Abstract:
The cutting tool includes a rigid, elongate, axially and laterally symmetrical bar having a plurality of parallel cutting edges and a handle portion at each end thereof. The tool has a plurality of cutting blades having generally flat faces therebetween. The edges are blunted at each end of the tool to allow the end portions to serve as handles, thus facilitating manipulation of the tool. Each handle portion includes at least one flat face that is coplanar with a face extending from at least one cutting edge. This allows the tool to be stroked along a panel surface to trim a veneer edge therefrom with the plane of the cutting blade remaining flush against the surface of the panel during the cutting operation and not being lifted from the surface due to the thickness of the handle protruding beyond the plane of the cutting blade.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to hand tools, and more particularly to an elongate cutting tool having a plurality of parallel cutting edges and a handle on each end. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Most fine tabletops, cabinetry and the like include thin veneer surfaces along the exposed surfaces thereof. Such veneer is generally cut to slightly greater width than required and glued to the surface of the panel, with the finished dimension then trimmed from the greater width after the adhesive has set or cured. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, various specialized tools have been developed for cutting or trimming unfinished veneer edges. The present inventors have found that while these tools can trim rough edges of veneer from a surface, they generally are not any more efficient than a non-specialized tool used for such purpose. Most such tools have but a single cutting edge, requiring relatively frequent sharpening. Other specialized tools include channels adapted to run along the edge of a veneered panel to trim the rough veneer edges. These tools are either not adaptable to panels of different thicknesses, or require adjustment to fit over the edges of panels of different thicknesses to trim the veneer edges therealong. Such specialized tools cannot trim the veneer along an edge of a cabinet or the like, having relatively wide and extensive veneered panels meeting along a common edge. 
         [0006]    Thus, a cutting tool solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The cutting tool includes a rigid, elongate, laterally symmetrical bar having a plurality of parallel cutting edges and a handle portion at each end thereof. In a most preferred embodiment, the tool has a triangular cross section with three acute edges defining three faces therebetween. The edges are blunted along each end portion of the bar to allow the end portions to serve as handles, thus facilitating manipulation of the tool. 
         [0008]    The handle portion includes at least one flat face that is coplanar with a face extending from at least one cutting edge. This allows the tool to be stroked or run along the surface of a panel to trim a veneer edge therefrom, with the plane of the cutting blade remaining flush against the surface of the panel during the cutting operation and not being lifted from the surface due to the thickness of the handle protruding beyond the plane of the cutting blade. In some embodiments, alternative cross sections and numbers of cutting edges or blades are provided, and handgrip grooves are formed substantially along the length of the tool, including at least most of the handle portions thereof. 
         [0009]    These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a cutting tool according to the present invention, showing its operation in trimming veneer. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an environmental perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 1 , showing the reversibility of the tool. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an environmental end elevation view of the cutting tool of  FIG. 1 , showing its rotation for using a different blade edge. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an end elevation view in section of the cutting tool of  FIGS. 1 through 3 , showing the handgrip grooves formed along each side. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an end elevation view in section of an alternative embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention having differently shaped handgrip grooves from those of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 4 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an end elevation view in section of another alternative embodiment of a cutting tool according to the present invention having differently shaped handgrip grooves from those of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 through 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of still another alternative cutting tool configuration according to the present invention, showing details thereof. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of yet another alternative cutting tool configuration according to the present invention, showing details thereof. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    The cutting tool is a rigid, elongate bar with a plurality of cutting edges disposed therealong and at least one generally planar face extending between the adjacent cutting edges. The tool is particularly well suited for trimming unfinished veneer edges from veneer covered panels during their manufacture, but may be used for various other cutting and trimming operations as well. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  of the drawings provides an environmental perspective view of a first embodiment of the cutting tool, designated as cutting tool  10 , with  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrating further use of the tool. The tool  10  is a rigid, elongate, and laterally symmetrical bar with mutually opposed first and second handle ends or portions  12   a ,  12   b  and a considerably longer working portion  14  disposed therebetween. As the tool  10  is adapted for working with its length oriented generally across the direction of travel, it should be noted that the term “laterally symmetrical” means symmetry between the two handle ends  12   a ,  12   b  of the tool, with the two end portions being mirror images of one another. 
