APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FLAT CERAMIC PIECES

Abstract: The invention is applied to apparatus for cut­ ting flat ceramic pieces such as plates, tiles and the like, of the kind comprising a flat frame (1) for support­ ing the piece (7) to be cut and provided with terminal supports (2,3) having fixed two parallel bars (4) over which a head (5) carrying the cut line scoring tool (6) slides under operation of a hand lever (11), the ensemble being provided with a device for breaking up the marked pieces. To make easier the visual control of scoring, a freely oscillating fork (12) is arranged forward of the position of engagement of the scoring tool (6), to advan­ tage mounted onto the tool carrier head (5) itself with the legs of the fork adapted to rest onto the piece (7) at both sides of the scoring line, either during the motions of this latter, or at the instant in which the two parts of the piece become broken up. A cranked lever (15-19) articulated on the frame (1) has a forward free end forming a protruding terminal edge or point (16) to project through an opening (17) cen­ tered with the scoring axis, and a rearward cranked arm (18) adapted to be operated by the tool carrier head (5) at the instant in which the two parts of the piece (7) be­ come broken up, thereby making the edge or point (16) to protrude and support the said piece for breaking it.

Description: The present invention relates to apparatus in­ tended for cutting flat ceramic pieces such as plates, tiles and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apparatus devoted to this end and constituted by a substantially flat frame for supporting the piece to be cut, with rising supports located at the ends thereof and carrying fixed two parallel bars to serve as a rail and sliding guide for a hand lever operated head carrying the tool for scoring the line where the cut is to be made, are well known. In some instances, the apparatus is provided with a device intended to perform breaking of the score marked pieces. In general, the arrangement of these additional devices for breaking the pieces which have been marked with the score lines for cutting, and, above all, when such devices are to be operated with levers and annexed devices instead of those members of which the apparatus is provided with to that effect, stand for a complication of the apparatus structure besides of a remarkable increase in the cost of the apparatus. If, however, operation of the breaking devices is attained through the very operating lever of the scor­ ing tool carrier head, the means intended for effecting the breaking pressure must be placed forwards of that tool thus making difficult the visual control of the working of this latter, thereby constituting a small nuisance for the use of the apparatus which, on the rest, has proved to be simple and efficient in all cases. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The apparatus making the subject of the inven­ tion, of the type referred to above and provided with means for performing breaking of a piece at a cutting scored line, is provided with the elements which are necessary for attaining the required effect without hindering viewing of the scoring -which constitutes the basic operation to be performed with the apparatus-, even when operation of the breaking compressor is effected by means of the tool carrier head operating lever itself, thereby dispensing with other working additional elements as well, and thus generally resulting in a simple, safe and effective apparatus, with by far superior performances as regards those manufactured hitherto. The apparatus making the subject of the inven­ tion is characterized in that it carries a freely oscil­ lating fork arranged forwards of the scoring tool engage­ ment zone, mounted to advantage on the head itself carry­ ing the said scoring tool and at a position which is coplanar with this head, such that the legs of the fork will rest onto the piece at both sides of the breaking line marked by the scoring tool, either during the dis­ placements of this latter, or at the instant when the two parts of the piece become broken apart. As complement of the above oscillating fork, provision is made for an anvil arranged under the plane where the piece to be cut rests and articulated to the ap­ paratus frame, this anvil being constituted by a cranked lever, the free end of which forms a protruding small head with a terminal edge or point, the head projecting through an opening which is centered with the scoring axis of the piece to be cut, whereas the opposite end of the lever forms an elbowed arm adapted to rest against the tool car­ rier head at the instant in which the two broken apart portions of the piece become separated, thus holding the small head upon which the piece rests in protruding condi­ tion for the separation of the parts. A spring tending to hold the anvil permanently withdrawn when this anvil does not receive the action of the above head, is arranged rearward of the cranked arm of the lever upon which