EP1476287B1 - Potter's wheel comprising a guide device for shaping - Google Patents

Abstract

The potter's wheel consists of a base (3) with a central turntable (4) that rotates on an axis. It is equipped with guides for shaping pots on the turntable, operated by manual force applied from opposite sides of the axis of rotation. The guides are pivoted to the vertical sides (6, 6') of an inverted U-shaped bracket (9), and each one comprises an arm (7, 7') with a handle (12, 12') and a tool (8, 8') with an optional interchangeable working surface.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of the production of pottery using machines called "tower", and in particular for the production of pottery by children.

The present invention relates more particularly to a potter's wheel for shaping pottery, composed of a base supporting a gate which can be rotated about an axis of rotation.

The prior art already knows potter's tricks for the shaping of pottery.

In particular, there is a device described in patent application No. US4057384. This system allows to center a clod by the pressure of a single tool. This tool is mobile along an arm. This arm is adjustable in all directions by a handle located in the extension of the arm. The advantage of this type of system is to facilitate the centering of the earth, operation causing great difficulties for the beginner.

This system makes it possible to center the clod of earth, but does not make it possible to carry out the shaping of the pottery strictly speaking, during which one gives a form proper to the pottery, and during which one can operate a decoration in relief of the outer surface of the pottery.

In addition, this device has only one centering arm. This device is therefore poorly suited to modeling small objects. Indeed, in this case, the clod is small and can easily peel off the clove.

Finally, this device does not allow the user to be properly guided when he mimics the gesture that the potter normally performs with bare hands and therefore does not allow to easily learn the techniques of potter craftsman.

The prior art also knows the German patent application No. DE 3418067 which relates to a central drilling lathe comprising a plate (2) can be rotated about an axis of rotation. This device is provided with a piercing ring (6) mounted on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the plate (2), for drilling a pottery at its center.

This device further comprises fixed edges (4) of centering, allowing to support the centering of the ball (3).

It should be noted that the piercing ring (6) does not allow any assistance in the external shaping of the pottery since this ring is movable vertically along this axis of rotation.

The prior art also knows the British patent application GB No. 1 603 708 which relates to a tower for the decoration of pottery.

This lathe is provided with a plate (6) which can be rotated about an axis of rotation.

This turn further comprises a single arm (17) having a tip at its end and being sweeping over the plate (6) by rotation along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the plate (6).

This lathe does not really allow for shaping efforts like traditional shaping.

The prior art finally knows the US Pat. No. 5,047,194 which relates to a potter's wheel for shaping a pottery (10), of the type comprising a base (23) supporting a crank (22) which can be driven in rotation along an axis of rotation.

This lathe is equipped with a shaping tool (24), movable in different directions, having a projection tube (28) having at its distal end a projection nozzle (36) through which a stream of water (35) is projected. ).

The shaping is therefore not operated in a traditional manner by manual efforts, but by a projection of water.

The present invention intends to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a lathe provided with a guiding device which promotes the learning of manual shaping gestures, especially for making pottery small sizes. This tour is particularly, but not exclusively, intended for children to learn how to make pottery.

The present invention consists of a potter's wheel according to claim 1.

According to a preferred embodiment, the guiding device is constituted by at least one stud having an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said crank as well as at least one arm of guiding a tool, said guide arm being movable relative to said pad.

Preferably, the guiding device is constituted by an arch-shaped support formed of two pads connected together.

According to an advantageous variant, the support consists of an inverted U-shaped cylindrical shape.

Advantageously, the tool or the tools each have an interchangeable work surface.

Preferably, each tool has a handle.

According to one embodiment, said handle is located on a face opposite to the working surface of the tool.

According to another embodiment, said handle is offset radially relative to the working surface of the tool.

According to an advantageous variant, the base has an obvious to accommodate a removable water tank.

• La figure 1 illustre une vue en perspective d'un tour de potier selon l'invention ;
• La figure 2 illustre une vue de détail d'une variante préférée de réalisation du dispositif de guidage ;
• La figure 3 illustre une vue de détail d'un outil à surface de travail interchangeable ; et
• La figure 4 illustre une vue de détail du réservoir d'eau amovible.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, given purely for explanatory purposes, of one embodiment of the invention, with reference to the appended figures:

• Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a potter's wheel according to the invention;
• Figure 2 illustrates a detail view of a preferred embodiment of the guiding device;
• Figure 3 illustrates a detail view of an interchangeable work surface tool; and
• Figure 4 illustrates a detail view of the removable water tank.

The potter's wheel (1) according to the invention, illustrated in FIG. 1, is of the type comprising a pedestal (3) comprising an electric motor which makes it possible to drive in rotation, along an axis of rotation, to a crank (4) supported by the pedestal (3).

Preferably, a bowl is positioned under the circular plate supporting the rotating pottery, or gate (4) for the recovery of liquids discharged at the periphery of the gate and the plate is also pierced with holes opening into this bowl. The liquids collected in the bowl then flow into a water tank (16).

