Shears

Abstract

A shears comprising a first lever and a second lever, each lever having a blade end and a handle end, wherein the first lever is s-shaped such that the upper handle is at a higher elevation than the first lever blade end, the upper handle front portion projecting upwardly above the upper handle medial portion for engagement with the web between the thumb and forefinger of a user's hand to limit forward movement of the hand along the upper handle but not projecting upwardly above the upper handle rear portion, the lower handle having a lower surface formed of a high-friction material that is downwardly convex and shaped and dimensioned to conform to the curled fingers of a user's hand, the shears further comprising a ripping blade detachably mountable to the first lever blade end, the shears further comprising handle stop with a spring for biasing the shears in the open position.

Claims

1. A shears having a first lever and a second lever, the first lever and the second lever being crossed and being pivotally interconnected by a king screw, each lever having a blade end and a handle end and being pivotally movable between open and closed conditions and normally biased to the open condition, the shears further comprising: an upper handle connected to the handle end of the first lever and disposed for engagement in use with a thumb and palm of a user's hand, and a lower handle connected to the handle end of the second lever and disposed for engagement in use with fingers of the user's hand, the upper handle having a domed upper surface formed of a high-friction material and including an upper handle rear portion and an upper handle front portion and an upper handle medial portion between said upper handle front and rear portions, the upper handle front portion projecting upwardly above said upper handle medial portion for engagement with a web between a thumb and forefinger of the user's hand to limit forward movement of the hand along said upper handle, the lower handle comprising a lower surface formed of a high-friction material that is downwardly convex and shaped and dimensioned to conform to curled fingers of the user's hand, a lower handle rear portion comprising a diamond-shaped portion comprising an internal rectangular opening and a backwardly projecting removably insertable pointed conical member, wherein a terminal end of the upper handle rear portion fits snugly into a notch in a top of the diamond-shaped portion, the upper handle and the lower handle each further comprising a handle stop, the handle stops each comprising a recess for receiving a first spring to bias the shears to the open condition, wherein the two handle stops define both a first opening and a second opening between the upper handle and the lower handle, and wherein the first lever is s-shaped such that the upper handle is at a higher elevation than the first lever blade end, wherein the lower handle is at a same elevation as the second lever, and wherein the first lever blade end comprises a porpoise nose-shaped terminal end.

2. The shears of claim 1, further comprising a lock for securing the blade ends together in a closed position, wherein the lock is pivotably mountable on the upper handle.

3. The shears of claim 2, wherein the lock is a lever lock.

4. The shears of claim 1, wherein the blade ends are elongate.

5. The shears of claim 4, wherein a cutting edge of each elongate blade end measures 2 inches in length.

6. The shears of claim 1, wherein the king screw is a thumbscrew.

7. The shears of claim 1, further comprising a ripping blade detachably mountable to the first lever blade end.

8. The shears of claim 7, wherein the ripping blade is detachably mountable to the first lever blade end by means of two thumbscrews.

9. The shears of claim 7, wherein the ripping blade has an interior bottom that comprises a lead-in blade.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the method will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claim and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a rear elevation view of an embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a left side elevation view of an embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.

REFERENCE NUMERALS FOR DRAWINGS

(10) 20 Shears 21 First lever 22 Second lever 23 Blade end 24 Handle end 25 Domed upper surface 26 Elongate blade end 27 Cutting edge 30 King screw 31 Thumbscrew 35 Upper handle 40 Lower handle 44 Upper handle rear portion 45 Upper handle front portion 46 Upper handle medial portion 47 Upper handle rear portion terminal end 50 Handle stop 51 First opening 52 Second opening 55 Spring 60 Front terminal end 65 Lock 66 Lever lock 75 Ripping blade 80 Lead-in blade 85 Diamond-shaped portion 86 Notch 90 Internal rectangular opening 95 Backwardly projecting removably insertable pointed conical member.

DESCRIPTION

(11) Definitions

(12) A lead-in blade is a blade edge positioned at a front of a series of blade edges that comprise a ripping blade. The lead-in blade performs an initial cut in a sheet of material when the lead-in blade is pulled against the sheet of material, thereby obviating the step of having to first cut the material with the shears prior to ripping with the ripping blade.

(13) A lever lock is a simple lock wherein a locking member is attached to a lever.

(14) Description of the Preferred Embodiment and Best Mode

(15) As shown in the figures, the preferred embodiment and best mode of the present invention comprise a shears 20 having a first lever 21 and a second lever 22, the first lever 21 and second lever 22 being crossed and being pivotally interconnected by a king screw 30, each lever 21, 22 having a blade end 23 and a handle end 24 and being pivotally movable between open and closed conditions and normally biased to the open condition, the shears 20 further comprising:

(16) an upper handle 35 connected to the handle end 24 of the first lever 21 and disposed for engagement in use with a thumb and palm of a user's hand, and

(17) a lower handle 40 connected to the handle end 24 of the second lever 22 and disposed for engagement in use with fingers of a user's hand,

(18) the upper handle 35 having a domed upper surface 25 formed of a high-friction material and including an upper handle rear portion 44 and an upper handle front portion 45 and an upper handle medial portion 46 between said upper handle front 45 and rear 44 portions, the upper handle front portion 45 projecting upwardly above said upper handle medial portion 46 for engagement with a web between a thumb and forefinger of a user's hand to limit forward movement of a hand along said upper handle 35,

(19) the lower handle 40 comprising a lower surface formed of a high-friction material that is downwardly convex and shaped and dimensioned to conform to curled fingers of a user's hand, a lower handle 40 rear portion comprising a diamond-shaped portion 85 comprising an internal rectangular opening 90 and a backwardly projecting removably insertable pointed conical member 95, wherein an upper handle rear portion 44 terminal end 47 fits snugly into a notch 86 in a top of the diamond-shaped portion 85,

(20) the upper handle 35 and the lower handle 40 each further comprising a handle stop 50, the handle stops 50 each comprising a recess for receiving a first spring 55 to bias the shears 20 to the open condition, wherein the two handle stops 50 define both a first opening 51 and a second opening 52 between the upper handle 35 and the lower handle 40, and

(21) the first spring 55,

(22) wherein the first lever 21 is s-shaped such that the upper handle 35 is at a higher elevation than the first lever 21 blade end 23, wherein the lower handle 40 is positioned on a same level as the second lever 22, and wherein the first lever 21 blade end 23 comprises a porpoise nose-shaped terminal end 60.

(23) Optionally, the shears 20 further comprises a lock 65 for securing the blade ends 23 together in a closed position, wherein the lock 65 is pivotably mountable on the upper handle 35.

(24) Optionally, the lock 65 is a lever lock 66.

(25) Optionally, the blade ends 23 are elongate 26.

(26) Optionally, a cutting edge 27 of an elongate 26 blade end 23 measures 2 inches in length.

(27) Optionally, the king screw 30 is a thumbscrew 31.

(28) Optionally, the shears 20 further comprises a ripping blade 75 detachably mountable to the first lever 21 blade end 23.

(29) Optionally, the ripping blade 75 is detachably mountable to the first lever 21 blade end 23 by means of two thumbscrews 31.

(30) Optionally, the ripping blade 75 has an interior bottom that comprises a lead-in blade 80.

(31) Some advantages of the embodiments of the apparatus were previously enumerated in the Summary section. Every advantageous feature does not need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the apparatus and/or methods.

(32) Although these versions of the invention have been described in considerable detail, other versions are possible. For example, embodiments can comprise combinations of the features described herein, such as combinations of the dependent claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the versions contained therein.