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US3855699A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flower cutter

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-04-24
•
Granted: 1974-12-24
•
Expires: 1994-04-24
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Abstract

Abstract The specification discloses a flower stem cutting instrument designed to be held and operated with one hand. The instrument grasps the severed portion of the flower coincidentally with the cutting operation and enables the operator to lift and deposit the flower conveniently. The instrument comprises a cutter blade fixed on the distal end of a tube held at its one end by a pistol-grip handle. A laterally slotted shear member in which the flower stem is caught is actuated relative to the cutter blade to sever the stem. Cooperating brackets on the shear member and blade grip the stem between them at the approximate end of the cutting stroke. The shear member is actuated by a lever pivoted on the handle, when squeezed by the fingers of the hand holding the instrument.

Inventors

  • 👤 D Charlett

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:28
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G3/00; A01G3/02; A01G2003/023

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 165 words
An instrument for cutting plant stems and the like, of the type comprising a tubular pole, a pistol-grip handle attached to one end of the pole for supporting it in one hand, a lever pivoted on the handle and arranged to be pivotally squeezed toward said handle by the fingers of the hand by which the handle is held, and a rod telescopically extending through said tubular pole and connected to said lever for actuation thereby, wherein the improvement comprises a knife-edge blade fixed on the distal end of the said tubular pole, a shear member having a laterally extending slot therein for receiving a flower stem and being slidably carried by said blade, the edges of said slot being movable past the knife-edge blade in shearing relation, said shear member being connected to said rod and actuated so as to pull a stem in said slot over the knife-edge blade to effect a severing thereof when the said lever is squeezed toward the handle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 165 words
An instrument for cutting plant stems and the like, of the type comprising a tubular pole, a pistol-grip handle attached to one end of the pole for supporting it in one hand, a lever pivoted on the handle and arranged to be pivotally squeezed toward said handle by the fingers of the hand by which the handle is held, and a rod telescopically extending through said tubular pole and connected to said lever for actuation thereby, wherein the improvement comprises a knife-edge blade fixed on the distal end of the said tubular pole, a shear member having a laterally extending slot therein for receiving a flower stem and being slidably carried by said blade, the edges of said slot being movable past the knife-edge blade in shearing relation, said shear member being connected to said rod and actuated so as to pull a stem in said slot over the knife-edge blade to effect a severing thereof when the said lever is squeezed toward the handle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 59 words
An instrument for cutting plant stems and the like according to claim 1, wherein the knife-edge blade is so angularly disposed relative to said laterally extending slot in said shear member, that said knife-edge first closes said slot and then sweeps across the said slot from outside to inside as said shear member moves toward the said cutter blade.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 65 words
An instrument for cutting stems and the like according to claim 1, wherein cooperating bracket means are provided on said shear member and on said blade for grasping and holding therebetween the severed portion of a stem concurrently with the severing operation, at least one of said bracket means being flexible and movably adjustable relative to the other to accommodate stems of varying diametrical thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 206 words
An instrument for cutting plant stems and the like, of the type comprising a tubular pole, a pistol-grip handle attached to one end of the pole for supporting it in one hand, a lever pivoted on the handle and arranged to be pivotally squeezed toward said handle by the fingers of the hand by which the handle is held, and a rod telescopically extending through said tubular pole and connected to said lever for actuation thereby, wherein the improvement comprises a knife-edge blade fixed on the distal end of the said tubular pole, a shear member having a laterally extending slot therein for receiving a flower stem and being slidably carried by said blade, the outer edge of said slot being longer than the inner edge of said slot and both edges of said slot being movable past the knife-edge blade in shearing relation, said shear member being connected to said rod and actuated so as to pull a stem in said slot over the knife-edge blade to effect a severing thereof when the said lever is squeezed toward the handle, and the outer edge of the slot serving as a stop to prevent movement of a stem past the slot as it approaches the slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 206 words
An instrument for cutting plant stems and the like, of the type comprising a tubular pole, a pistol-grip handle attached to one end of the pole for supporting it in one hand, a lever pivoted on the handle and arranged to be pivotally squeezed toward said handle by the fingers of the hand by which the handle is held, and a rod telescopically extending through said tubular pole and connected to said lever for actuation thereby, wherein the improvement comprises a knife-edge blade fixed on the distal end of the said tubular pole, a shear member having a laterally extending slot therein for receiving a flower stem and being slidably carried by said blade, the outer edge of said slot being longer than the inner edge of said slot and both edges of said slot being movable past the knife-edge blade in shearing relation, said shear member being connected to said rod and actuated so as to pull a stem in said slot over the knife-edge blade to effect a severing thereof when the said lever is squeezed toward the handle, and the outer edge of the slot serving as a stop to prevent movement of a stem past the slot as it approaches the slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
An instrumEnt for cutting plant stems and the like according to claim 4, wherein the knife-edge blade tapers in width from the knife-edge thereof to said tubular pole thereby serving to guide a flower stem toward said slot as the instrument is moved back along the stem.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE130148C Cited
US46797A Cited
US460903A Cited
GB190414967A Cited
US1151874A Cited
GB853901A Cited
US2856686A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-12-23 1978-06-24 1978-12-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-12-23 1982-06-24 1982-12-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-12-23 1986-06-24 1986-12-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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