Multi-purpose cutting tool

Claim 2

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being slidably mounted to said head to move rearward and downward at an acute angle in relation to the working surface of said jaw along a sloping straight line path toward said jaw in response to one of said handles, said angle and slope of rearward and downward movement being sufficiently acute to provide an angle, intermediate 10* and 80*, which is sufficient to produce a material amount of lateral horizontal slicing action as well as a material amount of vertical cutting action in its movement toward said jaw.

Claim 3

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted relative to said head and jaw at an acute sloping angle centrally between zero degrees and ninety degrees relative to the jaw rearward and downward toward the jaw along a straight line path to thereby provide a major slicing action between the jaw and blade as the blade moves toward the jaw, one of said handles being movable relative to said head to actuate said blade movement, spring means urging said blade forward and upward in relation to said jaw, a ratcheting mechanism mounted to said head and releasably engagable between said blade and movable handle to ratchet said blade toward said jaw.

Claim 4

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted relative to said head and jaw at an acute sloping angle centrally between zero degrees and ninety degrees relative to the jaw rearward and downward toward the jaw along a straight line path to thereby provide a major slicing action between the jaw and blade as the blade moves toward the jaw, one of said handles being movable relative to said head to actuate said blade movement, spring means urging said blade forward and upward in relation to said jaw, a ratcheting mechanism mounted to said head and releasably engagable between said blade and movable handle to ratchet said blade toward said jaw.

Claim 5

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted in said head at an acute sloping angle rearwardly and downwardly along a rectlinear straight line path toward the jaw, said angle of movement being sufficiently acute whereby the horizontal displacement of the blade is at least equal to a major portion of the total angular length of travel of the blade in its movement along its angular rectilinear path to thereby provide a major slicing action between the blade and jaw as the blade moves toward the jaw, one of said handles being movable relative to said head to actuate said blade movement, spring means urging said blade forward and upward in relation to said jaw, a ratcheting mechanism mounted to said head and releasably engagable between said blaDe and movable handle to ratchet said blade toward said jaw.

Claim 6

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted in said head at an acute sloping angle rearwardly and downwardly along a rectlinear straight line path toward the jaw, said angle of movement being sufficiently acute whereby the horizontal displacement of the blade is at least equal to a major portion of the total angular length of travel of the blade in its movement along its angular rectilinear path to thereby provide a major slicing action between the blade and jaw as the blade moves toward the jaw, one of said handles being movable relative to said head to actuate said blade movement, spring means urging said blade forward and upward in relation to said jaw, a ratcheting mechanism mounted to said head and releasably engagable between said blaDe and movable handle to ratchet said blade toward said jaw.

Claim 7

A cutting tool according to claim 15, wherein said head includes detachable cover means and said blade and jaw are detachably mounted in said head of said tool, whereby the blade and jaw may be detached and exchanged by the removal of said cover means.

Claim 8

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted in said head at an acute sloping angle rearwardly and downwardly along a rectilinear straight line path toward the jaw, said angle of rearward and downward movement being sufficiently acute whereby the amount of horizontal displacement of the blade is at least equal to a major portion of the total angular length of travel of the blade along , to thereby provide a major slicing action between the blade and jaw.

Claim 9

A cutting tool comprising a cutting head, a pair of elongated handles projecting rearward from the rear of said head, a blade at the forward end of said head having a point pointing forward, said blade having a generally horizontal cutting edge projecting downward, a jaw at the forward end of said head pointing forward with a working surface projecting upward for cutting engagement by said cutting edge, said blade and jaw lying in the same general horizontal plane as said head, said blade being movably mounted in said head at an acute sloping angle rearwardly and downwardly along a rectilinear straight line path toward the jaw, said angle of rearward and downward movement being sufficiently acute whereby the amount of horizontal displacement of the blade is at least equal to a major portion of the total angular length of travel of the blade along , to thereby provide a major slicing action between the blade and jaw.