the tool carrier head rests. In turn, the anvil forming cranked arm has its end opposite to that which constitutes the anvil itself, placed at a slightly higher level as the tool carrier head and is driven forward by this latter at the end of the scoring stroke of same to become placed under the said head. In order to attain this effect in a smooth way, the end of the said cranked arm has to advantage a rounded profile in its head engagement zone. As a further detail of the apparatus, which con­ tributes to make economically advantageous the construc­ tion of same, the supports of the bars for sliding of the scoring tool carrier head are formed of angle irons made of a metal plate of a suitable thickness, secured to the frame plate and pierced right through at the upper ends thereof by the head guiding bars, these latter being secured to the angle irons, at one end thereof at the out­ side of the angle iron, and at the opposite end on both the inside and the outside of the angle iron, by means of elastic washers, nuts or whatever conventional securing element. This construction affords the advantage that, in view of the above fastening, both terminal angle irons of each bar do work mechanically, and thus the metal plate of which these are made can be by far thinner than it would be needed if only one of the angle irons was active, as it would be the case when both angle irons were fastened on a single face thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the above exposi­ tion, some drawings are enclosed showing in diagrammatic form and only by way of example, a practical case of em­ bodiment of an apparatus according to the above features. In the above drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the apparatus; figure 2 shows a similar view in the anvil ac­ tuating stage; figure 3 corresponds to a detail, in a similar showing, in the compression step for breaking the scored piece; figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus; and figure 5 is a cross elevation view with the guide bars in section and the tool carrier head withdrawn. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to the invention, the apparatus is of the type which are constituted of a plate or frame 1 (in this case of bent metal plate), with terminal supports 2 and 3 which the guide and sliding bars 4 for the head 5 carrying the tool 6 for scoring of the plate, tile or the like 7, are secured to. The plate or tile 7 rests upon the frame 1 and against a fixed stop 8 protruding of same and marked in millimeters or inches. One of the details which make the subject of the invention is constituted by the articulated and oscillat­ ing arrangement of a fork-shaped part 12 having an ample open lower zone 13 through which the operator can see at any time, as clearly visible in figure 5, the working of the tool 6, at the leading point 9 of the head 5 and for­ wards of this tool (with reference to the position of an operator acting upon the handle 10 of the lever 11 of the said head 5). The fork-shaped piece 12 is located centered and at the same plane as the tool 6, such that both its ter­ minal legs rest on a respective side of the tool 6 cutting line or axis. A cranked lever is articulated at a point 14 un­ der the frame 1 and has a forward arm 15 forming an upper protrusion 16 in the shape of a point or edge and adapted to project through an opening 17 which is formed in the body of frame 1, coincident with the scoring axis of tool 6. The cranked lever is formed at its opposite end with an almost vertical arm 18 having a rounded end 19 and sub­ jected to the action of a spring 20 which is compression contained between the outer support 3 and the arm 18 it­ self of the cranked lever. This spring thus tends to os­ cillate the cranked lever such that the point 16, which constitutes the breaking anvil, has always a tendency to rest hidden under the frame 1 in the rest position as may be seen in figure 1. The rounded end 19 of the cranked lever arm 18 is, to advantage, located at a lever which is slightly higher than the sliding plane of head 5, such that when this latter reaches the limit position of its stroke, after scoring the piece 7, oscillates the cranked lever by impinging onto the said rounded surface 19 until it be­ comes superimposed to this latter and makes the anvil 16 to protrude over the plane of frame 1, thus making the piece 7 to raise a little (Fig. 2) until it comes to its breaking position. Another detail featuring the described apparatus is the manner in which the bars 4 are mounted on the ter­ minal supports 2 and 3. As it may be observed, these bars pierce right through the supports and, in the case of sup­ port 2, are secured by means of an elastic washer or the like 21 at the outside of the support. However, in the op­ posite support 3, two elastic washers or the like 22,23 are placed each against a respective face of the said sup­ port 3. This assembly ensures that whatever flexion stress originating on these supports when the head 5 moves along the bars 4, is taken up by