Animal nail clipper

Claim 2

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway for movement in cutting and retraction strokes and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture with a marginal edge extending transverse to the direction of movement of said blade and adapted to receive said projection to relEasably couple said link to said blade such that said projection engages said marginal edge to pull said blade in its retraction stroke and said link pushes against another marginal edge of said blade in its cutting stroke, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connnection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade.

Claim 3

The clipper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade has a cutting edge formed on the forward end thereof adjacent the protruding end of said holder, said blade having a second aperture therethrough adjacent said cutting edge adapted to be exposed beyond said guideway when said blade is positioned in a release or latching position relative to said link.

Claim 4

The clipper as set forth in claim 2 wherein said clipper includes a retaining pin removably received through said second aperture in said blade and into a third aperture in said holder to hold said blade against retractile force exerted by said spring on said blade via said link.

Claim 5

The clipper as set forth in claim 3 wherein said retaining pin comprises a body adapted to seat against an exposed portion of said holder adjacent the forward end of said guideway, said clipper and body having interengaging means retaining said body in said seated position in response to said blade urging said body via said pin toward said guideway.

Claim 6

The clipper as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body has first and second spaced opposed edges, said pin being located intermediate said edges and closest to said second edge, said first edge being adapted to engage said guideway to hold said blade in an extended position wherein said handles are at least partially collapsed toward one another for retention thereof in a shipping position, said second body edge being adapted to engage said guideway to locate said pin relative thereto for positioning said blade in a release or latching position relative to said link.

Claim 7

The clipper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade has a cutting edge at its forward end and said first surface is flat and extends parallel to the direction of travel of said blade, said blade having a second surface opposite said first surface with at least a portion of said second surface being curved convexly to provide a fulcrum on said blade spaced rearwardly from the cutting edge and forwardly of said aperture which cooperates with a surface of said guideway in response to forces exerted on said blade by said link during the cutting stroke of said blade to pivot said blade in a direction to force said first surface thereof adjacent its cutting edge against the adjacent surface of said holder.

Claim 8

The clipper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade and said guideway have cooperative slidably interengaged surfaces at least one of which is curved convexly relative to the other to provide a fulcrum forwardly of the engagement point of said link with said blade whereby said blade is pivoted to force the cutting edge of said blade slidably against the adjacent surface of said holder as force is applied to said blade by said link in response to squeezing together of said handles.

Claim 9

The clipper as set forth in claim 1 wherein said link has a notch adjacent its forward end and said forward end terminates in said projection, said notch being defined by a first surface extending in the direction of the lingitudinal axis of said link and a second surface extending perpendicular thereto remote from said projection, said first notch surface being adapted to ride on an edge defined by the intersection of said aperture with said first blade surface, said second notch surface being adapted to slidably abut the rear edge of said blade at the intersection of its rear face and said first blade face during the application of force to said blade via said link in response to said handles being squeezed togethEr.

Claim 10

In an animal nail clipper having a first handle, a nail holder extending from said first handle, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle, and guide means to slidably mount a blade with respect to said nail holder to be extended over at least a portion of said nail holder to cut an animal nail received therein, the improvement comprising a blade adapted to be removably received in said guide means, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means operably releasably interconnecting said link and said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link on its cutting stroke to cut a nail by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link on its retracting stroke by pivotally separating said handles, said link being pivotable to cause said latch means to uncouple said link from said blade, and abutment means positioned to engage said link to limit the extent to which said blade can be extended over said nail holder.

Claim 11

In an animal nail clipper having a first handle, a nail holder extending from said first handle, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle, and guide means to slidably mount a blade with respect to said nail holder to be extended over at least a portion of said nail holder to cut an animal nail received therein, the improvement comprising a blade adapted to be removably received in said guide means, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means operably releasably interconnecting said link and said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link on its cutting stroke to cut a nail by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link on its retracting stroke by pivotally separating said handles, said link being pivotable to cause said latch means to uncouple said link from said blade, and abutment means positioned to engage said link to limit the extent to which said blade can be extended over said nail holder.

Claim 12

In an animal nail clipper having a first handle, a nail holder extending from said first handle, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle, a guide means to slidably mount a blade with respect to said nail holder to be extended over at least a portion of said nail holder to cut an animal nail received therein, the improvement comprising a blade adapted to be removably received in said guide means, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means operably releasably interconnecting said link and said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link on its cutting stroke to cut a nail by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link on its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, said link being pivotable to cause said latch means to uncouple said link from said blade, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade, a projection on said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, and biasing means yieldably urging said projection of said latch into said aperture of said blade, and abutment means positioned to engage said link to limit the extent to which said blade can be extended over said nail holder.

