PORTABLE MACHINE WITH POSITIONING DEVICE FOR THE WORKING OF HARD MATERIALS

Abstract: Portable machine for the working of marbles and hard materials consisting of a sliding plate (3) on which a positioning device (4) and a work mechanism (2) with motor have been mounted. Said items are connected to a separate trolley-borne central unit (1). Said machine, by the positioning device which allows the rotation of the work mechanism around the three cartesian axes, can carry out several functions such as the cutting, trimming and also the polishing of the edges and surfaces of the slabs.

Description: Description PORTABLE MACHINE WITH POSITIONING DEVICE FOR THE WORKING OF HARD MATERIALS The invention regards a portable machine with position¬ ing device which can cut, trim and polish slabs of stone, marble, granite and similar such materials. In the field of stone and marble working, many portable machines, both electrical and oleodynamic, are gener¬ ally used, each of which carries out a specific func¬ tion such as cutting or trimming. Furthermore, polish- ing is generally carried out by hand. These machines are dangerous for the operator when in operation as a result of their various uncovered mechanisms. The machine described in this patent application can carry out several functions which have hitherto been carried out by different machines built according to existing technology. Furthermore, the machine's mecha¬ nisms are covered and housed in the body of the ma¬ chine, this increasing the level of safety during use. The machine consists of a sliding plate on which a positioning device and a work mechanism with motor, preferably oleodynamic, have been mounted. Said items are connected to a separate trolley-borne central unit. The central unit means any system able to produce oleodynamic power. Using the positioning device which allows rotation around the three Cartesian axes (x, Y, z) this inven¬ tion combines the two afore-indicated functions, namely cutting and trimming, and allows others such as polish- ing of the edges and surfaces which are currently car¬ ried out by hand. It should also be borne in mind that the work mechanism can be separated from the positioning device mounted on the sliding plate and fixed to a workbench (with screws, pins or bayonets), or else can be hand-held for manual use. Furthermore, it can be fixed to the mobile column of a workbench and be programmed to move in all directions. The invention therefore has a wide range of potential applications: - for the cutting, trimming and polishing of slabs of stone and hard materials generally; - for engraving on marble or similar materials, for example on memorial stones, road signs, etc.; - for artistic and/or craft purposes, for example work¬ ing marble for furniture, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. As a result of the above, this machine should be con¬ sidered as a 'universal' machine for the slab and mar¬ ble working sector generally. 'Universal' here means that it can carry out many types of work. it is important to emphasise the advantage of reduced costs due to the fact that (as noted above) the posi¬ tioning device allows the same machine to be used for several operations, thus avoiding the use and outlay for the acquisition and maintenance of several ma¬ chines. The machine also produces savings as regards both time and space. A further advantage derives from the fact that the covering of the transmission mechanisms provides addi¬ tional security against accidents (safety being in¬ creasingly in demand as a result of the EEC norms) as: - the operator does not come into contact with the electrical parts; - the mechanisms are housed in the body of the machine itself. The invention is described below for the purposes of illustration only, reference being made to the annexed drawings which refer to a version of the invention currently preferred by the inventor. - Figure 1 gives an overall view of the machine, show- ing the sliding plate 3 on which the work mecha¬ nism 2 and the positioning device 4 are mounted; all parts are connected to the central unit 1 producing oleodynamic power; - Figure 2 shows the work mechanism 2 respectively from above (2B) and in vertical section (2A) ; - Figure 3 shows the positioning device 4 in lateral section (3A) and from the front (3B); - Figure 4 shows the positioning of the machine for the cutting operation and - Figure 5 shows the machine during cutting; - Figure 6 shows the positioning of the machine for the trimming operation; - Figure 7 shows the machine during trimming. As regards the drawings, the central unit 1 (separate from the main body of the machine) shown in Fig. 1 is a central unit and consists of a oil-pressure pump oper- ated by a motor (for example an electrical motor) of suitable power, an oil tank, a water cooler for the pump oil and appropriate "t" joints for the oil intake and discharge piping. (It is not considered necessary to describe the central unit as it is a well- known device) . All the above is mounted on a trolley "c" to facilitate movement at workplaces. The work mechanism (Figs. 2A and 2B) consists of a closed body 4A, for greater work safety, containing the transmission with the overdrive 5 which from the oleo¬ dynamic motor 6 transmits the rotation motion to the axle 7, which is nothing more than a traditional spin¬ dle. A ball valve 8, which acts as a manual by-pass and a, oil-flow regulation valve 9, which regulates the spin¬ dle'3 revs are fixed on the rear part of the body 4A. On the front part of the body 4A, under the handle 10, are fixed two rotating spheres 11 in plastic or another material with the same characteristics which