US3178826A - Straight edge - Google Patents

Description

A. AISEN STRAIGHT EDGE A ril 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1962 INVENTOR.

MN NN drraen e'f 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. AISEN STRAIGHT EDGE April 20, 1965 Filed March 23, 1962 INVENTOR. 44%04 a 4/55 Arman/er United States Patent Ofilice 3,l78,826 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,178,826 STRAIGHT EDGE Arnoid Aisen, 14037 W. 7-Mile Road, Detroit, Filed Mar. 23, 1962., Ser. No. 182,059

ll. Ciaim. C1. 333-167) This invention relates to a straight edge and more particularly to a straight edge or rule type member, particularly adapted for marking and cutting of glass, but

also adapted for the cutting or making of metal, linoleum, or other planar objects.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of rules and straight edges, such as used in the glass trade, for example, the opposing upright edge faces of the rule wear or become damaged, or otherwise marked up, with the result that the rule or straight edge must be repaired or replaced. These straight edges are extremely expensive, particularly the long ones, and may range from 6 to feet in length. Oftentimes when it is necessary to repair these straight edges, it is necessary to return them to the factory for a refinishing of the edge faces thereof.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel form of straight edge, preferably constructed of an aluminum :body, and wherein the edge faces upon opposite sides thereof are formed of removable and replaceable plastic or nylon members which interlockingly engage the opposing edges of the straight edge, and which when worn or damaged, may be easily replaced.

lit is another object of the present invention to provide a straight edge which is non-warping in character, and wear of the edge faces is minimized by the construction of the movable edge strip, preferably constructed of nylon, and wherein also the edge strips for the straight edge project beyond the edge faces of the said straight edge for contact with the glass, or other surface to be marked, or cut, and to thus prevent scratching of the glass or other material.

it is another object of the present invention to provide in a straight edge preferably of metallic construction such as aluminum, a replaceable and interchangeable and removable edge strip of nylon which directly interlocks with the body of the straight edge and when assembled provides a smooth continuation thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a straight edge which will have a minimum contact with the glass surface to be marked or cut, and wherein there is no metal contact with the glass.

it is a further object to provide removable edge strips for the straight edge of nylon or other hard plastic material to minimize frictional engagement of the glass or other surface and which willfacilitate sliding of the straight edge thereover.

It is another object of the present invention to provide 7 removable and replaceable edge strips for the straight edge which have upright edge faces of increased height against which the cutting tool is guided.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a straight edge constructed of extruded aluminum and .which incorporates undercut or dovetailed grooves or at alltimes along the upright edge face of an edge strip of the straight edge to facilitate the cutting of glass or other objects and for maintaining the cutting tool against the straight edge throughout the length of the said straight edge.

It isa'further object of the present invention to provide in the present straight edge a series of longitudinally spaced suction cups providing a means of anchoring the straight edge to a glass or other surface and with means incorporated in conjunction with the said suction cups for effecting a manual release thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to adapt a removable and replaceable plastic edge strip to a T-square construction, or a triangle, or a right-angle square.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present straight edge as mounted upon a strip of glass, fragmentarily shown.

1516. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the present straight edge with suction cups incorporated thereinto and including an indicia strip.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5 on an increased scale.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a T-square incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a right angle square incorporating the present invention.

t is contemplated that the drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments may be provided within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present straight edge includes an elongated hollow body, generally indicated at 11, preferably formed of extruded aluminum and which includes elongated fiat top surface 12, and a corresponding bottom surface 13. The body includes adjacent its opposite edges elongated webs i iand 15 and adjacent to which are formed elongated undercut or dovetailed grooves or slots 16 which extend throughout the length of the body along and adjacent its opposite edges 19.

Elongated, preferably non-metallic edge strips 18, with outer straight upright edge faces are mounted along the opposing upright side edges 19 of the straight edge body and are removably interlocked therewith, as best shown in FIGS. 34.

For this purpose, formed elongated projections, preferably of dovetailed shape, as at 17, extend laterally from the inner surfaces of the said strips 18 and are adapted to snugly and retainingly project within the correspondingly shaped dovetailed grooves 16, formed in the opposite edges of the said body.

The edge strips 18 are preferably constructed of a plastic material which is hard and which has good wear characteristics such as nylon, and wherein the said edge strips it; are assembled longitudinally with respect to the dovetailed slot 16 in the edge faces of the body, and an interlock is provided, as shown.

