Abstract:
A hand-operated pruning clipper having a multi-function plastic top handle and metal bottom handle with metal bypass cutting blades for cutting twigs and branches. A pair of wire cutting blades and a plastic bag slicing blade are incorporated into the metal cutting blades.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to improvements in hand operated pruning clippers and more particularly, it pertains to new and improved multi-function pruning clippers. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Those concerned with the development of pruning clippers for commercial use have long recognized the need for a durable, yet relatively inexpensive hand operated clipper. It has been the practice to employ metal parts for such clippers in order to provide durability. The cost of casting the parts out of metal, however, drives up the price. These clippers have been designed as a mono-functional tool, to clip small branches and twigs. 
         [0005]    The present invention on the other hand, provides a hand operated pruning clipper that is both durable and relatively inexpensive to manufacture compared to the prior art clipper, while at the same time providing functions beyond the clipping of twigs and small branches. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The general purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-function hand operated pruning clipper which has the durability of an all metal hand clipper without the concomitant cost and provides wire cutter and bag slitting functions. To obtain these advantages the present invention utilizes a top handle having a housing at one end, with a bottom blade having an aperture at one end and a tang extending from the blade, the tang being located in the top handle with the aperture end of the blade in the housing of the top handle. A bottom handle having a bearing at one end adapted for rotating about a shaft has a top blade fixedly attached at the bearing end of the handle. The bearing and a portion of the top blade are located in the housing of the top handle. A bearing shaft extends through the housing of the top handle, through the bearing on the top blade and the aperture of the bottom blade, and is fastened to the housing for containing a portion of the top and bottom blades therein. 
         [0007]    A wire cutting function is provided by a wire cutter blade located at the aperture end of the bottom blade and a wire cutter blade located at the bearing end of the top blade. When the top and bottom handles are moved, the wire cutter blades interact. 
         [0008]    A bag slitting function is provided by a bag slitting knife edge located on the top blade at the point of the blade. The point of the top blade inserts into the bag to engage the bag slitting edge and cut the bag to the length desired. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The exact nature of this invention, as well as the objects and advantages thereof, will become readily apparent from consideration of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in partial section; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing how it is used to clip wire; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing how it is used to slit a bag; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an assembly drawing of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing its various parts. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention and specifically the major components of the pruning clipper  11 . The top handle  13  having a housing  14  at one end and a convenience aperture  35  at the other end is preferably made of molded plastic such as polystyrene or polybutylene, or equivalent. The top portion of top handle  13  has a comfort cushion  12  for cushioning of the palm of the hand when it grasps the tool of the hand operated pruning clipper  11 . A bottom blade  25  is fixedly attached to the top handle  13 . The bottom blade  25  is formed to also have a wire cutter blade  29 . 
         [0016]    A bottom handle  15  made out of a preformed or die cast metal such as aluminum, for example, has a handle bearing  86  formed in the end and enclosed within the housing  14  of the top handle  13 . A shock absorbing bumper  19  is located in the bottom handle  15  next to the handle bearing. A top blade  23  is attached to the handle bearing  86 . The top blade  23  has a wire cutting blade  27  located thereon for engagement with wire cutting blade  29  of the bottom blade  25 . Top blade  23  also has a bag slitting edge  31 . 
         [0017]    The top handle  13  and bottom handle  15  are urged apart by a compression spring arrangement  17  located between the two handles. 
         [0018]    Both the top blade  23  and bottom blade  25  as well as the wire cutting blades  29  and  27 , are partially located within the housing  14  of top handle  13 . These parts are held together in the housing  14  by a shaft having a flat head on one side and a threadable bolt  33  on the other side of the housing  14 . 