facilitate the flow of the machine when it is in contact with the slabs to be worked. said work mechanism can be separated from the posit¬ ioning device for workbench or manual operations. Underneath the sliding plate 3 are fixed a certain number of rotating spheres R (as shown in FIG. 5 and 7) of plastic or similar material, ( such as those 11 shown in Fig. 2) which allow the plate to slide and do not 5 scratch the slabs and suchlike which are to be worked. On the top of the sliding plate is fixed the positioni¬ ng device 4. The positioning device 4 (Figs. 1, 3A and 3B) , fixed to 10 the sliding plate 3, consists of a base block 12 which has a large pin 13 on whose axis the intermediary sup¬ port 14 can rotate up to 90". On the intermediary support 14 can rotate, in turn, the 15 height regulation device 15, on which the work mecha¬ nism 2 is mounted . The height regulation device 15 consists of two fixed parts 16 and 17 separated by two columns 18. Part 19, on which the work mechanism 2 is mounted, can slide between these two parts, the work 20 mechanism 2 being fixed to said part 19 by the appro¬ priate elements at points x and z. Turning the knob 20, which is integral with the screw 21, increases or decreases the distance between part 19 __ ι and fixed part 16. Loosening the screw 23 frees the positioning device to rotate around the pin 22 which is fixed to the sliding plate 3. 3υ After having reached its new position, the positioning device can be locked by tightening the screw 23 (see figures 4 and 6) . Description of two of the machine's functions The operations necessary to position the machine for cutting (see Fig. 4) are as follows: 1 - loosen screw 24 by half a turn; 2 - loosen the knob lock 25; 3 - holding handle 26, turn a full 90° the regulation device which has the work mechanism mounted on it; 4 - tighten screw 24. At this point, having mounted the cutting wheel on the spindle, the machine is positioned to cut as shown in Figure 5. The operations necessary to position the machine for trimming (see Fig. 6) after having mounted the trimming grinder wheel on the spindle, are as follows: 1 - loosen screw 24 by half a turn; 2 - holding handle 26, turn 90° the regulation device till it is inside the square column 27; 3 - regulate the centering of said grinder wheel ac¬ cording to the thickness of the slab to be worked by knob 20 (Fig. 7); 4 - tighten screw 24 and knob 25. At this point the machine is ready to trim the slab.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 - Portable machine for the working of marbles and hard materials in general characterised by consisting in a work mechanism (2) functioning with a motor, oleodynamic for example; a positioning device (4); a sliding plate (3) on which said mechanism (2) rests by the positioning device (4) which can carry out by it¬ self several functions such as the cutting, trimming and polishing of edges and surfaces, being said work mechanism (2) connected to the positioning device (4) at points x and z by keepers and said positioning device allowing the work mechanism to rotate around the three Cartesian axes. 2 - Machine as per claim 1 characterised by the fact that the motion transmission is housed in the closed body (4A) of the work mechanism (2) . 3 - Machine as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the work mechanism (2) can be separated from the positioning device (4) and fixed to a workbench. 4 - Machine as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the work mechanism (2) can be separated from the positioning device (4) and hand-held for operation. 5 - Machine as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the work mechanism (2) consists of a closed body (4A), for greater work safety, containing the transmission with the overdrive (5) which from the oleodynamic motor (6) transmits the rotation motion to the axle 7 ; being fixed, on the rear part of the body - θ - (4A), a ball valve (8) which acts s a manual by-pass and an oil-flow regulation valve (9) which regulates the spindle's revs; being fixed, on the front part of the body (4A), under the handle (10), two rotating spheres (11) in plastic or another material with the same characteristics. 6 - Machine as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the positioning device (4) consists of a base block (12) which has a large pin (13) on whose axis can rotate the intermediary support (14), the height regu¬ lation device (15), on which in mounted the work mechanism (2), rotating in turn on said support (14). 7 - Machine as per claims 1 and 6, characterised by the fact that' said height regulation device (15) consists of two fixed parts (16) and (17) separated by two col¬ umns 18, the part 19, on which the work mechanism (2) is mounted, being able to slide between these two parts. 8 - Machine as in the preceding claims characterised by the fact that the operations necessary for cutting are: - loosen screw 24 by half a turn; - loosen the knob lock 25; - holding handle 26, turn a full 90° the regulation device which has the work mechanism mounted on it; - tighten screw 24. 9 - Machine as in the preceding claims characterised by the fact that the operations necessary for trimming are: _ Q _ - loosen screw 24 by half a turn; - holding handle 26, turn 90° the regulation device till it is inside the square column 27. - regulate the centering of the grinder wheel according to the thickness of the slab to be worked by knob 20; - tighten screw 24 and knob 25.

Inventors: DI MATTIA MAURO, DI MATTIA, MAURO
Applicants: MATTIA MAURO DI, DI MATTIA, MAURO
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B23Q9
IPC codes: B23D57, B23Q1, B23Q9, B24B9, B25H1, B28D1