Abstract:
A reversible combination cutting and ironing board, and more particularly, pertains to a turntable structure incorporating a disk-shaped plate having a cutting surface on one side thereof, and a second disk-shaped plate forming an ironing board on the opposite side, which are rotatable about a transverse center axis relative to each other.

Description:
BACKROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a reversible combination cutting and ironing board, and more particularly, pertains to a turntable structure incorporating a disk-shaped plate having a cutting surface on one side thereof, and a second disk-shaped plate forming an ironing board on the opposite side, which are rotatable about a transverse center axis relative to each other.  
         [0003]     In the field of quilting wherein numerous and the most diverse types of designs and patterns are employed for the purpose of forming quilts of the most decorative natures, pieces of fabric are cut into appropriate sections or squares by employing templates which are maintained in position on the fabric, the latter of which is positioned on a mat or planar cutting surface. Heretofore, in order to provide the appropriate sections of fabric being cut with a high degree of accuracy, through the intermediary of templates and the application of cutting tools while positioned on a mat, it has been the norm to turn the template and the material on the supporting mat or surface which is not only inconvenient fort he cutting person, but frequently causes some slippage of the templates and fabric relative to each other so as to render the entire procedure rather inaccurate and difficult to implement.  
         [0004]     In order to improve upon the foregoing fabric cutting procedure, in recent years the present inventor devised a unique structure which combines the accuracy of using templates in the cutting of fabric pieces for quilting with the convenience of rotary cutting on a rotatable turntable possessing a planar self-healing cutting surface, thereby enhancing accuracy in cutting an comfort to user in being able to avoid the repositioning of the fabric and template during cutting. In particular, the rotating turntable was supported on a rotatable ball-bearing structure which, in turn, was adapted to be positioned on a suitable support surface, and thereby facilitating turning of the cutting surface of the rotating turntable through any angle of rotation about a central axis to render easier the cutting of the fabric without any slippage or misdirected cuts inasmuch as the necessity of having to shift or move the fabric and template relative to its supporting mat or cutting surface was essentially eliminated. This particular rotating turntable having the plate possessing the cutting surface mounted on a rotational ball-bearing base have been copyrighted by the present inventor under the name “Brooklyn Revolver” by Come Quilt With Me Inc., and is an extremely useful tool in enabling an easy and accurate cutting all sides of fabric below the template, while being of a light weight and portable construction.  
         [0005]     Although the foregoing revolving turntable having the planar cutting surface clearly and dramatically improved upon the usually rectangular and non-rotatable cutting boards or mats employed for quilting or similar trimming and fabric cutting operations, subsequent to cutting the individual pieces of fabric, these generally required ironing on a separate ironing surface prior to further processing into quilts or other kinds of fabric arrangements.  
         [0006]     In order to solve the problem of having separate fabric cutting surfaces and ironing or pressing stations utilized in forming the fabric material pieces, there have been developed portable cutting and ironing or pressing units which combine both units into a single interconnected or integrated physical structure.  
         [0007]     2. Discussion of the Prior Art  
         [0008]     In particular, reference is made to Ziegler, U.S. Design Pat. No. 333,540, which discloses a combination cutting and ironing board consisting of a rectangular, laminated plate structure of which one external side is a rigid cutting surface adapted for cutting fabrics through the intermediary of a template and a rotary or linear cutter, and wherein the other opposite external side of the laminated structure has a surface which includes an ironing board-type cover of material and whereby, upon reversing the position of the board subsequent to cutting the fabric material, the material may then be ironed on the opposite surface. The entire structure is portable and may be carried by means of a handle which is attached to one edge of the board.  
