Patent Publication Number: US-2007107806-A1

Title: Ezee-feed

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/737,414, filed Nov. 17, 2005. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND  
      The present invention generally relates to the field of processing equipment. Specifically, the present invention relates to attachments for facilitating the processing of materials through a processing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a table attachment for facilitating the processing of sheet goods, such as plywood, through a processing device, such as a table saw or router.  
      There are many devices for processing sheet goods. There are approximately 6 million table saws or related machines currently in use in the United States, and approximately 80,000 units are sold each year. However, with known processing devices, it is often the case that the devices are not particularly suited for prevention of back injuries to the user or preventing damage to the sheet goods before, during and after processing. It is often difficult for one person to efficiently and effectively process a material, such as a large sheet of plywood or long piece of lumber, through a processing device, such as a table saw or router. In some cases, an individual piece of material may weigh nearly 100 pounds. When a particular piece of material is heavy, it may be difficult to load and unload the material. Also, it may be difficult to accurately position and move the material through the processing device. For large pieces of material, a worker might not be able to see around the material when loading the material onto the processing device. Often, a worker will load the material, without being able to see, by bumping the material into the processing device, resulting in damage to the material or the processing device itself. Also, the awkwardness of the known loading procedure often leads to back injury. Further, when loading a large piece of material, such as a piece of material that is eight feet long, a single worker will be positioned far away from the cutting point of the processing device. One method for a single worker to process a piece of material is to apply force to the material against the rip fence along the full length of the material while guiding the material through the processing device. Often, this procedure results in the inaccurate processing of the material.  
      The present invention overcomes the above-referenced problems related to single user operation of processing devices, particularly regarding the processing of sheet goods. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention will be described by way of exemplary -embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of an embodiment of an infeed/outfeed table attachment;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of another embodiment of an infeed/outfeed table attachment attached to a table saw;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of yet another embodiment of an infeed/outfeed table attachment attached to a router;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective side view of infeed/outfeed table attachment in a folded position;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective side view of a processing device/worktable and a rip fence guide;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective end view of the processing device/worktable and the rip fence guide;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective bottom view of the processing device/worktable and the rip fence guide;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective bottom view of the processing device/worktable, the rip fence guide, and an angle bracket attached to the rip fence guide;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective side view of five angle brackets attached to the rip fence guide;  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective side view of a track being attached to the angle brackets, where holes are drilled in the track and angle brackets using a handheld drill;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective end view of a horizontal movement device; and  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective side view of the processing device/worktable, the rip fence guide, the angle brackets, and the horizontal movement device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS  
      Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.  
      Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation. The phrase in one embodiment is used repeatedly. The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment, however, it may. The terms comprising, having and including are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise.  
      The present invention is directed to a removable, portable metal infeed/outfeed extension table attachment designed for, but not limited to woodworking machinery. Infeed/outfeed is defined also as just the term feed. So when the term feed is used it could mean infeed only or out feed only or any combination of infeed outfeed. The table attachment is particularly well suited for use and operation by one operator, but may, of course, be used by multiple workers. The table attachment allows one person to load sheet goods, for example, plywood, solid surface goods and the like, onto a processing device. The table attachment is particularly well suited for heavy sheet materials weighing as much as 100 pounds and more but any weight sheet material will be easy to move and align with my present invention. The table attachment may be provided in any suitable length or width and may be adapted for use with any type of processing device. The table attachment may be constructed of metal tube framework and may be welded or bolted together. As described in greater detail below, the table attachment may be attached perpendicularly to the existing front, side and/or rear of a processing device. The table attachment may have a frame with folding metal legs for support. The frame may have a series of cross members attached perpendicularly to the frame, onto which may be mounted a series of ball rollers or transfer ball glides. The ball rollers may be provided flush or coplanar with the work surface thus enabling large or awkward work pieces to be safely and accurately guided through the cutting or machining process. The left and/or right sides of the table attachment may have a long ball bearing roller to permit easy loading of sheet goods onto and off of the table attachment. The first cross member may be provided far enough from the rail of the processing device so as not to interfere with an existing rip fence commonly found on table saws. The legs of the table attachment may be height adjustable to allow for uneven flooring and to permit a universal fit to various types of common machines found in workshops. The table attachment may be attached to the processing device by means of a rail or track, which is mounted to any side of the machine, and which allows for quick, secure and lockable placement of the table attachment with respect to the processing device. The mounting rail or track may also be available separately and in various lengths to permit one table attachment to be interchangeably used with multiple processing devices.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment of the present invention, an infeed/outfeed table attachment  10 A for processing an object through a processing device/worktable  200  (shown, for example, in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  5 - 12 ) is provided with a support frame. The object may be a material such as plywood sheet goods, PVC sheet goods, lumber, solid surface goods, composite materials or any material that requires processing through a processing device. The processing device may be a machine such as a saw, a router, a shaper or any other device for processing plywood sheet goods, PVC sheet goods, lumber, composite materials or any suitable material. The processing device may be mounted on or used in association with a worktable.  
