This invention relates generally to a device for cutting a wire, and more particularly concerns a safety guard for a wire cutter.

In most technical industries involving electrical products, technicians continuously cut wires with wire cutting devices. The technician may be cutting electrical wires or, in the printing industry, cutting wire used to form staples for securing sheets to one another. In all of these cases, the technician is constantly risking injury to an eye from the severed end of the wire. When the wire is cut, the severed end leaves the wire cutter at a considerable speed and force in a random direction. This may result in the severed wire injuring the technician or another individual close to the technician. Thus, it is highly desirable to protect the technician and adjacent individuals from physical harm caused by the sudden propulsion through the air of a severed piece of trimmed wire. The guard or safety shield should be inexpensive to manufacture, non-complex in operation and assembly, and durable in use. One type of guard that has been proposed is described in the following patent:

US-A-2,711,584

Patentee: Crider

Issued: June 28, 1955

The relevant portions of this patent may be briefly summarized as follows:

US-A-2,71 1 ,584 discloses an attachment for a wire cutter which functions as a guard. The guard is U-shaped and may be located below the cutting blades to catch falling pieces of wire or above the cutting blades to prevent wire chips from being propelled through the air against personnel.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for cutting a wire. The device includes means for cutting the wire. The cutting means has pivotably mounted cutting

blades at one end thereof. Means are provided for holding portions of the wire on opposed sides of the cutting blades so that opposed marginal end regions of the wire are gripped by the holding means after the cutting blades have cut the wire.

Pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guard for a wire cutter having cutting blades at one end thereof. The guard includes an enclosure interfit over and surrounding the cutting blades. The enclosure has a pair of slits therein with one of the pair of slits being on one side of the cutting blades and the other of the pair of slits being on the other side of the cutting blades. The pair of slits are adapted to receive the wire in the interior of the enclosure so that portions of the enclosure on opposed sides of the pair of slits grip opposed marginal end regions of the wire after the cutting blades have cut the wire.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of the wire cutter having the guard of the present invention thereon; and

Figure 2 is a schematic, elevational view showing the Figure 1 wire cutter and guard.

While the present invention will hereinafter be described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turning now to Figures 1 and 2, a wire cutter, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, has a safety guard, indicated generally by the reference numeral 12, secured thereon. Wire cutter 10 is formed from a pair of elongated members 14 and 16 which are pivoted relative to one another on pivot pin 18. Elongated members 14 and 16 cross at pivot pin 18. Cutting blades 18 and 20 are integral with and extend outwardly form the ends of elongated members 14 and 16. Safety guard 12 is an enclosure 24 surrounding cutting blades 18 and

20. Enclosure 24 is a sleeve having both ends opened. Sleeve 24 is interfit over blades 18 and 20. Preferably, sleeve 24 is made from a resilient material such as a plastic or rubber material. The sleeve has a pair of slits 26, 28 extending from an intermediate region to one end of sleeve 24. Ends 30 and 32 of slits 26 and 28, respectively, are chamfered. The intermediate point on sleeve 24 defining the other end of slit 26 is a crack propagation or stress relief hole 34. Similarly, the intermediate point on sleeve 24 defining the other end of slit 28 is a crack propagation or stress relief hole. Slit 26 is positioned on one side of blades 20 and 22 with slit 28 being located on the other side of cutting blades 20 and 22. Slit 26 is rotated about 180° from slit 28. Slits 26 and 28 are substantially parallel to one another and to the cutting line defined by cutting blades 20 and 22 when in the closed position. When cutting blades 20 and 22 are in the closed position, portions 38 and 40 of sleeve 24, on opposed sides of slits 26 and 28, are adjacent one another. When cutting blades 20 and 22 are in the open position, portions 38 and 40 are spaced from one another. Safety guard 12 is cut from standard tubing to form sleeve 24, slit, chamfered and slidably mounted over cutting blades 20 and 22. Chamfers 30 and 32 provide simple access for wire 36 to slits 26 and 28, respectively.

In operation, wire 36 is moved through chamfers 30 and 32 into slits 26 and 28. Blades 20 and 22 are pivoted to the open position to receive wire 36. As blades 20 and 22 pivot to the open position, portion 38 is slightly spaced from portion 40 of sleeve 24. After positioning wire 36 between cutting blade 20 and cutting blade 22, the cutting blades are pivoted toward one another to the closed position. As the cutting blades pivot to the closed position, portions 38 and 40 move toward one another and grip wire 36. After blades 20 and 22 cut wire 36, portions 38 and 40 grip opposed marginal end regions of the cut wire. This prevents the severed end from striking the operator.

In recapitulation, it is apparent that the safety guard of the present invention encloses the cutting blades of a wire cutter. The safety guard has slits extending inwardly from one end of the guard to an intermediate position. The slits enable the wire to be positioned between the cutting blades and permits opposed portions of the guard

to grip the wire so as to prevent the cut wire from being hurled against the operator after being cut.

It is, therefore, apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention, a wire cutter safety guard that fully satisfies the aims and advantages hereinbefore set forth. While this invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.