Patent ID: 6860017

Claim:
A spring-biased nipper comprising: a first handle and a second handle connected for pivoting movement toward and away from each other; nipping jaws operably connected to said first and second handles for cutting responsive to movement of the handles; a first leaf spring, including: a first end constructed for releasable securement secured to an inner surface of the first handle, a second end, an arcuate portion positioned proximate the second end and having a bearing surface adapted to slidably contacting an inner surface of the second handle, and an opening positioned intermediate the first and second ends, said opening configured to releasably receive therein an engaging tab; and a second leaf spring, including: a first end constructed for releasable securement to the inner surface of the second handle, and a second end having an engaging tab, said engaging tab constructed for releasable insertion into the opening of the first leaf spring; wherein said handles are biased away from one another; and wherein said sprint-biased nipper is structured to be operated in a user-selectable one of two operating modes: a single-spring mode in which the arctuate portion of the first leaf spring slidably contacts the inner bearing surface of the second handle during cutting, and a dual-spring mode in which the engaging tab of the second leaf spring is releasably inserted into the opening of the first leaf spring and the arctuate portion of the first leaf spring does not contact the inner bearing surface of the second handle during cutting.