Claim 13

In an animal nail clipper having a first handle, a nail holder extending from said first handle, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle, a guide means to slidably mount a blade with respect to said nail holder to be extended over at least a portion of said nail holder to cut an animal nail received therein, the improvement comprising a blade adapted to be removably received in said guide means, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means operably releasably interconnecting said link and said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link on its cutting stroke to cut a nail by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link on its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, said link being pivotable to cause said latch means to uncouple said link from said blade, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade, a projection on said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, and biasing means yieldably urging said projection of said latch into said aperture of said blade, and abutment means positioned to engage said link to limit the extent to which said blade can be extended over said nail holder.

Claim 14

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade having a cutting edge formed on the forward end thereof adjacent the protruding end of said holder, said blade having a second aperture therethrough adjacent said cutting edge adapted to be exposed beyond said guideway when said blade is positioned in a release or latching position relative to said link, and a retaining pin removably received through said second aperture in said blade and into a third aperture in said holder to hold said blade against retractile force exerteD by said spring on said blade via said link.

Claim 15

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade having a cutting edge formed on the forward end thereof adjacent the protruding end of said holder, said blade having a second aperture therethrough adjacent said cutting edge adapted to be exposed beyond said guideway when said blade is positioned in a release or latching position relative to said link, and a retaining pin removably received through said second aperture in said blade and into a third aperture in said holder to hold said blade against retractile force exerteD by said spring on said blade via said link.

Claim 16

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade having a cutting edge at its forward end, said first surface being flat and extending parallel to the direction of travel of said blade, said blade having a second surface opposite said first surface with at least a portion of said second surface being curved convexly to provide a fulcrum on said blade spaced rearwardly from the cutting edge and forwardly of said aperture which cooperates with a surface of said guideway in response to forces exerted on said blade by said link during the cutting stroke of said blade to pivot said blade in a direction to force said first surface thereof adjacent its cutting edge against the adjacent surface of said holder.

Claim 17

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade having a cutting edge at its forward end, said first surface being flat and extending parallel to the direction of travel of said blade, said blade having a second surface opposite said first surface with at least a portion of said second surface being curved convexly to provide a fulcrum on said blade spaced rearwardly from the cutting edge and forwardly of said aperture which cooperates with a surface of said guideway in response to forces exerted on said blade by said link during the cutting stroke of said blade to pivot said blade in a direction to force said first surface thereof adjacent its cutting edge against the adjacent surface of said holder.

Claim 18

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade and said guideway having cooperative slidably interengaged surfaces at least one of which is curved convexly relative to the other to provide a fulcrum forwardly of the engagement point of said link with said blade whereby said blade is pivoted to force the cutting edge of said blade slidably against the adjacent surface of said holder as force is applied to said blade by said link in response to squeezing together of said handles.

Claim 19

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second handle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said blade and said guideway having cooperative slidably interengaged surfaces at least one of which is curved convexly relative to the other to provide a fulcrum forwardly of the engagement point of said link with said blade whereby said blade is pivoted to force the cutting edge of said blade slidably against the adjacent surface of said holder as force is applied to said blade by said link in response to squeezing together of said handles.

Claim 20

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second hanDle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said link having a notch adjacent its forward end and said forward end terminating in said projection, said notch being defined by a first surface extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said link and a second surface extending perpendicular thereto remote from said projection, said first notch surface being adapted to ride on an edge defined by the intersection of said aperture with said first blade surface, said second notch surface being adapted to slidably abut the rear edge of said blade at the intersection of its rear face and said first blade face during the application of force to said blade via said link in response to said handles being squeezed together.

Claim 21

A clipper having a first handle, a blade receiving guideway, a work holder in said guideway and extending at one end therefrom, a second hanDle having a first pivot connection with said first handle at a point spaced laterally from said guideway, a cutting blade slidably received in said guideway and having a first surface slidably engaging one side of said holder, a link having a second pivot connection with said second handle at a point spaced rearwardly of said blade and intermediate said guideway and said first pivot connection, a tension coil spring connected at one end to said first handle and at the other end to said link at a point disposed between said second pivot connection and said guideway and on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said guideway, said link extending with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said blade, said link having a projection at the end thereof closest to said blade, said blade having an aperture adapted to receive said projection to releasably couple said link to said blade, said link having a manipulating extension projecting into the space defined between said handles on the side of said second pivot connection remote from said blade to facilitate pivoting said link about the axis of said second pivot connection to disengage said link from said blade, said link having a notch adjacent its forward end and said forward end terminating in said projection, said notch being defined by a first surface extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said link and a second surface extending perpendicular thereto remote from said projection, said first notch surface being adapted to ride on an edge defined by the intersection of said aperture with said first blade surface, said second notch surface being adapted to slidably abut the rear edge of said blade at the intersection of its rear face and said first blade face during the application of force to said blade via said link in response to said handles being squeezed together.

