Patent Publication Number: US-6212778-B1

Title: Plaster cutting device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to cutting tools and more particularly pertains to a new plaster cutting device for cutting grooves into cracked portions of ceilings and walls. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of cutting tools is known in the prior art. More specifically, cutting tools heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art cutting tools include U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,966 to Krouzkevitch et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,450 to Achille; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,037 to Yelton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,201 to Chiuminatta et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,780 to Yelton et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,048 to Schadlich et al. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new plaster cutting device. The inventive device includes a housing having a hollow interior. The hollow interior has a forward chamber and a rearward chamber. An elongated handle extends angularly upward from the housing. The elongated handle has a hollow interior. A motor is secured within the rearward chamber of the housing. The motor has a rotatable gear disposed on an end thereof. A cylindrical wheel is rotatably disposed within the forward chamber of the housing. The cylindrical wheel has a plurality of cutting teeth disposed thereon. The cylindrical wheel has a gear disposed on an end thereof. A belt extends around the rotatable gear of the motor and the gear of the cylindrical wheel whereby activation of the motor will facilitate rotation of the cylindrical wheel. 
     In these respects, the plaster cutting device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cutting grooves into cracked portions of ceilings and walls. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of cutting tools now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new plaster cutting device construction wherein the same can be utilized for cutting grooves into cracked portions of ceilings and walls. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new plaster cutting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the cutting tools mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new plaster cutting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cutting tools, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing having a generally square configuration. The housing has a closed upper end, an open bottom end, an arcuate forward wall, an open rear wall, opposed side walls and a hollow interior. The closed upper end has an opening therethrough. The hollow interior has a forward chamber and a rearward chamber. The forward chamber is contiguous with the opening in the closed upper end and the open bottom end. An elongated handle extends angularly upward from the open rear wall of the housing. The elongated handle has a hollow interior. A motor is secured within the rearward chamber of the housing. The motor has a rotatable gear disposed on an end thereof. A cylindrical wheel is rotatably disposed within the forward chamber of the housing. The cylindrical wheel has a plurality of cutting teeth disposed thereon. The cutting teeth are arranged in a plurality of linear rows across an outer surface thereof whereby a single row of teeth are disposed outwardly of the open bottom end of the housing. The cylindrical wheel has a gear disposed on an end thereof. A belt extends around the rotatable gear of the motor and the gear of the cylindrical wheel whereby activation of the motor will facilitate rotation of the cylindrical wheel. A collection cover is removably coupled with the opening in the closed upper end of the housing. The collection cover has an open inner end for receiving debris therein. A power switch is disposed within the elongated handle. The power switch is in communication with the motor. A battery is disposed within the elongated handle. The battery is in communication with the power switch. A depth gauge is secured to the opposed side walls of the housing. The depth gauge has a planar lower edge disposed on a plane slightly below the open bottom end of the housing. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order 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. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new plaster cutting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the cutting tools mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new plaster cutting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cutting tools, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new plaster cutting device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new plaster cutting device which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new plaster cutting device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making Such plaster cutting device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new plaster cutting device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new plaster cutting device for cutting grooves into cracked portions of ceilings and walls. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new plaster cutting device which includes a housing having a hollow interior. The hollow interior has a forward chamber and a rearward chamber. An elongated handle extends angularly upward from the housing. The elongated handle has a hollow interior. A motor is secured within the rearward chamber of the housing. The motor has a rotatable gear disposed on an end thereof. A cylindrical wheel is rotatably disposed within the forward chamber of the housing. The cylindrical wheel has a plurality of cutting teeth disposed thereon. The cylindrical wheel has a gear disposed on an end thereof. A belt extends around the rotatable gear of the motor and the gear of the cylindrical wheel whereby activation of the motor will facilitate rotation of the cylindrical wheel. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new plaster cutting device according to the present invention illustrated in use. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention shown with the collector removed. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention shown with the collector in place. 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional top plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new plaster cutting device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the plaster cutting device  10  comprises a housing  12  having a generally square configuration. The housing  12  has a closed upper end, an open bottom end, an arcuate forward wall, an open rear wall, opposed side walls and a hollow interior. The closed upper end has an opening  14  therethrough. The hollow interior has a forward chamber  16  and a rearward chamber  18 . The forward chamber  16  is contiguous with the opening  14  in the closed upper end and the open bottom end. 
     An elongated handle  20  extends angularly upward from the open rear wall of the housing  12 . The elongated handle  20  has a hollow interior. 
     A motor  22  is secured within the rearward chamber  18  of the housing  12 . The motor  22  has a rotatable gear  24  disposed on an end thereof. 
     A cylindrical wheel  26  is rotatably disposed within the forward chamber  16  of the housing  12 . The cylindrical wheel  26  has a plurality of cutting teeth  28  disposed thereon. The cutting teeth  28  are arranged in a plurality of linear rows across an outer surface thereof whereby a single row of teeth are disposed outwardly of the open bottom end of the housing  12 . The cylindrical wheel  26  has a gear  30  disposed on an end thereof. A belt  32  extends around the rotatable gear  24  of the motor  22  and the gear  30  of the cylindrical wheel  26  whereby activation of the motor  22  will facilitate rotation of the cylindrical wheel  26 . 
     A collection cover  34  is removably coupled with the opening  14  in the closed upper end of the housing  12 . The collection cover  34  has an open inner end  36  for receiving debris therein. 
     A power switch  38  is disposed within the elongated handle  20 . The power switch  38  is in communication with the motor  22 . The power switch has wiring  40  extending in communication with the motor  22 . 
     A battery  42  is disposed within the elongated handle  20 . The battery  42  is in communication with the power switch  38 . The wiring  40  also extends between the battery and the power switch  38 . Thus, the batter  42  powers the motor  22 . 
     A depth gauge  44  is secured to the opposed side walls of the housing  12 . The depth gauge  44  has a planar lower edge  46  disposed on a plane slightly below the open bottom end of the housing  12 . 
     In use, the device  10  is a battery-powered hand tool used to cut grooves into cracked portions of ceilings and wall to allow for their repair. The sharp teeth  28  on the cylindrical wheel  26  would preferably cut a 2½ inch wide and ¼ inch deep groove into the drywall or plaster walls or ceiling. The depth gauge  44  would allow the user of the device  10  to know how deeply they had penetrated into the wall or ceiling. The angular orientation of the elongated handle  20  allows the user to conveniently hold the device  10  as well as have access to the power switch  38  at the same time. As the cutting teeth  28  are cutting into the drywall or plaster, the debris from the cutting will collect in the collection cover  34 . The collection cover  34  is easily removable to allow for easy disposal of the debris. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.