EP0260199B1 - Universal machine for working wood or similar material - Google Patents

Abstract

1. An universal machine for the working of wood or analogous material, comprising a supporting table (1) for the piece (A) which is to be worked, having a horizontal upper plate (2) provided with a first rotary tool-carrier member (5) having a fixed but adjustable position, extending vertically beneath the table, and a carriage (23) carrying the piece, displaceable in front of the rotary tool-carrier member, characterized in that it comprises a second tool-carrier member (6), which equally has a fixed but adjustable position, arranged in a horizontal plane and extending perpendicularly to one of the sides of the table (1), the carriage (23) being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis (20) perpendicular to the respective directions of the two tool-carrier members, this carriage being capable of being turned down on to the upper plate (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for individual use, allowing an amateur to perform in a simple manner a multiplicity of operations on a piece of wood or a similar material, for example chipboard or another rigid plastic material, etc. ..., in particularly appreciable conditions of precision and safety.

We currently know perfectly, in the so-called DIY field, various devices or machines which make it possible in particular to work with wood. Subsequently, moreover, we will limit ourselves to the application of the solutions proposed for machining or the shaping of parts made of such a material, it being however specified as of now that these solutions can obviously extend so equivalent to the work of similar parts made of other materials, able to be used with the same tools for the performance of the same operations.

However, these currently known machines where the workpiece is usually moved relative to the tool, such as drills, planers, circular saws or so-called jigsaws, jointer planers, slotting machines, etc., are usually designed to ensure only one, or even two functions, but cannot, under satisfactory conditions, carry out other work than that for which they were specially built.

As an indication, a machine of this kind is described in particular in document US-A 2,085,235 illustrating a machine for working with wood or a similar material, comprising a table for supporting the workpiece, with an upper plate. horizontal, provided with a tool holder member in a fixed but adjustable position, extending vertically under the table, and a carriage carrying the part, movable in front of the rotary tool holder member.

Furthermore, even if in certain embodiments, the means for driving the tools have already been combined, it is necessary to proceed, in order to pass from one function to another, to adaptations, either of the tools or of their control means, which is not practical and in fact amounts to juxtaposing side by side two separate machines each carrying out the desired functions separately.

Machines are also known where this time the workpiece is fixed, the tool being moved manually by the user with respect to this part.

However, in these embodiments, the precision of the work is generally poor; in addition, these machines do not ensure maximum safety for those who hold the tool in their hands, sometimes with serious consequences and in particular the risk of very dangerous accidents.

The present invention relates to a universal machine which makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks of the solutions already known, by allowing the realization of any desired machining function on an assembly where the drive members of the tools are always immobilized, the part to be work being moved relative to these tools with a profile and according to a displacement which corresponds exactly to the operation to be performed.

The machine according to the invention thus makes it possible to ensure, without adaptation other than that of the machining tool itself, the functions of a planer, jointer, router, mortiser, circular or band saw, belt sander, vibrating, circular, drill ... It also allows the simple and precise realization of rebates, grooves, tenons, moldings, cuts according to any orientations, variable if necessary during the movement of the part, sanding of straight surfaces, concave or convex, end or longitudinal milling operations and more generally any function envisaged at the option of its user, playing on the adaptation, orientation and relative movement of the workpiece relative to the chosen tool .

To this end, the machine considered is characterized in that it comprises a second tool-carrying member also in a fixed but adjustable position, arranged in a horizontal plane and extending perpendicularly to one of the sides of the table, the carriage being pivotally mounted. around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the respective directions of the two tool-carrying members, this carriage being able to be folded down on the upper plate.

Advantageously and according to a particular characteristic of the machine according to the invention, each tool-carrying member is constituted by a block fixed to the table and comprising two support arms of a column mounted axially movable on these arms with respect to Table. The column of each tool-carrying member preferably comprises a mechanism of the screw-nut type, controlled by a crank so as to adjust its position and is provided with a support flange for a motor drive block of the tool, connected said block by a quick-dismounting connection mandrel.

Thus, the user, after fixing an appropriate motor unit on each of the tool-carrying members can, thanks to the mobile columns thereof, adjust on demand the position of the corresponding tool, in advance or in reverse, in parallel at the table plane for one of these, perpendicular to this plane for the other. Of course, the support table comprises, to the right of the engine block of the tool directed vertically, an orifice for the passage of this tool through its upper plate.

