Patent Abstract:
A router guide having a work surface frame that defines upper and lower work surfaces. The guide further includes a tilting mechanism for tilting the router motor to a desired orientation with respect to a work piece, and a circular disc that is rotatably supported to the work surface to facilitate rotation of the circular disc. The router guider further includes multiple adjusting means, including, rotation means for frictionally rotating the work surface with respect to the router bit; adjusting means for slidably positioning the work surface along a first and second range of motion; and, adjusting means for positioning the work surface along a third.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    U.S. Provisional Application for Patent No. 61/681,705, filed Aug. 2, 2012 which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicant claim priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par. 119(e)(i). 
     
    
     STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    This invention relates generally to woodworking and more particularly to a router table for use in cutting various types of joints, shapes, and articles from wooden work pieces, as well as other precision woodworking operations. More particularly, the present invention includes an improved router guide for positioning and guiding the cutting tool of the router or the work piece. 
         [0005]    2. Brief Description of Prior Art 
         [0006]    Router tables are widely used because of their ability to make more precise cuts than can be made by hand. A router table is typically a horizontal work surface under which a conventional router may be mounted in order to use it as a shaper by moving a work piece relative to the router bit, rather than moving the router bit relative to the work piece. Often, such router tables are inconvenient to use because adjustment of router bit position must be accomplished by adjusting the router on its base, which is difficult to do with the router mounted upside down underneath a router table. 
         [0007]    To maintain the work piece in position relative to the cutter bit, some prior art router tables are provided with elongated fences that are connected to the top of the main table so that they can be moved laterally toward and away from the cutter bit. In this type of arrangement, it may be cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a user to attempt certain horizontal cuts while manually holding the work piece against the fence in a position perpendicular to the main table. Further, by introducing this step of moving or repositioning the fence or the material (work piece) being cut, the effort and time needed to complete a project is increased and, the potential for inaccuracy is greatly increased by the new positioning of the pieces. 
         [0008]    There is thus a need for a router guide which effectively guides the user in safe and convenient positioning and securing of the work piece while allowing simple, accurate, and multiple adjustments of the router bit with respect to the work piece, as well as other precision woodworking operations. 
         [0009]    As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome disadvantages of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In accordance with the present invention, a support base for a router is disclosed. The present invention overcomes the above-referenced shortcomings of prior art router table assemblies by providing a router guide design which includes rotatable and adusting subassemblies to allow multi-positioning of the router axis with respect to the work surface when cutting on and off-center. In this manner, positioning and precision cutting of an elongate work piece is accomplished accurately and efficiently, and adjustment of the router bit is performed conveniently. 
         [0011]    A router guide in accordance with the present invention includes a frame having upper and lower level work surfaces, and a tilting mechanism for tilting the router motor to a desired orientation with respect to the work piece. The router guider further includes multiple adjusting means, including, rotation means for frictionally rotating the work surface with respect to the router bit; adjusting means for slidably positioning the work surface along a first and second range of motion; and, adjusting means for positioning the work surface along a third. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a router guide for a router;  FIG. 1  also shows a partial cutaway view of one of the guide members of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front sectional view of the router guide illustrated in  FIG. 1 , best illustrating the lower level of the router guide. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective sectional view of the router guide illustrated in  FIG. 1 , best illustrating the upper level of the router guide;  FIG. 3  also shows a partial cutaway view of the circular disc of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    The router guide for a router of the present invention is directed to a router assembly configuration that allows multiple positioning of the router axis with respect to the work piece. Specifically, it will be noted in the drawings that the assembly of the present invention provides a means for multiple positioning and precision cutting of an elongate work piece with respect to the router axis. In the broadest context, the assembly of the present invention consists of components configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of a router guide for a router made in accordance with the present invention. The router guide of the present invention, designated as numeral  10 , is generally shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 1 . The router guide  10  includes a frame  15  having a work surface  16 . A motor  100  in housing  105  is in communication with the frame  15  as will be described. The frame  15  further includes adjusting means, as will be described, for generally adjusting the position of the motor  100  with respect to work piece  150 . The adjusting means can be used in positioning the work surface  16  in addition to being used while the motor  100  is engaged in work piece  150 . 