      The support frame may comprise a generally vertical portion and a generally horizontal portion, joined together with a hinge device  18  that permits the table attachment  10 A to be folded into a flat position, as shown, for example, in  FIG. 4 . The hinge device  18  may be provided with a lock nut that may be tightened so that the legs do not open and close quickly, thus reducing the chance of crushing the fingers of the user of the device. The vertical portion may comprise vertically adjustable leveling feet  12 , vertical support members  16 , and horizontal support members  14  provided between the vertical support members  16 . The horizontal portion may comprise side support members  20 , central support members  22  provided between the side support members  20 , and mounting brackets  30 . The side support members  20  may be L-shaped on one end, and the end having the L-shaped end may comprise the hinge device  18  and connection to the vertical portion. The ends of side support members  20  may be capped with end caps (not shown). The end caps may be made of plastic, or any other suitable material.  
      The table attachment  10 A may be attached to the processing device using any suitable means. For example, mounting brackets  30  may be generally L-shaped brackets (when viewed in a cross-section through the side of the bracket) that connect a vertical inside surface of the side support members  20  with a horizontal upper surface of sliding mounting brackets  140 , to be described in greater detail below. The mounting brackets  30 ,  140  may be attached to each other using any suitable means, such as use of a nut and bolt connection  32  through corresponding connecting holes formed in the mounting brackets  30 ,  140 .  
      One or more devices for generally horizontal movement of the material may be mounted to the table attachment  10 A. For example, the device for horizontal movement of the material may comprise a plurality of ball rollers  24  mounted to the top side of each of the central support members  22 . For example, four pair of ball rollers  24  may be attached to the top side of each of the central support members  22 . It is noted that any suitable number of ball rollers  24  may be provided in any suitable position. The ball rollers  24  may be provided in the same plane to permit smooth handling of the material. Where the processing device provides a generally horizontal working surface, the plane for the table attachment  10 A is also desirably generally horizontal. The ball rollers  24  are particularly suited for sheet goods such as plywood. The ball rollers  24  may be 1″ diameter-balls, each supported by several dozen smaller ball bearings. In one embodiment, there are 80 smaller ball bearings,for each roller  24 . The ball rollers  24  permit a worker to move a sheet material in any desired direction and with little effort.  
      Also, for example, the device for horizontal movement of the material may comprise a mounting bracket  26  attached to one or both sides of the side support members  20 . The mounting bracket  26  may be adapted to support both ends of a cylindrical roller  28 . The cylindrical roller  28  spins about an axis and permits lateral movement of the material with respect to the processing device. The cylindrical roller  28  is particularly suited for sheet goods such as plywood. By pivoting the material to be processed on the cylindrical roller  28 , the cylindrical roller  28  may effectively reduce the total weight of the material to be processed by fifty percent, thus making it easier to load and unload the material. Once the sheet material is pivoted against the roller  28 , a worker may push the material onto the device with less effort.  
