Patent Publication Number: US-2005120852-A1

Title: Support and guide

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates to a support and guide which can be utilized to support a power hand tool in the treatment of a work piece.  
      Throughout the specification the term “tool” shall be taken as comprising powered hand tool which has a cutting element which is rotatably mounted in relation to a cutting face whereby a work piece is able to be engaged by the cutting element proximate the cutting face. Examples of tools to which the invention relates comprise powered hand planers, routers, saws and the like although the invention need not be limited to such examples.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly the invention resides in a support cradle adapted to support a tool having a cutting element associated with a cutting face at which the cutting element is accessible to a work piece, the cradle in use to be associated with a guide comprising a support face and a guide face which is to be coextensive with the support face, the cradle having a lower face which is to be maintained in face to face relationship with the support face and a side face which is to be maintained in face to face relationship with the guide face, the cradle configured to receive and support said tool such that the cutting face is located above the guide and is accessible across the guide face whereby with longitudinal movement of the cradle along the guide face the cutting element is caused to move in a path having a form corresponding to that of the guide face, clamping means provided from the cradle and adapted to releasably engage and support the tool on the cradle such that the cutting element is held in fixed space relation to the guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the side face is located above the lower face. According to a preferred feature of the invention the side face extends upwardly from the lower face and is perpendicular to the lower face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the lower face is provided with a set of first supports which are to support the lower face in spaced relation from the support face. According to a preferred feature of the invention the first supports are adapted to be slidably received on the support face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the side face is provided with a set of second supports which are to support the side face from the guide face in spaced relation. According to a preferred feature of the invention the second supports are adapted to be slidably received over the guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the guide face is profiled longitudinally to provide a non-linear support and the second supports engage the guide face to enable the cutting element to define a path of corresponding form to that of the guide face with relative longitudinal movement between the cradle and the guide. According to a preferred embodiment the second supports comprise at least one elongate element extending from the side face to be engageable at its outer end with the guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention a support element is provided on the cradle, said support element being transversely spaced from the side face, the support element, in use, being engageable with an elongate guide element provided along the support face, said guide element being parallel to the guide face, the engagement between the support element and the guide element maintaining a spacing between the guide face and the side face throughout the range of longitudinal movement of the cradle with respect to the guide. According to one embodiment the engagement between the support element and the guide element further prevents relative displacement between the lower face and the support face in the region of the support element and guide element. According to a further preferred feature of the invention the engagement between the support element and guide element is adapted to enable the cradle to move transversely on the support surface as a result of transverse displacement of the second support members in their movement over the guide face. According to a further embodiment of the invention the support element is transversely displaceable with respect to the cradle.  
      According to a further preferred feature of the invention the clamping means comprises a guard which in use is supported to the side of the cutting face which is opposite the guide, said guard extending outwardly from the clamping means to overlie the space outward of the cutting face. According to one embodiment the guard comprises a plate element. According to a further embodiment of the invention the guard is transparent.  
      According to a further preferred feature of the invention the cradle is provided by an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being engageable with the guide and the upper portion adapted to support the tool, the upper portion being displaceable from the lower portion, locking means provided between the lower portion and the upper portion to lockingly retain the portions in fixed relation to each other. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the portions are pivotally interconnected to enable the angular displacement of the cutting face relative to the guide face. According to a further embodiment, the pivot axis is located proximate the side face and substantially parallel to the side face.  
      According to a further preferred feature of the invention the tool is selected from a range of hand power tools which can comprise a hand planer and a router.  
      According to a further aspect the invention relates to a guide adapted to be used with a cradle of the form as described above, said guide comprising a support face and a guide face, which is perpendicular to the support face and having a longitudinal extent, the guide being adapted to receive the cradle such that the lower face of the cradle is in slidable face to face relationship with the support face and the side face of the cradle is in slidable face to face relationship with the guide face, the guide comprising a surface extending from the guide face in opposed relation to the support face, said surface being adapted to receive and support the work piece. According to a preferred feature of the invention the support face is provided with an elongate guide element which is in substantially parallel relationship with the guide face and which is engageable with a support element of the cradle, the engagement between the guide element and support element controlling displacement of the cradle laterally with respect to the guide face and/or the support face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the surface is associated with a second clamping means which is adapted to engage and retain a work piece in position on the surface.  