         [0017]    Although the housing  105  may be configured to accept a particular motor  100 , in the preferred embodiment, the housing  105  includes various features which enables it to accommodate motors supplied by different manufacturers utilizing different styles and sizes. In particular, housing  105  includes a bracket member  107  (see  FIG. 3 ) that preferably wraps around an end portion of the motor  100 , and locking means  106  is provided to lockingly engage the full-sized motor and housing  105 . Means  106  is preferably a bolt  108  that is threadably engaged in threaded portion  109  of the bracket  107 . 
         [0018]    On either side of the motor  100  there is a pair of opposing pivot plates  30   a  and  30   b  perpendicular to a circular disc  33 . These pivot plates  30   a ,  30   b  are pivotably secured to a pair of vertical members  110 ,  111  through the use of fasteners, using, for example, bolt and nut,  32 ,  34  respectively. Bolt  32  is preferably disposed within a sleeve  42 , such that bolt  32  can rotate about an axis A. Such fasteners, for example, bolt and nut  32 ,  34 , respectively, further connect the vertical members  110 ,  111  to bracket member  107  at connection point  108   a  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0019]    A wing nut  36  or other suitable hand-operated fastener is further included on both sides of the assembly to lockingly engage the motor  100  at a desired orientation. 
         [0020]    In particular, loosening of the wing nut  36  enables outward threaded rod  37  to rotate within slot  39 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , each threaded rod  37 , is also attached  37   a  to vertical member  110 ,  111 . As discussed, the vertical members  110 ,  111  are further connected  108   a  to bracket member  107 , such that loosening the wing nuts  36  enables outward threaded rod  37  to travel along the length of slot  39  until motor  100  is at the desired orientation. As should be understood, adjusting the location of threaded rod  37  along slot  39  as described, causes bolt  32  to rotate along axis A. 
         [0021]    The circular disc  33  is supported by a frame member  18  to further facilitate placement of the disc  33  and motor  100  with respect to the work piece  150 . More particularly, frame member  18  defines a circular void  18   a  sized for receiving the circular disc  33 . The circular disc  33  rests on a ledge  17  of the frame member  18  and frictionally rotates within the frame member  18 . As should be understood, rotating circular disc  33  will likewise facilitate rotation of the pivot plates and motor. Locks  19  will lockingly engage the circular disc  33  in place with the frame member  18  at the desired orientation. Loosening of the locks  19  enables the circular disc  33  to rotate as described. 
         [0022]    The circular disc  33  further defines a central aperture  43  to ensure that the router&#39;s bit (not shown) attached to the motor  100  does not make contact with the circular disc  33  during use. 
         [0023]    The tilting action provided by the present invention as described facilitates a number of versatile uses beyond angled cutting. For example, with the work surface  16  and circular disc  33  held in a steady orientation, and with the wing nuts  36  slightly loosened to an extent which allows the motor  100  to tilt freely relative to the work surface  16 , and by further using an appropriate bit and a predetermined cut depth, the invention may be advantageously used for many different applications. Regardless of the application, one object of the present invention is to replace the existing standard base supplied with the router motor housing such that the standard base may never need to be used again, that is, in the preferred embodiment, the present invention provides all functions possible with the standard base but with many others described above and subsequently. 
         [0024]    The frame  15  can generally be described as having an upper level (designated in the drawings as UL) and a lower level (designated as LL) with the frame member  18  being disposed on the upper level UL and the work surface  16  on the lower level LL. 
         [0025]    The upper level UL is formed of four (4) arms, designated numerals  40 ,  41 ,  44 ,  45  that define a generally rectangular configuration. As illustrated, the upper level UL is supported by four (4) vertical leg members, designated numerals  46 ,  47 ,  48 ,  49 . Each of the four (4) vertical leg members include at least one and preferably at least two (2) apertures  38  (for illustration purposes only, the drawings illustrate each leg member having four (4) apertures  38  selectively adjusting the height, i.e., the distance between the upper and lower levels, of the upper level UL. As further illustrated, arms  40 ,  41  include an aperture  35  disposed at one end  40   a ,  41   a , and a slot member  54  disposed at opposite ends  40   b ,  41   b  of arms  40 ,  41 . In application, pin  31  is received within each of the apertures  35 ,  54  and the selected apertures  38  of each leg member  46  to position the height of the upper level UL with respect to the lower level LL. 