      Using the present invention configured with the components described herein, a worker is able to easily load and unload materials onto and off of the processing device. After loading the material, the worker no longer needs to support the full weight of the material. Also, the rollers permit movement of the material with less effort. Rather than having a situation where the material is resting on the upper surface of the processing device itself, the material is at least partially supported by the table attachment.  
       FIG. 2  as in one embodiment of the present invention, shown is an infeed/outfeed table attachment  10 B having three horizontal support members  14 , three central support members  22 , and a cylindrical roller  28 . In this embodiment, each of the four central support members  22  shown in  FIG. 2  has two pair of ball rollers  24 . Also shown is attachment of the table attachment  10 B to a processing device/worktable  200  (equipped with a table saw) via a horizontal movement device  100 . Details of the attachment of the table attachment  10 B to the horizontal movement device  100  of the processing device/worktable  200  are provided below.  
       FIG. 3  as in one embodiment of the present invention, shown is an infeed/outfeed table attachment  10 C has three central support members  22 , and no cylindrical roller  28 . In this embodiment, each of the three central support members  22  shown in  FIG. 3  has a pair of ball rollers  24 . Also shown is attachment of the table attachment  10 C to a processing device/worktable  200  (equipped with a router, jig saw, or the like) via a horizontal movement device  100 . Details of the attachment of the table attachment  10 C to the horizontal movement device  100  of the processing device/worktable  200  are provided below.  
       FIG. 4  shows two exemplary table attachments  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C, each folded into a flat position, as shown, for example, in  FIG. 4 . The generally vertical portion and the generally horizontal portion of each table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C are foldable due to the hinge device  18 . In the folded, flat position, the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C may be hung from a suitable load-bearing vertical surface such as a storage cabinet or wall (not shown). This feature makes the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C easy to store.  
       FIGS. 5-7  show a standard connection between a processing device/worktable  200  and a rip fence guide. The rip fence guide typically includes a support bracket  220  and a box beam  230 . On the underside of the rip fence guide, fastening bolts  225  are provided for fastening the box beam  230  to the support bracket  220 . The support bracket  220  is attached to a working surface  210  of the processing device/worktable  200  using fasteners  215 . The support bracket  220  may be L-shaped, where the vertical portion of the bracket  220  is attached to the working surface  210  of the processing device/worktable  200  and where the horizontal portion is attached to the box beam  230 . The box beam  230  made be made of steel or any other suitable material.  
      As shown in  FIG. 8 , in order to attach the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C of the present invention to a processing device/worktable  200 , angle brackets  110  are attached to the bottom of support bracket  220  using a plurality of fastening bolts  225 . Each angle bracket  110  is provided with a hole adapted to receive fastening bolts  225 . One at a time, a user removes the existing fastening bolts, and the angle bracket  110  is attached to the bottom of the support bracket  220  with fastening bolts  225 . The angle brackets  110  may be formed from aluminum or any other suitable material. The fastening bolts  225  may be longer than the existing fastening bolts. For example, ¼×20×1 inch bolts may be used for the fastening bolts  225 , which generally provides a sufficient length for proper connection of each angle bracket  110  to the support bracket  220 .  
      Any suitable number of angle brackets  110  may be attached to the support bracket  220 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , five angle brackets  110  are attached at generally equally spaced intervals.  
      Once the angle brackets  110  are attached to the support bracket  220 , as shown, for example, in  FIG. 10 , a T-track  120  is attached to the angle brackets  110 . Temporary clamps  400  (shown in  FIG. 12 ) are used to temporarily secure the T-track  120  to the angle brackets  110 . The angle brackets  110  are, in one embodiment, about 1/16″ below the rip fence box beam  230 . A piece of laminate or thin cardboard may be used as a shim. The end of the T-track  120  may be provided so as to be even with the end of the processing device/worktable  200 . The T-track  120  may be attached to each of the angle brackets  110  with a pair of 10-24 screws  115  with locknuts and washers for each angle bracket  110 . A hole may be drilled into T-track  120  using a handheld drill  300  and appropriately sized drill bit. The head of each screw  115  is countersunk into the inside of the T-track  120  so as not to interfere with the operation of the T-track  120  with respect to sliding mounting brackets  140 , described in greater detail below.  