According to another particular characteristic of the machine considered, the pivoting carriage comprises two internally threaded lateral tabs capable of cooperating with a control master screw extending along the horizontal pivot axis of the carriage so that the rotation of the screw causes the carriage to move in the direction of said axis, sliding parallel to the plane of the upper table top once said carriage is folded thereon.

Preferably, the carriage driving screw is supported at its ends by two bearings integral with the table and comprises at one end a control pinion capable of being actuated by a deflection mechanism, itself driven by a crank provided on the side of the table under the upper plate. Advantageously, the driving crank of the mother screw comprises an index moving in front of a scale forming a vernier, allowing to precisely adjust the position of the carriage driven by the screw on demand.

Note that to allow the passage of the vertically directed tool, placed under the table and crossing the upper plate thereof, the carriage comprises, to the right of said tool, a release notch, allowing the passage thereof.

According to another particular characteristic, the upper plate comprises on either side of the tool-carrying member directed horizontally, lateral guide supports, preferably removable. Likewise, the plate is advantageously provided with graduated rules, extending over the surface of said plate in two directions respectively perpendicular and parallel to the axis of movement of the pivoting carriage on this plate. Preferably also, these rules are graduated from the axis of one of the tools, for example that directed vertically. In addition, the plate also includes a groove parallel to the axis of the pivoting carriage, reserved for mounting on said plate at least one removable bracket for guiding and / or fixing the workpiece.

All of these provisions make it possible in particular to fix either on the upper plate, or on the pivoting carriage, movable in displacement relative to the plate, accessories for immobilizing and / or adjusting the position of the workpiece, always moved. relative to the tools, attacking said part vertically or horizontally. Among these accessories and by way of indication, any organ capable of constituting, as the case may be, may thus be chosen and adapted, an end-of-travel stop for the movement of the part, a straight or tilting guide rule with reversible or non-reversible mounting, or several centering supports, a ruler with spacing notches for making successive mortises or grooves, clamping hoops for the parts, etc. to be used in any combination appropriate to the nature of the work carried out and to the shape of the piece thus worked.

• - à la Figure 1, une vue en perspective de la table support, des deux organes porte-outils portés par celle-ci et du chariot pivotant qui lui est associé ;
• - à la Figure 2, une vue de dessus du chariot pivotant en position rabattue sur le plateau supérieur de la table support ;
• - à la Figure 3, une vue de face de la table et du chariot, illustrant un mode de fixation d'une pièce à travailler reposant sur le chariot ;
• - à la Figure 4, une autre vue de dessus, partielle mais à plus grande échelle, de la table de support ;
• - à la Figure 5, une vue de côté de la table selon la Figure 4 ;
• - à la Figure 6, une autre vue de dessus de 1a table de support adaptée à un travail de réalisation de mortaises parallèles dans une pièce immobilisée sur le chariot pivotant ;
• - à la Figure 7, une vue de côté de la table selon la Figure 6 ;
• - aux Figures 8 et 9, deux autres variantes d'outils adaptés à d'autres travaux.

Other advantages of a machine established according to the invention will become more apparent from the following description of several exemplary embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, which represent:

• - In Figure 1, a perspective view of the support table, the two tool-carrying members carried by the latter and the pivoting carriage associated therewith;
• - in Figure 2, a top view of the pivoting carriage in the folded position on the upper plate of the support table;
• - In Figure 3, a front view of the table and the carriage, illustrating a method of fixing a workpiece resting on the carriage;
• - in Figure 4, another top view, partial but on a larger scale, of the support table;
• - in Figure 5, a side view of the table according to Figure 4;
• - in Figure 6, another top view of the support table adapted to a work of making parallel mortises in a part immobilized on the pivoting carriage;
• - in Figure 7, a side view of the table according to Figure 6;
• - Figures 8 and 9, two other variants of tools suitable for other work.