         [0026]    Each slot member  54  preferably having an elongated oval-shaped configuration for receiving pin  31 . Connecting the apertures  35 ,  54  with the selected apertures  38  of the leg member  46  as described, can be such that the upper level UL is substantially level as show in the drawings, or, the selected apertures  38  at ends  40   a ,  41   a  can be set at a different height than the selected apertures  38  at ends  40   b ,  41   b  such that end  40   a ,  41   a  is higher or lower than end  40   b ,  41   b  with respect to the work piece  150 . 
         [0027]    As should now be understood, the oval-configuration of slot member  54  allows for additional movement of pin  31  when selecting a level at ends  40   a ,  41   a  that is different (higher or lower) than the selected level of ends  40   b ,  41   b  attached to slot members  54 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the upper level UL further includes a pair of supports  28 ,  29  that, as will be described, connect with arms  40  and  41 , and run parallel with arms  44 ,  45 . Clamps  27  generally connect the supports  28 ,  29  with the arms  40 ,  41 . Each clamp  27  includes means  26  for loosening or releasing the clamp to allow the clamp to slide along the length of the arms  40 ,  41 . As will be understood, being able to slide the supports  28 ,  29  along the length of the arms  40 ,  41  allows the user to further adjust the positioning of the motor  100  with respect to the work piece  150 . 
         [0029]    As illustrated, the frame member  18  rests on the supports  28 ,  29 . Connection members  25  are connected to the frame member  18  and supports  28 ,  29 . Connection members  25  include means  24  for loosening or releasing the connection member  25  from the supports  28 ,  29  to allow the connection means  25  to slide along the length of the supports  28 ,  29 . It should be understood, positioning the connecting means  25  along the length of the supports  28 ,  29  allows the user to further adjust the positioning of the frame member  18  and the motor  100  with respect to the work piece  150 . 
         [0030]    As described, loosening the connection members  25  allows positioning the frame member  18  and the motor  100  in a first direction D 1  (see  FIG. 1 ), and loosening clamps  27  allows positioning the frame member  18  and the motor  100  in a second direction D 2 , and, adjusting the UL to the selected apertures  38  allows for positioning the frame member  18  and the motor  100  in a third direction D 3 . 
         [0031]    As illustrated, the work surface  16  further includes a pair of opposing guides  22 ,  23  for application of guide members  50 ,  51 . The opposing guides  22 ,  23  each define a track  22   a ,  23   a , for, as will be described, sliding receipt of a threaded rod  53 . In particular, each guide member  50 ,  51  includes a pair of apertures  52   a ,  52   b  for receipt of the threaded rod  53  and wing nut  56 , or other suitable hand-operated fastener to lockingly engage the guide members  50 ,  51  at a desired location. As illustrated, the threaded rod  53  and wing nut  56  is in communication with the tracks  22   a ,  23   a  of the work surface  16 , which opposing tracks  22   a ,  23   a  preferably extend the approximate length of the work surface  16 . Loosening of the wing nut  56  enables threaded rod  53  to slide along the track  22   a ,  23   a  in order to size the guide members  50 ,  51  with respect to the work piece  15 , and, position the guide members  50 ,  51  at a desired location. As such, the guide members  50 ,  51  further positions the work piece  150  with respect to the motor  100 . 
         [0032]    The work surface  16  and circular disc  33  is a generally planar surface. The work surface  16  collectively with the guide members  50 ,  51  would support a work piece  150 , the work piece being moveable along a longitudinal axis parallel to the work surface  16 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the router guide  10  shows details discussed with a portion of the upper level UL of the frame  15  removed in order to illustrate the actual flat work surface  16  with the work piece  150 . The guide members  50 ,  51 , move slidingly along the opposing guides  22 ,  23  in order to engage the work piece  150 . 
         [0034]    The frame  15  further includes a pin  58  ( FIG. 2 ) appropriately connected to the work surface  16  and centrally positioned on the lower level LL. The work surface  16  can rotate  59  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) with respect to the router&#39;s bit attached to the motor  100 , while the guides  50 ,  51  hold the work piece  150 , thus assuring overall control of bit depth, tilt angle and lateral movement. 
         [0035]    As illustrated, the router guide  10  enables convenient and accurate cutting of the work piece in a variety of orientations. 
         [0036]    While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention. Thus, the above-described preferred embodiment is intended to be illustrative of the invention which may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1