Multipurpose Woodworking Gauge

A woodworking gauge for use with a boring, drilling or cutting mechanism having a support surface and a cutting implement disposed on and extending through the support surface includes a pair of alignment blocks joined by a pair of connecting rods. The rods are slidably positioned within bores extending through each of the alignment blocks and can be fixed with regard to the alignment blocks by clamps disposed on the blocks. One alignment block includes a channel lock that is engaged with the support surface to secure the alignment block in a stationary position on the support surface. The remaining alignment block includes a cutting implement-engaging insert to be positioned against the boring, drilling or cutting blade. The position of the connecting rods extending past the alignment block engaged with the blade enables a cutting fence to be positioned to achieve the desired depth cut within the material workpiece.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to clamping devices, and more specifically to a woodworking gauge for aligning objects to be cut relative to the cutting implement to enable a desired cut to be made in the object or material.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

In the area of construction, often it is necessary to alter, cut or trim a piece of a construction material, such as wood, among others, in order to properly fit the construction material where necessary or desired. To accomplish this, many different styles and types of boring, drilling and/or cutting implements have been developed.

Some often utilized pieces of boring, drilling and/or cutting equipment include a support surface, such as a table on which the material to be cut can be placed, and a boring, drilling or cutting mechanism disposed within and extending above the support surface in order to be engageable with the material placed on the support surface. Devices of this type include table saws, band saws and drill presses, routing tables, cutting mechanisms having a metal or metallic support or non-metallic surface on which the material to be cut is positioned

One shortcoming with regard to devices of this type are issues with aligning a cutting guide or fence with the boring, drilling or cutting mechanism to achieve the desired bore, aperture or cut in the substrate material.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop an improved woodworking gauge for properly positioning a material guide or fence from the boring, drilling or cutting mechanism to address these issues with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a woodworking gauge for use with a boring, drilling or cutting mechanism having a support surface and a cutting implement disposed on an extending through the support surface includes a pair of alignment blocks joined by a pair of connecting rods. The rods are slidably positioned within bores extending through each of the alignment blocks and can be fixed with regard to the alignment blocks by clamps. One of the alignment blocks includes a positioning or locking insert that is engaged with the support surface to secure the alignment block in a stationary position on the support surface. The remaining alignment block includes a blade engaging insert to be positioned against the boring, drilling or cutting blade. The position of the connecting rods extending past the alignment block that is engaged with the blade enables a cutting fence to be positioned a desired distance from the blade to achieve the desired cut within the material workpiece.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Before the present compositions, apparatuses and methods are described, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments and methodology, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which will be limited only by the appended claims.

With reference now toFIGS.1-3an exemplary embodiment of a woodworking gauge is illustrated generally at14. The gauge14is releasably securable to a support surface20, such as a metal table saw, band saw or router saw support surface, and includes a first alignment block6and a second alignment block7. The blocks6,7are formed from a rigid material and each include a pair of spaced horizontal bores100and a pair of spaced vertical bores102extending therethrough.

A pair of connecting rods104,106are slidably disposed within the horizontal bores100such that the blocks6,7can be moved along the rods104,106. The blocks6,7also include clamps108,110that can engage the blocks6,7with the rods104,106to secure the bocks6,7in the desired position on the rods104,106. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the rods104,106can be fixed with regard to each of the alignment blocks6,7by threaded clamps108,110disposed within the complementary threaded vertical bores102. As best shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3, the horizontal bores100are formed in the folds of inwardly extending flaps400joined to a base member402to form each of the blocks6,7. Further, the flaps400define a space404between the flaps400and the base member402, and the vertical bores102extend through the flaps400to intersect the space404and continue into the base member402. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment ofFIG.3, the space404includes horizontal bores100in which the rods104,106are positioned and a narrow portion406that extends away from the bore100and across which the clamp108,110extends between the flaps404and the base member402. In this manner, the threaded clamps108,110engaged in the vertical bores102across the space404can secure the rods104,106within the horizontal bores100by pulling the flaps400towards the base member402using the threaded engagement of the clamps108,110with the bores102and compressing the rods104,106between the flaps400and the base member402.