         [0021]    The tool  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 3  has a polygonal cross section, or more specifically an axially symmetrical equilateral triangular cross section, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The tool  10  (or  10   a  through  10   c , as shown in  FIG. 3  to indicate the three changes of orientation in that Fig.) includes three parallel acute cutting edges, respectively  16   a ,  16   b , and  16   c . These edges  16   a  through  16   c  extend along the length of the working portion  14  and define three equal width flat faces therebetween, respectively  18   a ,  18   b , and  18   c . This enables the tool  10  to be rotated about its lateral or elongate axis to use any of the three cutting edges  16   a ,  16   b , or  16   c  as desired, thereby increasing the time between required sharpening operations for the tool. 
         [0022]    The flat faces  18   a  through  18   c  extend the entire length of the working portion  14  of the tool and continue along the lengths of each of the handle end portions  12  and  12   b . In other words, each of the flat faces  18   a  through  18   c  is coplanar from the very end of each handgrip end  12   a  or  12   b  to the opposite handgrip end  12   a  or  12   b . This allows the cutting edge of the tool  10  to remain flush with the flat surface over which the tool is being guided, without a thicker handle portion lifting the tool at one end and producing an angle between the cutting blade and the underlying surface. It will be noted that the cutting edges  16   a  through  16   c  do not extend for the entire length of the tool. Rather, each of the cutting edges terminates at a blunted edge  20  that extends along the respective handle end portion  12   a  and  12   b . This facilitates handling the tool  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the user&#39;s fingers being placed outboard of the working portion  14  and along the handle portions  12   a ,  12   b  with their blunted edges  20 . 
         [0023]    The tool  10  further preferably includes handgrip grooves, respectively  22   a  through  22   c , with each groove extending along the corresponding face  18   a  through  18   c  for the entire length of the working portion  14  and continuing for most of the length of each of the handle end portions  12   a ,  12   b . These handgrip grooves  22   a  through  22   c  facilitate the manipulation of the tool  10 , particularly those portions of the groove extending into the handle end portions of the tool. The grooves  22   a  through  22   c  may have concave curved cross sections, as shown in the tool  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 4 , or may comprise other cross sectional shapes as desired. For example, the cutting tool  50  of  FIG. 5  may have grooves  52   a  through  52   c  of a shallow rectangular configuration, and the cutting tool  60  of  FIG. 6  may have shallow triangular grooves. Obviously, other groove shapes and depths may be provided as desired. 
         [0024]    The cutting tool  10  (and cutting tools  50  and  60 ) is used generally as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings. Initially, a rough veneer edge VE extends upwardly from a panel P, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The tool  10  is placed atop the panel P at an obtuse angle to the panel edge with one of its flat surfaces, e.g., surface  18   c , resting atop the panel P, generally as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The tool  10  is then stroked along the edge of the panel P with the tool angled to face inwardly toward the center of the panel P, with the leading cutting edge, e.g., edge  16   a  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , trimming the veneer edge VE flush with the panel P to produce a finished panel. 
         [0025]    The tool  10  is preferably used at an angle to the veneer line, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in order to produce a force component toward the panel, i.e., pushing the veneer toward the panel. This prevents the veneer from being peeled away from the panel during the cutting operation. If the blade becomes dull or the direction of the cutting operation must be reversed, the motion of the tool  10  is merely reversed and the angle turned to produce an obtuse angle in the opposite direction, as shown by the tool  10  in broken lines in  FIG. 2 . This might occur when the first cutting edge  16   a  becomes dull and a fresh cutting edge is needed. As there is a cutting edge along each apex of the tool, the direction of motion of the tool need only be reversed to apply a fresh cutting edge to the work. 
