Patent ID: 7637017

Claim:
A tool for cutting structural materials, comprising: a guide plate having a pair of fixed, spaced-apart connector pins extending therefrom; a pair of handles, each handle including a connector plate movably coupled to the guide plate; a drive pin pivotally coupled to the connector plates, the drive pin being movable generally linearly as the handles are pivoted; a detachable cutting head comprising a body, the body including a cavity having a first cavity opening, a second, opposing cavity opening and a channel configured to receive a structural material workpiece; a mounting flange coupled to the body, the mounting flange including a pair of spaced-apart mounting apertures; and a cutting plate slidably disposed in the cavity, the cutting plate having a connector slot and being movable within the cavity to selectably extend through the first cavity opening, wherein the mounting apertures of the mounting flange are each configured to detachably fit over corresponding connector pins of the guide plate and the connector slot of the cutting plate is configured to extend through the second cavity opening and detachably engage the drive pin, the cutting plate being positionable to extend through the first cavity opening when the cutting head is attached to, and detached from, the handles, and wherein the cutting plate is configured to move slidably in the body as the handles are pivoted, effective to cut a structural material workpiece when the workpiece is inserted into the channel of the body, a cut portion of said structural material being ejectable through the first cavity opening.