Apparatus and methods for sculpting carpet

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for cutting carpet pile are disclosed as including a clipper having a driver, a reciprocating blade and a fixed blade. The fixed blade and the reciprocating blade define an area there between. The fixed blade has a bore passing through the blade and into the area. A fluid supply, connected to the bore, supplies fluid through the fixed blade and into the area. A manifold, attached to the fixed blade, can be used to pass fluid through the fixed blade into the chamber. In such an embodiment, the manifold includes a passage communicating with the bore and the fluid supply. In another embodiment, an orientation mechanism is used to orient the carpet clipping head. In this embodiment, the orientation mechanism includes a base bracket and a pivot bracket. The pivot bracket is pivotally attached to the base bracket at a pivot point. The carpet clipping head is attached to the pivot bracket so that movement of the pivot bracket causes the carpet clipping head to pivot about the lead prong. In yet another embodiment, the carpet trimmer is attached to a computer controlled carrier platform. In such an embodiment, the carpet trimmer is spaced from the point at which the clipping blade contacts the pile before cutting the pile. In yet another embodiment, a pile orientation member is provided for orienting pile in the path of the clipper head so that the pile is oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the cutting plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.