Referring now to the illustrated exemplary embodiments ofFIGS.4-8CThe first alignment block6includes a notch112disposed on one side which receives one of a number of cutting implement-engaging inserts3,4,5shown inFIGS.5A-5C,7A-7C and9A-9C., respectively. Each insert3,4,5includes a tab114on one side of a body111that is engageable within the notch112to secure the insert3,4,5to the first alignment block6. Opposite the tab114, the body111of the insert3inFIGS.7A-7Cincludes a cutout116adapted to receive one half a small diameter shaft201, the insert4includes a cutout118adapted to receive one half a large diameter shaft202of a router200(FIGS.5A-5C), and the insert5includes a recess120adapted to receive one half of the thickness of a band saw blade300(FIGS.9A-9C). In an alternative embodiment, the insert5can have a recess120adapted to receive the full thickness of the saw blade300. For each insert3,4,5, the size of the body111and the cutout116,118,120, varies to accommodate the associated cutting implement.

Looking now atFIGS.3,4,6and8, in order to securely position the gauge14on the support surface20, a channel lock8that is adapted to be positioned and engaged within a complementary shaped channel11formed in the support surface20is fixed to the base member402of the second block7opposite the flaps400, such as by a number of screws27engaged between the base member402and the channel lock8. The channel lock8is positioned within the channel11when the gauge14is disposed on the support surface20in order to engage the channel11and retain the second block7in a stationary position on the support surface20. The channel lock8additionally includes a number of set screws25disposed within bores on one or both sides of the channel lock8, as shown inFIG.3. The set screws25can be rotated relative to the channel lock8to protrude outwardly from the channel lock8in order to enable the channel lock8to more closely conform to the dimensions of the channel11, and thus more securely hold the second block7and the gauge14on the support surface20. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the second block7includes a lower recess or notch120in which can releasably be disposed the channel lock8for engagement with the channel11in the support surface20.

To use the gauge14, initially the clamps108,110are disengaged to enable the blocks6,7to slide along the rods104,106. The gauge14is then positioned on or against a flat surface, such as vertically on the support surface20or horizontally against a cutting fence12disposed on the support surface20, to align the one end of each of the rods104,106with the edge of the first block6. The second block7is then slid along the rods104,106to space the second block7away from the first block6, and then is secured in the spaced position by engaging the clamps108,110on the second block7with the rods104,106.

After securing the second block7to the rods104,106, the gauge14is placed flat against the surface20in order to use a measuring device (not shown) to position the proper amount or length of each rod104,106beyond the first block6. The length of the rods104,106extending beyond the first block6corresponds to the desired distance between the cutting implement, such as the band saw blade300, and the depth or location for the cut to be made in the material being cut. Once the desired length of each rod104,106is positioned beyond the first block6, the clamps108,110on the first block6are engaged with the rods104,106to affix the rods104,106relative to the first block6.

After securing the first block6to define the desired cutting distance from the blade300, the band saw insert5is secured to the first block6, as shown inFIGS.4,6and8. Alternatively, the insert5can be engaged with the first block6prior to the alignment of the rods104,106with the first block6. The clamps108,110in the second block7are then disengaged from the rods104,106to allow the second block7to slide along the rods104,106.

The gauge14can then be placed on the support surface20with the rods104,106oriented parallel to the support surface20(FIG.4) and the channel insert or lock8can be placed within the channel11formed in the support surface20. The set screws25can be adjusted at this point in order to adjust or extend the cross-section, e.g., the width, of the channel lock8to enable the channel lock8to more closely fit within the channel11, thereby more securely holding the lock8within the channel11.

