Convertible siding cutter

A convertible siding cutter, which comprises:

• a base;
• front and rear lower knife assemblies secured in aligned end-to-end relationship to said base, each of said front and rear lower knife assemblies including a pair of opposing blades secured in fixed predetermined spaced apart relationship;
• an upper knife assembly, said upper knife assembly including a blade and a handle;
• means for pivotally supporting said upper knife assembly on said base for pivotal movement between a raised position and a lowered position with the blade of said upper knife assembly extending between the blades of said lower knife assemblies;
• safety catch means pivotally secured to said base for selectively holding a section of siding in place on said lower knife assemblies during cutting, said safety catch means being movable between a raised position and a lowered position in engagement with the siding being cut;
• spring detent means for releasably securing said safety catch means in the lowered position;
• means responsive to movement of said upper knife assembly to the lowered position for releasing said spring detent means;
• and
• means for normally biasing said safety catch means towards the raised position.

A convertible siding cutter, which comprises:

• a base;
• front and rear lower knife assemblies secured in aligned, end-to-end relationship to said base, each of said lower knife assemblies including front and rear ends and a pair of cutting blades secured in fixed predetermined spaced-part relationship;
• an upper knife assembly, said upper knife assembly including a cutting blade and a handle;
• means for securing said upper knife assembly to the front end of said front lower knife assembly for pivotal movement between a raised position and a lowered position with the blade of said upper knife assembly extending between the blades of said lower knife assemblies;
• safety catch means for selectively holding a section of siding in place on said lower knife assemblies during cutting, the rear end of said rear lower knife assembly being undercut so as to receive a lip extending along an edge of the siding to be cut;
• means located at the rear end of said rear lower knife assembly for supporting said safety catch means for pivotal movement between downward engaged and upward disengaged positions relative to a section of siding positioned in the cutter;
• and
• means responsive to movement of said handle for selectively locking said safety catch means in a downward position engaged with the section of siding being cut.