Cigar cutting apparatus

Abstract

A cigar cutting apparatus has a housing defining a hole for receiving a cigar head, the hole having a hole diameter and defining a hole axis central thereto. First and second cutting blades lie within and are pivotable relative to the housing about first and second pivot axes, respectively. The first and second pivot axes are disposed on a line separated from the hole axis by at least the hole diameter and separately disposed by at least the hole diameter. Each cutting blade has a cutting edge pivotable with the associated cutting blade and directed toward the cutting edge of the other cutting blade. The cutting blades cooperate with the hole to define a passageway for receiving a cigar head when the cutting blades are pivoted away from each other, and the cutting edges cooperate to slice through the cigar head as the cutting blades are pivoted towards each other. The cutting blades come together to block the passageway. A spring biases the cutting edges apart, and a latch is engageable with for retaining together the first and second cutting blades to block the passageway, and operable to release the blades to allow the spring to cause the first and second cutting edges apart to expose the passageway.

1 . A cigar cutting apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a non-coaxial pair of pivots; and   a pair of cutting blades;   wherein each of said cutting blades is pivotally affixed to said housing at a different one of said pivots.   
   
   
       2 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one of said cutting blades has a sharp cutting edge directed towards the other of said cutting blades and the apparatus comprises a cutting zone between said sharp edge and the other of said blades when said blades are swung apart about their associated pivots, and wherein when a cigar head is disposed in said cutting zone and said cutting blades are swung together about their associated pivots, the sharp cutting edge cuts through said cutting zone and cigar head towards the other of said cutting blades. 
   
   
       3 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 2  wherein both of said cutting blades has a sharp cutting edge and wherein when a cigar head is disposed in said cutting zone and said cutting blades are swung together about their associated pivots, the sharp cutting edges cut through said cutting zone and cigar head towards each other. 
   
   
       4 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said pivots symmetrically straddle said cutting zone. 
   
   
       5 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said cutting zone is at least 20 MM wide and said pivots are at least 20 MM apart. 
   
   
       6 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said housing further comprises a guide for receiving the cigar head to cause the cigar head into said cutting zone and to retain the cigar head in said cutting zone during cutting. 
   
   
       7 . A cigar cutting apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a hole for receiving a cigar head, said hole having a hole width and defining a hole axis central thereto;   a first cutting blade within and pivotable relative to said housing about a first pivot axis; and   a second cutting blade within and pivotable relative to said housing about a second pivot axis;   said each cutting blade having a cutting edge pivotable with said associated cutting blade and directed toward the cutting edge of the other cutting blade, wherein said cutting blades cooperate with said hole to define a passageway for receiving a cigar head when said cutting blades are pivoted away from each other, and said cutting edges cooperate to slice through the cigar head as said cutting blades are pivoted towards each other; and said cutting blades come together to block said hole; and   wherein said first and second pivot axes are not co-axial.   
   
   
       8 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said first and second pivot axes are separately disposed by at least said hole width. 
   
   
       9 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising:
 one or more springs for biasing said cutting edges apart; and   a latch engaging and retaining together said first and second cutting blades to block said passageway, and operable to release said blades to allow said one or more springs to cause said first and second cutting edges apart.   
   
   
       10 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 9  wherein:
 each of said cutting blades comprises a retention edge;   said retention edges each become aligned with said latch as said cutting blades block said passageway;   said latch comprises a pawl biased to engage said aligned retention edges;   said pawl engages said aligned retention edges to retain said blades together to block said passageway; and   operation of said latch causes said pawl to release said retention edges and allow said spring to cause said blades apart and expose said passageway for receiving the cigar head.   
   
   
       11 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said first and second cutting blades share a cutting plane and said cutting edges are each tapered to said cutting plane. 
   
   
       12 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 11  wherein at least one of said cutting edges is crescent-shaped. 
   
   
       13 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said first and second pivot axes are disposed on a line separated from said hole axis by at least said hole width. 
   
   
       14 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said first and second pivot axes are separately disposed by at least said hole width. 
   
   
       15 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a spring for biasing said cutting edges apart; and   a latch engageable with for retaining together said first and second cutting blades to block said passageway, and operable to release said blades to allow said on or more springs to cause said first and second cutting edges apart.   
   
   
       16 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 15  wherein:
 each of said cutting blades comprises a retention edge;   said retention edges each become aligned with said latch as said cutting blades block said passageway;   said latch comprises a pawl biased to engage said aligned retention edges;   said pawl engages said aligned retention edges to retain said blades together and blocking said passageway; and   operation of said latch causes said pawl to release said retention edges and allow said one or more springs to cause said blades apart and expose said passageway for receiving the cigar head.   
   
