Tube cutter

A device for cutting flexible tubing includes a support member attached to a wall surface in fixed stationary position. The support member has a shelf projecting horizontally therefrom across which the tubing to be cut is laid. An adjustable end abutment member locates the end face of the tube as it lies across the shelf. A blade which has pointed end projects forwardly from the support member above the shelf and has a sharpened edge facing upwardly away from the shelf. In operation the user manually grasps the tubing on either side of the self and pushes the tubing rearwardly across the shelf toward the support member so that it engages the blade which punctures the tubing. With the tubing held in position against the shelf, an abutment surface on the support member and the end abutment member, the tubing is manually rotated to provide a cut lying exactly in a plane at right angles to the axis of the tubing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the field of hose or tubing cutting 
devices. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Tube or hose cutting tools are well known devices. A number of devices have 
been described that cut hoses or tubing perpendicular to their axes at the 
point of cutting. The prior art Baum U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,629 discloses a 
manual hand held cutter, that moves about a tube or hose similar to a pipe 
cutter. In this device a pointed blade punctures the tubing at one point 
on its periphery and then a side cutting edge of the blade is rotated 
around the periphery of the tubing in a plane at right angles to the axis 
to complete a cutting action. However the design is very limited in 
relation to the sizes of tubing that can be accomodated and in addition 
there is a tendency for the device to twist as the cutting action takes 
place thus forming a helical cut line. Most other tube cutters describe a 
scissors type of action which is completely unacceptable for the very 
resilient tubing now available. Prior art devices in many instances are 
quite complicated structure and have no means thereon for both cutting and 
measuring of a tube. In most instances there is a device that must be held 
or moved in order to cut the tube. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention describes a device that is simple in construction and 
easy to use. The device also provides a means thereon for the measuring of 
a tube to be cut, as well as allowing the operator to use both hands 
freely to accurately cut the tube, as the device is attached securely to a 
wall. 
Is an object of the present invention to provide a tube cutting device that 
will cut through rubber, rubber-like material, plastics, and hoses such as 
hydraulic hoses, radiator hoses, polyvinylchloride or polyethelene hoses. 
The present invention provides a device for the measuring and cutting of 
hoses or tubing comprising a device for the measuring and cutting of 
tubing comprising an elongate support member having a top end and a bottom 
end, means for attaching the device to a fixed so as to extend support 
substantially vertically thereon, an attached flange extending 
horizontally to form a planar horizontal guide surface extending from the 
support member, means for support of the flange on the support member, a 
blade, means for securely mounting the blade on the support member so as 
to project forwardly from the support member, the blade having a pointed 
end projecting away from the support member and a blade body, lying in a 
plane at right angles to the horizontal guide surface with one edge of the 
blade body being sharpened for a cutting action said mounting means for 
holding said blade being slideably mounted on said support means for 
movement therealong in a direction at right angles to the horizontal guide 
surface and adjustable means for measuring an end of the tubing, at a 
position spaced from the blade longitudinally of the tubing to determine a 
length of tubing to be cut. 
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to 
those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this 
specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a 
description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred 
typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
A tube cutting device as shown generally at 10. The device is comprised of 
a support member defined by a four-sided tube 12, with a top end 11 and a 
bottom end 13, a front wall 14, side walls 16 and 18, back wall 20, and a 
cap 21 covering the top end 11. The device has a bracket 22 integrally 
attached with the back wall 20 of the device. The bracket 22 extends 
outwardly from the back wall 20 of the device and has openings 24 
therethrough, positioned adjacent each side wall of the tube 12, that 
allow for the attachment of the device to a wall 26. 
On the front wall 14 of the tube 12 there is an elongate slot 28. There is 
mounted slideably within the slot 28 a blade 30 that protrudes from and 
moves up and down the slot 28. Each side wall 16 and 18 has a slot as well 
and the blade 30 is held in place in the slot 28 by a transverse blade 
holder 32. The blade holder 32 slides along the slots 34 and 36 that run 
vertically along the side walls 16 and 18 respectively. The slots 28, 34 
and 36 extend from their openings at the top end of the tube 12 downward 
approximately 3/4 of the way along the tube 12. 
The blade holder 32 also has thereon a means for detachably fastening the 
blade holder along the slots 34 and 36 so that the blade 30 is positioned 
along the slots 28. In the embodiment described the blade holding means in 
the embodiment described is a screw-lock type that releasably attaches the 
blade holder along the slots 34 and 36. Slot 36 is narrower than the slot 
34 as slot 34 has a screw 33 that detachably fastens to the edges of the 
slot 34. 