         [0009]     Pursuant to another structure, there is described a foldable device called “The FoldAway”, produced by the Omnigrid Company of Spartanburg, S.C., in which a rectangular board has a grided mat adapted for cutting fabrics, such as by means of a rotary cutter and a template, and wherein etched along a fold line is a second surface which can be employed as an ironing board or pressing surface. The entire structure can be folded together and includes a handle carrying the arrangement in a compact manner. Also known are so-called “Rotary Cutting Mats” which are laminated plates manufactured by June Tailor of Richfield, Wis. wherein a first rectangular plate having a carrying handle at one end thereof has a cutting surface on one side, and is laminated to a plate with an ironing or pressing surface on the opposite side thereof. This structure is designated as a so-called rotary cutting mat due to its being reversible between one side and the other for selectively either cutting or pressing utilizations implemented on fabric pieces.  
         [0010]     Although the foregoing structures each incorporate surfaces for cutting and further surfaces for pressing or ironing, these structures are essentially rectangular boards which are not adapted to provide for the advantages of the rotating turntable as designed by the present inventor.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Accordingly, in order to further improve upon the technology in a novel and unique manner, pursuant to the present invention there is provided a reversible combined cutting and ironing board in the nature of a turntable, in which a disk-shaped plate having a cutting surface is supported for relative rotation on a ball-bearing arrangement, and wherein the opposite or distal side of the ball bearing arrangement provides for a spacer mounting a second disk-shaped plate of essentially the same size as the cutting plate is fastened to the ball bearing arrangement and is rotatable relative to the cutting plate about a central transverse axis. An ironing board cover may be mounted on the exterior surface of the second plate so as to provide for an ironing surface on the inverted side of the rotatable turntable structure opposite to the orientation of the cutting surface, but extending in parallel therewith.  
         [0012]     In particular, the ironing board surface or cover on the second plate may be located on a horizontal support surface while the upwardly facing surface of the cutting plate is employed in a rotatable manner for cutting fabric sections by means of a template and a suitable cutting tool, such as a rotary cutter as is well known in the art, and as is disclosed in the structure of the present inventor&#39;s “Brooklyn Revolver” turntable as discussed hereinbefore.  
         [0013]     Thereafter, it is a relatively simple matter for a user to invert the entire assembly so that the cutting plate now forms the bottom surface which rests on a support surface, and the ironing board surface is oriented upwardly so as to enable the previously cut fabric sections or pieces to be ironed, while the ironing board is rotatable relative to the cutting plate which is supported therebeneath.  
         [0014]     In order to implement the foregoing, the entire structure is constituted of relatively inexpensive and dependable components imbued with lengthy service lives, most of which are essentially of plastic material construction, and wherein the disk-shaped elements which are rotatable relative to each other are of essentially light weight and sturdy construction so as to afford all of the advantages of the above described “Brooklyn Revolver” structure as designed and commercialized by the present inventor, while incorporating the advantage pursuant to the present invention of providing a further plate structure which is rotatable with regard to the cutting plate and is adapted to mount an ironing board cover to thereby enable the ironing of cut fabric pieces without difficulty upon the entire structure simply being inverted. To that effect, the entire structure is provided primarily by components consisting of a first plate arrangement having a planar cutting surface and which is essentially a turntable or disk-shape, and including a parallel spaced disk-shaped second plate which is connected to the first plate by means of a ball-bearing assembly to enable relative rotation between the two plate structures, and wherein the second plate is adapted to mount an ironing board cover so as to form an ironing surface on the opposite side of structure from that of the cutting plate surface.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel reversible combined cutting and ironing board.  
         [0016]     Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide for a novel independently rotatable cutting board and ironing board structure, wherein a pair of parallel spaced rotatable disk-shaped plate members has one of the pate members equipped with a cutting surface, and the other plate member equipped with an ironing surface, and which are adapted to be inverted relative to each other so as to be utilized selectively as a cutting board and in the inverted position as an ironing board for fabric pieces which have previously been cut on the cutting surface.  
