Abstract:
An electrically powered work piece feeder for use with inverted routers or small shapers incorporates improvements in adjustability which enhances accuracy, convenience, and safety in the use of such power tools. The powered feeder element mounts on a table fence and has an inverted roller suspended over the table adjacent a working face. Mounting structure permits positional adjustment of the roller in spatial relation to the power tool cutter and a workpiece on the table so as to propel the workpiece on the table over the power tool cutter and along the working face in the direction of the longitudinal feed axis. An out-feed section may be provided on the fence that includes inner and outer wedge-shaped ramps movable with respect to one another along the longitudinal feed axis and adapted to be locked together, thus allowing slow and precise advancement of the outer ramp toward the router.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to both U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/306,386, filed Mar. 10, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/201,186, filed Aug. 5, 2015, the contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application primarily addresses difficulties and safety issues encountered when work pieces of such small dimensions as to be difficult to grasp are desired to be shaped, trimmed, or otherwise processed with a tool, such as a woodworking router, which is mounted below a work surface, or router table, the cutter or other attachment projecting upward through the work surface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is a common, if not pervasive, practice in the woodworking field to employ routers that are mounted under a work surface, or table-top, i.e., inverted, with the cutter projecting upward through an opening in said work surface to engage the work piece being processed. An inverted router is in essence a small shaper, and many shops large and small employ routers in this manner in the production of cabinet doors, mouldings, and many other products. In the case of curved or contoured work pieces, the process is executed without the use of a fence, relying on a guide bearing which is an integral part of the router bit. However, most work is done using a fence to limit the depth of engagement of the work piece into the bit. There are many suppliers of such fences, and many designs, usually marketed in conjunction with a router table as mentioned above. 
         [0004]    In that this application includes a fence as a component of the total embodiment, the following U.S. Patents disclose fences by others: U.S. Pat. Nos. RE38612; 5,779,407; 6,398,469; and 6,481,477. Another exemplary fence of the prior art, the Kreg Precision 36″ Router Table Fence, is seen as Item #148836 in the 2014 Edition of the Woodcraft Supply Catalog. 
         [0005]    The referenced publications above, as well as many others, demonstrate embodiment of many meritorious features and innovations in the field of router table fences; however, the features and combinations of elements to be presented herein were found lacking, as will be made apparent in the following description and drawings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    This application presents a system for use with inverted routers or small shapers which incorporates an electrically powered work piece feeder component with a router table fence having improvements in adjustability which enhances accuracy, convenience, and safety in the use of such power tools. More generally, the powered work piece feeder may be used with a workpiece support fence mounted on a table having a power tool cutter projecting upward therefrom. The power tool cutter may be an inverted router, a shaper, a table saw, or even a band saw. 
         [0007]    The fence has a working face above the table extending adjacent the power tool cutter to define a longitudinal feed axis. A powered feeder element is adapted to rigidly mount on the fence and has an inverted roller suspended over the table on the same side of the face as the power tool cutter. The powered feeder element has fence mounting structure permitting positional adjustment of the roller in spatial relation to the power tool cutter and a workpiece on the table. The powered feeder element is further configured to position the roller in contact with the workpiece and rotate the roller so as to transfer pressure and motion to and propel the workpiece on the table over the power tool cutter and along the longitudinal feed axis. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Features and advantages of the present invention will become appreciated as the same become better understood with reference to the specification, claims, and appended drawings wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective/isometric overview of a preferred embodiment of the complete fence-and-feeder system of the present application; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an elevation as viewed from the left, or out-feed, end of the system positioned on a work surface with a router bit projecting up through an opening in said surface and engaging the work piece; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top down plan view of the exemplary fence-and-feeder system, showing all components in neutral, “at rest” positions; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a