There is attached to the outside of the front wall 14 a shelf or ledge 38, 
the surface of which is positioned perpendicular to the front wall and 
integrally attached at its edge 40 to the front wall 14. The ledge extends 
outwardly from the front wall 14 from the point of attachment 40. 
On the surface of ledge 38 is a slotted opening 42 perpendicular to the 
plane of the front wall 14 and aligned with the slot 28 on the front wall 
14. The opening 42 is of sufficient size to allow the passage therethrough 
of the mounted blade 30. 
Below the ledge 38 is a support 44, integrally attached to the bottom 
surface of the ledge 38 at 46 and the front wall 14, providing an opening 
therethrough 48 positioned near the base of the slot 28. The blade 30, 
when positioned at the bottom of the slot 28, below the plane of the ledge 
38, is in a storage position within the opening 48. 
The blade 30 is positioned in the holder so that the pointed end extends 
outwardly from the slot 28 and has its sharp edge 50 directed upwardly. 
There is on the ledge 38, extending from the edge of the slot 42, an 
indentation 52. The indentation 52 is of the same approximate width as the 
slot 42 on the ledge 38. This indentation 52 extends from the end of the 
slot 42 along the surface to the edge of the ledge 38, on a perpendicular 
line from the front wall 14 at the points of attachment 40. 
There is a transverse rod 54 extending through openings 56 and 58 on the 
lower part of side walls 16 and 18 respectively. On the rod 54 are 
markings 60 that allow for measurement of an object along the rod. The rod 
54 is four-sided, as are the openings 56 and 58, and the rod slideably 
fits through these openings. The configuration and fit of the rod 54 
within the openings 56 and 58 does not allow for a rotation of the rod 54 
within the openings 56 and 58. 
The rod 54 is held in place by a screw 62 through an opening 64 on the 
front wall 14 below the blade slot 28. The screw 62 releasably abuts the 
rod 54 within the tube 12 and holds the rod 54 in place when it is 
tightened. The measurements on the rod allow for the measurement of a tube 
or hose that is to be cut. 
The rod 54 has integrally attached at its end 66 a member 68 extending 
upwardly and outwardly therefrom, towards the plane of the ledge 38. The 
end of the member 68 is positioned at a point just above the plane of the 
ledge 38, so that a tube resting on a ledge 38, and extending horizontally 
beyond the ledge 38, abuts the edge of the member 68. Measurements from 
the end point 66 to the blade 30 may be performed by way the markings 60 
on the rod 54. 
In operation, the hose 70 is placed on the upper surface of the ledge 38, 
with the end of the tube aligned with the rod end member 66. The rod 54 is 
adjusted by sliding it through the openings 56 and 58 on the tube 12 and 
locking the rod 54 in place by tightening of the screw 62 against the rod 
54. 
The blade holder 32 is loosened and the mounted blade 30 is raised along 
the slot 28 to a position above the ledge 38 where it is fastened into 
place by the tightening of the blade holder 32. 
With the blade 30 secured in place along the slot 28, above the ledge 38, 
the length of tube is placed on the surface of the ledge 38, with its end 
touching the end member 66 as previously determined. 
The tube is grasped with both hands, one hand on each side of the tube 12. 
The tube is pushed manually across the ledge 38 onto the blade 30, so that 
the point of the blade pierces the tube 70. With the circumferencial edge 
of the tube 70 against the front wall 14 and the ledge 38, the tube 70 is 
manually rotated in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3 so that the 
sharp edge 50 of the blade 30 slices through the tube 70, thereby cutting 
the tube at an angle perpendicular to the axis of the tube 70. 
When not in operation, the blade 30 is locked into position at the bottom 
of the slot 28, below the plane of the ledge 38 and within the opening 48. 
When changing the blade, the cap 21 is removed and the blade and transverse 
holder slide upward and out of the top of the tube, as the slots 28, 34 
and 36 all extend to the top of the tube 12. The blade 30 is replaced 
within the holder 32 and put back into the device with its sharp side up. 
The cap 21 is replaced. In the described embodiment, the cap 21 is held in 
place by screws 72 that must be removed before the cap 21 can be taken 
off. 
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove 
described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made 
within the spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in 
the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only 
and not in a limiting sense.