Plier jaws having a wire cutting structure

Abstract

A hand-operated wire cutting tool comprises a pair of jaw members interconnected and movable with respect to each other about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position. A wire cutter portion is formed in each of the jaw members, each wire cutter portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner and outer surfaces defining a cutting plane and the outer surface of each wire cutter portion intersecting the inner surface to form a sharp edge, the sharp edges passing closely alongside each other in the cutting plane as the jaw members move from the open to the closed position. A notch is formed in each of the sharp edges, each notch having a bottom surface angled less than 90° to the cutting plane. A recess is formed on the inner surface of at least one of the wire cutter portions adjacent the notch, the recess forming a gap between the inner surfaces of the wire cutter portions near the notches when the jaw members are in the closed position. Preferably, the gap between the inner surfaces of the wire cutter portions is greater than 0.1 mm. The wire cutter portion may also include a bump contiguous with each notch on each sharp edge, and projecting in a direction parallel to the cutting plane, wherein the bumps aid in guiding and retaining a wire between the notches during cutting. A multipurpose tool having a handle structure housing additional tool elements is also disclosed. The tool may comprise a first camming surface on a tang portion of each of the jaw members and a second camming surface on each of the handle members wherein the first camming surface abuts the second camming surface when the jaw members are in use to prevent unintended pivoting of the handle members with respect to the jaw members.