Wood bit and method of making

Abstract: The present invention comprises a wood bit for use in wood working applications. The blade of the bit is generally spade shaped having cutting spurs on each corner of the blade, a central point projecting from the leading end of the blade, and hooked cutting edges. A progressive transfer die is used to bend the leading end of the blade and forge a continuous hook angle extending along the side cutting spur, the lateral shoulder, and the central point of the blade. The forging of a hook extending from each side of the blade converging at a central point provides a hook along the leading end of the blade projecting outwardly (in the direction of rotation) pass the plane of the blade face. The leading end of the hook is beveled forming a continuous cutting edge extending along the hook from the outer side wall of the blade through the outside cutting spurs, along the lateral shoulders, and along each side of the central point.

Description: The present invention relates to a wood bit for boring holes in wood or similar materials as defined in the preamable part of claim 1. A method for manufacturing such a wood bit is set forth in claim 11. Wood bits generally have a central point and a spade shaped blade or cutting section attached to a shaft, wherein the bit is usually driven by some type of power tool. Wood bits known in the art utilize blades of various shapes and sizes, some incorporating spurs on the outside edges of the shoulders to provide better penetration of the blade into the wood substrate. Often the blades of wood bits include flutes ground into the surface of the cutting blade face along the shoulder or tip to enhance the cutting effect and provide better deflection of the wood chips from the bore. Conventional methods of forming flutes or grooves into the blade face utilize grinding processes which cut into the blade surface, thereby decreasing the thickness of the blade in the area of the groove, and forming a deflection surface within the blade face so that chips must be deflected at a sharp, acute angle formed by the outer surface of the flute joining the inner surface of the flute. Usually the cutting edges are formed on the leading end of the blade separated from the flutes. These conventional wood bits are usually flat, having cutting edges which do not project outward past the plane of the blade face. From US-A-2,692,627 a wood bit comprising a shaft and a blade which are secured together by means of a screw is known. The blade has longitudinal side outer portions which are formed in the shape of an "S" or reverse curve. This formation results in lower portions and edges of the plane at its opposite transverse sides extending forwardly relative to the direction of rotation of the blade. Further, upper portions of the blade side outer portions extend rearwardly away from the direction of rotation of the blade. The upper and lower side portions can only be bent by the provision of longitudinal slits into the lateral shoulder at the leading edge of the bit and the upper end respectively. These slits weaken the bit and require additional process steps when manufacturing the bit, thus resulting in high costs. From US-A-1,409,258 a method of making a carving tool having a cutting head is known. The cutting head is formed by a flattened portion including shoulders and flanges or wings. The lower portion has the shape of a disc from which a segment is cut out and a slit is formed in the longitudinal direction before bending the lower portions to the desired shape to form the wings. Finally, the edges of each wing are sharpended to form cutting edges. For example, the Williams III, U.S. Patent 4,682,917 describes a wood bit designed having a flute ground into the blade face extending from the tip and along the lateral shoulder portion of the blade, stopping where the rake of the shoulder spur intersects the shoulder flute. The leading cutting edges of the blade remain level with, or recessed within the face of the blade. The chip deflection means of the present invention is designed to be manufactured in a one step bending process simplifying and reducing the expense of a milling and/or grinding step to cut the desired flute pattern into the blade surface. The chip removal means of the present invention does not utilize a flute formed at an acute angle such as used in the Williams III bit, but rather utilizes a forging process to bend a continuous hook into the leading end of the blade extending along the lateral shoulders and converging in a central point. Wood shavings are directed upwardly onto the blade surface at an obtuse angle rather than an acute angle as taught in the William's reference in order to provide more efficient removal of the chip debris from the cutting surface. The leading end of the blade, including the hook is of generally uniform thickness. The design of the hook projecting beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade surface and along the lateral shoulder and central point maximizes the strength and long life of the cutting edges of the blade while the forging process minimizes waste material formed during the manufacture of the wood bit. Although several different types of wood bits are commercially available, there exists a need to provide a wood bit which is characterized by having good penetrability, durability, and is inexpensive to manufacture. Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and improved wood bit having good penetrability and durability and to provide a method for manufacturing same with fewer process steps at low costs. These objects are solved by a wood bit having the features of patent claim 1 and by a method comprising the method steps of claim 11. Preferred embodiments are subject to various dependent claims. A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein: Figure 1 is an elevated perspective view of the wood bit of the invention; Figure 2 shows a front plane view of a cylindrically shaped headed blank used to make the wood bit of the invention; Figure 3 is a front plane view of a flattened blank forged from the headed blank of Figure 2 showing a phantom view of the sections to be trimmed from the flattened blank to make the wood bit of the invention; Figure 4 is a front plane view of the wood bit trimmed from the flattened blank of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front plane view of the wood bit of the invention showing the continuous hook forged into the leading end of the blade extending from the side through the spur, lateral shoulder, and the central point after the trimming and forging steps according to the method of manufacture described herein; Figure 6 is an elevated perspective view of the wood bit of Figure 5 showing the continuous hook forged into the leading end of the blade projecting beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade on each side of the blade extending through the spur and lateral shoulder, converging at the central point; Figure 7 is a front plane view of a wood bit of Figure 6, showing the continuous hook forged into the leading end of the blade projecting beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade on each side of the blade and extending through the spur and lateral shoulder, converging at the central point in phantom view; and showing Angle E at the intersection of the hook forming the central point, Angle Q at the intersection of the lateral shoulder and side to form the cutting spurs, and Angle M forming the side relief of the blade body; Figure 8 is an enlarged front plane view of the blade of Figure 7, showing the continuous hook forged into the leading end of the blade extends from each side through the spurs and the lateral shoulders, to blend into a central point along Section B-B; Figure 9 is an enlarged front plane view of the blade of Figure 8, showing in phantom view the blending of the continuous hook on each side of the blade at the central point; Figure 10 is an enlarged cutaway side view of Section A-A of Figures 7 and 9 showing the relief Angle H of the hook forged into the leading end of the blade projecting beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade, extending from the outer sides, along the cutting spurs, and the lateral shoulders; and showing Angle A defining the rake angle of the leading edge, beveled forming a continuous cutting edge extending along the hook from the outer side wall of the blade through the outside cutting spurs, and along the lateral shoulders; Figure 11 is an enlarged cutaway side view of the central point of Figure 10, showing the hook extending above and below the plane of the blade face surface; Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the central point of the wood bit shown in Figure 10 shoving the blending of the hook at the central point and the hook on the spurs projecting past the plane of the blade surface; Figure 13 is a front end view of the wood bit of the invention showing the forged hook of the central point on each side of the blade projecting outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade face blending together and twisting at the tip of the central point at an angle, Angle D, with respect to the axis perpendicular to the plane of the blade surface, showing the angle of the axial relief forming the beveled cutting edge of the outer side walls, and showing in phantom lines the extent that the hook projects beyond the plane of the blade surface; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the leading end of a corner of the wood blade of the invention showing the hook extending along the lateral shoulder and through a side cutting spur; and Figure 15 is a Sectional view along lines D-D of Figure 8, showing the hook angle of Figure 10, along the side cutting spur extending beyond the leading end of the lateral shoulder, and the beveled cutting edge of the leading end of the side cutting spur. As shown in the enclosed drawings, the wood bit 10 of the present invention has a blade 12 connected to a generally elongated, cylindrical shank 14 having a tapered shoulder 18 connected to a hexagonal driving end 16 of reduced diameter. The driving end 16 is adapted to fit into the chuck of a drill or other power tool which drives the wood bit 10. Figure 1 shows the generally flat, spade shaped blade 12 being several times wider than the shank 14. The blade 12 has a pair of parallel, opposite, substantially large planar face surfaces, first large planar front face 11 and second large planar back face 13 (not shown). As shown in Figure 1, first face 11 is interconnected to face 13 by a first outer left side wall 24 (not shown), and a second outer right side wall 26. The wood bit 10 of the present invention is of unitary construction, wherein the blade 12 and shank 14 are manufactured from a single piece of metal stock. The unitary construction of the wood bit 10 is designed to provide optimal structural support against bending and shear forces on the shaft 14 at the point where the wood bit 10 is subjected to the greatest stress and metal fatigue. The low cost material used to produce the preferred embodiment is carbon steel which has a Rockwell "C" hardness range in the low 50's. Various metals and alloys can be used to construct the wood bit of the present invention; however, carbon steel is inexpensive, easy to machine and temper, and holds a cutting edge. The wood bit 10 of the present invention is manufactured by compressing a generally cylindrical headed blank 1 of carbon steel, as shown in