variation of  FIG. 3 &#39;s plan view in the preferred embodiment of the application in operation position, provided to clarify the spatial relationships of the components and adjustability features, showing the feeder component slightly “crabbed” in relation to the fence body and work piece, as this is how it is used in practice; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an elevation viewed from the rear, i.e., the side opposite the operator&#39;s normal position, provided to further clarify the adjustments to the feeder component; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a close-up detail view of the same elevation in  FIG. 5 , showing more clearly the mini-feeder handle unit&#39;s components; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the interior mechanics of one embodiment of a functional in and out feeder ramp assembly required for safe and smooth operation of the mini-feeder. Other ramps, either commercial or custom made, may be used, alternatively to this customized variation, to insure straight motion of the feed stock both before (in) and after (out) router cutting operations. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    There are no examples in the art of a feeder mechanism incorporated into a router fence. The feeder element in the present application is perhaps the most outstanding aspect in this endeavor, and has apparently not been addressed before. The feeder element has been developed and conceived in response to the safety problem, and difficulty of work, related to use of the inverted router, especially when dealing with small work pieces. A built prototype deals suitably with this problem, producing excellent results and keeping the operator&#39;s hands well away from the cutters, and is represented in the drawings and description as the preferred embodiment of the feeder element. The fence herein described also has advantageous features regarding adjustability, safety, and convenience even if employed without its companion, the feeder element. 
         [0017]    The following provide a glossary of terms used in reference to the drawings: 
         [0018]      20 . Pressure lever arm 
         [0019]      21 . Pressure adjustment screw 
         [0020]      22 . Pressure adjustment wing nut 
         [0021]      23 . Body of hold-down 
         [0022]      24 . Pressure spring 
         [0023]      25 . Pressure spring anchor roll pin 
         [0024]      26 . Lever arm fulcrum pin 
         [0025]      27 . Lateral adjustment base 
         [0026]      28 . Lateral adjustment locking knobs 
         [0027]      29 . Lateral adjustment base sub-plate 
         [0028]      30 . Rotary adjustment bearing 
         [0029]      31 . Rotary adjustment bearing sub-plate 
         [0030]      32 . Rotary adjustment locking knob(s) 
         [0031]      33 . Height adjustment screw 
         [0032]      34 . Height adjustment knob 
         [0033]      35 . Height adjustment lock nut 
         [0034]      36 . Fore-and-aft positioning track 
         [0035]      37 . Fore-and-aft positioning locking knob(s) 
         [0036]      38 . Fore-and-aft positioning locking knob nut 
         [0037]      39 . Main fence body 
         [0038]      40 . Drive component mounting nuts 
         [0039]      41 . Drive component mounting plate 
         [0040]      42 . Primary drive gear 
         [0041]      43 . Idler gear 
         [0042]      44 . Idler gear shaft 
         [0043]      45 . Idler gear snap ring (circlip) 
         [0044]      46 . Final driven gear 
         [0045]      47 . Final driven gear stop collar 
         [0046]      48 . Driven shaft 
         [0047]      49 . Feed roller, or tire 
         [0048]      50 . Work piece 
         [0049]      51 . Gearmotor component 
         [0050]      52 . Switch 
         [0051]      53 . Router table 
         [0052]      54 . Router bit 
         [0053]      55 . Sliding infeed fence 
         [0054]      56 . Infeed sacrificial face 
         [0055]      57 . Slotted plates 
         [0056]      58 . Sliding fence face locking screws 
         [0057]      59 . Sliding fence face locking knobs 
         [0058]      60 . Sliding fence face locking nuts 
         [0059]      61 . Inner outfeed ramp 
         [0060]      62 . Outer outfeed ramp 
         [0061]      63 . Outfeed sacrificial face 
         [0062]      64 . Outfeed ramp adjustment bracket 
         [0063]      65 . Outfeed ramp adjustment screw 
         [0064]      66 . Outfeed ramp adjustment knob 
         [0065]      67 . Sliding fence face alignment splines 
         [0066]    In broad terms the present application combines a router/small shaper fence which has improved adjustment features with a powered feeder which is especially adapted to extremely small work pieces, those work pieces being the ones that are most dangerous and most difficult to produce satisfactorily. But the use of the system here presented is not limited to the small work at all, providing efficiency, convenience, and safety when applied to larger work. When work is passed over the cutters of this type of tool by hand, as is now done almost exclusively, there is inevitably variation in feed speed and pressure, pauses occur when the hands of the operator are repositioned, and other inconsistencies arise which result in imperfect results. 