Claim 22

The clipper as set forth in claim 14 wherein said blade comprises a generally thin, flat rectangular piece of hardened metal having a lengthwise dimension substantially longer than its width dimension, one end of said blade having a crescent shaped cutting edge defined by the intersection of said first blade surface with a tapering curved surface on the side of said blade opposite said first blade surface, said first blade surface being flat and being defined by said length and width dimensions, said rear edge of said blade aperture being disposed remote from said cutting edge and being spaced from the rear face of said blade.

Claim 23

The clipper as set forth in claim 15 wherein said blade has aperture means defining said aperture, said aperture means also having a front edge closest to said cutting edge and being adapted to receive a retaining pin therethrough adjacent said front edge, said front edge of said aperture means being oriented relative to said rear edge of said aperture to permit said front edge to remain exposed in a latching position of said blade and to permit said clipper to receive said pin.

Claim 24

The clipper as set forth in claim 16 wherein said aperture means comprises first and second holes spaced lengthwise of said blade, said first hole defining said aperture, said second hole being located adjacent said cutting edge and having a portion thereof defining the front edge of said aperture means.

Claim 25

The clipper as set forth in claim 15 wherein said blade surfaces are disposed to define an included angle therebetween of approximately 21*.

Claim 26

The clipper as set forth in claim 18 wherein said blade is made of cold rolled annealed spring steel having a rockwell C hardness on the D scale of between 57 and 60.

Claim 27

The clipper as set forth in claim 15 wherein said blade has a second surface on the side thereof remote from said first blade surface with at least a portion thereof having a convex curvature to provide a fulcrum point located intermediate said aperture and said cutting edge of said blade.

Claim 28

The clipper as set forth in claim 20 wherein saId blade is a die blank stamping with said second surface being the surface disposed remote from the surface struck by a die punch during stamping of said blade.

Claim 29

In a clipper having a first handle, a work holder extending from said first handle, blade guide means having an end opening for receiving a blade endwise therein, a blade received endwise in said guide means via said end opening thereof and slidably mounted therein with respect to said holder so as to be extendable over at least a portion of said holder to cut the work received therein, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle and pivotable away from said first handle so as to define a space between said handles in the retracted condition of said blade, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means pivotally coupling said link with said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link in its cutting stroke to cut the work by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link in its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, and spring means directly connected to said link to yieldably bias said handles apart for maintaining said blade in its retracted position, the improvement wherein said link has a first portion extending into the space between said handles and accessible therebetween for manual application of force to said link portion to pivot said link against the bias of said spring means to an unlatching position, said latch means releasably coupling said link and blade, said spring means yieldably maintaining said latch means in coupling relation with said link and blade, said latch means being operable to decouple said link and blade in response to movement of said link to said unlatching position whereby said blade is removable endwise via said end opening of said guide means, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade and a projection on said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, said spring means yieldably urging said projection of said latch into said aperture of said blade.

Claim 30

In a clipper having a first handle, a work holder extending from said first handle, blade guide means having an end opening for receiving a blade endwise therein, a blade received endwise in said guide means via said end opening thereof and slidably mounted therein with respect to said holder so as to be extendable over at least a portion of said holder to cut the work received therein, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle and pivotable away from said first handle so as to define a space between said handles in the retracted condition of said blade, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means pivotally coupling said link with said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link in its cutting stroke to cut the work by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link in its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, and spring means directly connected to said link to yieldably bias said handles apart for maintaining said blade in its retracted position, the improvement wherein said link has a first portion extending into the space between said handles and accessible therebetween for manual application of force to said link portion to pivot said link against the bias of said spring means to an unlatching position, said latch means releasably coupling said link and blade, said spring means yieldably maintaining said latch means in coupling relation with said link and blade, said latch means being operable to decouple said link and blade in response to movement of said link to said unlatching position whereby said blade is removable endwise via said end opening of said guide means, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade and a projection on said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, said spring means yieldably urging said projection of said latch into said aperture of said blade.

