Abstract:
A blade setting tool for calibrating the mounting position of a reciprocating blade in an electric trimmer after the blade has been removed for cleaning or sharpening. The blade setting tool provides a time-saving and convenient method for mounting of the reciprocating blade such that a pre-determined clearance is maintained between the reciprocating blade and the stationary blade to avoid cutting or biting problems during a hair cut.

Description:
The present invention generally relates to a calibration tool for setting a reciprocating blade on an electric trimmer and more particularly, relates to a calibration tool for setting the reciprocating blade on an electric trimmer to a pre-determined clearance such that the blade does not cut or bite the skin of a customer when used by a barber or a hair stylist. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Electric hair trimmers have been widely used in trimming hair by barbers and hair stylists. The hair trimmer is normally constructed of a stationary blade that has a substantially straight role of cutting teeth, and a reciprocating blade that has a roll of cutting teeth that is complimentary to the roll of teeth on the stationary blade. When hair enters into a space between the adjacent teeth of the stationary blade, a tooth on the reciprocating blade passes across the space and thereby engaging and shearing the hair. The electric hair trimmers are capable of trimming hair to a very small distance from the skin or scalp of a person. 
   An electric hair trimmer, after repeated use, must be cleaned, sharpened and recalibrated such that the trimmer can cut hair effectively, without cutting or biting the skin of the person. When the reciprocating blade is removed from the trimmer for cleaning or sharpening, it is usually reassembled into the trimmer on a trial and error basis. There are no tools currently available in calibrating the position of the reciprocating blade relative to the stationary blade in the trimmer. It is therefore a time consuming and laborious process for remounting a reciprocating blade into a trimmer. 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blade setting tool for mounting a reciprocating blade into an electric hair trimmer. 
   It is another object of the present to provide a blade setting tool that can be used to effectively calibrate the position of the reciprocating blade relative to the stationary blade. 
   It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blade setting tool that enables the mounting of a reciprocating blade into an electric trimmer with minimum calibration effort. 
   It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a blade setting tool that is capable of calibrating a reciprocating blade when it is mounted into an electric hair trimmer such that the trimmer does not cut or bite the skin of a person. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a blade setting tool for calibrating the position of a reciprocating blade relative to a stationary blade in an electric hair trimmer is provided. The blade setting tool can be advantageously used in the remounting of the reciprocating blade after the blade has been cleaned or sharpened. 
   In a preferred embodiment, a blade setting tool is constructed by an elongated base plate that has two opposing end walls formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from a top surface of the elongated base plate; a calibration blade that has a first plurality of teeth fixedly mounted to an inside surface of a first end wall, the first plurality of teeth is parallel to the top surface of the elongated base plate; a compression plate slideably mounted juxtaposed to an inside surface of a second end wall facing the first end wall; a compression means for compressing the compression plate towards the first end wall when a reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly is mounted in between the compression plate and the first end wall; and at least two apertures in the elongated base plate for mounting by screws the reciprocating blade to a trimmer after a second plurality of teeth on the reciprocating blade intimately engages and mashes the first plurality of teeth on the calibration plate. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the blade setting tool and a reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly to be calibrated. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention blade setting tool with the reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly mounted therein. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial, cross-sectional view illustrating the compression plate and the compression means of the present invention blade setting tool. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the present invention blade setting tool with a trimmer shown in ghost lines. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention discloses a blade setting tool for use in calibrating the position of a reciprocating blade used in an electric trimmer after the blade has been removed for cleaning or sharpening. The blade-setting tool can be used efficiently to calibrate the position and mounting of the reciprocating blade relative to the stationary blade such that when the trimmer is used, no cutting or biting of the skin of the person receiving a hair cut can occur. 
   The present invention blade setting tool is a device that enables the setting of hair trimmer blades to the appropriate position to avoid cuts and biting of the skin of a customer. The device can be advantageously used in professional barber shops and beauty salons. The blade setting tool enables one to position blades in such a manner as to allow a more accurate method of trimming a customer&#39;s hair. The blade setting tool includes a bottom plate that would slide underneath the teeth of the calibration blade, which is mounted at one end of the tool. Screws are then used to secure the position of the reciprocating blade in the hair trimmer. The reciprocating blade, sometimes called the liner blade, must be accurately mounted in the electric trimmer in order for the trimmer to work satisfactorily without the cutting or biting problems. The present invention blade setting tool enables one to efficiently set the reciprocating blade with a clearance between about 0.024 and about 0.025 inches from the tip of the stationary blade and thus avoiding problems in the function of the trimmer. 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , wherein a present invention blade setting tool  10  is shown in a perspective view. A reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly  20  is also shown in  FIG. 1  for mounting into the setting tool  10 . 
   The blade setting tool  10  is constructed by a base plate  12  that has two opposing end walls  14 ,  16  projecting upwardly from a top surface  18  of the elongated base plate  12 . 
   The two opposing end walls  14 ,  16  may be formed integrally with the elongated base plate  12 , or may be assembled to the elongated base plate  12  by mechanical means, such as by screws (not shown). On the first end wall  14  is mounted a calibration blade  22  that has a first plurality of teeth  24  fixedly mounted to the inside surface  26  of the first end wall  14 . The first plurality of teeth  24  is mounted parallel to the top surface  18  of the elongated base plate  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   The present invention blade setting tool  10  further includes a compression plate  28  which is slidably mounted juxtapose to end spaced apart from the inside surface  30  of the second end wall  16  facing the first end wall  14 . The compression plate  28  is compressed toward the first end wall  14  by a compression means  32 , such as a threaded bolt, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The threaded bolt  32  engages a threaded hole  34  in the second end wall  16  and thus pushing on the compression plate  28  and the reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly  20  when it is mounted on the elongated base plate  12 . It should be noted that the reciprocating blade/stationary blade assembly  20  has a reciprocating blade  36  and a stationary blade  38 . Two mounting aperatures  40  which are threaded are further provided in the end of the stationary blade  38  for mounting into an electric trimmer (not shown). 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention blade setting tool  10  with the reciprocating blade/stationary blade  20  mounted therein. It should be noted that the first plurality of teeth  24  on the calibration blade  22  intimately engages and mashes with the second plurality of teeth  42  on the reciprocating blade  36 , while the third plurality of teeth  44  on the stationary blade  38  is inserted under the first plurality of teeth  24  of the calibration blade  22 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The position of the reciprocating blade  36  is thus fixed by the intimate engagement and then, two screws are used to mount the reciprocating blade to a reciprocating linkage (not shown) in the electric trimmer  50 . This is shown in  FIG. 4 . The mounting of the reciprocating blade  36  is achieved through two mounting holes  46  provided in the reciprocating blade  36 . This is made possible by inserting two mounting screws  48  through two apertures  52  in the elongated base plate  12 . 
   A detailed view of the compression plate  26  in relation to the second end wall  16  and the compression means  32  is shown in  FIG. 3  in a cross-sectional view. 
   While the preferred embodiment of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.