         [0067]    The parts in the drawings and description here presented which are parts of said device are  20  through  28 , and  33 ,  34 , and  35 , and  48  and  49 . As seen most readily in  FIG. 2 , these parts provide a basic framework upon which to develop the system in the preferred embodiment here represented. 
         [0068]    An example of the usefulness of the present system is in the production of a large amount of very small ¼-round moulding involved in a restoration job. The aforementioned hold-down on the router table fence was installed, as the square stock was too small to grip, and therefore impossible to feed across the fence. While providing sufficient holding pressure, the difficulty of feeding is not alleviated, and made still worse because the hold-down is in the way. Thus, the roller, or tire, of the device is motorized. Since the base of the hold-down is a single-position fixture, adjustment facility in other ways is also desirable. 
         [0069]    One of skill in the art having basic skills of measuring and fabrication, and access to the necessary tools, can build this feeder apparatus, and the entire feeder-fence system, as shown here in a preferred embodiment. 
         [0070]    As a first step the builder could cut the mounting plate  41  for the drive component (gearmotor)  51   FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 , and drill a clearance hole to slide onto the threaded portion of the roller shaft  48  where said shaft is screwed into the lower end of the pressure lever arm  20 . This threaded section was provided by the hold-down manufacturer to allow adjustment of the length of said shaft. Two nuts  40  which fit these threads are employed to lock the mounting plate  41  firmly in a position perpendicular and away from the lever arm  20 . Next, it is necessary to determine the position of the gearmotor, or drive component  51  in relation to the shaft  48 , which is to be driven. The builder must obtain appropriate small spur gears, roughly 1″ in diameter, with appropriate bores for use: The primary driven gear  42  must have a bore equal to the diameter of the output shaft of the gearmotor. A method of affixing to the output shaft must be used such as a keyway configuration. Otherwise the person skilled in the art could use a rollpin. 
         [0071]    The final driven gear must be affixed to the driven shaft by keyway, roll pin, or other means, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , retained with a stop collar  47 . As the tire, or roller, is in a free rotary state when manufactured, the hub of said roller must be affixed to its shaft. This was accomplished in the prototype by drilling through the stop collar and into the hub of the roller so as to allow the use of a roll pin. Now by careful measurement of the distances between centers of the gears being used when properly enmeshed, the relative positions of the three shaft centers can be determined. These drive units are consistently provided with threaded mounting holes. 
         [0072]    Appropriate holes drilled in the mounting plate  41  will allow secure attachment of the gear-motor to the mounting plate  41 . A hole must be drilled in the mounting plate for interference fit of the idler gear&#39;s shaft  44 , which is pressed in. A person skilled in the art will readily see that it is best to establish the idler gear position relative to the final driven assembly first, then establish the position of the gear-motor. 
         [0073]    The drive component  51  utilized in the prototype, represented here as a preferred embodiment, was selected by estimating the desired rate of feed, that being a moderate, if not conservative, proven approximate rate of 12-15 feet per minute. 
         [0074]    By some simple calculations integrating the circumference of the roller at its outer edge the desired rpm of the roller  49  was determined to be about 15-20 rpm. 