Claim 31

The clipper of claim 22 wherein said first portion of said link is at one end of said link and said projection is at the other end of said link, and wherein said link is pivoted to said second handle intermediate its ends such that manual application of sufficient force to said one end of said link to pivot said other end of said link away from said blade will release said latch means thereby disconnecting said link from said blade so that said blade can be removed from the clipper.

Claim 32

In a clipper having a first handle, a work holder extending from said first handle, blade guide means having an end opening for receiving a blade endwise therein, a blade received endwise in said guide means via said end opening thereof and slidably mounted therein with respect to said holder so as to be extendable over at least a portion of said holder to cut the work received therein, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle and pivotable away from said first handle so as to define a space between said handles in the retracted condition of said blade, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means pivotally coupling said link with said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link in its cutting stroke to cut the work by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link in its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, and spring means directly connected to said link to yieldably bias said handles apart for maintaining said blade in its retracted position, the improvement wherein said link has a first portion extending into the space between said handles and accessible therebetween for manual application of force to said link portion to pivot said link against the bias of said spring means to an unlatching position, said latch means releasably coupling said link and blade, said spring means yieldably maintaining said latch means in coupling relation with said link and blade, said latch meAns being operable to decouple said link and blade in response to movement of said link to said unlatching position whereby said blade is removable endwise via said end opening of said guide means, said blade comprising a generally flat strip of metal, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade adjacent one end thereof and a projection adjacent one end of said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, said link being pivoted intermediate its ends with the other end thereof extending beyond the pivotal connection with said second handle such that said other end of said link is exposed in the space between said handles whereby finger pressure on said other end of said link is operable to pivot said link to thereby remove said projection from said aperture in said blade to disconnect said blade from said link for removal from the clipper, said spring means yieldably urging said projection of said link into said aperture of said blade.

Claim 33

In a clipper having a first handle, a work holder extending from said first handle, blade guide means having an end opening for receiving a blade endwise therein, a blade received endwise in said guide means via said end opening thereof and slidably mounted therein with respect to said holder so as to be extendable over at least a portion of said holder to cut the work received therein, a second handle pivotally carried by said first handle and pivotable away from said first handle so as to define a space between said handles in the retracted condition of said blade, a link pivotally connected to said second handle, latch means pivotally coupling said link with said blade such that said blade is pushed by said link in its cutting stroke to cut the work by squeezing said handles and said blade is pulled by said link in its retraction stroke by pivotally separating said handles, and spring means directly connected to said link to yieldably bias said handles apart for maintaining said blade in its retracted position, the improvement wherein said link has a first portion extending into the space between said handles and accessible therebetween for manual application of force to said link portion to pivot said link against the bias of said spring means to an unlatching position, said latch means releasably coupling said link and blade, said spring means yieldably maintaining said latch means in coupling relation with said link and blade, said latch meAns being operable to decouple said link and blade in response to movement of said link to said unlatching position whereby said blade is removable endwise via said end opening of said guide means, said blade comprising a generally flat strip of metal, said latch means comprising an aperture through said blade adjacent one end thereof and a projection adjacent one end of said link adapted to extend into said aperture in said blade, said link being pivoted intermediate its ends with the other end thereof extending beyond the pivotal connection with said second handle such that said other end of said link is exposed in the space between said handles whereby finger pressure on said other end of said link is operable to pivot said link to thereby remove said projection from said aperture in said blade to disconnect said blade from said link for removal from the clipper, said spring means yieldably urging said projection of said link into said aperture of said blade.

Claim 34

The clipper of claim 24 which also comprises a second aperture through said blade adjacent the other end thereof adapted to receive a locating pin therethrough to facilitate removal of said blade from the nail clipper, said second aperture being oriented relative to said holder such that the pin can be engaged with a given portion of the holder in one position of said blade wherein said first aperture is positioned for ready release of said projection therefrom, said second aperture also being oriented as an indicator with reference to said holder for positioning said first aperture to receive said projection when coupling said blade with said link.

Claim 35

The clipper of claim 24 wherein said blade is of hardened steel and has a cutting edge with an included angle not substantially greater than 21*.

Claim 36

The clipper as set forth in claim 4 wherein said interengaging means of said body comprises an edge thereof adapted to engage said guideway to hold said blade in an extended position wherein said handles are at least partially collapsed toward one another for retention thereof in a shipping position, said pin comprising a projection extending perpendicularly to said body remote from said edge thereof, said body being reversible to permit said projection to be disposed closer to said guideway to locate said pin relative thereto for positioning said blade in a release or latching position relative to said link.