing at the pivot point. The invention will become more apparent from the following Detailed Description which proceeds with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a nipper in the closed position with narrow handles, fastener affixed blades and a torsion type spring attachment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one half of the nippers showing the pivot bearing, the recess for the spring mounting, the hole to install the pivot bushing, and the spring mounting with anchor holes. The two halves are identical. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective views of a torsion type spring  33  biased nipper with handles  22  spaced narrowly apart to allow a small hand to utilize them one-handed. Besides the handles themselves being parallel at a narrow spacing, the distal ends of the handles  22  are even closer together to allow the handles to be gripped with a narrower grip at the distal ends for greater leverage.  FIG. 1  also shows the placement of the pivot screw  77 .  FIG. 1  also shows the mounting of the fastener affixed carbide blades  44  with countersunk screws  55 .  FIG. 1  also shows the spring anchor hole  38  where the leg of the spring will attach.  FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the interior side of the disclosed nipper with the recess for mounting the torsion spring  33 , the hole for the pivot bushing  66 , and the hole  38  for anchoring the end of the torsion spring  33 .  FIG. 2  also shows the polymer washer  88  mounted between the handles  22  to further reduce friction and wear. The torsion type spring  33  is used because it will allow narrow spacing of the handles  22 . The torsion spring  33  is affixed to not only bias the handles open, but to restrict the handles  22  from falling fully open which would necessitate using two hands to regain a grip. When the handles  22  are squeezed together, the torsion spring  33  compresses as shown in  FIG. 1  allowing the blades to meet and cut the desired material. When the handle pressure is relaxed, the torsion spring  33  is mounted so as to be fastened inside the handles  22  so that the spring pressure forces the handles open only to a predetermined width, approximately thirty degrees, that will allow easy use with one small hand. This torsion spring  33  is attached to the handles in such a way that also allows the handles to be manually spread further apart if required to make a thicker cut. A stop screw  77  mounted as shown in  FIG. 2  allows regulation of the cutting blades  44  so that the blades meet without a gap and without excess pressure. The carbide blades  44  are affixed to the cutting head of the assembly with countersunk fasteners  55  recessed so they do not interfere with the cutting action and can be replaced anywhere as needed without special tools rather than be resharpened. This is faster and easier for someone not skilled in sharpening cutter blades. 
         [0008]    The preferred embodiment of the disclosed nipper design shows the handle body forged to the shape in the drawings of aluminum alloy 7075 which is typically used in aircraft. The forged aluminum worked well, but cast aluminum broke in testing. The handles are close together and more so at the distal end for better leverage with smaller hands. The machining done on the aluminum alloy nipper body would comprise shelves for the carbide blades which are drilled and tapped to match the blade fastener holes. An accurate bushing hole for the bushing pivot would be drilled and reamed. A friction reducing material such as oil impregnated bronze would be installed in the pivot hole and a polymer washer installed around that bushing to further reduce wear and friction between the two handles. Recesses would be machined for the spring to be positioned inside the handle bodies. This protects the spring and reduces interference during use. Holes are drilled at the lower end of the recess in which the 90 degree leg of the spring is anchored. In addition would be drilling and tapping for a small set screw located in the lower adjoining contacting faces to allow for adjustment of the blade contact. The handles would be coated with a non-slip rubber for safety and convenience. The blades would be vanadium carbide tool steel such as Crucible Metals CPM S30V or CPM S90V. The blades would be hollow ground on the cutting edge to require the least pressure to trim hooves. This carbide steel also would not become dull very easily requiring ease of use and longevity. The carbide steel blades would be drilled for the fasteners, hollow ground and then heat treated to approximately 60 Rockwell. The blades would be mounted with countersunk or counterbored fasteners so they do not interfere with the cutting edge. 
         [0009]    While the above description contains detailed specifications and instructions, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible, such as forming the handles of polymer material, or blades of ceramic. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.