Patent Abstract:
The invention provides a woodworking duplicator which is adapted to be attached to a standard radial arm saw. The device allows a rotating cutting tool and a stylus to be movably supported allowing the user to trace a pattern with the stylus while cutting the pattern into a work piece with the cutter. The invention provides a duplicator that may be mounted to a radial arm saw wherein the duplicator includes elements that may be moved in five different directions. The invention also provides a duplicator having a stylus and a cutter that may be easily locked into different parallel positions so that the user of the duplicator may more easily trace the item being duplicated. The invention also provides a duplicator that supports the weight of the stylus and cutter tool.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from pending U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/247,137 filed Nov. 9, 2000; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. TECHNICAL FIELD  
           [0003]    The invention relates generally to a duplicator for use in woodworking, and more particularly to a duplicator for attachment to a standard radial arm saw. Specifically, the present invention relates to a duplicator that may be attached to a standard radial arm saw while being movable and adjustable in at least five directions.  
           [0004]    2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
           [0005]    Woodworkers often desire to duplicate a three dimensional object. Such objects may includes faces, patterns, sculptured items, etc. These parts could be carved individually, but it is very difficult to make them similar, let alone identical to each other. The time and skill to individually carve them also makes this option undesirable. It is therefore desirable to have a tool which can be used to make duplicate copies of an article. Such a tool would allow the woodworker to hand carve an original work and then quickly and easily duplicate the work so that the duplicates may be sold.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The device of the present invention is a woodworking duplicator which is adapted to be attached to a standard radial arm saw. The device allows a rotating cutting tool and a stylus to be movably supported allowing the user to trace a pattern with the stylus while cutting the pattern into a work piece with the cutter.  
           [0007]    The invention provides a duplicator that may be mounted to a radial arm saw wherein the duplicator includes elements that may be moved in five different directions. The invention also provides a duplicator having a stylus and a cutter that may be easily locked into different parallel positions so that the user of the duplicator may more easily trace the item being duplicated. The invention also provides a duplicator that supports the weight of the stylus and cutter tool. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles of the invention, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of the duplicator shown mounted on a standard radial arm saw.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side view of the device through line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1, showing the cutting tool contacting a block of wood to be carved.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a side view of the device through line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1, showing the stylus contacting an article to be duplicated.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 5 and 6 are front views of the duplicator illustrating that the sleeve holding the cutting tool and stylus may be moved in a first horizontal plane.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 7 and 8 are side views of the device illustrating the vertical motion of the duplicator, showing that the cutting carriage may be lowered towards or raised away from the table of the radial arm saw.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views of the device illustrating that the cutting carriage may be moved in a second horizontal plane toward or away from the post of the radial arm saw.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 11 and 12 are partial side views of the device illustrating the vertical rotatability of the cutting tool of the device about the second bar of the duplicator.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 13 is a partial plan view of the sleeve of the device showing how a first cutting tool and the stylus are mounted on the sleeve.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 14 is a partial plan view of the sleeve showing a second cutting tool and the stylus, and illustrating how the stylus is adjusted to align with the cutting tool on the sleeve.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 15 is sectional view taken along line  15 - 15  of FIG. 14.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 16 is a front view of the sleeve, with the cutting tool and stylus removed to show the bushings.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 17 is a front view of the sleeve with the cutting tool and stylus in position for engagement with the block of wood to be carved and the article to be duplicated.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 18 and 19 are front views of the sleeve shown in FIG. 17, illustrating the rotatability of the cutting tool and stylus relative to the sleeve.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along line  20 - 20  of FIG. 17.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 21 is a view taken along line  21 - 21  on FIG. 20.  
         [0025]    Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    The duplicator device  8  of the present invention is adapted to be mounted on a radial arm saw  10 . Radial arm saw  10  includes a horizontal table  12 , a post  14  extending vertically therefrom, an arm  16  extending horizontally from the post  14  and over the table  12 , and a slide  18  mounted on the underside of the arm  16 . Post  14  is adapted to telescope so that arm  16  moves vertically towards and away from table  12 . Slide  16  is adapted to move horizontally along the underside of arm  16 , both towards and away from post  14 .  
