Tile positioning device for a tile cutting machine

A tile positioning device of a tile cutting machine includes a first piece slidably engaged with the gauge and a second piece is pivotably connected to the first piece. The second piece includes two protrusions and a right angle is defined between two surfaces of the two protrusions for clamping two sides of a tile and the tile can be rotated relative to the blade of the cutting machine by rotating the second piece. A third piece is optionally and pivotably connected to one of the two protrusions for adjusting the positioning of the tile.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tile positioning device of a tile cutting machine wherein the positioning device allows the tile to be positioned at desired angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional tile cutting machine10is shown inFIGS. 1 and 2and generally includes a base11with a chamber12defined therein in which a motor (not shown) and a blade14are installed. A cover13is used to close the chamber and is in flush with the top surface of the tile cutting machine10. The blade14extends from a slot defined through the top surface of the base11so as to cut the tile20positioned on the top surface of the machine10. A gauge16is mounted about the top surface of the machine10and two ends of the gauge16are slidably engaged with two rails15on two sides of the base10. A positioning device17includes a plate which includes a straight side171and a recess172, wherein the straight side171is used to slidably contact on a side of the gauge and two sides of the tile20can be guided by two sides of the recess172. Nevertheless, the plate of the positioning device17is not engaged with the gauge16so that it is not well positioned when moving along the side of the gauge16. Furthermore, a distance between the blade14and the end of the base11is fixed so that the cutting machine10cannot cut a tile having a large size.

The present invention intends to provide a tile positioning device that is connected to the gauge and includes a pivotable portion so as to rotate the tile relative to the blade. Besides, the gauge is connected to two extension rods so that the distance between the blade and the gauge can be extended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tile cutting machine which comprises a base having two rails on two sides thereof and a blade rotatably extends through a slot defined through a top surface of the base. A gauge is slidably mounted between two rails and a positioning device is slidably engaged with the gauge. The positioning device comprises a first piece which has an engaging wall extending from an underside thereof and the engaging wall is slidably engaged with a side of the gauge. A second piece has a connection portion which is pivotably mounted to the first piece. A curve slot is defined through the connection portion and a positioning bolt extends through the curve slot and is connected to the first piece. An engaging portion is connected to the connection portion and has a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The first protrusion has a first surface and the second protrusion has a second surface. A right angle is clamped between the first surface and the second surface.

The present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 3 to 5, the tile cutting machine of the present invention comprises a base30having two rails32on two sides thereof and a blade31rotatably extends through a slot defined through a top surface of the base30. A fence is pivotably mounted to the blade31. A gauge33is slidably mounted between two rails32and a positioning device40is slidably engaged with an inside side of the gauge33.

The positioning device40comprises a first piece41which has an engaging wall411extending from an underside thereof and a first tube413, a second tube414and a third tube415respectively extend from a top of the first piece41. The second tube414located at a center of the first piece41. A spring4141and a bead4142are received in the second tube414. The first piece41is overlapped on the gauge33and the gauge33is engaged with the recess412defined by the engaging wall411and the horizontal portion of the first piece41, such that an inside of the engaging wall411slidably contacts an inside of the gauge33. The first piece41further has a curved wall416extending from the top thereof and an index4161is marked on the curved wall416.

A second piece42has a connection portion421which is pivotably mounted to the first piece41by extending a bolt4221through a hole422defined in the second piece42and then the first tube413, and engaged with a nut. The second piece42has a curved outer periphery and a plurality of angle markings425are marked on the second piece42. Further referring toFIG. 7, the curved outer periphery of the second piece42is engaged with an inside surface of the curved wall416so that the second piece42can be rotated about the bolt4221to selectively dispose any of the angle markings424is in alignment with the index4161. A curve slot424is defined through the connection portion421and a positioning bolt4241extends through the curve slot424and the third tube415on the first piece41, and engaged with a nut. The positioning bolt4241fixes the second piece42relative to the first piece41when a desired angle is set. Further referring toFIG. 6, the second piece42has a plurality of notches423defined in an underside thereof so that the bead4142is engaged with any one of the notches423, to help the user to know that the second piece42is positioned relative to the first piece41.

An engaging portion426is connected to the connection portion421and includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion. A stop wall4211is located at an end of the engaging portion426. The first protrusion has a first surface4261and the second protrusion has a second surface4262. A right angle portion of a tile is clamped between the first surface4261and the second surface4262. A recess429is defined between the first surface4261and the second surface4262such that a corner of the tile, as shown inFIG. 3, can be engaged within the recess429and two sides of the tile are clamped by the first surface4261and the second surface4262.

The first and second protrusions of the engaging portion426of the second piece42each have a hole427/428defined in a top thereof. A third piece43has an extension plate431and a mounting member is connected to the extension plate431. A rod432extends from an underside of the extension plate431and is rotatably engaged with one of the two holes427,428of the first and second protrusions of the engaging portion426of the second piece42as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9.

As shown inFIG. 8, the mounting member is mounted to the first protrusion of the engaging portion426of the second piece42and has a third surface434which is matched with the first surface4261of the engaging portion of the second piece42. The two sides of the tile20can be clamped by the second surface4262and the third surface434, and the tile20can be cut at 45 degrees by the blade31.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 9, the second protrusion of the engaging portion426of the second piece42includes a fourth surface4263which is parallel to the first surface4261of the first protrusion. The mounting member is mounted to the second protrusion of the engaging portion426of the second piece42and the third surface434is matched with the fourth surface4263of the first protrusion of the engaging portion426of the second piece42. The mounting member has a straight side433located in opposite to the third surface434. Therefore, one side of the tile20contacts the tip portion4265of the first protrusion and the other side of the tile20contacts the straight side433of the third piece43. At this position, the tile20can be cut in a direction parallel to the blade31.

Referring toFIG. 10, the gauge33is fixed on a support member34and two extension rods35are connected to the support member34. The two extension rods35are retractably received in two passages36defined in the base30such that the gauge33can be pulled away from the blade31so that a tile with a large size can be cut on the top of the cutting machine. The base30further has a chamber37defined in an end thereof so as to receive accessories and the support member34closes an opening of the chamber37when the support member34is pushed to contact the base30.