In FIG. 1, the reference 1 designates as a whole the support table of the machine according to the invention, comprising a horizontal upper plate 2 resting on four uprights 3 braced at 4 at their lower part. The table 1 is arranged to support two members or tool-holder assemblies, respectively 5 and 6, the first 5 of which is disposed under the plate 2 and the second 6, placed on the side thereof. Each tool-carrying member comprises a block 7 fixed to the table and provided with two arms 8 and 9 to receive a tool-carrying column 10 arranged so as to be able to move relative to the arms 8 and 9 by means of a conventional system with screw-nut mounted in the column and controlled by a crank 11. The column 10 itself carries a transverse flange 12 (See Figure 4) for mounting a motor unit 13, of the type for example a drill motor, comprising a chuck 14 for a tool 15 or 16. In the following description, the reference 15 denotes the tool associated with the member 5, the axis of which is directed vertically towards the upper plate 2 by crossing that -this through a wide passage opening 2a, and by the reference 16 the tool associated with the other tool-carrying member 6 whose movements of advance or retreat are carried out this time horizontally with respect to the plate 2.

Locking levers 17 are provided on the support arms 8 and 9 and on the flange 12 to immobilize respectively the column 10 and the engine block 13 of each tool-carrying member.

According to the invention, the upper plate 2 of the table 1 has on one of its lateral sides two extensions 18 and 19 forming bearings in which a lead screw 20 can rotate. On this are engaged two tabs 21 and 22 internally threaded and playing the role of nut, these tabs being provided along one side of a flat carriage 23, thus mounted pivoting around the screw 20 and able, in the folded position on the top of the plate 2 (See Figure 2) to partially cover that -this being also capable of sliding plane on plane on the plate thanks to the driving effect of the carriage obtained by the rotation of the screw 20 and the resulting displacement of the nuts 21 and 22. For this purpose, the screw 20 is extended by a pinion (not shown) housed in a housing 24 provided on the side of the table and suitable for allowing, by the action of a crank 25, the drive of the carriage 23. Preferably, the crank 25 has a graduated collar 26 moving in front of a fixed reference index 27 allowing the precise position of the carriage to be adjusted, the assembly forming an adjustment vernier. As an indication, for a screw having a metric thread, a rotation of one turn of the crank determines a displacement of 10 mm. The vernier allows direct reading of any intermediate movement up to 0.05 mm. Of course, in order to allow the movements of the carriage 23 in the folded position on the plate 2, there is provided in the plane of this carriage a release notch 28 in line with the passage of the vertical tool above the orifice 2a.

The plate 2 also comprises, on its side opposite to that which receives the mother screw 20, two support arms 29 and 30 parallel, framing the horizontal tool 16 (See Figures 4 and 5), each of these arms having a groove of guide 31 in which can be disposed, in a removable manner, a bracket forming a support for the piece of wood A to be worked. This bracket 32 can be blocked on the guide grooves 19 by means of screws 32a and carries other accessories described below.

Similarly, the carriage 23 (Figure 2) has a guide groove 33, which in the embodiment shown is parallel to the grooves 31 of the plate 2, and which is designed to also receive a support and fixing bracket 34 This preferably comprises brackets 34a, two in number in the example shown, through which engage the locking members of the part A on the carriage, comprising a head 35, a screw 35a and a nozzle d 'support 35b (See Figure 3). The vertical tool 15 (which in the example of this Figure 3 is for example a slotting drill bit 15a) thus directly attacks the part A through the plate 2 and the carriage 23, the latter carrying the part being able to be at will moved to the tool in optimal safety conditions and with the best. desired precision.

The plate 2 of the table 1 is advantageously provided with two graduated rulers, respectively 36 and 37 extending perpendicularly to each other, allowing at any time a suitable and precise location of the position of the part vis-à-vis screw tools 15 and / or 16. In addition, in the plate 2 is also provided a guide groove 38, capable of receiving like the grooves 29 and 33 already described, a support and locking bracket 39 (See Figures 4 and 5), in particular usable when the part A is directly carried by the plate, the carriage 23 then being in the tilted position of non-use as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The bracket 39 may in particular comprise fixing brackets 40 with locking screw 41, the tool 15 shown in Figure 5 here comprising two grooving cutters 15b and 15c.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another variant of use of the machine according to the invention, in particular for producing a series of parallel mortises in the part A. For this purpose, the bracket 34 of the carriage 23 is associated with a notched rule 42 pressed against the bracket and comprising a boss 42a for mounting a rod 43 blocked against said boss by means of a screw 44, so that the end of this rod carrying a bearing end piece 45 serves as a adjustable lateral stop for part A at each pass of the tool, here the vertical tool 15.