         [0026]    The provision of a polygonal shape with each apex having a separate cutting edge provides even further benefits for the tool  10 .  FIG. 3  illustrates how the tool  10  may be rotated about its lateral axis to provide a fresh leading or working cutting edge at each 120 degrees of rotation. Initially, the first cutting edge  16   a  is leading, as shown in the leftmost portion of  FIG. 3 . As the cutting edge  16   a  becomes dull or worn, the tool  10  may be rotated about its lateral axis to position a different cutting edge at the front of the tool movement. The intermediate position in  FIG. 3 , in broken lines, shows the tool rotated 60 degrees clockwise from the initial position to the left side of  FIG. 3 . The second cutting edge  16   b  is being rotated to the leading position, i.e., to the right edge of the tool as the tool is advanced from left to right in  FIG. 3 . Finally, the tool rotation is continued through another 60 degrees to the position shown to the right side of  FIG. 3  in solid lines, with the second cutting edge  16   b  as the leading or working edge. This procedure may be repeated as the second cutting edge  16   b  is dulled, rotating the tool  10  through another 120 degrees clockwise to position the third cutting edge  16   c  as the leading or working cutting edge. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate additional embodiments of the cutting tool, having other than triangular cross sections. The tool  70  of  FIG. 7  has a cross section of parallelogram configuration, as can be seen from the end view of the handle portion  72 . This configuration provides only two acute cutting edges, one of which is visible (cutting edge  76   a ) in the perspective view of  FIG. 7 . However, the tool  70  still retains the critical features of the invention, i.e., multiple cutting edges having flat faces extending therefrom, with each of the faces extending as coplanar surfaces from the extreme end of each handle portion and along the entire working portion of the tool, as exemplified by the first face  78   a  shown extending across the working portion  74  and handle end  72   a  of the tool  70  in  FIG. 7 . The opposite cutting edge (not shown) of the tool  70  is used by rotating the tool by 180 degrees about its elongate lateral axis, with the first face  78   a  and its cutting edge  76   a  then being positioned downwardly to rest atop the work surface or panel. 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates still another cutting tool embodiment. The cutting tool  80  of  FIG. 8  has a trapezoidal cross section, as is evident along the working portion  84  of the tool. Two acute cutting edges are provided along he working portion of the tool, with the first cutting edge  86   a  being visible in the perspective view of  FIG. 8 . This tool configuration may be considered as related to the triangular cross section tool  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 3 , but having one truncated apex. This results in both cutting edges being in the same plane, and thus the tool  80  is not rotated about its elongate lateral axis to use a fresh cutting blade. Rather, the tool  80  may be reversed in direction or turned around end-to-end to use the second cutting edge (not shown). As the tool  80  need not be turned over or rotated to use a different cutting blade edge, the surface(s) of the handle need not be flush with the surfaces of the working portion  84  of the tool. The exemplary handle portion  82  of the tool  80  of  FIG. 8  has a semicircular cross section, with only the single flat face  88  (facing downwardly in  FIG. 8 ) extending between the first cutting edge  86   a  and its opposite cutting edge (not shown) being coplanar across the flat of the handle end portion  82   a  and the working portion  84  of the tool  80 . 
         [0029]    A number of different variations on the above polygonal cross section cutting tools may be provided, as desired. The equilateral triangular configuration of the tools  10 ,  50 , and  60  of  FIGS. 1 through 5  is preferable, as this configuration provides three separate acute cutting edges, with each edge having an included angle of 60 degrees. However, other triangular cross sections may be provided as desired, e.g., a shallow isosceles triangle having one shallower apex and two more acutely angled cutting edges, etc. Also, it will be seen that the two examples of  FIGS. 7 and 8  are but two of a large number of different polygonal cross-sectional shapes that might be provided for the cutting tool. However, in any of the embodiments of the cutting tool, at least two coplanar cutting edges are provided, with a flat face extending therefrom and further extending along a coplanar surface of each of the handle ends of the tool. The result is a cutting tool that places at least one cutting edge flush with the surface of a panel, enabling an upstanding edge of material to be cut or trimmed flush with the panel with one pass of the tool. The result is a tool that will prove most valuable in the cabinetry field for trimming veneer, but which will also have use in many other areas as well. 
         [0030]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of-the, following claims.