   
       17 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said first and second cutting blades share a cutting plane and said cutting edges are each tapered to said cutting plane. 
   
   
       18 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 17  wherein at least one of said cutting edges is crescent-shaped. 
   
   
       19 . In a cigar cutting apparatus having:
 a housing defining a circular hole for receiving a cigar head, the hole having a hole diameter and defining a hole axis central thereto;   a first cutting blade within and pivotable relative to the housing about a first pivot axis; and   a second cutting blade within and pivotable relative to the housing about a second pivot axis;   the first and second pivot axes disposed on a line separated from the hole axis by at least the hole diameter and separately disposed by at least the hole diameter;   the each cutting blade having a cutting edge pivotable with the associated cutting blade and directed toward the cutting edge of the other cutting blade, wherein the cutting blades cooperate with the hole to define a passageway for receiving a cigar head when the cutting blades are pivoted away from each other, and the cutting edges cooperate to slice through the cigar head as the cutting blades are pivoted towards each other; and the cutting blades come together to block the passageway;   one or more springs for biasing the cutting edges apart; and   a latch engageable with for retaining together the first and second cutting blades to block the passageway, and operable to release the blades to allow the one or more springs to cause the first and second cutting edges apart to expose the passageway;   
     a method for cutting the cigar head comprising:
 operating the latch to allow the one or more springs to cause the first and second cutting edges apart to expose the passageway; 
 inserting the cigar head into the passageway; 
 forcing the cutting blades together about the separately disposed pivot axes to cause the cutting edges to slice through the cigar head; 
 forcing the cutting blades further together to allow the latch to engage and retain together the cutting blades and block the passageway. 
 
   
   
       20 . A cigar cutting apparatus comprising:
 a pair of parallel plates surrounding a frame to form a housing;
 a rectangular slot through said housing; 
 a circular hole through said housing perpendicular to said slot and having a diameter sized to accommodate a cigar head; 
 first and second pivot points non-coaxially disposed; 
   a first blade having a first blade hinge end and a first blade cutting end having a first sharp edge;   a second blade having a second blade hinge end and a second blade cutting end having a second sharp edge;
 said first blade hingedly coupled with said housing at said first pivot point; 
 said second blade hingedly coupled with said housing at said second pivot point; 
 said first and second blades operably mounted to said housing such that both blades may swing through said slot causing said first and second sharp edges towards and across each other and simultaneously across said hole to slice through the cigar head accommodated therein. 
   
   
   
       21 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said first and second pivot points are separated by at least said diameter. 
   
   
       22 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising:
 one or more springs for biasing said first and second blade cutting ends apart; and   a latch engaging said first and second blades for retaining said first and second blade cutting ends together and operable to release said blades to allow said one or more springs to cause said first and second blade cutting ends apart.   
   
   
       23 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 22  wherein:
 each of said cutting blades comprises a retention edge;   said retention edges each become aligned with said latch as said blades swing together after swinging across said hole;   said latch comprises a pawl biased to engage said aligned retention edges;   said pawl engages said aligned retention edges to retain said blades together such that said blades block said hole; and   operation of said latch causes said pawl to release said retention edges and allow said one or more springs to cause said first and second blade cutting ends apart and expose said hole.   
   
   
       24 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said first and second cutting blades share a cutting plane and said first and second sharp edges are tapered to said cutting plane. 
   
   
       25 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 24  wherein at least one of said first and second sharp edges is crescent-shaped. 
   
   
       26 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said hole defines a central hole axis and said first and second pivot points are disposed on a line separated from said hole axis by at least said diameter. 
   
   
       27 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said first and second pivot points are separated by at least said diameter. 
   
   
       28 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 27  further comprising:
 a spring for biasing said first and second blade cutting ends apart; and   a latch engaging said first and second blades for retaining said first and second blade cutting ends together and operable to release said blades to allow said one or more springs to cause said first and second blade cutter ends apart.   
   
   
       29 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 28  wherein:
 each of said cutting blades comprises a retention edge;   said retention edges each become aligned with said latch as said blades swing together after swinging across said hole;   said latch comprises a pawl biased to engage said aligned retention edges;   said pawl engages said aligned retention edges to retain said blades together such that said blades block said hole; and   operation of said latch causes said pawl to release said retention edges and allow said one or more springs to cause said first and second blade cutting ends apart and expose said hole.   
   
   
       30 . The cigar cutting apparatus of  claim 29  wherein said first and second cutting blades share a cutting plane and said first and second sharp edges are tapered to said cutting plane.