Upright edge faces of the said edge strips are of a height greater than the height of the body 11, and accordingly project above the top surface 12 and below the bottom surface 13, as shown in FIG. 4, and as at points thus spacing the undersurface of the body, as at 21 from the glass G, upon which the straight edge is mounted, for illustration.

By this construction, a non-metallic nylon edge strip 18 actually supports the metal' body of the rule, or straight edge above the said glass, or other surface and thus prevents any possible scratching thereof, and at the same the glass surface. Closure end strips are also provided as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and3,

Elongated end strip 22, preferably constructed of plastic,

rubber; or other; resilient material, extends 'acros's one 'end face of the said body andincliides the formed tongue time facilitates adjustments of the straight edgeover '7 for the v body,

23, which is frictionally projected into the end of the j s retaining. engagement withthe top of the glass G, fragbod'y and retainedtherein, asshown ind- 168, l andQ.

An additional end strip 24 is provided for the opposite endof the body which is of a slightly different formation and also includesatongue which is so formed as indicated at 25, FIG."3,*as to be frictionally andsnugly projected within the opposite endof the body, and retained therein.

The said end strip along its lower transverseedge pro jects below the said body as at 26, and thus provides:

a stop for the straight edge, retainingly engaging the corresponding edge of a piece'of glass Gpoveriwhich the straight edge is mounted, the stop being indicated at '27,FIG.2.l

' Similarly the end strip 24 projects above the top surface of the body as indicated at 28. a "The; end strips are preferably constructed of rubber, or a suitable non- As shown in FIGJ3, the top surface 12 of the "body- 45. order, toaccommodate' these suction cups, a series of longitudinally spaced rectangular apertures 42 are formed through the bottom surface13 of the body in order to cooperatively receive the'suction cup'holders 43,

which are, anchored to the bodyby'a series of screws 44.

The suction cup 45, prefe nably constructed of, rubber, depends zbelovf-the suction cup body43, and belowthe undersurfac'e' of the straight edgebody for cooperative mentarily shown for example, FIGS. 16-7;

. The upright" release plate 47Iis guidably, positioned ith rough'acyliindrical extension 46 of; the suction cup and projects thereabove.v The "releasearm 48 has a bifurcated end, as shown in FIGS, which is'pivotally mounted at 49 over the top surface of the release strip 47, and includes the cam surfaces Sthwhich cooperativelyengage thetop of the extension 46; Accordingly, when it is desired to removethe straight edgejfrom the glass'or other surface,

' metallic, preferably plastic, material, to avoiddamage to the glass or'other surface beingfcut, or marked.

engages the extension 46'for breaking the seal between the glass; and the suction cup 45 and-to 'facilitate removal of the straight edge therefrom. I

It iscontemplated as apart of the'present invention the st'raightedge may be'in thefo'rm-of a ruler. For

this purpose, an elongated stripof material 51" with indicia 52, is'mounted'along and adjacent, one of the edge strips 11 has anadditional extruded formation, as at 29to thus Q define the elongated guideslot StL'which extends through- V V out the length' of the top surface of the body, 'and'par-allel' tothe edge stripsand-is employed for the purpose of guidably retaining the -glass cutter 35 with respect to the upright surface of the ,adjacentfedge strip 18, as

best shown FIG. '4. Q r

The roller 31 movably' nests and is journaled .at 32 to the bracket or support 33 which is itself secured or pivotally connected'at 34 to glass cutter 35, carrying the diamond or other hardened glass cutting wheel 36.

It is the primary object of this construction to provide 'the guide'means -31 for the purpose of maintaining 'the cutting-tool 35 snugly'against the upright surface of the corresponding edge strip 18. This'm'eans that the operator is not required to exert eifort to maintain the cutter against the said edge strip and may thu s exert all of his effort for a uniform longitudinal marking or cutting I. movement along thetop surface ofthe glass G,:for other 7 surface.

The present straightedge alsohas incorporated there- 7 into a means for breaking glass once it hasbeen cut.1 .For

-thisj purpose thebody has'an extruded formation137' adjacent the top surface lz-thereof, as showninFIG. 4

to define an pndercut elongated slot 38,-preferably of "dovetail shape" in cross section, adapted to-rernovablyw I within the guide slot 30, '1

'18 and extends throughout the length of the straight edge. For this purpose there may be employed indicia strip 51,

of a plastic ,or other durable, material, andwhich has a pressure. adhesive undersurface asindicatedat 53 by -Whichtheindicia: strip maybe rolled onto or otherwise mounted upon top surface 12 0f the body, as best shown 'in FIGS.'5 and 7.

