Abstract:
A continuous wire cutter for cutting and shaping products, particularly foam products. A frame supports a work piece movable along an x axis. A cutting head is movable along a y axis to and from the work piece. The head contains a continuous wire that drivingly engages and cuts the work piece. The c-shaped arm may be pivoted both about the y axis, the x axis and the z axis.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to the field of devices using a wire for cutting a work piece.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0002]     Vertical band saws are used to cut a variety of materials including work pieces made of wood. The band saw includes a continuous ribbon having a serrated edge forming a plurality of teeth with the saw moved by a series of drive wheels. Different types of band saws are shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,693 issued to Wilkie et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,689 issued to Yakich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,247 issued to D&#39;Arcy, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,644 issued to Jasinski.  
         [0003]     Due to the shape and configuration of the end product, there are provided band saws that orient the cutting edge at different angles with respect to the work piece. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,450 issued to Jerard there is disclosed a cutting wire acting in a reciprocating mode that is movable with respect to the work piece in an X and Y axis and also a rotational axis. In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,037 issued to McCoy, Jr. et al., there is shown a cutting device for cutting a pipeline with the cutting structure rotatable about a longitudinal axis. A different approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,108 issued to Nakada et al. wherein a processing tool is movable by tilting an endless cutter depending upon the angle of inclination of a curved plate work piece.  
         [0004]     Wire cutters are particularly useful when cutting relative soft material, such as solid foam material. For example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,000 issued to MacFarlane there is disclosed a continuous cutting wire used to cut foam material. The versatility of the wire cutter may be increased by increasing the different planes in which the wire extends relative to the work piece.  
         [0005]     Disclosed herein is a wire cutter for cutting a variety of material and particularly foam material. Normally, the continuous wire moves in a vertical direction along a z-axis with the wire moving relative to the work piece along a y-axis. Further, the cutter is operable to cause relative motion between the wire and the work piece in the x-axis. Adding to the versatility of the wire cutter is achieved by allowing the wire to pivot about the x-axis and also about the y-axis allowing the wire to cut and shape the work piece in a superior manner as compared to the prior art cutters that are limited in movement.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     One embodiment of the present invention is a rotary wire apparatus for cutting a work piece that comprises a frame for supporting a work piece along an x axis. A wire cutter extends along a z axis and is movable against the work piece along the z axis to cut same. The wire further has a y axis of movement. A first driver is associated with the wire to move the wire against the work piece along the z axis. A second driver is associated with the wire to move the wire against the work piece along the y axis. A third driver is associated with the wire to pivot the wire against the work piece about the x axis. A fourth driver is associated with the wire to pivot the wire against the work piece about the y axis.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the rotary wire apparatus incorporating the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  and viewed in the direction of the arrows showing the cutting head and associated cutting wire.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are the same view as  FIG. 2  only showing the cutting head and wire after it has been pivoted about the x axis.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective top view of the cutting head and wire after the wire has been pivoted about the y axis.  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the cutting head and wire shown in  FIG. 5 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0013]     Referring now more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a rotary wire apparatus  20  for cutting a work piece. The apparatus includes a frame  21  comprising a sub-frame  22  for supporting the work piece and a second sub frame  23  for supporting the cutting apparatus. A controller  24  including conventional programming capability is provided to control the movement of the work piece and cutting head and wire.  
         [0014]     Sub-frame  22  has a rectangular upper frame  25  supported on a plurality of legs  26 . A pair of parallel and spaced apart rails  27  and  28  are fixedly mounted atop rectangular upper frame  25 . A continuous belt  29  extends around a roller  30  rotatably mounted to the upper frame  25  with the opposite end of the belt extending around a drive roller fixedly mounted to the output shaft of motor  31  mounted to the sub-frame  22 . Operation of motor  31  results in rotation of its output shaft and, in turn, rotation of the output drive roller mounted thereon that is frictionally engaged with continuous belt  29  thereby causing movement of belt  29  along the x axis. A work piece supporting panel  32  having a flat upper surface rests atop rails  27  and  28  and has a bottom or downwardly facing surface engaged with belt  29 . Thus, activation of motor  31  results in belt  29  moving along the direction of the x axis and carrying in the same direction panel  32  and the work piece resting there atop. To ensure consistent movement of panel  32 , the panel may be fixedly attached to belt  29  to move therewith as a unit. Alternatively, the panel may be frictionally engaged by the belt.  
         [0015]     Sub-frame  23  is attached to sub-frame  22  by means of cross members  35  fixedly attached to the downwardly extending legs  34  of sub-frame  23  and the downwardly extending legs  26  of sub-frame  22 . A rectangular frame  33  is fixedly mounted atop legs  34  and has a pair of parallel and spaced apart rails  37  and  38  mounted thereon and extending in the direction of the y axis. A platform  36  rests atop rails  37  and  38  and is driven along the y axis by motor  39 . The motor is mounted to frame  33  by bracket  40  and has a rotatable output shaft  41  frictionally engaged with a continuous belt  42  either attached to the bottom of platform  36  or frictionally engaging the bottom surface of the platform so as to move the platform to and from the work piece along the y axis. Mounted atop platform  36  are motors along with the cutting head for controlling movement of the cutting wire.  