         [0027]    Duplicator  8  of the present invention is adapted to be secured to radial arm saw  10  when the saw motor and blade have been removed. Duplicator  8  includes a frame that is generally indicated at  20 . Frame  20  is generally rectangular in shape having first and second bars  22 ,  24  being disposed at right angles to end bars  26 ,  28 . First bar  22  is attached to slide  18  of arm  16  by any suitable mounting arrangement. A spring  30  is disposed between slide  18  and first bar  22  so as to bias frame  20  upwardly towards arm  16  and away from table  12  of saw  10 .  
         [0028]    A sleeve  32  is coaxially, slidably, and rotatably disposed on second bar  24  and is adapted to move horizontally along second bar  24  between end bars  26 ,  28  (FIGS. 5 &amp; 6). A cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  are mounted on sleeve  32  in any suitable manner. As sleeve  32  moves horizontally along second bar  24 , cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  move with it. Cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  thus slide and rotate in concert. Cutting tool  34  is adapted to carve into a workpiece which is typically a block of wood  38  or other substrate and stylus  36  is adapted to engage the article  40  which is to be duplicated into workpiece  38 .  
         [0029]    Device  8  can move in a number of directions so that cutting tool  34  can be used to cut a three dimensional copy of article  40  as stylus  36  traces over article  40 . Cutting tool  34  can make the following movements. Firstly, sleeve  32  can slide horizontally in the A-A′ direction along second bar  24  (FIGS. 5 &amp; 6). This allows the cutting tool  34  to cut the block of wood  38  in a first horizontal direction. Secondly, frame  20  can rotate vertically about axis B-B′ (FIG. 6). This allows the sleeve  32  to be lowered (FIG. 7) or raised (FIG. 8) relative to table  12 , allowing cutting tool  34  to cut workpiece  38  in a vertical direction. Thirdly, because frame  20  is connected to slide  18 , it can slide towards and away from post  14  in the C-C′ direction (FIGS. 9 &amp; 10). This moves cutting tool  34  in the second horizontal direction, thereby allowing for cuts to be made in the block of wood  38  in this direction. Fourthly, sleeve  32  is able to rotate about the axis D-D′ (FIGS. 5, 11 &amp;  12 ), allowing for cuts to be made in this direction. Fifthly, frame  20  can rotate about the vertical axis E-E′ (FIG. 7) as arm  16  is rotated about post  14  of radial arm saw  10 . Finally, as best can be seen in FIGS. 17, 18 and  19 , cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  can be rotated about axes F and F′ (FIGS. 20 and 21) in a manner which will be described below. The relative movements and rotatability of cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  in these various directions, allows for any three dimensional object to be duplicated by device  10 .  
         [0030]    Stylus  36  is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 15 and 20. Stylus  36  includes a handle  42  at one end and a tracing tip  44  at the other. Tracing tip  44  may be adjustably mounted to stylus  36  in any suitable manner such as being received within a slot and being clamped therein by a clamp  46 . While tracing tip  44  is shown as a removable part of stylus  36 , it may be formed as an integral part thereof. The body of stylus  36  includes a slot for receiving a rod  48  therethrough. A suitable clamp  50  secures rod  48  and stylus  36  together. Rod  48  has a threaded first end  52  and a second end  54  that is inserted first through the bore  55  of a bushing  56  connected to sleeve  32  then through a V-shaped bracket  58  and finally through the slot in stylus  36 . Bushing  56  is connected to sleeve  32  by any suitable connectors such as welds or mechanical connectors. Clamp  50  is then inserted into stylus  36  to secure rod  48  in place.  