It is contemplated, of course, that an additional indicia strip 51 may be provided upon thestraight edge upon its opposite ledge adjacentthe other edge strip 18. By this construction, the straight edge could be manufactured without the 'indicia st'rip and the indicia strip applied where requested, or required. v

1 It is believed'that the straight edge 's'uchvas might be insed in wall paper hanging, or in the cutting of linoleum,

, cutting glass. 7 1

mightbe improvedwith the use of the said indicia strip. Also such indicia strip is commonly used in marking and It is contemplated as apart of the present invention that the said removable nylon edge strip may be incorporated into other drafting instruments,'other than a straight edge, as for example the T-square 54 shown in FIG. 8; Here the elongated, preferably extruded metal mounted along its opposite edges,- thQ'IEl'llOVflblQ edge body 55 corresponding to body 11 .ofjFIGfL 3 ,also' has strips 18; corresponding to the'edge strip above described receive and interlockawith a correspondingly shaped pro-1; I

jection' 39 formed in the undersurface 0f the elongated In accordance In the operation of the glass breaker, ltS' g with the present invention, the glass plate'breaker strip, which is square incross section, to provide the elongated corners shown in FIG. 3," is of'the q samelconstruction as the removable side edge strips 18. g In the use of the glass breakerfonce the glass has .been cut, as shownin 4, the glass breaker: strip 40 and associated straight edge is placeddirectly under," glass and alongthe cutting line centrally thereof,*after which manualapressure is applied to the glass upon "op--. posite' sides of the glass breaker with the result that the glass will break evenly along the cu'ttingline'."

" and secured within one end ofthe body-55 and T-square The present invention "may also be incorporated into ;inconnection with-FIGS. 3 and 4, and which .construction in detail isnot repeated. f I The 'conventionaltransverse plate'56 along one edge has laterally projecting tongue'v57 intermediate its length, lwhich is snugly projected into one end of a body 55 of "the. T-square and suitably secured thereto, asby fastenerslSSLj Alternately, fasteners could be omitted, if desired, andthe tongue 57 otherwise frictionally projected a right angle square, or fother drafting instrument, as

"shown inFIG. 9. Fortthis purpose, the elongated-body l, v6t)correspending to the body llof FIGS. 3 and4 has mounted; on; at least; its outer edge the elongated nylon gtc'ured atone end't o one end of the body 60, .as at.6 2,.and

m urf e edge strip'18,'as above described. A right angular body '41- which is perfectly flat, is positioned directly below, the 1 glass G to beabroken." r l As apartxof the present invention, means are employed also for anchoring the straight edge to the glass. or other. surface, asdesired; For this purpose there are provided l a series of longitudinallylspacedl:flexible' suction cups;

59 of the same construction, engages andislsuitably se- 59 alsohave-mounted thereon a removable nylon edge strip 18 of the same construction as above described.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claim.

I claim: A straight edge comprising an elongated hollow body formed by extrusion of aluminum whereby it is rigid and inflexible, and having flat top and bottom surfaces and opposed sides formed of elongated undercut grooves whose edges also are rigid and inflexible;

edge strips having rabbetted formations cooperating with and interlocking such strips in the undercut grooves of the body and formed of a rigid, unyielding non-wearing plastic material such as nylon;

said edge strips being of a height greater than said body and projecting outwardly of its respective top and bottom surfaces;

the ends of the body being open;

closures for said open ends comprising blocks of compressible elastic material frictionally and removably held in the body ends by the elasticity of such material; said blocks having portions overlying the ends of the edge strips and holding them in the body against longitudinal movement relative to said body; said edge strips being insertable into and readily removable from the body grooves by relative longitudinal movement of the edge strips and the body, such movement taking place only when the blocks are not in body closing position;

said blocks being readily insertable into and removable from said body ends.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 422,701 Benzinger et al. Mar. 4, 1890 687,353 Vielhaber Nov. 26, 1901 867,730 Jefireys Oct. 8, 1907 1,615,013 Kimball Jan. 18, 1927 1,810,392 Clark June 16, 1931 1,835,364 Woerner Dec. 8, 1931 1,873,721 Postley Aug. 23, 1932 1,984,273 Kuechenmeister Dec. 11, 1934 2,076,300 Croix Apr. 6, 1937 2,214,999 Hullinger Sept. 17, 1940 2,506,426 Larson May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,977 Germany Feb. 27, 1912 739,851 Germany Oct. 6, 1943 1,193,236 France Apr. 27, 1959

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