Figure 2, and flattening the head 2 in a die to form a flattened blank 3, as shown in Figure 3. The flattened blank 3 may be heated to facilitate the flattening process depending upon the size and weight of the headed blank 1. As shown in Figure 3, flattening of the headed blank 1 contours the rear portion of the blade 12 adjoining the shaft 14 to form a first left rear blade curved portion 4 and a second right rear blade curved portion 5. Each of the curved rear blade portions, 4 and 5, decrease in width and increase in thickness at the merger of the blade 12 with the shank 14 and provide structural strength where the blade 12 joins the shaft 14. The curved rear blade portions 4 and 5 have rounded edges and are generally smooth. The curved rear blade portions 4 and 5 facilitate removal of the wood bit 10 from the wood substrate without binding of the rear portion of the wood bit 10 against the walls of the bore. The spade shaped blade 12 is formed using a progressive transfer type of die. The flattened blank 3 is secured during the trimming, forging, punching, and inscription process of the wood bit 10. A stamping operation is used to trim the flattened blank 3 to form the front and side profile of the formed blade 6 to define the cutting spurs, lateral shoulders, central point, and outer side walls of the formed blade 6 as shown in Figure 4. At the first station, a first left front quarter panel 7 is trimmed from the left front corner of the flattened blank 3 to form a front leading end portion of the formed blade 6 defining a first left side cutting spur 62, a first left lateral shoulder 40, and a first left central point side 50. As the first left front quarter panel 7 is being trimmed, a second right side quarter panel 8 is trimmed simultaneously from the opposite side of the flattened blank 3, to form the second right outer side 26 of formed blade 6. The transfer die securing the flattened blank 3 is then moved to a second station to repeat the trimming and forming procedure. A second right front quarter panel 9 is trimmed from the right front corner of the flattened blank 3 to further form the front leading end portion of the formed blade 6 defining a second right side cutting spur 64, a second right lateral shoulder 42, and a second right central point side 52. As the second right front quarter panel 9 is being trimmed, a first left side quarter panel 15 is trimmed simultaneously from the opposite side of the flattened blank 3, to form the first left outer side 24 of formed blade 6. As a result of the trimming and forming operation to the flattened blank, the formed blade 6 as shown in Figure 4, defines a pair of lateral shoulders 40 and 42 extending inwardly from the outer sides 24 and 26, respectively, along the leading end of the formed blade 6 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 14. As best illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, the first lateral shoulder 40 is contiguous with the first outer side wall 24 and the second lateral shoulder 42 is contiguous with the second outer side wall 26. As shown in Figure 4, the outer sides 24 and 26 are trimmed so that the width of the blade 12 gradually decreases as measured from front to back, defining a side relief of approximately 1 degree as measured from the longitudinal axis to each of the outer sides 24 and 26, respectively of the blade 12, denoted as Angle M. Figures 4-9 show the first and second side cutting spurs 62 and 64, respectively, wherein the side cutting spurs 62 and 64 are an extension of the outer side walls 24 and 26 of the blade 12. The side cutting spurs 62 and 64 intersect the lateral shoulders 40 and 42, respectively at about a 45 degree angle, Angle "Q" as shown in Figures 4 and 7. However, Angle Q may be selected in a range of from an angle of about 35 to 55 degrees depending upon the size of the wood bit 10 and spade shaped blade 12. As illustrated in Figures 4-7, the first left central point side 50 converges with the second central point side 52 at an acute angle ("Angle E"). As shown in Figures 4 and 7, Angle E of the preferred embodiment is about 33 degrees for a 3,8 cm (1 1/2 inch) blade 12; however, Angle E may vary between about 28 and about 45 degrees depending on the size of the wood bit 10. After trimming both sides of the blank 1, the progressive die and the blank 1 secured therein, are positioned at another station. The orientation and the contours of the blade 12 are achieved in a single step operation prior to the grinding operation that provides the beveled cutting edges. A forging process is used to simultaneously bend the leading end of the formed blade 6 on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis at an obtuse angle in equal and opposite directions to form a continuous hook extending from the sides to the central point of the blade. Figures 7 and 9 show the continuous hook 30 forged bending the leading end of the blade 12 to project beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade 12 on each side of the blade 12 (in phantom view), and extending through the side cutting spurs 62 and 64, and through the lateral shoulders 40 and 42, along the central point sides 50 and 52 respectively, to converge at the central point 48. Figure 8 is an enlarged front plane view of the blade 12 showing the continuous hook 30 forged into the leading end of the blade 12 extending from each side 24 and 26 through the cutting spurs 62 and 64, and the lateral shoulders to blend into a central point along Section B-B. The continuous hook 30 extending along the blade 12, is shown in Figure 9 in phantom view illustrating the blending of the continuous hook 30 on each side of the blade at the central point. Figure 10, which is a cut-away view of Figure 9 along Section A-A, shows