EP1859911A1

EP1859911A1 - Planer with adjustable sliding surfaces

Info

Publication number: EP1859911A1
Application number: EP07010096A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ezio Trevisiol
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-05-25
Filing date: 2007-05-21
Publication date: 2007-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-21
Also published as: ITTV20060089A1; EP1859911B1; DE602007000619D1; ES2321563T3

Abstract

Manual electric planer comprising an adjustable sliding plate or plates (1,3), the planer being suitable to level surfaces by means of removal of material by milling or by abrasion, characterised by the fact that one or both of the sliding plates (1,3) will have an adjustable alignment such that one or both will be moveable with respect to the casing of the machine and will be able to be reset as and when required to be in perfect alignment in the machine.
Either the front plate can be composed of two parts, one (4) fixed solidly to the mechanism of the knob (7) and operating in the body of the machine, the second (3) with the function of sliding, fixed to the first with lateral screws (11) or other fixing means and can, as required be repositioned by means of loosening of the lateral fixing means and consequent alignment with the surface on which the tangent line of the operating roller (5) rests or the rear plate (1) can be formed by an internal part (2), with the function of counter-frame, rigidly fixed to the bottom of the body of the machine (6), and a part external to this (1) joined by means of lateral fixing means such as screws (11), such that once the fixing means (11) are loosened the part (1) can be moved and aligned perfectly with the surface taken as a reference plane, that is to say the one where the lower tangent line of the roller (5) rests.
Alternatively both the front (3) and rear (1) sliding plates can be alignable.

Description

In the current state of technology; there are many types of electric planers for to level surfaces, by the removal of material produced by a rotating cylinder, equipped with knives or alternatively with particular abrasive tubes,it is placed between two plates that rest on the surface to be worked, and it is on an axis transverse to them.
They are equipped with an electric motor, placed usually on an axis parallel to the operating cylinder-roller, which provides movement to the latter usually by means of a belt.
The operating cylinder-roller meets the material to be worked by rotating in the opposite direction to the forward movement of the machine itself.
There are two handles: the back handle is used to guide the machine and contains usually the electric switch for the machine itself; the front handle which usually has the function of controlling the height of the front plate thereby determining the depth of removal of material.
All the mechanical and functional organs are assembled and contained in a casing which is generally of a plastic material. This machine is not intended for a simple removal of material by cutting or abrasion, but rather has the principal function of to level, that is to say of rectifying the surfaces on which it operates.
In order to accomplish this it is essential that the rear plate and the operating surface of the tool which is transverse to it, are always and absolutely tangent to one and the same plane.
The front plate when in its position of rest, will also be tangent to the same plane, but can be raised parallel to it to a certain degree to define the amount of material that one wishes to remove.
Any irregular positioning even of a few hundredths of a millimetre of one of these three elements in relation to the imaginary plane given by the extension of the rear resting plate will cause the action of levelling by the electric planer to become inefficient.
The identified problem consists of the fact that the plastics of which the body of the machine is made are often subject to deformations due to factors such as heat, post pressing surface tensions, ageing, tensions in couplings, vibrations. As both the plates and the rotating tool are solidly attached to the plastic body, it is obvious how a deformation in the plastics can cause an incorrect positioning of these elements in relation to each other.
As mentioned, even a few hundredths of deformation can cause the machine to function imperfectly.
In a planer with blades one can in part avoid this because one can move the knife-holders in the cylinder but this intervention is indeed rather complex. In this way it is easy to put the tool out of balance and due to the fact that the tool rotates at high speed this will translate into damaging vibrations.
It will not however be possible to reposition the resting plates, both rear and front, on the same plane if the body of the machine has twisted or arched.
In a planer with an abrasive cylinder-roller, there is no possibility of acting on the operating cylinder in order to change the position and therefore no correction is possible.
In industry this problem is well known because there are significant unknowns with respect to the stability of moulded plastics. Tensions in the cooling process at times cause deformations, even on a small scale, that are difficult to predict. In some productions long periods of stabilisation are established for plastics after moulding with a final adjustment by means of a CNC lathe in order to redefine the seatings of each mechanical component of the machine.
Notwithstanding this operation however there is a high probability of deformation of the machine during or after assembly and thereafter in use.
The solution proposed consists therefore in supplying these electric tools with an innovative type of adjustable resting plate able, as and when required, to return to perfect alignment with the tool which will always determine the position of reference to which they must adjust.
The innovation consists of the making of both resting plates in two parts: the more internal part with the function of counter-frame fixed to the body of the machine and an external part fixed to the first by means of screws or other fixing system. Such screws or other fixing system must be in an accessible position when the machine rests on a flat surface.
Such plates, once the screws or other system of fixing have been loosened, will be able to be repositioned correctly with respect to the cylinder-roller tool. The adjustments will be able to take place independently at each fixing point and therefore on several axes.
The total width of these two assembled parts must be less than that of the cylinder-toller tool so that it can run in the groove produced by the latter as it advances in the material to be worked.
A perfect re-setting of the machine can be performed at any time without any particular technical knowledge as follows:

put the knob that controls the front plate in the "rest" position;
loosen all the screws or other fixing system of the two resting plates;
place the machine on a perfectly flat surface;
make sure that that the cylindrical tool and the resting plates are tangent to this surface;
tighten the above mentioned screws;
In the planer with blades mounted in a cylinder, it will be the cutting edge of these same blades that will determine the tangent line of the tool to the resting plate. In the planer with abrasive cylinder-roller it will be the surface of the cylinder-roller itself that will determine the tangent line.