         [0075]    For simplicity the decision was made to transfer the rotational force of the gear-motor  51  through a series of spur gears  42 ,  43 ,  46  in which the primary drive gear  42  was identical to the final driven gear  46 , allowing the selection of a gear-motor  51  with an output rpm within the desired range. The idler gear  43  is present to obtain clearance between components, and is provided with a simple shaft  44  pressed into the mounting plate  41 , said shaft  44  having been machined to provide a groove to receive a snap ring, or circlip  45 , to retain the idler gear. The gear-motor  51  used in the prototype was thus selected from the Grainger&#39; s catalog. One was chosen of an appropriate size and amperage for this application, and with a reversible feature, for reasons which will be explained. 
         [0076]    The particular unit used in the prototype is catalog #4Z455 on page 108 in catalog 404 at Grainger&#39; s. It has an output rpm of 18, requires capacitor cat. #2MDV3, and has 1/100 hp. input. Although 1/100 hp. sounds very small, at the gear ratio 173:1, tests indicate it is very difficult to cause a stall in practice. This gearmotor includes a built-in brake, as these are commonly used in motion control situations; the brake has occasionally caused trouble in starting, and it would be preferred to locate a similar unit sans brake. An added bonus would be a gearmotor which was also of variable speed. Clearly a more powerful unit could be incorporated, as long as the bulk and scale of the component was appropriate in relation to the other elements. 
         [0077]    The roller  49  shown is exemplary only and various types are contemplated. For instance, an existing static hold-down, or work piece guide, is marketed under the name Board Buddies™. It will be observed that the conical form of the roller on this device is useful in that it facilitates the positioning of the point of pressure into a very narrow corner where the table and fence meet. The roller  49  is desirably formed of an elastomer of various densities depending on the workpiece and power tool being used. In a preferred embodiment the roller  49  is formed of an elastomer of  50  durometer rating, most often employed in the industry for smooth workpieces. A denser roller may be used for rougher workpieces. 
         [0078]    It will be obvious that this preferred embodiment could be made more sophisticated in the interest of durability and other qualities; such as cosmetic appearance, and that various methods of assembly could be employed to achieve the same purposes. The exemplary embodiment represents production of a working prototype while minimizing expense. Also, various methods could be employed for the transference of rotary force to the driven roller  49 , roller chain and sprockets, for instance, these possibilities not detracting from the novelty or function of the invention nor avoiding infringement on the claims to follow. 
         [0079]    Once the builder has combined the gear train, driven shaft and roller, it only remains to do some simple wiring, including a 3 pole switch  52 , mounted in a convenient place, and a powered roller has been established on the lower end of the pressure lever arm  20 . 
         [0080]    Now our builder can move to the area where the hold-down&#39;s base  27  is attached to the rotationally adjustable platform, which is subsequently mounted to the main sub-plate  31 , which in turn is slidable along the track  36  on top of the fence. Here 3 components are involved: The sub-plate  29  below the base  27 , which is attached to the underside of the base by the use of short flat head machine screws through the sub-plate threaded into tapped holes in the hold-down base. Likewise the upper part of the rotary bearing  30  is attached to the underside of the sub-plate, and the lower part of the rotary bearing to the rotary adjustment bearing sub-plate. Prior to final assembly of the rotary element, the builder should do some drilling and tapping to accommodate the rotary adjustment locking knobs  32 , which simply press down onto the rotary adjustment sub-plate  31 , and clearance holes for the locking knobs  37  that engage nuts  38  trapped in the fore-and-aft positioning track  36 , which is firmly embedded in the main fence body  39 . 
         [0081]    It should be mentioned for clarity that in this text “fore-and-aft” adjustment refers to the movement of the rotary bearing sub-plate along the longitudinal axis of the fence, and “lateral” adjustment refers to the movement available between the hold-down&#39;s body  23  and the hold-down&#39;s base  27 . These terms were adopted because the elevation  FIG. 2  is a view from the left end in relation to the operator&#39;s position, and this drawing is most easily understood regarding these features. Upon assembly of the elements discussed above the builder has created a motorized hold-down that can be adjusted to suit the task at hand, positioning the roller&#39;s height from the table, its distance from the fence, its angle of attack on the work piece, and it&#39;s position along the fence. These features avail the operator of versatile and precise set-up options to optimize his safety and the quality of results. 
