Cutting apparatus

Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material which includes a base member having a generally planar top surface and a body member having a generally planar bottom surface. The body member has a first slot extending from the bottom surface. A spacer separates the top surface of the base member and the bottom surface of the body member. A bifurcated retainer has first and second generally parallel generally coplanar arms which are disposed respectively in first and second planes passing on first and second sides of the first slot. In some forms of the invention the apparatus includes a cover element and a pivotal mounting for the cover element on the body member. The cover element may have a notch therein for receiving a corner of an associated cutting edge. The pivotal mounting may include a spring bias for urging the cover element toward the body member. The bifurcated retainer may be manufactured of spring steel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to cutting apparatus and particularly to apparatus 
for cutting sheet materials such as paper, plastics and the like. 
Foodstuffs such as potato chips, peanuts and the like are typically packed 
in small bags which are often difficult to open. The problem of opening 
such containers is particularly acute for the very young, the very old, 
and others with physical disabilities. 
Although the invention has particular application to the opening of such 
bags, it will be understood to also have application to the cutting of 
sheet material generally. 
Many devices have been proposed for the cutting of such materials. One such 
device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,337 which utilizes a razor 
blade carried in a housing which is supported on a roller. Devices of the 
type described in this patent are not satisfactory because the cutting 
edges are left exposed when the apparatus is not in use and thus are 
hazardous. 
It is a primary object of the invention to provide apparatus which will 
easily and rapidly cut a piece of sheet material such as that used to 
manufacture a bag. 
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus which may be 
safely used even by children. 
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which it is easy 
to replace the cutting edge. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which is 
simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing objects and other objects and advantages which shall become 
apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment are 
attained in an apparatus which includes a base member having a generally 
planar top surface and a body member having a generally planar bottom 
surface. The body member has a first slot extending from the bottom 
surface. A spacer separates the top surface of the base member and the 
bottom surface of the body member. A bifurcated retainer has first and 
second generally parallel, generally coplanar arms, the arm being 
extending through respectively first and second planes passing on first 
and second sides of the first slot. 
In some forms of the invention a cover element is pivotally mounted on the 
body member. The cover element may have a notch therein for receiving a 
corner of an associated cutting edge. The means for pivotally mounting may 
include a spring base for urging the cover element toward the body member. 
The bifurcated retainer may be manufactured of spring steel. 
The base member may be provided with a recess in the top surface thereof. 
The bifurcated retainer may be mounted on the base member in the recess. 
The body member may be elongated. The body member may have axially 
extending grooves on opposed sides thereof for cooperation with the 
fingers of a user. The spacer means may be an integral part of the base 
member. The body member may have at least one axial extremity having a 
prow shaped contour. 
The apparatus may include means for allowing replacement of the associated 
cutting edge. The apparatus may include a cutting edge and the cutting 
edge may be a single edge razor blade. The apparatus may further include 
means for hanging on an associated wall. The means for hanging may include 
at least one eye. The bifurcated retainer may be fixed to one of the 
members and may contact the other of the members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown a base member 10 having a 
generally planar upper or top surface 12. A spacer member 14 may be an 
integral part of the base member 10 or may be a discrete element. A 
plurality of eyes 16 are disposed along the side of the base member 10 as 
well as at the pointed end 18 of the base member 10. A recess 20 is, in 
the preferred form, elongated and disposed with the axis thereof 
coincident with the axis of the elongated base member 10. Mounted in the 
recess 20 is a bifurcated element 22 having an opening 24 which cooperates 
with a screw 26. The bifurcated element 22 includes first and second 
fingers or legs 28, 30 which are generally parallel and which are disposed 
respectively in planes (not shown) extending on opposite sides of a single 
edge razor blade 32 which is carried in a slot 34 of a body member 36. The 
slot 34 has the right axial extremity (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4) 
enlarged to accommodate the upper edge of the razor blade 32. This 
relationship is best illustrated in FIG. 3. 
The body member 36 is elongated and is provided with grooves 38 (one shown) 
on each side thereof to cooperate with the thumbs of the user as best 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The left extremity of the body member 36 (as viewed 
in FIG. 3) is generally prow shaped. Ordinarily the body member 36 will be 
rigidly attached to the base member 10 by means of screws 42, 42. The body 
member 36 is provided with a through hole 44 which cooperates with a bolt 
46, coil spring 48, and nut 50 to pivotally mount a cover element 52. The 
cover element has a notch 54 which cooperates with one corner of the 
single edge razor blade 32. The head of the bolt 46 and spring 48 are 
disposed in a counterbore 49 in the cover element 52. A pin 56 is mounted 
in the body member 36 proximate to the left (as viewed) axial extremity of 
the slot 34. 
The pin 56 cooperates with a blind hole 58 in the cover element 52. As best 
seen in FIG. 3 the cover element 52 may be raised at the left axial 
extremity thereof against the bias of the spring 48 to disengage it from 
the pin 56. Thereafter the cover element 52 may be pivoted about the bolt 
46 to the position illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2. With this position of 
the cover element 52 the single edge razor blade 32 may be easily removed 
from the slot 34 and replaced. The operation of the apparatus is best 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The apparatus may be bolted down on a horizontal 
surface or may be hung by the eyelet 16. For example, an eye or eyelet 16 
disposed at the end 18 of the base member 10 may be used to hang the 
apparatus with the end 18 uppermost. The user grasps the bag 60 with his 
hands 62, 64 and pulls the bag with the portion thereof intermediate his 
hands 62, 64 in a taut condition intermediate the bifurcated member or 
retainer 22 and the bottom of the body member 36. This pulling continues 
until the bag 60 contacts the blade 32 to initiate cutting. The user may 
then continue pulling the bag 60 by moving his hands 62, 64 with the 
thumbs thereof bearing against the grooves 38, 38 on the sides of the body 
member 36. Once the initial cut is started, with the combination of the 
taut holding of the bag 60 by the hands 62, 64 and the positioning by the 
bifurcated member 22 continued cutting is relatively easy. 
In various embodiments of the invention the base member 10, body member 36, 
and cover element 52 may be manufactured of wood or plastic. The space 
member 14 may be an integral part of the body member 14. 
It will thus be seen that the apparatus in accordance with the invention 
may be operated safely even by children. Similarly the apparatus makes it 
easy to start and complete a cut in a piece of sheet material such as that 
typically used for snack containers. The cutting edge may be easily 
replaced. It will also be apparent that the apparatus is simple and 
inexpensive to manufacture. 
The invention has been described with reference to its illustrated 
preferred embodiment. Persons skilled in the art of construction cutting 
apparatus may upon exposure to the teachings herein, conceive variations 
in the mechanical development of the components therein. Such variations 
are deemed to be encompassed by the disclosure, the invention being 
delimited only by the appended claims.