Patent Publication Number: US-8978256-B1

Title: Carpet cutting tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of carpet cutting tools are known in the prior art; however, many of these devices have short, non-adjustable handles that require a user to bend down or to crawl on the floor to cut carpet which can expose a user to potentially harmful substances and which can expose the user to physical strain. However, what is needed is a carpet cutting tool that is used from a user&#39;s standing position by providing an ergonomic handle member as well as a telescopic auxiliary handle member to guide and support the device and that further has a blade housing body which is attached to a height adjustable guard plate member disposed on a bottom end of a shaft bottom portion. The blade housing body houses a utility blade therein at an angle for cutting carpet. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to carpet cutting tools, and more particularly, to a carpet cutting tool used from a standing position that has an ergonomic handle member as well as a telescopic auxiliary handle member to guide and support the device and that further has a blade housing body attached to a height adjustable guard plate member which houses a utility blade therein at an angle for cutting carpet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present carpet cutting tool, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a carpet cutting tool which has many novel features that result in a carpet cutting tool which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     To accomplish this, the present carpet cutting tool includes a handle assembly which, in turn, includes a hollow handle member having a cavity therein to store replacement utility blades, a threaded distal end, a proximal end, and a bottom side. An end cap threadingly is disposed on the distal end. A plurality of ridges is disposed on the bottom side of the handle member to provide an ergonomic grip surface. A cylindrical shaft top portion, having an upper end and a lower end, is disposed on the proximal end of the handle member. A bend is disposed between the upper end of the shaft top portion proximal the proximal end of the handle member and the lower end of the shaft top portion to provide an angle for comfortable use of the device. 
     An auxiliary handle member telescopically is disposed between the bend and the lower end of the shaft top portion. The auxiliary handle member includes a U-shaped support bracket having a bottom surface and a pair of outer ends. A cylindrical grip member is continuously disposed between the outer ends in a position parallel to the bottom surface. A gap disposed between the grip member and the bottom surface of the support bracket allows a user to securely grip the perimeter of the grip member. An arm of the auxiliary handle member has an inner side centrally disposed on the bottom surface of the support bracket and an outer side having a ring disposed thereon. A pin-lock mechanism selectively interlocks the auxiliary handle member to the lower end of the shaft top portion. The pin-lock mechanism includes an aperture disposed in the ring. A plurality of longitudinally aligned protrusions is disposed on the shaft top portion lower end. One of the protrusions selectively engages the aperture. 
     A lower cutting portion includes a shaft bottom portion telescopically disposed on the lower end of the shaft top portion. The shaft bottom portion has a top end and a bottom end. A guard plate member, attached to the shaft bottom portion, has a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right wall, and a left wall. The guard plate member top wall is disposed on the bottom end of the shaft bottom portion. A pair of support frames is longitudinally disposed parallel to each other on the guard plate member bottom wall. 
     A blade housing body is disposed on the bottom wall of the guard plate member. The blade housing body has a rearwardly directed opening disposed therein. In addition, the blade housing body has an upper wall disposed on the bottom wall of the guard plate, a lower wall disposed opposite the upper wall, a forward wall proximal the front wall of the guard plate member, a partial rearward wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall. An internal wall is disposed between the rearward wall, the lower wall, and the right and left side walls. A notch is disposed on the upper wall between each of the right side wall and the left side wall. Each of the support frames engages one of the notches. The engagement of the support frames and notches with a plurality of fasteners secures the blade housing body to the guard plate member. 
     The opening is disposed between the rearward wall, the internal wall, the lower wall, and the right and left side walls. The opening has a back wall disposed between the internal wall, the lower wall, and the forward wall. A slot is longitudinally centrally disposed in each of the lower wall, the internal wall, and the back wall. 
     In use, a utility blade is inserted and disposed at an angle within the opening with the mounting edge disposed within the slot on each of the internal wall and the back wall and a cutting edge directed toward the rearward wall. The angle of the utility blade within the opening is approximately 135 degrees relative the internal wall. A hole in each of the right and left side walls is configured to align with a respective U-shaped cutout on the mounting edge upon installation of the utility blade into the slots. A fastener engages each of the holes and the respective cutout to secure the utility blade within the slots. 
     The instant carpet cutting tool device enables a user to cut carpet, carpet padding and tile from a comfortable standing position, thus reducing the potential for physical discomfort such as back strain. In addition, the device minimizes the user&#39;s direct exposure to potentially harmful substances, such as germs, sewage, mold, and blood from blood-stained carpet and toxic chemicals, from close contact with carpet and tile that can occur with other carpet cutting tools that require a user to crawl on the floor to cut old, dirty, and wet carpet, padding, and tile. 