         [0082]    Once again, certain features and elements represented in this preferred embodiment could be altered. For instance, the rotary adjustment could be provided by simply allowing two plates in a rotatable relation to face each other, eliminating the bearing  30 . This would result in a less satisfactory assembly, fabrication difficulties, and shorter durability. Under any circumstances, such omissions or alterations do not detract from the innovation of the invention, or its function, nor would such alterations avoid infringement of the claims to follow, no more than changing, say, a roll pin to a bolt, or the pitch of threads of a screw. 
         [0083]    Now this description and our person skilled in the art can move down to the fence itself, upon which the feeder assembly rests and slides fore and aft. The fence and its parts and function will be discussed and described exclusively here to allow the reader, or person skilled in the art, to focus on the advantages and assembly of said fence until, as it were, it is ready to receive the powered feeder element and “go to work”. 
         [0084]    The building of the fence begins with its main body  39 , which must be substantially robust in dimensions and stability to provide means of mounting to the router table, of which there are many, and ample room for various grooves and holes essential to the introduction of other parts. In this preferred embodiment illustrated and discussed it will be assumed to be made of a suitably stable and strong hardwood blank, likely of one of the exotic species known for strength, durability, and stability, for instance Ipe or Cumaru. Fabricating with wood lends itself to ease of machining for our builder skilled in the art having limited means or access to tools. Clearly metallic or even man-made materials could be used so long as the desired configuration could be produced. 
         [0085]    This main body  39  will need a cross-section of approximately 2″ in height×4″ in width (50 mm.×100 mm.) and a length of about 2½ feet (75 cm.). This length is about normal, as is appropriate for use on ordinary sized router tables. As readily seen, the location of the opening for dust extraction, and thus the relation to the router bit itself, is determined by the particular table in use. This issue is related to the method, or means, of attachment of the entire assembly to the router table, which will be left open to the many options to be developed, and those methods already revealed in prior art. One exemplary method of fence attachment is a version of what is commonly called a “T-square fence”, such as fence model PRS 1015 sold by the Kreg Company, Huxley, Iowa. 
         [0086]    Perhaps our builder wishes to proceed first with the provision of a recessed channel which receives the track  36  along which the feeder assembly travels. These tracks are readily available from many sources and typically require a channel ¾″ wide and (various) ⅝″ deep. They are designed to accommodate companion locking knobs threaded into a trapped ¼″/20 pitch nut. Thus the feeder system&#39;s fore-and-aft adjustment would employ this conventional hardware. 
         [0087]    This track will also accommodate the use of various accessories such as finger-boards and stops, and could be equipped with two feeder assemblies, one at in-feed and one at out-feed. 
         [0088]    Next we come to the adjustable in-feed and out-feed fence faces that together form a working face against which the workpiece abuts. As illustrated in the plan view of  FIG. 3 , the in-feed section, to the right hand of the operator, is a separate part which is able to slide fore and aft along the main fence body, and is locked into position by the tightening of two knobs whose screws extend through the main fence body from behind. This feature allows the in-feed section, or face, to be retracted away from, or advanced toward the router bit. The alignment in relation to the main body is retained by splines  67  similar to those seen in the out-feed section in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0089]    Also shown on both in-feed and out-feed faces are sacrificial auxiliary faces. These are made of any plausible material and easily replaced by the operator. The point of these sacrificial parts is that they can be advanced right up to the router bit, even being machined by said bit, to obtain “zero clearance” at the cutter&#39;s exposure. This condition in use provides reduced chipping, better dust removal, and prevents a work piece from entering the gap. These sacrificial surfaces could be provided with any sort of quick-change conveniences, made of fancy materials, and provided as consumables, or simply screwed onto the fence sections by the owner. Often in shaper and router work it is necessary to fabricate a receiver piece to be attached to the out-feed section which fits the profile being cut, to prevent rolling or other problems as the work piece emerges from the shaping operation at the cutter. Therefore the sacrificial face of the out-feed section is often modified, and regarded as a disposable part. In practice ½″ plywood known in the trade as “Baltic birch” is quite suitable. The sacrificial contact faces are secured to the face of the fence so as to be easily removed or replaced, e.g. with Dzus fasteners. 
