Patent ID: 12257662

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. Therefore, no limitation of the scope of the present disclosure is thereby intended. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The terms “couples”, “coupled”, “coupler” and variations thereof are used to include both arrangements wherein the two or more components are in direct physical contact and arrangements wherein the two or more components are not in direct contact with each other (e.g., the components are “coupled” via at least a third component), but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.

In some instances throughout this disclosure and in the claims, numeric terminology, such as first, second, third, and fourth, is used in reference to various components or features. Such use is not intended to denote an ordering of the components or features. Rather, numeric terminology is used to assist the reader in identifying the component or features being referenced and should not be narrowly interpreted as providing a specific order of components or features.

Referring toFIG.1, an exemplary woodworking support10having an upper surface12is shown. Woodworking support10further includes a guide recess14which extends along an axis16. Guide recess14includes a first side wall18, a second side wall20and a floor22offset from upper surface12of woodworking support10. Guide recess14has a generally constant cross-section along its length.

Woodworking support10further includes a cutting device30which is used to alter a shape of a workpiece (not shown), such as a piece of wood. Exemplary cutting device30include saw blades, router bits, drill bits, sanding or grinding wheels, and other suitable devices used to alter a shape of the workpiece. In embodiments, upper surface12of woodworking support10is a horizontal surface. In embodiments, upper surface12of woodworking support10is angled relative to horizontal.

Further shown inFIG.1is an accessory100supported on upper surface12of woodworking support10. Accessory10is positionable on woodworking support10to hold or guide the workpiece relative to cutting device30. Exemplary accessories include stops, featherboards, and other suitable devices to hold or guide the workpiece relative to cutting device30. As shown inFIG.1, the illustrated accessory100includes a first featherboard102and a second featherboard104.

Accessory100includes a body110adapted to be supported on upper surface12of woodworking support10. Body110includes a bottom side112(seeFIG.3) having a planar surface114and a top side116having a planar surface118and a guide recess120. Top side116is opposite of112. In embodiments, planar surface114of bottom side112is parallel to planar surface118of top side116. In embodiments, planar surface114of bottom side112is angled relative to planar surface118of top side116. Although each of bottom side112and top side116are shown having planar surfaces other arrangements are possible including cavities to reduce weight or provide strengthening ribs if body110is made of plastic.

First featherboard102and second featherboard104are both shown being integral portions of body110. In embodiments, one or both of first featherboard102and second featherboard104are removably coupled to body110.

Accessory100further includes a slider130(seeFIG.3) which is received in guide recess14(seeFIG.1). Referring toFIG.4, slider130is coupled to body110and a mechanical actuator132. Mechanical actuator132includes a base134, couplers136A,B, and an input138. Input138includes a first end having an operator input140, illustratively a handle, and a second end142having a cam member144with a cam surface146. Cam member144is received in an opening150in base134. Input138is rotatably coupled to base134with a pin152. Referring toFIG.6, the location of pin152is between coupler136A and coupler136B.

Referring toFIG.4, slider160includes a body portion162, a lock164A and a lock164B. Referring toFIG.9, each of locks164A,B include a first slider166A,B and a second slider168A,B. Each of sliders166A,B and sliders168A,B are connected to body portion162at first ends170A,B and are spaced apart at second ends172A,B. Sliders166A,B have recesses174A,B and sliders168A,B have recesses176A,B. Respective recesses174A,B and176A,B are sized and shaped to receive a first end180A,B of couplers136A,B (seeFIG.3). Each of recesses174A,B include a chamfered surface182A,B (seeFIGS.7and8) and each of recesses176A,B include a chamfered surface184A,B.

Referring toFIGS.7and8, couplers136A,B are movable vertically in direction188and direction190. InFIG.7, coupler136A has been moved upward in direction190, relative to the position of coupler136A inFIG.8. As coupler136A moves in direction190, first end180A of coupler136A moves upward along chamfered surface182A of first slider166A and chamfered surface184A of second slider168A causing first slider166A and second slider168A to further separate. As shown inFIG.8, when first end180A is lowered in direction188an outer side192A of first slider166A is spaced apart from second side wall20of guide recess14of woodworking support10and an outer side194A of second slider168A is spaced apart from first side wall18of guide recess14of woodworking support10. This spacing permits movement of accessory100in direction196and direction198along guide recess axis16of guide recess14(seeFIG.2). As shown inFIG.7, when first end180A is raised in direction190outer side192A of first slider166A presses against second side wall20of guide recess14of woodworking support10and outer side194A of second slider168A presses against first side wall18of guide recess14of woodworking support10. The frictional force exerted by first slider166A and second slider168A on first side wall18and second side wall20of guide recess14prevents movement of accessory100in direction196and direction198along guide recess axis16of guide recess14(seeFIG.1).