     The present tool can minimize workers&#39; claims by addressing the foregoing health issues, thereby potentially reducing insurance premiums for companies employing such workers. The present device further is time saving due to the ease and convenience of using the device compared to carpet cutting devices requiring a user to constantly get into and out of a position on the floor to cut carpet. Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the present carpet cutting tool so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1  is an in-use isometric view illustrating use of the device for cutting carpet. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged isometric view. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail view of a handle assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom isometric view of lower cutting portion of the device. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded bottom isometric view of the lower cutting portion of the device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, an example of the instant carpet cutting tool employing the principles and concepts of the present carpet cutting tool and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the present carpet cutting tool  10  is illustrated. The carpet cutting tool  10  includes a handle assembly  20  and a lower cutting portion  22 . The handle assembly  20  includes a hollow handle member  24  having a cavity  26  therein, a threaded distal end  28 , a proximal end  30 , and a bottom side  32 . An end cap  34  threadingly is disposed on the distal end  28 . A plurality of ridges  36  is disposed on the bottom side  32  of the handle member  24 . The ridges  36  are configured to provide an ergonomic grip surface on the handle member  24 . The cavity  26  is configured to store a replacement utility blade  109 . 
     A cylindrical shaft top portion  40  is disposed on the proximal end  30  of the handle member  24 . The shaft top portion  40  has an upper end  42  and lower end  43 . A bend  45  is disposed between the upper end  42  proximal the proximal end  30  of the handle member  24  and the lower end  43  of the shaft top portion  43 . 
     An auxiliary handle member  47  is telescopically disposed between the bend  45  and the lower end  43  of the shaft top portion  40 . The auxiliary handle member  47  includes a U-shaped support bracket  49 . The support bracket  49  has a bottom surface  51  and a pair of outer ends  53 . A cylindrical grip member  55  is continuously disposed between the outer ends  53  in a position parallel to the bottom surface  51 . A gap  57  is disposed between the grip member  55  and the bottom surface  51  of the support bracket  49 . An arm  59  of the auxiliary handle member  47  has an inner side  61  and an outer side  62 . The inner side  61  is centrally disposed on the bottom surface  51  of the support bracket  49 . A ring  64  is disposed on the outer side  62  of the arm  59 . 
     A pin-lock mechanism  65  selectively interlocks the auxiliary handle member  47  to the lower end  43  of the shaft top portion  40 . The pin-lock mechanism  65 , as detailed in  FIG. 3 , includes an aperture  67  disposed in the ring  64 . A plurality of longitudinally aligned protrusions  68  is disposed on the shaft top portion  40  lower end  43 . One of the protrusions  68  selectively engages the aperture  67 . 
     The lower cutting portion  22  of the instant device  10  includes a shaft bottom portion  70  telescopically disposed on the lowermost end  71  of lower end  43  of the shaft top portion  40 . The shaft bottom portion  70  has a top end  72  and a bottom end  73 . A guard plate member  75  is also included. The guard plate member  75  has a top wall  76 , a bottom wall  77 , a front wall  79 , a rear wall  80 , a right wall  82 , and a left wall  83 . Each of the front wall  77  and the rear wall  80  are upturned. The guard plate member  75  top wall  76  is disposed on the bottom end  73  of the shaft bottom portion  70 . A pair of support frames  85  is longitudinally disposed parallel to each other on the guard plate member  75  bottom wall  77 . 
     A blade housing body  87  is disposed on the bottom wall  77  of the guard plate member  75 . The blade housing body  87  has a rearwardly directed opening  89  disposed therein. In addition, the blade housing body  87  has an upper wall  91  disposed on the bottom wall  77  of the guard plate member  75 , a lower wall  92  disposed opposite the upper wall  91 , a forward wall  93  proximal the front wall  79  of the guard plate member  75 , a partial rearward wall  95 , a right side wall  97 , a left side wall  98 . An internal wall  99  is disposed between the rearward wall  95 , the lower wall  92 , and the right and left side walls  97 ,  98 . A notch  101  is disposed on the upper wall  91  between each of the right side wall  97  and the left side wall  98 . Each of the support frames  85  engages one of the notches  101 . The engagement of the support frames  85  and notches  101  with a plurality of fasteners  102  secures the blade housing body  87  to the guard plate member  75 . 
     The opening  89  is disposed between the rearward wall  95 , the internal wall  99 , the lower wall  92 , and the right and left side walls  97 ,  98 . The opening  89  has a back wall  103  disposed between the internal wall  99 , the lower wall  92 , and the forward wall  93 . A slot  105  is longitudinally centrally disposed in each of the lower wall  92 , the internal wall  99 , and the back wall  103 . 
     In use, a utility blade  107 , which does not constitute an element of the instant device  10 , is disposed at an angle within the opening  89 . The utility blade  107  has a cutting edge  110  directed toward the rearward wall  95 . The utility blade  107  also has a mounting edge  112  disposed within the slot  105  on each of the internal wall  99  and the back wall  103 . The angle of the utility blade  107  within the opening is approximately 135 degrees relative the internal wall  99 . A hole  116  is disposed in each of the right and left side walls  97 ,  98 . The holes  116  are configured to align with a pair of cutouts  114  disposed on the mounting edge  112  of the utility blade  107  upon installation of the utility blade  107  into the slots  105 . A fastener  118  engages each of the holes  116  and the respective cutout  114  to secure the utility blade  107  within the slots  105 .