the continuous hook 30 of the blade 12 having a hook Angle H, projecting beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade 12. Figures 6, 10, 12, 14, and 15 show the wood bit 10, wherein the continuous hook 30, is offset with respect to the plane of the blade 12 at an angle of from about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees. The relief necessary for a continuous hook for a 3,8 cm (1 1/2 inch) wood bit of about 0,76 mm (.030") from flat is about 15 degrees for the portion of the continuous hook extending from the outer sides 26 and 28 of the blade 12 along the lateral shoulders 40 and 42 to the intersection with the central point 48, as designated by Angle "H". The length of the continuous hook 30 is approximately 32 mm (1/8") (measured parallel to the axis of the bit). The continuous hook 30 extending along the lateral shoulders 40 and 42 makes a smooth blend with the forged relief of the central point 48. As illustrated in Figure 15, which is a cutaway view of Figure 8 taken along Section D-D, the angle of the continuous hook 30 is about 15 degrees where the profile meets the central point 48; however, the angle of the continuous hook 30 decreases from about 15 to about 5 degrees along the edge of the central point 58 as shown in Figure 13 as Angle "D". The planar portion of the central point 48 projecting outward from between tip sides 50 and 52 forms a first tip face 60 and a second tip face 61. The tip faces 60 and 61 converge slightly as a result of the forging process, decreasing the thickness or width of the converging central point sides 50 and 52 at the tip 58 of the central point 48. The forged relief of the blade 12 forming the hook 30 extending from Section B-B through the central point 48 is defined by a combination of coining and twisting of the central point 48 as shown in Figures 11-13. Figure 11 is an enlarged cutaway side view of the central point 48 shown in Figure 10, showing the hook 30 projecting above and below the plane of the blade tip surfaces 60 and 61. Figure 13 illustrates how central point 48 is forged so that it is actually twisted at an angle ("Angle D") at about 5 degrees with respect to the plane of the blade surface. Figure 13 also shows in phantom view the extent that the hook 30 projects beyond the plane of the blade surface. The forging of the hook 30 in effect twists the central point 48 and the converging central point sides 50 and 52 providing a smooth continuous hook angle from the first outer side wall 24 extending through the first side cutting spur 62, the first lateral shoulder 40, the central point 48 to the tip 58, wherein the hook angle is twisted to continue on the opposite side of the blade 12 from the tip 58 through the central point 48, the second lateral shoulder 42, the second side cutting spur 64 to the second outer side wall 26. While immovably retained within the progressive die a hole 70 is punched into the central portion of the blade body 12 for locating the wood bit 10 during the grinding operation and for hanging the wood bit 10 during storage. The size or other inscriptions may also be stamped into the metal while the wood bit 10 is still secured in the progressive transfer die. The wood bit 10 having the desired relief angles is then removed from the progressive transfer die and subjected to a heat treating and at least one annealing process, whereby the wood bit 10 is treated with heat and then cooled to remove internal stresses and to make the material less brittle. The annealing process hardens the steel and produces the desired physical properties in the metal. The wood bit 10 may be subjected to a grit blasting or a polishing process to provide the desired external appearance to the blade body 12 and shaft 14 of the wood bit 10. Grit or tumble blasting provides a textured non-glare surface. After the continuous hook 30 and contours are forged into the blade 12, the leading end of the blade 12 is then ground to form a continuous beveled cutting edge 34 extending along the leading edge of the continuous hook 30 on each side of the blade 12 having a rake angle, Angle "A", of about 15 degrees with respect to the plane of the blade 12 as shown in Figure 10. The continuous beveled cutting edge 34 of the continuous hook 30 projects beyond or outwardly (in the direction of rotation) past the plane of the blade 12 extending from the outer sides 24 and 26, along the side cutting spurs 62 and 64, the lateral shoulders 40 and 42, and along the central point sides 50 and 52 to converge at the tip 58. As shown in Figure 6, the cutting edges 34 on each side of the longitudinal axis are angled complementary to the angle of the hook 30. Angle "B" of Figure 15, shows the beveled radial cutting edge extending along the leading end of the hook 30 from the sides 24 and 26 through the side cutting spurs 62 and 64, and through the lateral shoulders 40 or 42 is about 15 degrees up to where the profile meets the central point 48. However, the angle of the beveled cutting edge extending along the leading edge of the hook 30 decreases gradually from about 15 degrees along the radial/axial edge of the central point 48, as shown in Figure 10, to about 5 degrees at the tip 58 as shown in Figure 13 as Angle "D" forming a smooth blended continuous cutting edge 34. After the point grinding process is completed, the sides 24 and 26 are honed to provide a beveled, sharpened first left outer side cutting edge 28 and second right outer side cutting edge 29 having an axial relief angle, Angle P, of about 2 degrees on each side of the blade 12 as shown in Figure 13. The outer side cutting edges 28 and 29, as shown in Figure 6, form smooth side walls along the bore hole in the wood and facilitate removal of the wood bit 10 from the bore.

