Utility Knife with Blade Magazine Allzweckmesser Mit Klingenmagazin Couteau Universel a Magasin a Lames
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Europäisches Patentamt *EP000858383B1* (19) European Patent Office Office européen des brevets (11) EP 0 858 383 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.7: B26B 5/00, B25G 1/08 of the grant of the patent: 16.08.2000 Bulletin 2000/33 (86) International application number: PCT/CA96/00696 (21) Application number: 96933297.2 (87) International publication number: (22) Date of filing: 21.10.1996 WO 97/15425 (01.05.1997 Gazette 1997/19) (54) UTILITY KNIFE WITH BLADE MAGAZINE ALLZWECKMESSER MIT KLINGENMAGAZIN COUTEAU UNIVERSEL A MAGASIN A LAMES (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors: AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC • SHEPHERD, Charles, G. NL PT SE Oakville, Ontario L6L 5A2 (CA) Designated Extension States: • FUNGER, Edward, A. AL LT LV RO SI Burlington, Ontario L7S 2J9 (CA) (30) Priority: 26.10.1995 US 548941 (74) Representative: Gibson, Stewart Harry URQUHART-DYKES & LORD, (43) Date of publication of application: Three Trinity Court, 19.08.1998 Bulletin 1998/34 21-27 Newport Road Cardiff CF2 1AA (GB) (60) Divisional application: 99101506.6 / 0 916 458 (56) References cited: (73) Proprietor: The Nack Company Limited EP-A- 0 207 578 DE-U- 8 615 168 Markham, Ontario L37 9T1 (CA) GB-A- 2 050 227 GB-A- 2 161 737 NL-A- 8 103 593 US-A- 4 372 362 US-A- 4 552 043 Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 0 858 383 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 0 858 383 B1 2 Description mechanism also has a blade-engaging arm within the housing, whereby positioning of the actuator at the for- [0001] This invention relates to a knife according to ward position causes a blade carried by the arm to the preamble of claim 1 and as known from GB-A-2 050 project from the front end of the housing in an operative 227. These knives, commonly known as utility knives, 5 position, and movement of the actuator from the forward have a manually holdable housing carrying a thin cutting position to the rear position causes the blade to be re- blade which, in its operative position, projects forwardly tracted from the operative position into the housing and from the housing. Most blades for such knives are dou- into an empty slot in the magazine. The magazine is ro- ble-ended, that is to say have opposite ends which are tatable to move the retracted blade from the arm of the both operable as cutters so that, when one end is blunt- 10 transport mechanism and position a new blade from an- ed, the blade can be reversed so that the other end other slot onto the arm for subsequent movement by the forms the operative end. Such blades usually have a actuator to an operative position. trapezoidal shape with a lower cutting edge which meets [0007] The blade magazine may comprise a body ro- the inclined end edges of the blade to form acute cutting tatable about a longitudinal axis and having a front end points at each end. 15 and a rear end, the body having a series of radially and [0002] Utility knives are used for a variety of purposes longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced blade- where a hand-held tool with a sharp cutting blade is re- receiving slots for respectively receiving thin blades quired. When a blade has been used to an extent where having a cutting edge at at least one end thereof, each one or both ends is blunted, it is necessary to replace slot having an open front end to enable a blade therein the worn blade with a new blade. With most utility knives, 20 to be removed from the slot by forward movement the old blade is manually removed from the housing and through the front end of the slot. a new blade fitted. This is not only time consuming, but [0008] The rotatable body may comprise first and sec- also involves the danger of the operator being but by the ond parts, the first part having a first end portion with a old or the new blade. Attempts have been made to pro- series of radially and longitudinal extending circumfer- vide utility knives with a supply of new blades in the 25 entially spaced first slot-forming finger members, the housing and a manually operable mechanism which can first finger members extending in a longitudinal direction be operated to move a new blade into the operative po- from the first end portion to an opposite end of the first sition. However, for various reasons, such knives have part, and a second part having a second end portion with not proved to be particularly satisfactory in practice. a series of radially and longitudinal extending circumfer- [0003] Such a knife is disclosed in the above men- 30 entially spaced second slot-forming finger members, the tioned British Patent Application No. 2050227 published second finger members extending in a longitudinal di- January 7, 1981 and has a magazine in which the blades rection from the second end portion to an opposite end are stacked one on top of the other, a blade-changing of the second part. device being provided to pull a new blade from the top [0009] The first part is assembled with the second part of the stack and return the blade when used to the bot- 35 by longitudinal movement of the first finger members be- tom of the stack. However, this arrangement is very tween the second finger members to provide a blade cumbersome. receiving slot between each adjacent pair of first and [0004] It is therefore an object of the invention to pro- second finger members. Each slot is open at at least a vide an improved utility knife of this kind which has a front end thereof to enable a blade in the slot to be re- supply of new blades within the housing and which can 40 moved therefrom by the transport mechanism by longi- be easily operated to retract a used blade into the hous- tudinal sliding movement through the front end of the ing and move a new blade into the operative position. slot. [0005] According to the invention, a knife comprises [0010] The first finger members of the blade maga- a manually holdable housing having a front end and a zine may have front end portions slidably engaged over rear end, and a blade magazine removably mounted in 45 and supported by the end portion of the second part, the housing and rotatable about an axis parallel to a lon- and the second finger members may have front end por- gitudinal axis of the housing extending from the front end tions slidably engaged over and supported by the end to the rear end. The blade magazine has a series of ra- portion of the first part. dially and longitudinally extending circumferentially [0011] Each first and second finger member of the spaced blade-receiving slots for separately receiving 50 blade magazine may have a radially outer surface with thin blades having a cutting edge at at least one end a groove therein extending in a circumferential direction, thereof, each slot having an open front end to enable a the magazine also having a blade retaining ring with a blade therein to be removed from the magazine by for- circumferential gap surrounding the magazine except ward movement through the front end of the slot. for the gap and seated in the grooves of the first and [0006] The housing also carries a slidable transport 55 second fingers. The blade retaining ring is held in a non- mechanism having a manually engageable actuator rotatable manner in the housing with the circumferential projecting from the housing and slidable in a longitudinal gap aligned with the path of travel of the transport mech- direction between front and rear positions. The transport anism, whereby the arm of the transport mechanism can 2 3 EP 0 858 383 B1 4 enter the circumferential gap for the unloading of a used magazine also showing the transfer member and a blade from the arm and the loading of a new blade onto blade in dotted outline for ease of explanation, the arm. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the knife [0012] Each slot of the blade magazine may contain showing a blade in the magazine engaged by the a blade with a recess in a radially outer edge thereof, 5 transport mechanism, with the blade retaining ring passing through the recess Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the cutting blade of each blade. moved forwardly to the operative position by the [0013] At least one of the magazine parts may have transport mechanism, a stub shaft projecting longitudinally outwardly from an Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Fig. end portion thereof, and the housing may have a man- 10 7 showing the transport mechanism, and ually rotatable portion receiving the stub shaft in a rela- Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9-9 of Fig. tively non-rotatable manner, whereby rotation of the 6 showing the blade guide members in the housing manually rotatable portion of the housing rotates the and the transport mechanism.