EP1711306B1

EP1711306B1 - Shaping device, particularly for shaping substantially elongated elements

Info

Publication number: EP1711306B1
Application number: EP04806800A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Saccone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-04
Filing date: 2004-11-16
Publication date: 2007-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-16
Also published as: ATE373542T1; DE602004009106T2; ITRM20040059A1; EP1711306A1; DE602004009106D1; WO2005075146A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shaping device, preferably for shaping substantially elongated elements (5), characterised in that it comprises at least a shaping tool (3), a support and containment structure (2, 22, 23), above which said shaping tool (3) is placed, guide means (43, 491, 45) for said substantially elongated elements (5), said guide means (43, 491, 45) being placed in said support and containment structure (2, 22, 23) and being provided with means (44, 43, 45, 46, 491, 432) for adjusting the dimensions in function of the working element (5).

Description

The present invention relates to a shaping device, particularly for shaping substantially elongated elements (see e.g. DE 2 106 559 A ).
More specifically, the invention concerns a shaping device of the above kind, studied and realised particularly for working the surface of elements, preferably comprised of wood, having different dimensions, under maximum safety and precision conditions.
In the following the specification will be particularly referred to the working of wood, but it is well evident that the device according to the invention can be used also for working different materials.
As it is well known, at present machines do not exist which are specifically created for shaping small wood pieces. Said works are in fact realised by traditional milling machines or matching machines. They can operate by the preparation of a guide - carriage and fittings by which the operator can realise a cavity, along which the wood to be shaped will be housed. Substantially, a track is realised, along which the wood to be passed under the milling cutter will be housed.
It is well evident how, by the above-mentioned working method, shaping of wood occurs by a complex process, characterised, among the others, by a remarkable waste of time. Further, working cannot be easily carried out on small wood pieces, since it is particularly high the risk of accident of the operator.
It is in fact known that machine presently sold and allowing precision works, can be very dangerous. Everybody knows accidents that can occur while working. Further, said precision working machines are very expensive. Therefore, artisans wishing proposing precision workings not always can increase their business due to the long time necessary for these workings.
Possibility of working wood parts, even with very small dimensions, would permit avoiding procurement of connection or finish elements for wood parts or for other structures.
Among these elements we can for example mention the splines, i.e. those wood elements, with a substantially double dove tail shape, that are used since some years for coupling the elements comprising a frame. For the application of these splines, frame-maker must realise, in correspondence of the coupling corners, seats, within which the splines must be housed. Furthermore, frame-maker must procure with splines from the manufacturer, storing a sufficient number of already ready splines.
Said splines have been described for the first time in the Italian Patent Application filed on November 16, 1984 by the same Applicant and concerning a "Double dove tail spline for making two frame elements integral each other".
A further problem felt in the planing mill field is that of being able to reduce the amount of wood scraps, that could be reduced by their recycling in the precision working. It would also be advantageous for costs and preservation of nature. The above could be for example applied to the realisation of splines that can be obtained by small wood pieces, also avoiding the needing of procuring with a stock of products, as already said in the above.
However, as already said, these advantages are presently prevented to artisans, not having available many suitable means for working very small wood parts.
It is further known that shaping of a small wood piece along its fibre section ensures a lower resistance with respect to when the same wood is shaped following the orientation of the fibres. In fact, in first case, wood has a lower resistance to the cut and therefore it will be higher the possibility that it can deteriorate, particularly when working on small wood pieces. Thus, it would be ideal being able working small wood elements in such a way to allow its longitudinal working.
In view of the above, it well evident the needing of having a device allowing to shape products having a substantially elongated shape, particularly wood elements, in a precise and economic way, as proposed by the present invention.
Object of the present invention is that of suggesting a device that can guarantee very precise and safe wood shaping operations.
Another object of the present invention is that of suggesting a device that can be realised by low manufacturing costs.
A further object of the present invention is that of allowing the realisation a device that can be used in a flexible way, being easily adaptable to the dimensions of wood parts to be worked on.
The above-mentioned objects are attained by means of a device according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments thereof are defined in the dependent claims.
The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of the wood shaping device;
Figure 2 shows a lateral perspective view of the shaping device of figure 1;
Figure 3 is a first view of the particular of the assembly of adjustment elements of the shaping device according to figure 1;
Figure 4 is a second view of the adjustment element assembly of figure 3, for the shaping device of figure 1, suitable for a worked piece; and
Figure 5 shows some possible shaping that can be realised by the shaping device of figure 1.