         [0019]    The bottom blade  25  is also held fast to the upper handle  15  by a tang  37  ( FIG. 2 ) extending from lower blade  25  being fixedly located within the upper handle  13 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  also shows the flat head  49  of the shaft that is held in place by the nut and  33  ( FIG. 1 ) on the other end. The compression spring  17  and cushion bumper  19  react to the top handle  13  and bottom handle  15  being squeezed together by a force  53  generated by a human hand (not shown). 
         [0021]    A blade locking mechanism  21  having a wedge  51  attached for engaging a complementing recess  52  in the top blade  23  just below the wire cutting blade  27 , is pivotally mounted to the bottom blade  25 . The locking mechanism  21  pivots about shaft  41  and is biased by a spring  47  in a direction  22 , away from the recess  52  in the top blade. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates the operation of the pruning clippers  11  when cutting the length of a wire  59  by wire cutting blades  29 ,  27 . Applying forces  55  and  57  to the top handles  13  and  15 , respectively, causes the wire cutting blades  29  and  27  to move in a direction  31  to close upon and pinch wire  59  into two pieces. 
         [0023]    To utilize the bag slitting edge  31  of the pruning clipper  11 , the pruning clipper  11  is held in a hand  65  as shown in  FIG. 4  with the bag slitting edge  31  engaging a plastic bag  61 . Simply moving the clipper  11  in a direction  63  will cut a length  62  of the bag  61 , as illustrated. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is an assembly drawing showing the operative parts of the pruning clipper  11  of the present invention and how they fit together. 
         [0025]    Bottom blade  25  is formed within an oblong aperture  73  located at one end of blade  25  with a tang  37  extending from the aperture end of blade  25 . Blade  25  also has a wire cutting blade  29  located above the oblong aperture  73 . A dowel hole  75  in lower blade  25  locates the blade locking lever  21  which has a pivot hole  71  located therein. A pivot shaft  41  extends through the pivot hole  71  into the dowel hole  75 . A spring  47  rotates about the pivot shaft  41  to move locking lever  21  in a direction away from the complementary locking recess  52  located in top blade  23 . Bottom blade  25  is held fast by top handle  13  as the result of tang  37  being located within handle  13 . The oblong aperture  73  of blade  25  is aligned with the oblong aperture  71  in one side of the housing  14  of top handle  13 . Bottom blade  25  is held against the left inner edge of the slot  93  formed in housing  14  of top handle  13 . 
         [0026]    Bottom handle  15  is formed to include a bearing  86  at one end which has a circular aperture  91 . The top blade  23  is pinned to bearing  86  by a pair of dowels  83 ,  85  through dowel holes  79 ,  81 . Top blade  23  has a circular aperture  77  that aligns with the circular aperture  91  in the bearing  86 . Top blade  23  is held against the right inner edge of slot  93  of housing  14  by a shaft  48 , about which upper blade  23  rotates. 
         [0027]    Shaft  48  has a flattened head  49  at one end and a threaded aperture  46  at the other end. The threaded aperture end  46  of shaft  48  has flattened surfaces  44  thereon which mate with the elongated aperture  73  of lower blade  25  and the elongated aperture  71  in one side of housing  14  of the bottom handle  13 . Shaft  48 , therefore, allows the top blade  23  to rotate about its circumference but maintains the bottom blade  25  stationary with the top handle  13 . 
         [0028]    The threaded aperture  46  of shaft  48  receives a bolt  33  which passes through a washer  67  that engages locking ribs  69  on the side of housing  14  of top handle  13  to hold both blade structures within the slot  93  of housing  14  on top handle  13 . 
         [0029]    A cushion bumper  19  is located on the bottom handle  15  adjacent to the bearing  86  so that squeezing the handles together will cause cushion bumper  19  to contact the lower surface of the top handle  13 . A compression spring  16  is contained between a boss  95  on bottom handle  15  and boss  17  on top handle  13 , causing the handles to be forced apart, if the locking lever  21  is not engaged. 
         [0030]    Thus, the present invention provides a multi-function hand operated pruning clipper that is extremely durable yet inexpensive to manufacture.