952,990. Pruners. J. R. MILLBURN. July 25, 1961 [Aug. 2, 1960], No. 26790/60. Heading B4B. A pruning device comprises an angle-section head 1, secured to a shaft 2 and having a stemengaging slot 10, and a blade 9 detachably secured to a carrier 8, the carrier being slidable in the head, against the action of a spring 19, by a push rod 7 and a lever 5 pivoted on a hand grip 3, to move the blade across the slot to sever the stem. Bolts 11 engage slots 8b in a limb 8a of the carrier to guide the blade which is screwed to the limb 8c of the carrier and the cutting edge 9a of the blade is received in a slot 15 in an abutment 14 on the head. The limb 8c has an upstanding lug 13 for connection to the push rod 7 and which, as shown in Fig. 3, carries a rod 17 supporting a compression spring 16 with a pad 18 which is urged against the abutment to retain the cut stem. In a modification, Figs. 5 and 7, the abutment is formed by cranking the end of a limb of the head, bolts 21 securing the blade to the carrier engage slots 8bb to guide the blade, and the end of the carrier is formed as a cam block 22 against which bears a pivoted lever 23, operated by a pull wire 25 secured to a trigger 5. The trigger is pivoted on a tube 27 having bayonet slot engagement with a peg 28 projecting from the head 1. Extension tubes may be interposed between the head and the handgrip. In a further modification, the blade is mounted on a cam block which has a threaded stem carrying the pad adjustably relatively to the blade.