      According to a further preferred feature of the invention the surface is provided with one or more stop members which are capable of receiving and supporting the work piece on the surface to enable the work piece to be located in a desired position on the surface. According to a preferred feature of the invention a plurality of stop members are provided on the surface, said stop members being displaceable transversely relative to the guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the guide face is profiled longitudinally to provide a non-linear guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention at least one stop member comprises a support member which is rotatably supported on the stop member about an axis perpendicular to the surface and locking means provided between the stop member and the support member to retain the support member in a particular predetermined angular position relative to the guide face, said support member providing a support surface for the work piece on the surface.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the surface is angularly displaceable relative to the guide face about an axis proximate and parallel to the guide face.  
      According to a preferred feature of the invention the guide comprises a first support having a mounting adapted to receive an elongate member in parallel relation to the support surface, the surface of the elongate member comprising the guide face, the first support adapted to be able to rotate the elongate member about its central axis, the guide further comprising a second support having a mounting adapted to receive an elongate work piece in parallel relation to the elongate member, the second support adapted to be able to rotate the work piece member about its central axis in correspondence with the elongate member.  
      The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of specific embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:  
       FIG. 1  is an isometric side view of a cradle according to the first embodiment accommodating a hand planer;  
       FIG. 2  is an isometric end view of the cradle of  FIG. 1  accommodating the hand planer;  
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a cradle accommodating a hand planer as shown at  FIGS. 1 and 2  in position on a guide according to the first embodiment together with a work piece;  
       FIG. 4  is another isometric view of cradle and planer as shown at  FIGS. 1 and 2  in use on a guide with another form of work piece;  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic isometric view of a cradle according to second embodiment;  
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a cradle according to the third embodiment which can be utilized to support a router;  
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation of the cradle according to the third embodiment;  
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a cradle according to the third embodiment (not including a router) in position on a guide;  
       FIG. 9  is a schematic side elevation of a cradle according to the third embodiment with a router and supported on another form of guide;  
       FIG. 10  is a schematic isometric view of the form of guide illustrated at  FIG. 9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS  
      Each of the embodiments is directed to a cradle which can be utilized with a guide whereby the cradle supports a powered hand tool which takes the form of a planer or alternatively a router and which can be utilized with a guide to finish a work piece formed of timber. The cradle can be formed of any suitable timber and/or metallic and/or plastics as can be the guide.  
      The first embodiment of the invention as illustrated at FIGS.  1  to  4  comprises a cradle  11  which is adapted to clampingly support a hand planer  13 . The hand planer is of a substantially conventional form and incorporates a cutting element which is associated with a planar cutting face  17  which is formed with a slot through which the cutting element is able to access a work piece.  
      The cradle  11  comprises a base  19  which is of a generally rectangular configuration and is formed with a central aperture to provide a frame around the aperture whereby the planer  13  is receivable on the cradle  11  such that one side edge of the cutting face  15  will rest on the upper surface of the cradle  11 .  
      The cradle  11  is intended for use with a guide  21  as illustrated at  FIGS. 3 and 4  where the guide  21  is provided with a substantially horizontal support face  23  which terminates at its inner end with a guide face  25  which extends upwardly from the support face  23  to be perpendicular thereto and extends for the length of the support face  23 . The cradle  11  is provided with a lower face  27  which is intended to be supported from the support face  23  and a side face  29  which is intended to be in face to face relationship with the guide face  25 . The lower face  27  is provided with a number of first supports  28  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) which extend downwardly from the lower face in order to space the lower face from the support face  23  in a parallel face to face relationship. The supports enable the cradle to be readily capable of slidable movement over the support face  23  with the minimum of friction as a result of both their configuration and the material of which they are formed. Similarly the side face  29  is provided with a set of second supports  31  which when the side face  29  is in face to face relationship with the guide face  25 , the second supports  31  slidably engage the guide face  25  to support the side face  29  in spaced face to face relation from the guide face  25 . In addition the second supports, by their configuration and the material of which they are formed, are capable of ready slidable movement along guide face  25  with the minimum of friction.  
      The base  19  is associated with pair of upstanding support posts  33  which are located at either end of the base. Each support post is associated with a clamping element  35  which is fixed to the upper end of the support post  33  by an adjustment means comprising a pair of threaded nuts threadably received on the threaded post  33 . The clamping members  35  extend in a cantilever fashion from the support post  33  and are provided with a bearing element on the under face of the outer end which is capable of bearing upon the chassis of the planer  13  by adjustment of the position of the clamping members  35  on the support post  33 .  