Locks164A,B have an unlocked arrangement having a first width200(seeFIG.8) and a locked arrangement having a second width202(seeFIG.7), the second width202being greater than the first width200. Each of first width200and second width202being a width measurement from an outer side192A of first slider166A of lock164A to an outer side194A of second slider168A of lock164A.

FIG.5, likeFIG.7, corresponds to lock164A and lock164B being in the locked arrangement andFIG.6, likeFIG.8, corresponds to lock164A and lock164B being in the unlocked arrangement. Referring toFIGS.5and6, input138is rotated in direction212to place mechanical actuator132in the unlocked arrangement (FIG.6) and is rotated in direction210to place mechanical actuator132in the locked arrangement (FIG.5).

Referring toFIG.6, couplers136A,B are received in elongated slots214A,B of body110and openings216A,B of base134. A second end218A,B of couplers136A,B extend above an upper side220of base134. In embodiments, couplers136A,B are adjustable to alter the first width200and second width202of lock164A and lock164B. In the illustrated embodiment, couplers136A,B are threaded bolts which are threadably engaged with respective nuts226A,B. By threading nuts226A,B further onto the threaded bolts of couplers136A,B an overall length of couplers136A,B from first end180A,B to nuts226A,B is shortened which results in first width200and second width202being wider compared to when the overall length of couplers136A,B is longer.

When lock164A and lock164B are in an unlocked arrangement (seeFIGS.6and8), slider130may slid within guide recess14of woodworking support10in direction196and direction198and be removed from guide recess14of woodworking support10. Further, body110may be moved relative to base134in direction230and direction232(seeFIG.2) which are along the longitudinal axis of elongated slots214A,B. Therefore, a distance between first featherboard102and cutting device30may be adjusted.

An operator grasps operator input140of input138and rotates input138in direction210to transition lock164A and lock164B from an unlocked arrangement to a locked arrangement. ComparingFIGS.5and6, as the input138is rotated in direction210, cam surface146of cam member144presses against guide recess120of body110and due to further rotation raises base134relative to body110to provide a gap240(seeFIG.5). This in turn raises first end180A of couplers136A and first end180B of coupler136B which causes lock164A and lock164B to transition from the unlocked arrangement ofFIG.8to the locked arrangement ofFIG.6. Further, input138by pressing against body110holds body110relative to base134and presses body110against upper surface12of woodworking support10to hold body110relative to woodworking support10.

In embodiments, mechanical actuator132simultaneously actuates each of lock164A from the unlocked arrangement to the locked arrangement and lock164B from the unlocked arrangement to the locked arrangement when input138is moved from the position inFIG.6to the position inFIG.5. Further, mechanical actuator132simultaneously actuates each of lock164A from the locked arrangement to the unlocked arrangement and lock164B from the locked arrangement to the unlocked arrangement when the actuator is moved from the position inFIG.5to the position inFIG.6.

In an exemplary method of securing accessory100to woodworking support10having upper surface12and guide recess14, the method comprises the steps of placing lock164A of accessory100in guide recess14, lock164A being in an unlocked arrangement; placing lock164B of accessory100in guide recess14, lock164B being in an unlocked arrangement; positioning body110of accessory100against upper surface12of woodworking support10; positioning accessory100relative to cutting device30; and locking accessory100in place relative to woodworking support10with a single actuator, mechanical actuator132, that places both lock164A in a locked arrangement and lock164B in a locked arrangement. In examples, accessory100includes first featherboard102. In examples, the step of positioning accessory100relative to cutting device30includes the steps of: moving accessory100relative to cutting device30along guide recess axis16of guide recess14; and moving body110of accessory100relative to cutting device30along a direction, such as direction230or direction232, angled relative to guide recess axis16of guide recess14while lock164A and lock164B remain in guide recess14. In examples, the method further comprises the step of locking body110of accessory100in place relative to woodworking support10along the direction, such as direction230or direction232, angled relative to guide recess axis16of guide recess14with mechanical actuator132. In examples, the steps of locking accessory100in place relative to woodworking support10with mechanical actuator132that places both lock164A in the locked arrangement and lock164B in the locked arrangement and locking body110of accessory100in place relative to woodworking support10along the direction, such as direction230or direction232, angled relative to guide recess axis16of woodworking support10with mechanical actuator132are performed with a first actuation of mechanical actuator132, such as the rotation of input138in direction210from the position inFIG.6to the position inFIG.5.

While this invention has been described as having exemplary designs, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.