MOTORIZED SHEARING IMPLEMENT

• US 3,693,254 A
• Filed: 02/05/1971
• Issued: 09/26/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert R. Salonen
• Original Assignee: Albert R. Salonen
• Inventors: Salonen, Albert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riordon, Robert C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peters, J. C.
• Application Number:
  US05/112,926
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 30/180,192,228,247 222/146HE,390
• US Class Current: 30/228
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 3/033 having motor-driven blades
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two

Abstract

This invention relates to a portable, hand-held shearing implement, which includes a pair of cutting blades employing a motor powered mechanism to apply the cutting force. The invention is particularly adaptable for an implement to execute individual, deliberate, cutting strokes. One version may be powered by an electric motor or a self-contained internal combustion engine, driving through a gear reduction train to a reciprocatory mechanism having threaded means with a releasable coupling to drive the power stroke. Another version employs a controllable reversing switch to effect the reciprocative action and is limited to an electric motor drive. In the former version, reopening of the blades is spring actuated with provision included to soften the impact of termination, and includes a triggering means to stop and hold the reciprocative action after each cycle until released by trigger actuation.

Claims

1. A motorized shearing implement for cutting rod-like material, comprising:

a pair of cutting blades arranged to cut with a shearing or nipping action;

a frame having a hand grip attached thereon for supporting the implement during use;

an actuating means for said blades having incorporated therein a toggle link pair within a forklike mounting extending forwardly from said frame;

a connecting member operatively connected to said toggle link pair for closing and opening said blades and being operable to reciprocate in an axial sense;

a guiding support for said connecting member installed rearwardly from the fork of said mounting and extending therefrom to a cylindrical bore in said frame;

a force-mechanism mounted within said frame at a location rearwardly of said actuating means and employing a screw thread for converting rotary to linear motion;

a motor means including a drive means for said force-mechanism mounted rearwardly of said force-mechanism on said frame and operable to apply axial force to said connecting member;

said force-mechanism having an outer member operatively coupled to said motor means for rotation thereby and having an inner member joined to said connecting member, and an operative means coupled to said inner member for effecting the motor drive from said outer member to said inner member and being operable to reverse the axial motion of said inner member in either direction after a predetermined distance of travel thereof, and said drive means includes a rotatable tubular drive shaft connected to said force-mechanism and arranged so that said inner member on its rearward excursion retracts rearwardly into the bore of said shaft, and including a reciprocally mounted rod located within an axial hole in said inner member and extending rearwardly beyond said tubular drive shaft;

said rod being operationally linked to a triggering means for overriding the action of said operative means to effect the axial motion of said member.

2. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blades are pivotally supported on said forklike mounting and have rearwardly projecting extensions individually pivotally connected to each end of said toggle link pair.

3. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 22, wherein said blades are pivotally joined together to cut at their forward ends and have rearwardly projecting extensions individually pivotally connected to each one of a pair of lever members;

and said lever members being individually pivotally connected to each end of said toggle link pair and individually pivotally supported on said forklike mounting at a location transversely outward of the pivotal connections of said blades to said lever members.

4. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said force-mechanism is a releasable coupling having threaded half-nuts releasably drivingly engageable with a mating thread on said inner member for pushing said connecting member forwardly, and includes a spring means for urging said connecting member rearwardly, and also includes an actuating means for engaging said half-nuts to said mating thread, comprising in combination:

said half-nuts having segmental conical surfaces included on one end, a clamping member surrounding said inner member at one end thereof and being reciprocally mounted thereon, a resilient means urging said clamping member toward said conical surfaces relative to said inner member, and said clamping member having a conical bore confronting said conical surfaces thereby to engage and force said half-nuts radially inwardly to engage said half-nuts drivingly with said mating thread on said inner member upon the return of said connecting member by said spring means; and

including a stop secured to said inner member for disengaging said half-nuts from said mating thread after a predetermined distance of travel by said inner member.

5. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said force-mechanism is a releasable coupling surrounding said inner member, and said releasable coupling has Embodied therein threaded half-nuts being releasably drivingly engageable with a mating thread on said inner member for pushing said connecting member forwardly;

and includes a spring means for urging said connecting member rearwardly.

6. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said force-mechanism includes a releasable coupling comprising a tubular body-member having a structural support disposed within and in fixed relation thereof, and having threaded half-nuts arranged within said body-member in a manner whereby the rearward ends of said half-nuts are circumferentially and radially anchored by said support while the forward ends are free to swivel radially inward and operable to effect a driving engagement with a mating thread on said inner member, and embodied within said body-member is a means for locking said half-nuts in the engaged position, comprising in combination a ring surrounding the forward ends of said half-nuts being operatively connected by at least one rigid member to a tubular member which is located rearwardly of said half-nuts, a sleeve located rearwardly of and bearing against said half-nuts and mounted reciprocally in the bore of said tubular member, and a spring means within said tubular member operable to apply forward pressure to said sleeve and rearward pressure to said tubular member and operable to slide said ring over a mating diameter on said half-nuts when the latter are drivingly engaged;

and, by a forward motion relative to said half-nuts, said tubular member is operable to slide said ring off said mating diameter and subsequently to engage said sleeve and said sleeve having a conical surface on the end thereof confronting a segmental conical bore in said half-nuts to force the latter radially outwardly to disengage said half-nuts from said mating thread.

7. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a decelerating means for said inner member is operationally linked to said triggering means and comprises a resilient material installed within the bore of said axial hole in said inner member, and said reciprocally mounted rod being operable simultaneously to engage said resilient material and said triggering means, thereby to effect a decelerated arrest of the rearward motion of said inner member.

8. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said triggering means comprises in combination a pivotally mounted trigger, a moveable barrier mounted in said frame athwart the axis of said reciprocally mounted rod and operable to be engaged by said rod, and said trigger having pivotally mounted thereon a linkage means operable by a motion of said trigger to engage and shift said barrier and subsequently to disengage therefrom;

and said barrier having spring means installed thereon to effect a return shift thereof.

9. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an electric motor having said triggering means manually selectively operable to energize said motor;

and the output-shaft os said motor being coupled to said drive means through an augmentative torque means for driving said force-mechanism.

10. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means is an electric motor with an electrical switching, means comprising a ferrule affixed to the rearward end of the bore in said axial hole in said inner member, a stop on each end of said reciprocally mounted rod being sequentially operable to engage said ferrule thereby to drive said rod forwardly or rearwardly a short distance at the most forward or most rearward excursion of said inner member, and said rod being operatively connected by a linkage means to an electrical switch which is electrically connected in a manner to reverse the direction of rotation of said motor in either direction.

11. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an electric motor energized by a trigger incorporated within said triggering means, an electrical switch electrically connected to said motor and operable to reverse the direction of rotation of said motor in either direction, a lever member pivotally mounted on said frame, one end of said lever member being pivotally connected to said reciprocally mounted rod and the opposite end linked to said switch so that an axial movement of said rod by said inner member in either direction will actuate said switch to reverse the direction of rotation of said motor;

and an additional linkage member being disposed within said handle in a manner whereby a reverse motion of said trigger will cause said additional linkage member to engage said lever member and override the action of said rod.

12. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an internal combustion engine having said triggering means manually selectively operable to actuate a connecting linkage to a throttling valve for controlling the air-intake to said engine, and said connecting linkage having incorporated therein an electro-magnetic and resilient mechanical means wherein an electro-magnetic mechanical force acts in opposition to the mechanical resilience;

and the said electro-magnetic force being determined by the angular velocity of the output-shaft of said engine and biased for limiting the actuation of said connecting linkage.

13. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an internal combustion engine having a carburetion means comprising in combination:

an air duct having installed therein a rotatable diaphragm to control the flow of air admitted to said engine, a passageway to a fuel-reservoir having an enlarged orifice connected thereto and in concentric relationship thereof with an opening to said duct, a branch orifice intersecting said enlarged orifice with an opening to said duct being located away from the atmospheric side of said enlarged orifice, an adjustable concentric valve-assembly mounted in coaxial alignment to said passageway and having a tubular member with a rod in the bore of said member passing through said enlarged orifice, said rod having a conical end thereon penetrating said passageway for restricting the flow of fuel therefrom, and said tubular member having a conical end thereon penetrating said enlarged orifice for restricting the flow of air therein; and

said diaphragm being so constructed and pivoted to interpose between said enlarged orifice and said branch orifice to isolate the latter from normal atmospheric pressure when said diaphragm is in the closed or throttling position.

14. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an internal combustion engine having the output-shaft of said engine coupled to said drive means through a centrifugally actuated friction clutch and an augmentative torque means, said clutch comprising in combination:

a drum supported by a tubular shaft on a pivotal mount and having a peripheral rim projecting rearward therefrom, said tubular shaft extending forwardly through said pivotal mount and having the driving member of said torque means affixed forwardly thereon, said engine output-shaft rotatably mounted within the bore of said tubular shaft for mutual support thereof, two weighted friction shoes being surrounded by said rim and pivotally mounted on a disk which is affixed to said output-shaft and having the pivot-point on said shoes located well to one side of the center-of-mass thereof, and spring means mounted on lever arms which are attached to said shoes on the side opposite the pivot-point of said center-of-mass for urging said shoes to swivel radially inward thereby, therefore when said output-shaft is rotated beyond a predetermined angular velocity, the weight on said shoes will overcome said spring means and force said shoes into frictional driving engagement with said rim.

15. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means includes an internal combustion engine, comprising in combination a crankshaft operatively connected to an internal combustion chamber and enclosed within a crankcase, a fan attached to the rearward extremity of said crankshaft and operable to blow cooling air over said combustion chamber, a manually actuated cranking means operationally coupled to said crankshaft and mounted on the forward end of said crankcase, an electric current-interrupter means located rearward of said crankcase and mounted thereon, a rotatable magnetic means mounted on said crankshaft at a location forward of said cranking means, an electro-magnetic coil means fastened to said crankcase at a location adjacent said magnetic means and being magnetically coupled to said magnetic means and electrically connected to said interrupter means to provide ignition for said engine, and an electro-magnetic coil means being magnetically coupled to said magnetic means and electrically connected to a throttling control incorporated within said triggering means to effect the actuation thereof.

16. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said magnetic means comprises:

two ferro-magnetic disks having a hole of an enlarged diameter relative to the diameter of said crankshaft constructed coaxially in each disk and attached coaxially to said crankshaft by means of a non-magnetic material, two or more integral pole-members projecting radially outward from each of said disks and having one or more permanently magnetized magnetic-members interposed between said disks, and the magnetic polarity of said magnetic-members being similarly polarized along the axis of said crankshaft for inducing magnetic polarity to said pole-members.

17. A motorized shearing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said force-mechanism comprises an internally threaded means releasably drivingly engageable with an externally threaded shaft for converting rotary motion from said motor means to linear motion and operable to force axially in one direction said connecting member, and a spring means coupled to said connecting member and operative to return said connecting member upon release of said internally threaded means from engagement with said externally threaded shaft;

and includes an actuating means operable to disengage said internally threaded means from driving engagement with said externally threaded shaft after a predetermined distance of travel of said connecting member in said one direction, and said actuating means operable to engage said internally threaded means for driving engagement with said externally threaded shaft upon the return by said spring means of said connecting member in a direction opposite to said one direction.