The rule 42 comprises a series of parallel notches 46, each spaced from the neighboring notches by a predetermined distance to allow the desired grooves or mortises to be produced in the part A, each time suitably positioned with respect to the tool 15 by engagement of a lug 47 carried by the bracket 34 in one of the notches 46. In this variant, the vertical tool 15 is represented constituted by a mortising head 15d suitable for producing in the part A tail grooves dovetail.

In the examples of Figures 8 and 9, other variants are also provided. With FIG. 8, a tool 15e in the form of a rotary plane, attacks laterally the part A to be worked. In Figure 9, the locking brackets 34a of the bracket 34 of the carriage 23 achieve, by a locking screw 48, the immobilization of a follower member 49 provided with a guide roller 50 according to the profile of the part A, itself worked by a tool 15f performing here a bar turning operation.

A universal machine is thus produced which presents remarkable advantages over the solutions currently available on the market thanks to its simple and easy adaptation to any operation of shaping the piece of wood or other similar material to be worked. The displacements of the tool-carrying members on the one hand, of the pivoting carriage on the other hand, being exerted in three respectively perpendicular directions bring a particularly appreciable machining precision, joined to a great safety of use and to a range of very widely diversified functions. The workpiece can, on request and depending on the operation to be performed, be fixed flat, vertically, laterally, if necessary by means of a mechanism allowing a variable inclination of the workpiece with respect to the directions of movement of the tools. and / or the carriage, allowing any mortising, grooving, planing, sanding, milling, etc ... operation with steps, working speeds and relative orientations of tool movements adjustable and adjustable on demand.

It follows that the invention is not limited to only the embodiments more specifically described and shown only given by way of indication, but on the contrary embraces all the variants which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. An universal machine for the working of wood or analogous material, comprising a supporting table (1) for the piece (A) which is to be worked, having a horizontal upper plate (2) provided with a first rotary tool-carrier member (5) having a fixed but adjustable position, extending vertically beneath the table, and a carriage (23) carrying the piece, displaceable in front of the rotary tool-carrier member, characterized in that it comprises a second tool-carrier member (6), which equally has a fixed but adjustable position, arranged in a horizontal plane and extending perpendicularly to one of the sides of the table (1), the carriage (23) being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis (20) perpendicular to the respective directions of the two tool-carrier members, this carriage being capable of being turned down on to the upper plate (2).

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each tool-carrier member (5-6) si formed by an unit (7) fixed to the table (1) and comprising two arms (8-9) for supporting a column (10) mounted for axial displacement on these arms with respect to the table.

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the column of each tool-carrier member comprises a mechanism of the screw and nut type, operated by a crank in such manner as to adjust its position and is provided with a carrying flange (12) for a motor unit (13) for driving the tool, connected to the said unit via a rapid disconnection coupling mandrel (14).

4. A machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supporting table comprises, at right angles with the motor unit (13) of the vertically-directed tool (15), an orifice (2a) for passage of this tool through its upper plate (2).

5. A machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pivotal carriage (23) comprises two lateral lugs (21-22) which are internally screw-threaded and suitable to co-operate with a lead-screw of control (20) extending along the horizontal pivoting axis of the carriage in such manner that the rotation of the screw causes the displacement of the carriage along the direction of the said axis whilst sliding parallel to the plane of the upper plate (2) of the table once the said carriage has been turned down on to the same.

6. A machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the lead-screw (20) for driving the carriage (23) is supported at its ends by two bearings (18, 19) integral with the table and comprises at one end a control pinion suitable to be operated by a return mechanism, which is itself operated by a crank (25) provided on the side of the table beneath the upper plate (2).

7. A machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the crank (25) for driving the lead-screw (20) comprises an index (27) displaced in front of a graduation (26) forming a vernier, allowing the position of the carriage (23) driven by the screw to be adjusted in a precise manner, as required.

8. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the upper plate (2) is provided at either side of the horizontally directed tool-carrier member (6) with lateral guide supports (29-30), which are preferably demountable.

9. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the plate (2) is provided with graduated rules (26-37) extending on the surface of the said plate along two directions which are, respectively, perpendicular and parallel to the axis of displacement of the pivotal carriage (23).

10. A machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the rules are graduated from the axis of one of the tools, for example from that (15) which is vertically directed.

11. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the plate comprises a groove (38) parallel to the axis of the pivotal carriage (23), reserved for mounting on the said plate at least one removable bracket (39) for guiding and/or securing the workpiece (A).

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