US 6,308,422 B1Granted

Method and tool for repairing seams in sheet materials

AssigneeOrcon Corporation

InventorLea MacDonald

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Abstract

A method and tool for repairing worn seams in sheet materials, such as linoleum or vinyl floor coverings, is disclosed. The tool is a specially constructed, double bladed utility knife. The tool has dual cutting blades that are rigidly secured to the tool for precision cutting. The blades are set at a slightly divergent angle relative to one another, and the distance between the blades is adjustable. The tool may be used to repair a damaged seam in a floor covering as follows. First, the blades are set to span the widest portion of the damaged portion of the seam. Cutting pressure is applied and the tool is drawn along the seam to remove the damaged portion. The blades are then adjusted to a slightly wider-apart position, and the tool is used in a similar manner to cut a repair piece from a matching piece of material. The repair piece is then adhered to the floor and will fit snugly between the adjoining pieces of material to accomplish a perfect repair of the seam.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A hand tool with blades for cutting strips with beveled edges in sheet materials, the hand tool comprising:

a first body section;
a second body section aligned with and secured to the first body section, whereby the first body section and the second body section together comprise a handle having a length between a cutting end and a distal end;
a first blade comprising a first piece of thin flat material, a first cutting edge, and a blade tip at a distal end of the first cutting edge, the first blade secured to the first body section and extending from the cutting end of the handle to the first blade tip;
and
a second blade comprising a second piece of thin flat material, a second cutting edge, and a second blade tip at a distal end of the second cutting edge, the second blade secured to the second body section and extending from the cutting end of the handle to the second blade tip in a diverging direction from the first blade, whereby the first blade and the second blade cooperate to cut a strip with beveled edges when the hand tool is drawn across a sheet of material with the first blade tip and the second blade tip piercing the sheet of material.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.