Once disposed in the channel11, the rods104,106are slid with respect to the second block7in order to locate the first block6and insert5against the band saw blade300, as shown inFIG.1. In this position, the rods104,106extend past the blade300the required distance for the spacing of the cut to be made in the material.

After the first block6and insert5are positioned against the blade300, the clamps108,110on the second block7are engaged with the rods104,106to lock the rods104,106in position relative to the channel11. In this configuration, the rods104,106first block6and second block7are rigidly positioned on the support surface20. The cutting fence12can then be positioned on the support surface20and moved into a location where the fence12contacts the ends of the rods104,106opposite the first block6. In this position, the fence12defines a space between the fence12and the blade300corresponding to the desired distance or depth of the cut to be made in the material. The fence12is then locked to the support surface20to maintain the position of the fence12relative to the blade300, and the gauge14can be removed from the support surface20, such as by loosening one or more of the pairs of clamps108,110and lifting the channel lock8out of the channel11, thus enabling the cutting device to be utilized to form the desired cut in the material workpiece.

If both rods104,106do not contact the fence12when the fence12is moved into contact with the rods104,106, the screws27engaging the second block7with the channel lock8can be loosened in order to rotate the second block7with regard to the channel lock8in order to align the second block7with the channel lock8disposed within the channel11and/or the rods104,106with the table fence12. Once aligned, the screws27are tightened to affix the second block7in alignment with the channel lock8and the channel11and/or the rods104,106with the fence12.

When utilizing the gauge14to define a desired position for a cut in a material workpiece to be made using a router200, the same process described previously can be utilized with the sole exception of the use of one of the inserts3or4to accommodate the diameter of the small diameter shaft201or the large diameter shaft202of the particular router200. When utilizing the inserts3or4, the distance that the rods104,106are positioned outwardly from the first block6is adjusted by the spacing of the cutouts116or118in the inserts3and4.

Finally, in order to locate, align or set a table saw blade500vertically with regard to the support surface20, a similar process to that described previously is utilized. After the rods104,106have been aligned with the first block6, the second block7is slid away from the first block6and engaged with the rods104,106using the clamps108,110. The gauge14can then be moved from the vertical position relative to the support surface20and placed with the rods104,106parallel to the support surface20, and the first block6can then be slid along the rods104,106towards the second block7and engaged with the rods104,106using the clamps108,110. The second block7then be engaged with the channel lock8and positioned over the channel11using the engagement of the lock8within the channel17. This step is optional and can be omitted, particularly when the support surface20does not include a channel11.

Once the second block7is aligned with the support surface20in a position that is parallel to the slot502in which the saw blade500is disposed, the rods104,106and first block6can be slide relative to the second block7until one or both of the rods104,106contact the saw blade500. In this position, the saw blade500can be adjusted relative to the support surface20utilizing known adjustment mechanisms (not shown) on the support surface20to orient the saw blade500to vertically touch both rods104,106, thereby aligning the saw blade500vertically with respect to the support surface20.

The gauge14can also be used to align a table saw blade500and/or table saw fence12parallel to the table saw slot502and channel11. First, the gauge14would first align the table saw blade500parallel to the table saw slot502and channel11. To accomplish this, on the gauge14the rods104,106are set with an equal distance extending from slide block6. The slide block6is then clamped to rods104,106. The channel lock8is secured in the channel11, with the rods104,105are free to slide within slide block7. The slide block6and rods104,106are fixed together are slid forward until one or both rods104,106make contact with the table saw blade500. The saw blade500is adjusted using the mechanism (not shown) on the table saw until the side of blade500makes contact with both rods104,106. The saw blade500is now positioned parallel to saw table slot502and the channel11. Next, the table saw blade500is lowered below the surface of table/support surface20. The fence12is subsequently slid towards rods104,106until the fence side12contacts one or both rods104,106. If the fence12does not touch both rods104,106, the position of the fence12on the support surface20is adjusted until both rods104,106are in contact with the fence12.

Various other embodiments of the present invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the filed claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.