      Either before of after attachment of the T-track  120  to the angle brackets  110 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , a plurality of sliding members  140  are placed into sliding engagement with the T-track  120 . The T-track  120  has a large groove  122  adapted to receive washers  125  in sliding engagement. The T-track  120  also has a lip  124  adapted to receive flat section  130  in sliding engagement. The outer diameter of washers  125  is larger than the vertical height of the flat section  130 . As such, the combination of the washers  125  and flat section  130  create a T-shape, which fits into sliding engagement with the T-shaped slot formed by large and small groove  122  and the lip  124 , respectively. A bolt  135  may be provided to attach the washer  125  and the flat section  130  with the mounting bracket  140 . A nut  137  may be provided to engage with a threaded portion of bolt  135  thus completing the connection. The nuts  137  may be tightened or loosened so as to provide just enough resistance to secure the assembly while simultaneously allowing for sliding engagement between the sliding mounting brackets  140  and the T-track  120 .  
       FIG. 12  shows the sliding mounting brackets  140  after they have been attached to the T-track  120 . At this point, the sliding mounting brackets  140  are adapted for connection to the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C.  
      The sliding mounting brackets  140  may be attached to the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C, for example, via mounting brackets  30 , best shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C is placed against the processing device/worktable  200  such that the end caps (not shown) are touching the rip fence box beam  230 , and such that the mounting brackets  30  and aligned with sliding mounting brackets  140 . The center of each bolt in the nut and bolt connector  32  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) is marked on each of the sliding mounting brackets  140 . For example, a 21/64″ hole is bored into each mounting bracket  140 . A 5/16″ bit may be used and then reamed up to 21/64″. Each hole should be countersunk such that the nut of the nut and bolt connector  32  settles into the hole and has little or no side to side movement. The nut and bolt connector  32  is tightened so as to secure the mounting brackets  30  to the sliding mounting brackets  140 . The nut and bolt connector  32  is also adapted to provide vertical height adjustment of the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C with respect to the processing device/worktable  200 . In one embodiment, the ball rollers  24  should be set at a height so as to be about 1/32″ to 1/16″ higher than the top of the surface of the working surface  210  of the processing device/worktable  200 . The adjustable leveling feet  12  may be adjusted vertically so as to provide a horizontally level working surface for the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C.  
      As such, the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C is secured to the processing device/worktable  200  and is ready to use. Due to the horizontal movement device  100 , the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C is provided in horizontal sliding engagement with respect to the processing device/worktable  200 . As a result, sheet goods may be cut quickly and accurately. Also, due to the increased working area of the overall combined device, and due to the rollers  24  and cylindrical roller  28 , it is easier to guide, move and cut sheet goods. The present inventors have observed that the present table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C is useful in preventing back injuries and strain to the user of the processing device/worktable  200 , particularly as compared to use of the processing device/worktable  200  without the table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C.  
      The present table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C can be mounted and dismounted to the processing device/worktable  200  in a matter of minutes or even seconds. The table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C is multi positional along the rip fence using a T-track  120  and sliding mounting brackets  140 . Multiple T-tracks  120  may be provided on multiple processing devices/worktables  200 . As such, one table attachment  10 A/ 10 B/ 10 C can be used interchangeably with multiple processing devices/worktables  200 .  
      The table attachment  10 B shown in  FIG. 2  is the original and most popular embodiment of the present invention and is designed to permit one operator to handle bulky materials. The table attachment  10 C shown in  FIG. 3  is designed to easily install on a shaper or router table, and is particularly suited for shaping edges of materials. The present invention may also be used with contractor&#39;s saws. The present invention enlarges the feed area and the footprint of the saw, thus making the saw more stable.  
      While the present invention has been related in terms of the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments depicted. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.