         [0016]     Cutting head  50  ( FIG. 2 ) includes a c-shaped arm  51  slidably mounted to bracket  53 , in turn, mounted atop platform  36 . A continuous cutting wire  54  extends around a pair of rollers  55  and  56 , in turn, rotatably mounted to the opposite ends  57  and  58  of the c-shaped arm. Further, wire  54  extends around drive roller  52  fixedly mounted to the rotatable output shaft  59  of motor  60  ( FIG. 1 ). The portion  58  of wire  54  extending across the open side of c-shaped arm  51  between rollers  55  and  56  is used for directly engaging and cutting the work piece resting atop platform  32 .  
         [0017]     Wheels  61 - 64  are rotatably mounted to bracket  53  with each wheel having a continuous groove to engage and support the opposite extending edges of c-shaped arm  51 . Wheels  61  and  63  are located on one side of arm  51 , whereas the remaining two wheels  62  and  64  engage the opposite side edge of the arm. Activation of motor  60  causes its output shaft and attached drive wheel  52  to rotate thereby causing movement of wire  54 . For example, with wheel  52  rotating in the clockwise direction  65  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , wire  54  is caused to move in the direction of arrow  66  between rollers  56  and  55 . With the arm  51  extending in the vertical or z direction, wire  66  may also be moved in the z direction as shown by arrow  66  thereby engaging the work piece.  
         [0018]     Movement of arm  51  in either opposite direction of arrow  67  ( FIG. 2 ) is controlled by motor  68  ( FIG. 1 ) fixedly mounted to bracket  53 . The output shaft of motor  68  includes a gear  70  ( FIG. 6 ) fixedly mounted thereon that is in meshing engagement with chain  76  having opposite ends attached by brackets  72  and  73  to the opposite ends  58  and  57  of the c-shaped arm. A pair of spaced apart bearings  74  and  75  are mounted to arm  51  to guide chain  76  from gear  70  to ends  57  and  58 . Further, a guide wall  77  is mounted to the arm to guide the chain along the curve of the arm. Thus, by activating motor  68 , relative motion between arm  51  and bracket  53  may be controlled. For example, activation of motor  68  causing gear  70  to rotate in a clockwise direction  78  ( FIG. 6 ) will cause the c-shaped arm to move from the position depicted in  FIG. 2  to the position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Rotation of gear  70  in a counterclockwise direction will cause the c-shaped arm to move to the position illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Thus, with the arm extending in the z direction, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , activation of motor  68  will cause portion  58  of wire  54  to pivot about the x axis in the direction of arrow  80  to the various positions illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4  thereby allowing the wire to cuttingly engage the work piece in a variety of positions.  
         [0019]     Pivotal movement of wire  54  about the y axis is controlled by motor  70  fixedly mounted to bracket  71  ( FIG. 1 ), in turn, mounted atop platform  36 . Motor  70  has a rotatable output shaft  72  engaged with a continuous belt  73 , in turn, engaged with wheel  84  fixedly mounted to axle  74  rotatably mounted in bearings  75  and  86  mounted atop platform  36 . Axle  74  extends through the bearings and is fixedly attached to bracket  53 . Bracket  53  is mounted atop platform  36  by means of axle  74  and thus is free to rotate about the y axis along with axle  74 . By activating motor  70 , the output shaft  72  is cause to rotate causing movement of continuous belt  73  and rotation of axle  74  and thus rotation of bracket  53  along the y axis. Rotation of bracket  53  causes the c-shaped arm  51  to also rotate about the y axis thereby allowing portion  58  of wire  54  to rotate about the y axis in the direction of arrow  81  ( FIG. 1 ) engaging the work piece atop the platform in a variety of different positions.  
         [0020]     Motor  68  causes arm  51  to pivot or move about the x axis while remaining in a single plane. With the c-shaped arm extending in the vertical direction as shown in  FIG. 1 , the arm may be pivoted or moved to the various positions of  FIGS. 2-4  within a plane that is perpendicular to a horizontal plane containing the x axis. By activating motor  70  to cause rotation of axle  74 , the c-shaped arm may be positioned in a number of different planes intersecting a horizontal plane at various angles.  
         [0021]     With the c-shaped head initially extending vertically as depicted in  FIG. 1 , the head may then be pivoted or moved about both the x axis and the y axis. When the head is pivoted or moved about the y axis so wire  54  extends along the x axis, the c-shaped arm may then be pivoted or moved about the z axis. In other words, depending upon the particular position of the c-shaped arm  51 , the arm and associated wire may be pivoted or moved about the x axis, the y axis and also the z axis.  
         [0022]     The first driver or motor  31  is operable to cause relative motion along the x axis between the work piece and wire  54 . The second driver or motor  60  moves the wire against the work piece along the z axis whereas the third driver or motor  39  moves the wire against the work piece along the y axis. The fourth driver or motor  70  pivots or moves the wire relative to the work piece about the y axis. The fifth driver or motor  68  pivots the wire relative to the work piece about the x axis when the c-shaped arm extends vertically. Further, the fifth driver or motor  68  pivots the wire relative to the work piece about the z axis when the head extends horizontally or the wire extends in the direction of the x axis.  
         [0023]     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.