Claims: A wood bit (10) comprising: a driving end (16); a shank (14) connected to said driving end (16); a blade (12) attached to said shank (14), said blade (12) having a pair of parallel opposite faces (11,13) connected by a pair of outer sides (24,26), the faces and outer sides being generally parallel to said shank, whereby each of said faces (11,13) defines a plane; a pair of lateral shoulders (40,42) extending inwardly from said outer sides (24,26) and converging to form a central point (48) projecting axially from the leading end of said blade (12), said central point (48) having sides (50,52) and a tip (58); a pair of cutting spurs (62,64) projecting forwardly from said shoulders (40,42), each spur (62,64) having an outer edge which is a continuation of said outer side (24,26) of said blade and which is parallel to said outer side and having an inner edge forming a point with said outer edge of said spur; a continuous cutting edge (34) along the leading end of said blade (12), thereby extending from each one of said sides (24,26) through each one of said cutting spurs (62,64) along each one of said lateral shoulders (40,42), along each of the central point sides (50,52), and twisting through said central tip (58), characterized in that said continuous cutting edge (34) projects from or outwardly in the direction of cutting rotation past the plane of said blade (12) on each side of the longitudinal axis of said shaft from a continuous forged hook. The wood bit of claim 1, wherein said shank (14) and blade (12) are of unitary construction. The wood bit according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said shank (14) comprises an elongated cylindrical shaft having a hexagonal driving end (16) of reduced diameter connected to said cylindrical shaft by a tapered shoulder (18). The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said blade is formed having a side relief, wherein said blade (12) gradually decreases in width from the front leading end toward the rear of said blade. The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said outer sides (24,26) are honed providing a pair of outer side cutting edges. The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said blade includes a pair of convex shaped rear curved portions (4,5) having rounded edges disposed at the point of union between said planar large faces (11,13) and said shank (14), whereby said rear curved portions (4,5) decrease in width and increase in thickness toward said shank. The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said cutting edge forms an axial rake angle of about 5 to about 15 degrees with respect to the plane of the blade. The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said cutting spurs (62,64) intersect said lateral shoulders (40,42) at about a 45 degree angle (Q). The wood bit according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said cutting edge (30) forms an axial rake angle extending along said lateral shoulder at about 15 degrees with respect to a plane perpendicular to the plane of said blade. A method of forming a wood bit (10) using a progressive transfer die, comprising the steps of: a) flattening a headed blank (3) of carbon steel to form a pair of parallel opposite faces (11,13) each said face defining a plane, b) trimming said flattened blank (3) forming a blade (12) having a pair of outer sides (24,26) generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said wood bit (10), and forming a leading end having a pair of cutting spurs (62,64) connected to said outer sides (24,26), a pair of lateral shoulders (40,42) connected to said cutting spurs, said lateral shoulders converging to form a central point (48) projecting axially from said lateral shoulders (40,42), said central point having central sides (50,52) and a tip (58); characterized by the following steps: c) forging a continuous hook angle along the leading end of said blade by simultaneously bending and twisting said leading end of said blade on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis at an obtuse angle in equal and opposite directions to form a continuous hook (30) extending from each of the outer sides (24,26) and twisting through the central tip (58) of the blade (12), extending through said side cutting spurs (62,64), said lateral shoulders (40,42), and along each central side (50,52) of said central point (48), whereby said leading end of said blade projects from or outwardly in the direction of cutting rotation past the plane of said blade on each side of said blade; d) heat treating said wood bit (10); e) annealing said blade (12) having a continous hook angle; f) grinding a continuous beveled cutting edge (34) along the leading edge of said continuous hook and g) honing beveled outer cutting edges (28,29) along the outer sides (24,26) of said blade.

Inventors: SCHIMKE THOMAS O, SCHIMKE, THOMAS O.
Applicants: VERMONT AMERICAN CORP, VERMONT AMERICAN CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B27G15
IPC codes: B27G15