      The height of the clamping members from the base  19  can be adjusted to accommodate for planers of differing dimensions. In addition, a guard plate  41  is clampingly received between the bearing members  37  and the chassis  39  of the hand tool to be clampingly retained in position such that it extends beyond the edge of the cutting face in opposed parallel relation to the guide.  
      As illustrated at  FIGS. 3 and 4  the cradle is utilized to support a planer and to enable the planer to be positioned on the guide such that the cutting face  15  is located above the guide face  25  of the guide. The guide face  25  is associated with a support surface  30  which extends perpendicularly from the guide face  25  in opposed relation to the support face  23  and which is intended to support a work piece W. In use the work piece W is fixed in position on the support surface  30  by suitable clamps C such that the edge which is to be worked is located in general alignment with the guide face  25  and a sufficient distance from the guide face  25  such that it will be engaged by the cutting element of the planer  13 .  
      In use, once the work piece W is located in position, the planer is positioned on the guide  21  such that the side face  29  of the base  19  is in engagement with the guide face  25  or as close to the guide face  25  as the exposed edge of the work piece W will allow. By longitudinal movement of the cradle  11  over the support face  23 , the exposed edge of the work piece W will be worked by the planer  13  to bring the worked edge into parallel relationship with the guide face  25 . As shown at  FIGS. 3 and 4  the work piece W may comprise a piece of timber which is located longitudinally parallel with the guide face  25  as shown in  FIG. 4  or may be located oblique to the guide face  25  as illustrated at  FIG. 4 . In addition, as shown at  FIG. 4 , the support for the work piece W can include a fence element F which is located along the trailing edge of the work piece W in order to support that trailing edge of the work piece in the region where it is being worked by the cutting element to prevent chipping of the trailing edge.  
      In order to stabilize the cradle  11  in its movement along the support face  23 , and to prevent lateral movement of the cradle  11  away from the guide face  25 , the support face  23  may incorporate a support element in the form of a rib element (not shown) which is positioned in spaced parallel relation from the guide face  25  at a distance corresponding to the width of the cradle  11  such that in use the cradle  11  will be received between the rib element and the guide face  25 . The presence of the rib element serves to prevent lateral displacement of the cradle  11  away from the guide face  25  in its longitudinal movement along the support face  23 . According to a variation of the embodiment, the rib element may be formed such that it engages a formation on the cradle  11  to prevent relative displacement between the exterior side face  43  of the cradle  11  and the support face  23  at the point of support between the rib element and the cradle  11 .  
      According to a further variation of the first embodiment, the support surface  30  of the guide  21  may be pivotally supported, or capable of pivotal movement, about an axis parallel with the upper edge of the guide face  25  such that the inclination of the support surface  30  which accommodates the work piece W can be varied.  
      Suitable locking means is provided between the guide  21  and the support surface  30  to maintain the support surface in the desired angular disposition relative to the guide face  25 .  
      In addition, the support surface  30  of the guide  21  can be provided with slotted openings and/or grooves which can be transverse to the guide face  25  and/or parallel to the guide face  25  and which are capable of supporting fence elements, bevel guides or stops which are utilized to locate a work piece in the desired position relative to the guide face  25 . Such bevel guides, fences and stops will be provided with a suitable clamping means to enable them to be clampingly positioned to the support surface in order to provide a rigid support for the work piece.  
      According to a second embodiment of the invention, as illustrated at  FIG. 5  (the same reference numerals have been used as those used in respect of first embodiment of FIGS.  1  to  4 ), the base  19  of the cradle is formed with a lower portion  19 A and an upper portion  19 B which are hingedly interconnected by a hinge which is located at the side face  29 . Suitable locking mechanisms  47  are provided between the portions  19 A and  19 B at each end of the base in order that the desired angular disposition of the upper portion  19 B relative to the lower portion  19 A can be fixed. The locking mechanism as shown at  FIG. 5  comprises an elongate link  49  which is pivotally mounted at one end to the upper portion  19 B. The elongate link  49  is provided with a slotted opening at its other end where the axis of the slot is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member  49 . The slot is associated with a stud provided on the lower portion  19 A which is associated with a suitable wing nut in order that the elongate member can be locked into position.  