         [0017]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable turntable structure comprising a combined cutting plate and an ironing board which are rotatable relative to each other so as to enable the cutting of fabric without having to move the template on the cutting surface and thereafter to be able, upon inverting the structure, iron the cut fabric pieces on the ironing board in a readily and easily accessible manner. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     Reference may now be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of the reversible turntable comprising the combined rotatable cutting and ironing board pursuant to the invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded side view thereof, taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , generally diagrammatically representing details of the internal structure of the turntable structure;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view showing the cutting mat or surface;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates a sectional view taken along  FIG. 4-4  in  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a plan view of the ironing board surface. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     Referring in detail to the drawings, particularly  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a turntable assembly  10  constituted of a circular disk member  12  having a cutting surface  14  as also shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, and which is constituted of a die cut and hot stamp decorated top cutting board of a rigid plastic material. The cutting surface  14  may be of a so-called “self-healing nature” when subjected to cutting action.  
         [0025]     Laminated thereto is a stock race assembly  16  comprising a disk-shaped plate member  17  of rigid plastic, which is attached to the opposite surface  14   a  of member  12  by gluing as is well known in the art, and which on the opposite side thereof has a grommet and sleeve member  19  rotatably connected to a stock race unit  18  constituted of plastic material. As shown in  FIG. 2 , in the exploded transverse sectional view thereof, taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 2 , the stock race includes a first member  20  of a molded plastic ring-shaped configuration, having an annular raised portion  22  adapted to receive a series of annularly spaced ball bearings  24  housed in a plastic cage structure  26  which is fully rotatable about a central axis  27 .  
         [0026]     This arrangement, in effect, causes the top member  12  having the cutting surface  14  to be equipped with a rotatable stock race configuration, essentially analogous with that provided for in the “Brooklyn Revolver” rotating turntable structure, as set forth hereinabove.  
         [0027]     Pursuant to the present invention, there is provided a vacuum formed spacer  34  which is essentially a ring shaped disk member having a circular central opening  34   a  outwardly about the stock race structure  20  and including an annular raised flange  36 , the bottom surface thereof facing towards plate  17  being glued thereto. This particular spacer ring  34  is a vacuum-formed plastic member, and an annular raised surface  38  is adapted to have a further annular disk or plate member  40  loosely supported thereon. The plate member  40  is an essentially acrylic material disk of a diameter analogous to that of plate structure  12  and has the inner radial portion glued to the stock race raised surface  22  so as to be rotatable therewith. The outer surface of plate member  40  is adapted to be covered by an ironing board cover  42  having an annular elastic band  44  extending thereabout so as to be able to be snapped over the plate  40 , and thereby provide an ironing surface  46 , as is shown in  FIG. 5  of the drawings.  
         [0028]     Basically, the connection of the plate  40  to the stock race assembly or ring member  20  enables them to be rotatable in conjunction with each other, and also rotatable relative to the ball bearing race which is fastened to the lower surface of plate  17 . Consequently, both the plate structure  12  and the plate  40  mounting the ironing board cover  42  are rotatable relative to each other about their common central axis.  
         [0029]     In essence, during use as a cutting board for the segmenting or cutting of fabric pieces, the ironing board cover as is positioned in stationary relationship facing downwardly on a support surface (not shown) so as to enable the upper cutting surface  14  to rotate during use. The ironing board cover provides adequate friction to prevent the entire arrangement  10  from sliding about the support surface.  
         [0030]     When it is desired to employ the arrangement  10  as an ironing board, it is merely necessary to invert the entire structure so as to have the surface  14  facing downwardly so as to be supported on the previously mentioned support surface and the ironing board  42  now faces upwardly to enable the fabric to be ironed. The pressure of the iron is adequate to prevent slipping between the support surface and the smooth surface of the plate  12 , while permitting rotation of the upper ironing board structure  40 ,  42  relative to the cutting member during ironing, as may be desired by a user.  
         [0031]     From the foregoing it thus clearly appears that the entire arrangement is of an essentially simple inexpensive and portable nature constituted primarily of readily molded or stamped plastic components, which are attached to each other. Furthermore, although described as being a circular turntable, the cutting and ironing plate members thereof may be of polygonally-sided configurations, such as squares, hexagons, or the like.