both supports 2,3 at a time, so that the stresses are added up and the supports can be made of a by far thinner metal plate. The working of the cutter-separator can be sum­ marized as follows: In the position as shown in figure 1, scoring of the piece 7 is performed by the tool 6 in the conventional way, with the advantage that the operator always is able to see the tool 6 through the lower space 13 of the fork-­ shaped piece 12. When the head 5 comes to a position near the end of its course, it will act upon the rounded surface 19 of lever 18, thus making this latter to oscillate against the action of spring 20, until the head becomes superimposed to the said surface, thus holding it in this position, in which the anvil 16 will be protruding through the opening 17 thus slightly rising the scored piece 7 (Fig. 2). The fork-shaped piece has traveled in an in­ clined position, as shown also in figure 2, over the said piece 7. It will then suffice to slightly raise the lever 11 (Fig. 3) for the fork-shaped piece 12 to assume a ver­ tical position, so that when the lever 11 is made to move downwards, the piece 12 rests at both sides of the line scored by the tool 6, and by further pressing the lever the piece 7 will break over the anvil 16, the two parts of the said piece are broken up. The apparatus is then ready for a further opera­ tion, in a converse series of movements, to return to the position of figure 1. As it may be seen, the solution of the breaking device is really simple and by no means hinders the work­ ing of the operator, who is able of visually controlling at any time the scoring of the pieces to be cut. On the other hand, the apparatus is of a sturdy construction which is suitable for whatever performances.

Claims: 1. Apparatus for cutting flat ceramic pieces, of the kind comprising a substantially flat frame (1) for supporting the piece (7) to be cut, provided with terminal supports (2,3) carrying fixed two parallel bars (4) over which a head (5) carrying the cutting line scoring tool (6) slides under operation of a hand lever (11), the en­ semble being provided with a device for breaking up of the marked pieces, characterized in that a freely oscillating fork (12) is arranged forwards of the position of engage­ ment of the scoring tool (6) with the surface of the piece being cut (7), the legs of the fork being adapted to rest onto the said piece at both sides of the breaking line as marked by the said tool, either during the motions of this latter, or at the instant in which the two parts of the piece become broken up. 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the fork (12) is mounted onto the tool carrier head itself (5) and in a position which is coplanar with this tool (6). 3. Apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that a cranked lever (15-18) is disposed located under the resting plane for the piece to be cut (7) and articulated (at 14) on the apparatus frame (1), the free forward end of the lever forming a protruding small head (16) with a terminal edge or point and projecting through an opening (17) which is located centered with the scoring axis of the said piece to be cut, while the opposite end of the lever forms a cranked arm (18) adapted to rest against the tool carrier head (5) at the instant in which the two parts of the piece (7) become broken up, thereby holding the small head (16) protruding to support the said piece for breaking it. 4. Apparatus as in claims 1 and 3, charac­ terized in that the end of the cranked arm (18) of the lever constituting the anvil (16) comes, in the rest posi­ tion, to a height which is slightly higher than the tool carrier head (5), and is driven by this latter at the end of its scoring stroke to come under this head. 5. Apparatus as in claims 1, 3 and 4, charac­ terized in that the free end of the said arm (15) has a rounded profile (19) at the zone of impingement by the said head (5). 6. Apparatus as in claims 1, 3 and 4, charac­ terized in that the cranked lever (15-19) carrying the rest anvil (16) for the breaking up of the the two parts of the piece to be cut (7), is subject to the action of a suitable spring (20) tending to hold the said anvil per­ manently hidden until the instant in which the tool car­ rier head (5) reaches its final scoring position. 7. Apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the supports (2,3) of the bars (4) for sliding of the scoring tool carrier head (5) are constituted of angle irons made of a metal plate of a suitable thickness and secured to the base plate of the frame (1), the said bars being arranged piercing right through the upper ends of the wings of the angle irons and secured to these ends, on one end of the bars (4) at the outside of the respective angle iron, and on the other end both at the outside and the inside of same, by means of elastic washers (22,23), nuts or whatever conventional securing element.

Inventors: BOADA SUCARRATS, ANTONIO
Applicants: HERMANOS BOADA, S.A.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B28D1
IPC codes: B28D1