         [0090]    Now if we proceed to the out-feed section with its sacrificial face  63 , our builder will observe in  FIG. 3 , in plan, that this out-feed section is comprised of two wedge-shaped parts, or ramps, inner ramp  61  and outer ramp  62 , which are again aligned with splines  67 , and locked together with knobs from behind.  FIG. 7  shows the inner ramp  61  and outer ramp  62  and the locking knobs  59  on the face of the fence opposite the working face against which the workpiece abuts. In  FIG. 2 , elevation, is illustrated a ramp adjustment bracket  64  attached to the outer ramp  62 , and provided with an adjustment screw  65  and knob  66 , which threads into the end of inner ramp  61 , thus allowing slow and precise advancement of the outer ramp toward the router which results in moving the plane of the outfeed section forward, i.e., toward the operator. When the desired position is achieved, the ramps are locked together by knobs in the back, just as the two fence sections are. 
         [0091]    Half of Fence Moves 
         [0092]    This feature allows the operator to advance the outfeed fence face forward relative to the infeed, while not losing parallelism. This is often a desired setting, such as when the router is used as a jointer. The ramp system provides a highly accurate and positive “fine tuning” capability of infinite calibration, and has not been found in prior art. In a preferred embodiment, the ramp adjustment screw, with its knob, passes through a snug clearance hole in the bracket, then through a well-fitting “wave washer,” sometimes called a Belleville, through another washer, all being held tight with a snap ring, or stop nut, the wave washer being in a slightly compressed state. Perhaps the most thoughtfully developed fences are from the Kreg Co., and even these developers have failed to provide this infinitely-adjustable outfeed feature, relying on the use of spacers or shims of definite dimension for this operation. 
         [0093]    To build the fence&#39;s two sliding face assemblies, the builder will observe in the exploded view of  FIG. 7 , that the back side of each part has been provided with a plate of rigid material, preferably a good grade of aluminum, of the same dimensions as the face parts, except in thickness. An appropriate thickness which is readily available is ⅛″. 
         [0094]    These plates are introduced to form in essence a track which is trapping the lock nuts  60  which are engaged with the locking screws  58  and knobs  59 , the nuts sliding along in a slot milled into the fence parts. This approach was assumed to avoid the bulk of most readily available tracks, as the ramp sections preferably are not bulky themselves. These plates will necessarily be slotted, like a track, for some distance along their length, to allow the fore and aft adjustment. 
         [0095]    They will also be slotted in strategic areas to allow the insertion of the splines  67  which maintain alignment between parts. The splines can be conveniently supplied by using common keystock, the grooves to receive them being milled out on a table saw. The plates can be screwed to their respective components, the ramps and fence sections, or attached with epoxy. The locking screws that pass through the main fence body should do so in a relatively tight bore to prevent irritating bind-up. For better ergonomic relationship, a flat washer and a wave washer, or Belleville, should be under the knobs of the locking screws. An enhancement here would be the sleeving of said bores to eliminate the tendency of the locking screws to wear away the bores. 
         [0096]    With these sub-assemblies made ready, the entire fence can be assembled, basically a stacking of the parts and threading of the locking screws into the trapped nuts. The fence can be affixed to the router table by clamps or other means, and the feeder assembly attached to its track. Now our operator has the facility to position the fence in relation to the router bit, then position the feeder roller precisely where desired, according to the size of work piece. The height of the roller, controlled by the height adjustment screw  33 , is to be set so that the work piece can be nudged into the gap between the roller and the table, at which moment it begins to be fed. The angle of attack, or bias, some say “crab”, is set at about 5-10 degrees, to ensure the roller is urging the work piece toward the fence. By sliding the feeder assembly along its track, the roller is set very near the opening in the fence, but avoiding contact with the router bit (!) and production can begin. 