Making first reference to figures 1 and 2, it is possible observing the view of the shaping device 1 according to the invention.
Particularly, device 1 comprises a horizontal basis 2, for example having a substantially square shape and two feet 21 on the corners of said horizontal basis 2, it is possible observing vertical supports 22, on which the upper base 23 is placed. Said upper basis 23 provides a substantially central hole 231. Said hole 231 is necessary to apply a working tool 3 (in figures 1 and 2 two different kind of tools are shown, particularly an electro milling machine).
Said electro milling machine 3 can be any kind already available on the market. More particularly, the one shown in figure 2 provides a milling cutting tip 31, a support structure 32 and coupling means 33, coupled with the upper base 23. Furthermore, handles 34 are provided.
An assembly 4 is placed between the lower base 2 and the upper base 23, comprising adjustment elements for the shaping device 1 that will be described in greater detail in the following with reference to figures 3 and 4.
Said assembly 4 provides a wheel 41 operating on a worm screw 42, and having a half left-handed threading and a half right-handed threading.
Said worm screw 41 acts on two crosspiece elements 44, slidable along guides 421, provided on said lower base 2, moving them away and approaching said elements 44, on the basis of the work piece.
Two turrets 43 are provided above said crosspiece elements 44, said turrets providing corner projections 431, allowing adapting the adjustment assembly 4, as it will be more evident in the following, to the element 5 to be shaped.
Said turrets 43 provide lateral tongues 432, on their surfaces faced inwardly, allowing to create a profile suitable to the housing, under a triangular element 45 and two trapezoidal elements 46, provided symmetrically and above an upper gib 491.
Said trapezoidal elements 46 are connected to said crosspiece elements 44 by oblique spring 47.
Said triangular element 45, provided above said trapezoidal elements 46, is connected to a lower gib 49 by a vertical spring 48.
Said gibs 49 and 491 are respectively coupled with the lower base 2 and with the upper base 23 by vertical springs 481 and 482.
Obviously, said gib 491 is provided with a hole, not shown, corresponding with said hole 231 provided on said upper base 23.
Above the two turrets 43 a traverse element 232 is present, fixed to the upper base 23, to fix the distance of said upper base 23 from the turrets 43.
In case no work piece 5 is introduced, and completely tightening the device 1, acting on the wheel 41, in such a way to put the two crosspiece elements 44 in their closest position, the configuration shown in figure 3 is reached.
When it is wished working on an element 5, to shape the same, it is necessary introducing it within the device 1 according to the invention.
To this end, it is necessary acting on the wheel 41, moving away the crosspiece elements 44 and consequently the two turrets 43; crosspiece elements 44, moving away, allow that the lower gib 49 can lower and the upper gib 491 lifts, thanks to the return springs 481 and 482, that are pre-stressed at rest.
Furthermore, also triangular element 45 lowers, due to the return force of the spring 48, pre-stressed at rest, and at the same time facilitates the moving away of the trapezoidal elements 46, by the action of the springs 47.
As it can be seen, a channel 51 is created by the upper gib 491, the tongues 432 and the triangular element 45, allowing the introduction of the elements 5 to be shaped.
The following step is that of placing an electro-milling machine 3 above the hole 231 of the upper base 23. In this way, device 1 according to the invention is ready to work.
It will be understood that, by the choice of the angle α between lower gib 49 and upper gib 491, it is possible deciding how much the height of the channel 51 must be increased with respect to a corresponding increase of its width, the latter obtained by actuation of the wheel 41. Dimension of channel 51, as already said, must be suitable to the dimension of work pieces 5, generally having a parallelepiped shape.
In order to obtain the wished shape, it is necessary activating the milling cutter, introducing the same within the hole 231, and introducing said element 5 within the channel 51, advancing the same manually. In this way, milling cutter works on its upper surface. Then, a further element 5 is introduced, pushing the previous one forward. In order to work on another surface of the element 5, it is possible introducing the same upset.
In figure 5 it is possible observing the various workings that can be carried out. Particularly, it is possible observing the realisation of a dovetail shaped spline, indicated by letter g, widely used as coupling means for wood or plastic structures. It is also possible working at the same time two elements by a V shaped milling cutting tip, as in figure individuated by letter c. in this case, two elements are side by side and worked on at the same time. The section obtained in the two elements has an isosceles trapezoid shape.
Device for shaping wood has a series of upper 49 and lower 491 gibs, with different angles α, in such a way to adapt to different type of elements 5.
As it can be seen, working does not provides the approach of limb of the operator close to the milling cutting tip 3 of the milling cutter 3. Therefore, working can be made under safe conditions.
On the basis of the previous specification, it can be observed that the basic feature of the present invention is that it is possible shaping small wood parts with the maximum safety, allowing both longitudinal workings, following the orientation of the wood fibres, and transverse workings, i.e. along the fibre section, with a lower resistance during the working.
An advantage of the present invention is that said device allows making many different workings.
The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