         [0031]    As can be seen from FIGS. 16 &amp; 21, the front face of bushing  56  which lies proximate bracket  58  is provided with a plurality of grooves  60  for receiving the apex  61  of the V of bracket  58 . An internally threaded handle  62  engages the external threads on first end  52  of rod  48 . When handle  62  is rotated, rod  48  is drawn farther towards or away from handle  62 , thereby decreasing or increasing the distance between sleeve  32  and stylus  36  (see FIGS. 13 and 14). If it is desired to alter the angle of stylus  36  relative to sleeve  32 , handle  62  is rotated to the point that apex  61  disengages from groove  60 , bushing  50  is rotated so that a different groove  60  is disposed for engagement with bracket  58 , and then handle  62  is rotated until apex  61  re-engages in the different groove  60 .  
         [0032]    Cutting tool  34  is connected to the sleeve  32  in the following manner. A second V-shaped bracket  58 ′ is provided to engage in the grooves  60 ′ of a second bushing  56 ′ in the manner described above. Second bracket  58 ′ is connected to an adjustable clamp  64  by a second rod (not shown). Clamp  64  may include any suitable means of securing the cutting tool within its grasp, such as an expandable band having a lock screw  66  disposed for locking the ends of the band together. A second handle  62 ′ is provided to engage the end of the second rod to allow for release and securing of second bracket  58 ′ in second bushing  56 ′. Cutting tool  34  may be any suitable device such as a rotary cutter or a hand-held router. An electrical outlet  70  and switch  72  are provided on frame  20  so that cutting tool  34  may be conveniently and safely operated. Cord  73  of cutting tool  34  may be connected to outlet  70 . An electrical cord  74  connects outlet  70  to a power source (not shown).  
         [0033]    It is desirable that tracing tip  44  of stylus  36  and cutting tip  68  of cutting tool  34  be aligned with each other so that as movements are made with stylus  36  over article  40  to be copied, the same movements are made at the same time and in the same relative position by cutting tip  68 . If cutting tool  34  is exchanged for a larger tool  34 ′ (FIGS. 13 &amp; 14), then handle  62  can be adjusted to allow for stylus  36  to move farther away from sleeve  32 . This allows the user to adjust the device so that cutting tip  68  and tracing tip  44  remain aligned.  
         [0034]    Similarly, the angle of cutting tool  34  and stylus  36  relative to the sleeve  32  may be adjusted (FIGS. 18 &amp; 19). This is achieved by changing grooves  60  on the bushings  56 ,  56 ′ with which the brackets  58 ,  58 ′ engage, as previously described. It may also be desirable to sometimes cut a mirror image of an article  40 . In that event brackets  58 ,  58 ′ proximate stylus  36  and cutting tool  34  are engaged in grooves which face in opposing directions.  
         [0035]    The device of the present invention is used in the following manner:  
         [0036]    Referring to FIGS. 1 &amp; 2, article  40  to be duplicated is secured to table  12  by any suitable means. Similarly block of wood  38  or other desired workpiece is positioned alongside article  40  and is secured to table  12  by a suitable holding mechanism. Frame  20  is pulled downwardly towards table  12  by the user grasping second bar  24 , end  26 ,  28  or handle  42  of stylus  36 . The user connects cutting tool  34  to outlet  70 , and switches cutting tool  34  on. The user then manipulates stylus  36  so that tracing tip  44  traces out the shape of article  40  being duplicated. As the user does this cutting tool  34  moves in concert with stylus  36  and cutting tip  68  cuts the identical shape into block of wood  38 . Adjustments are made to the angle of stylus  36  and cutting tool  34  as necessary. When block of wood  38  has been shaped into the desired article, cutting tool  34  is switched off and disconnected from outlet  70 . Frame  20  is released and rises back to its at rest position (shown in FIG. 8). The duplicated article is removed from table  12  and a new block of wood  38  may then be secured to the table for the manufacture of another duplicate.  
         [0037]    Accordingly, the improved duplicator device for a radial arm saw is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.  
         [0038]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0039]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.  
         [0040]    Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the manner in which the duplicator device is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8