         [0097]    In operation, the material which is to be machined into a final product is first dimensioned and laid by for the operator to access conveniently in the work area. The entire fence is positioned over the router bit, allowing the desired amount of bit, or cutter, to protrude forward of the fence. Of course the height of the bit has also been adjusted in protrusion through the opening in the table. These settings are likely to have been estimated and may require adjustment once a first work piece has been milled. A first work piece is brought to the router table against the in-feed fence, allowing the operator to move the feeder assembly into its desired relation to the work piece, as discussed above. 
         [0098]    The feeder and the router can now be turned on and the end of the work piece nudged into engagement with the roller, under the roller and against the in-feed fence. Said workpiece will advance over the cutter, material will be removed, and the finished product will continue onto the out-feed side. If in the milling process some of the entire height of the work piece has been removed, the operator will utilize the adjustment feature whereby he can advance the out-feed section of the fence to the point where the new surface of the workpiece is in contact with the out-feed section. He may also wish to slide both fence sections toward the cutter to minimize the clearance, as was previously discussed. With very little practice regarding setting up, perfect results can be produced, while the hands of the operator are never in close proximity to the cutter. 
         [0099]    As is the case with any power tool, the operator must at all times exercise caution, ensuring that the machines are firmly affixed, the work area is uncluttered, and that loose clothing such as shirt-tails and sleeves are not in proximity to the action of the machines. The prototype in this preferred embodiment was equipped with a shroud over the gearmotor and another was placed over the geartrain. These shrouds are not shown in the drawings. 
         [0100]    A second embodiment is also presented which concerns the unification of the two major elements, the fence as a whole as already described, and the feeder assembly. Where in the preceding description the feeder assembly is mounted to its track  36  which is embedded in the main fence body, and said feeder assembly has a rotary adjustment platform, an alternative embodiment could also prove effective in providing the same advantages of adjustability and versatility. In this second embodiment, the rotary adjustment element  30 ,  31  below the lateral adjustment base  27  are eliminated, and the plate beneath the lateral adjustment base is increased in size to provide ample space to accommodate installation of two switchable magnets, substantially on each side of and in close proximity to said base. 
         [0101]    These small but powerful magnets are contained in a sleeve made of non-magnetic material, say aluminum or phenolic board, and carried loosely within the sleeves with machine screws that pass through the sleeves and into the body of the magnet. The sleeves themselves are firmly attached to the plate upon which the base is mounted. An opening beneath each magnet is cut in the enlarged plate slightly larger than the magnet itself. These remarkable rare earth magnets are available from the Magswitch TM Company of Westminster, Colo. The version to be used here is Magsquare 150, sku 8100054, which has a holding force of 150 pounds in contact with substantial ferrous material. 
         [0102]    Now a steel plate of the same width and length as the main fence body, in thickness ⅛″, or 3 mm, is attached firmly to the main fence body, say with countersunk wood screws. In this embodiment the operator positions the feeder assembly to his desire in relation to the router bit and switches the 2 magnets on. This second embodiment would provide all the advantages of the first embodiment in regard to the positioning of the roller, although perhaps with a bit less feeling of control. Though this version has not been prototyped, previous experience indicates the magnet strength to be more than adequate. 
         [0103]    In summary, herein has been described and illustrated a fence system for use with inverted routers or small shapers which incorporates improvements in adjustability over prior art, and combines the fence with a feeder element designed specifically for use with such machines, having characteristics especially advantageous for use with work pieces of small dimensions, thus greatly enhancing operator safety and product quality. 
         [0104]    While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description and not of limitation. Therefore, changes may be made within the appended claims without departing from the true scope of the invention.