      The third embodiment of the invention, as shown at FIGS.  6  to  8 , comprises a cradle  111  which can be utilized to support a router in association with the guide and which can take the same form as that as described in relation to the first and second embodiments at FIGS.  1  to  5 . The cradle  111  comprises a base  119  which is receivable on the support surface  23  and has side face  129  which is slidably engageable with the guide face of the guide as in the case of the previous embodiments. The base  119  has an upper support plate  149  which is adjustably mounted to the base  119  and which extends in a cantilever fashion from the base  119  and where the cantilevered portion is configured to receive the face plate of a router (not shown) which defines the cutting face of the router such that the router bit extends downwardly from the support plate  149  into a position above the guide. The support plate is formed with a circular recess on its upper face which will receive the face plate of the router and which is formed with a keyhole like opening at its center which enables the cutting tool to extend through the center of the opening when the router is supported by the support plate  149  and which will enable the router to be engaged with, and disengaged from, the support plate  149 . The recess is associated with a plurality of clamping elements which are located at angularly spaced intervals around the perimeter of the recess and which are able to clampingly engage the exposed face of the face plate of the router to hold it in position on the support plate  149 . The base  119  may be provided with a set of spacer elements  151  which can be introduced between the base  119  and the support plate  149  or removed therefrom in order to vary the spacing of the router element from the guide, in addition to variation in spacing which can be achieved through the axial movement which is available for the router bit as a result of the inherent adjustment characteristics of the router.  
      A general arrangement according to the third embodiment (router not shown) is shown in  FIG. 8 . In that arrangement, the support surface is provided with a groove  126  which may be used to slidably locate a bevel gauge  127  (or other element as described above). The cradle  111  may be utilized in the same manner as the cradle of the previous embodiments (although the bevel gauge may need to be removed) in order that the cutter bit of the router can be moved in association with an exposed edge of a work piece in order to work that work piece.  
      In the case of the fourth embodiment (not shown) the guide face  125  is provided by a profiled template which is mounted to the guide face  25  of the guide  21  and which defines a guide face  125  which is non-linear for at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the guide face  125 . In such an instance, the second support members  131  which support the side face  129  of the cradle  111  from the guide face  125  are formed as post elements or like elongate elements and are spaced and dimensioned such that they will remain in contact with the contoured guide face  125  throughout the longitudinal movement of the cradle  111  relative to the guide face  125 . In this regard, the rib element which locates the opposed side of the cradle  111  to guide face  25  would be connected to the cradle  111  by utilization of adjustment means which will allow for the relative lateral displacement of the cradle  111  with respect to the rib but which will prevent the displacement of the outer side of the cradle  111  from the support face  23 .  
      In the case of the fifth embodiment, as illustrated at  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the guide face  125  is provided by an elongate template  128  which is rotatably supported at either end between a pair of opposed chucks which are in turn supported by a pair of upstanding brackets  153 . The template  128  has a guideface  125  which has a three dimensional shape which is to be copied (such as a spiral spindle as shown at  FIG. 10 ). The upstanding brackets  153  further rotatably support a work piece W in substantially parallel, vertically-spaced relation from the guide face  125 . The guide, illustrated at  FIGS. 9 and 10 , is utilized with a router supported from a cradle according to the third embodiment as illustrated at  FIGS. 6, 7  and  8  such that the second support members  131  on the side face  129  of the base  119  are in engagement with the surface of the guide face  125  while the router  161  is supported from the mounting plate  149  such that the router bit  163  will engage with the work piece W. The rotatable supports for the guide face  125  and the work piece W are interconnected by a suitable pulley belt  155  and are driven either manually or through a suitable drive motor such that they will rotate simultaneously.  
      The cradle base  119  of the cradle is further supported by an elongate guide element in the form of an upstanding rib  157  provided on the support face  123  in parallel spaced relation from the guide face  125  and the base  119  is supported from the upstanding rib  157  by a support element in the form of a plurality of elongate peg members  165  provided at their outer end with sockets  167 . The sockets  167  are engageable over the rib  157  and enable the pegs  165  to slide longitudinally along the rib  157  but to resist lateral movement of the outer end of the pegs  165  from the rib  157 . The inner portions of the pegs  165  are received in bores  169  provided in the base  119  such that the pegs  165  are slidable transversely within the base  119 . The utilization of the pegs  165  in association with the rib  157  stabilizes the cradle  111  in its longitudinal movement along the support face  123  and prevents displacement of the cradle  111  away from the support face  123  and at the same time will permit transverse movement of the cradle on the support face  123  as a result of the contours of the guide face  125 . The fifth embodiment thus enables the three dimensional shape of a guide face to be copied onto a workpiece.  
      Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.  
      It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiments described above.