Shaping device (1), preferably for shaping substantially elongated elements, comprising at least a shaping tool (3), a support and containment structure (2, 22, 23), above which said shaping tool (3) is placed, guide means (43, 432, 45, 46) for said elements, characterised in that said guide means comprise horizontal guide means (43, 432, 46) and vertical guide means (45), placed in said support and containment structured (2, 22, 23); said horizontal guide means (43, 432, 46) comprise two slidable turrets (43), each one of said turrets (43) comprises a notch, on the surface faced toward the other turret (43), said notch, suitable to house some of said guide means (45, 46), being realised below a tongue or projection (432), each one of said tongues (432) having a substantially rectangular shape and being suitable to create the lateral edge of a closed guide channel; and in that said guide means are provided with means (44, 42, 421, 49, 491, 47) coupled to said turrets (43) for adjusting the dimensions of said closed guide channel in function of the element to be worked.
Shaping device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said structure comprises a lower base (2) and an upper base (23), spaced by vertical supports (22), said upper base (23) providing a hole (231) for the coupling of said shaping tool (3).
Shaping device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said adjustment means for said guide means comprise horizontal adjustment means (44, 421, 42, and 41) and vertical adjustment means (49, 491, 482, 47).
Shaping device according to claim 3, characterised in that said horizontal adjustment means comprise at least two crosspiece elements (44), faced each other, said crosspiece elements (44) being slidable along guides (421) and coupled to said lower base (2).
Shaping device (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that said crosspiece elements (44) have a bevelling in correspondence of two upper corners of the facing surfaces.
Shaping device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that said horizontal adjustment means comprise at least a worm screw (42), that can be actuated by a wheel (41), said worm screw (42) can have half of the threading left-handed and half of the threading right-handed and be coupled with corresponding threaded portions provided on said facing crosspiece elements (44), in such a way that they can be moved away or approached by the adjustment.
Shaping device (1) according to one of the claims 4-6. characterised in that each of said turrets (43) is fixed to one of said crosspiece elements (44).
Shaping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said horizontal guide means comprise two substantially rectangular trapezoidal shaped elements (46), provided under said tongues or projections (432).
Shaping device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that said vertical guide means comprise a first triangular element (45), suitable to create, with its base, the lower edge of said channel guide, said first triangular element (45) being provided above said substantially rectangular trapezoidal elements (46).
Shaping device according to one of the claims 4 - 9, characterised in that said vertical adjustment means comprise an upper gib (491), a lower gib (49), each one of said gibs (49, 491) can have a isosceles triangle section, said upper gib (491) can be engaged in said notches of said turret (43), said lower gib (49) can be placed on said bevellings of said crosspieces (44), said vertical adjustment means can provide means (482) for bringing back said upper gib (491) toward said upper base (23).
Shaping device (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that said return means are comprised of a pre-stressed spring (482).
Shaping device according to one of the claims 4 - 11, characterised in that said vertical adjustment means comprise second return means, preferably a second pre-stressed spring, provided between said first isosceles triangle (45) element and said lower gib (49), third return means, preferably a third pre-stressed spring (481) provided between said lower gib (49) and said lower base (2), and fourth return means, preferably two pre-stressed springs (47), particularly obliquely placed between said crosspiece means and said isosceles trapezoidal elements (46), all the above in such a way that, as a consequence of the moving away of said crosspiece elements (44), said turrets (43), moving away allow to said upper gib (491) to approach to said upper base (23) by the action of said first spring, said first isosceles triangular element (45) lowering by the action of said second spring, said lower gib (49) lowering by the action of said third spring, said isosceles trapezoid elements (46) moving away by the action of said two springs (47) provided according to a oblique orientation.
Shaping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said structure comprises coupling means for said shaping tool (3).
Shaping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said shaping tool is a milling machine.