The potter's wheel (1) according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a guiding device (5) comprising means for operating on said pottery (2) manual forces diametrically opposed with respect to the axis A rotation of said gate (4).

The operations of shaping and centering the pottery is effected by a lateral approach of the guide arms. In this way, the tools exert a pressure on the pottery, which makes it possible to put it more easily in shape and to decorate it by marking of its external surface.

According to a basic embodiment, the guiding device is constituted by at least one vertical stud (6, 6 ') having an axis preferably substantially parallel to the axis A of rotation of said crank (4) as well as to at least one arm (7, 7 ') and preferably two guide arms (7, 7') for respectively guiding a tool (8, 8 '), said at least one guiding arm (7, 7') being mobile (s) relative to said (s) stud (s) (6, 6 ').

According to a preferred version, the guide arm or arms (7, 7 ') is or are removably attached to the stud (s) (6, 6'), for example by clipping.

It is also possible to produce guide means which make it possible to translate tools in radial movements that are diametrically opposite with respect to the axis A of rotation of said gate (4), for example by means of rail systems.

According to one embodiment, the guiding device (5) consists of a support (9) in the form of an arch formed of two studs (6, 6 ') connected to one another and on which one or two arms (7, 7) ') are mobile.

Preferably, the guiding device is formed by two pads arranged diametrically opposite in a plane passing through the axis A of rotation of the gate (4).

In a preferred version illustrated in FIG. 2, the guiding device (5) consists of an arch of an inverted U-shaped cylindrical shape. The two studs constituting this arch each have in section a circular shape and an axis substantially parallel to the axis A of rotation of said gate. One or two arms (7, 7 ') for guiding a tool (8, 8') is or are movable (s) on this arch.

Each arm (7, 7 ') can make rotational movements around the stud (6, 6') along the vertical axis of the stud, thus making it possible to work the shape of the pottery and to adjust its diameter.

Each arm (7, 7 ') can also move vertically along the pad (6, 6'), thereby adjusting the shaping height.

According to an advantageous version, a guide arm (7, 7 ') can also be placed on the curved upper part of the arch connecting the two studs (6, 6 '), thus making it possible to shape the upper part of the pottery.

In a preferred embodiment, the arch has notches for supporting the arms and adjusting their height to particular values.

Advantageously, the tool (8, 8 ') has an interchangeable working surface (10, 10') removably fixed, for example by clipping, to the tool (8, 8 '), as illustrated in FIG. During the manufacturing, the user will be able to use different tools depending on the action he wants to achieve: centering, shaping or decoration of the pottery.

In addition, the tool (8, 8 ') has a handle (12, 12'). According to one embodiment, this handle (12, 12 ') is located on a face (11, 11') opposite to a working surface (10, 10 '). The user can lay his hands flat behind the tool and thus get closer to the gesture made with bare hands by the potter.

According to another embodiment of the tool, illustrated in Figure 1, the handle (12, 12 ') is radially offset along the axis A with respect to a working surface (10, 10'). This type of handle allows the user to apply greater force to each side of the pottery.

In this other mode, the handles (12, 12 ') are, for example T-shaped.

The base (3) is made of plastic and is pierced with holes for storing tools. It has a recess (15) for accommodating a removable water tank (16), illustrated in FIG. 4.

Claims (9)

1. Potter's wheel (1) for manufacturing a piece of pottery (2), of the type that comprises a base (3) supporting a wheelhead (4) capable of being driven in rotation about an axis of rotation A, characterised in that it comprises a guide device (5) comprising a tool (8, 8') with two arms (7, 7') that can be manually activated and make it possible to apply to said piece of pottery (2) diametrically opposite manual efforts in relation to the axis A of rotation of said wheelhead (4).
2. Potter's wheel (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide device (5) consists of at least one stud (6, 6') with an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis A of rotation of said wheelhead (4), at least one arm (7, 7') for guiding the tool (8, 8') being mobile in relation to said stud (6, 6').
3. Potter's wheel according to claim 2, characterised in that said guide device (5) consists of an arch-shaped support (9) made up of two studs (6, 6') connected to each other.
4. Potter's wheel (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that said support (9) is an upside-down U-shaped cylinder.
5. Potter's wheel (1) according to any one of the claims from 1 to 4, characterised in that said tool (8, 8') has an interchangeable work surface (10, 10').
6. Potter's wheel (1) according to any one of the claims from 1 to 5, characterised in that said tool (8, 8') has a handle (12, 12').
7. Potter's wheel (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that said handle (12, 12') is located on a side (11, 11') that is opposite a work surface (10, 10').
8. Potter's wheel (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that said handle (12, 12') is radially shifted in relation to a work surface (10, 10').
9. Potter's wheel (1) according to any one of the claims from 1 to 8, characterised in that said base (3) has a recess (15) that is capable of accommodating a removable water reservoir (16).

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