This simple operation will allow us to reset the exact relative positions and the perfect functioning of the planer, simply and at any time.
At an industrial level it will be possible to avoid those problems connected with post moulding deformations of plastics used for the body of the machine which, not being foreseeable either in size or in time, can affect entire production batches with grave damage both economically and to the company's image.
Such deformations can also be found in product that is already packed and distributed.
The user will be able to re-adjust at any time to the correct relative positions of the components of the planer and always to work with total precision.
In the case of the planer with abrasive cylinder-roller the ability to re-set the plates relative to the roller will serve to compensate for possible differences of thickness of the abrasive due to wear or to different types of grain of abrasive used on the rollers.
We now move on to a detailed description.
From fig. 1 the following elements can be noted:

casing in plastic material 6 constituting the body of the machine having the function of containing and supporting the remaining mechanical and electrical parts (component most subjected to deformation);
rear handle 9 containing the electric switch button 13 for the control of the machine;
front handle 7 with the function of raising the front sole plate 3 by means of a mechanism determining the amount of removal of material required at each pass of the machine;
outlet opening 8 for the explusion of dust;
seating for the motor 10; this latter is usually mounted transverse to the body of the machine 6 and parallel to the axis of the operating roller 5 to which it generates movement through a system of pulleys and a belt;
the cylinder-roller tool 5 can be supplied with blades or abrasive material; on some machines the two systems are interchangeable.
It is the working organ that, with its own rotational action, will determine the removal of material from the surfaces on which it is used and that together with the function of supporting of the two plates 1 and 3 will accomplish the levelling action;
it is places between the two sliding plates with a horizontal tranverse axis to the direction of manual advance of the machine with direction of rotation opposite to said advance;
flange, present in the version with abrasive cylinder-roller or with abrasive and blade carrying cylinder interchangeable the one with the other, which will have the function of closing the aperture in the body of the machine,necessary in the substitution of abrasive cylinders or of operating rollers and which can also have the function of supporting the bearing on the opposite side to that of the transmission of the roller itselfwhen this latter is not pivoted totally on the side of the transmission;
front plate controlled in height by knob 7. It is composed of two parts: one 4 fixed to the mechanism of the handle 7 which operates in the body of the machine 6, the second 3 with the function of sliding on materials to be worked and fixed to the first by means of screws 11 or other system of fixing which can be aligned to the roller and to the rear plate by loosening the same;
rear plate which also has the function of sliding on the material to be worked formed by an internal part 2, with the function of counter-frame, rigidly fixed to the body of the machine 6 and an external part 1 attached to it with lateral screws 11 or other system of fixing, once the screws or other system of fixing is loosened, this part can be aligned perfectly to the lower tangent line of the operating roller fig.9item 14.

The internal counter-frame 2 can also be composed of appropriate appendages to the body of the machine.
Figure 2 represents in a schematic way the positioning of the cylinder-roller tool 5 and of the sliding plates seen from above: the counter-frames 2 and 4 and protruding from them the sliding plates 1-3 connected to the former by means of screws 11 are visible.
Figure 3 represents in a schematic way the rear view between plate 1 connected to its counter-frame 2 by means of screws 11 and cylinder-roller tool 5.
An important factor is the empty space shown by 16 between the sliding plate 1 and counter-frame 2 which allows movement on several axes between the two elements when the screws 11 are loosened.
inserted on the screws and positioned in the space between the sliding plates and the counter-frame are washers 18 of an adequate thickness having the function of not allowing the sliding plates to be deformed when they are tightened by the screws to the counter-frame.
Figure 4 shows in a schematic way the roller tool 5 and counter-frame 2 and 4 with the fixing screws 11 separate from the sliding plates 1 and 3.
Figure 5 shows the two sliding plates 1 and 3 separate from their own counter-frames 2 and 4. To be noted are the slots 12 into which the fixing screws 11 are inserted. The heads of these same screws with a diameter greater than the width of the slots will be able to move downwards and find a seating in the appropriate milling (particular 19).
Figure 6 shows in a schematic way the rear view of roller tool 5 and counter-frame 2; on it are fixed the screws 11 on which the washer 18 is to be noted.
Figure 7 shows the shape in section of the sliding plates.
Figure 8 shows a view from underneath of the sliding plates 1 and 3 and of the roller tool in which we see the tangent line indicated by 14. In order to sure that our planer is perfectly inalignment, the whole surface of plates 1 and 3 and the tangent line of roller 14, when the rear plate is in the position of zero material removal, must correspond to the very same plane. If not, our electric tool will not be able to execute a levelling operation.
Figure 9 shows in section a variation to the profiles used for counter-frame 2 and sliding plate 1; in this case the screws 21 can be without heads and completely contained within the sliding plate, the profiles that can be used will be many and varied as will the solutions for fixing systems, as long as they allow free movement between the two elements when the screws are loosened and a solid union when the screws are tightened.
Figure 10 shows how the counter-frames 2 and 4 can have their internal parts empty; this solution can reduce the weight of the structure and furthermore the empty spaces can be occupied by light and elastic materials with the function of exercising a certain pressure between counter-frame 2 and 4 and the sliding plates 1 and 3 thus enhancing the adherence to the reference surface when the screws are loosened for re-alignment.
The materials that can be used for the counter-frames and for the sliding plates can be many and varied but must guarantee their total resistance to deformation and their ability to slide on the materials that will be worked.

Claims

Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates, fit for to level surfaces by means of the removal of material by milling or abrasion consisting of:
- a casing 6 made in one or more parts in plastic material which constitutes the body of the machinehaving the function of containing and supporting the remaining mechanical and electric parts;

- rear handle 9 containing switch button 13 for the operating of the machine;

- front handle 7 with the function of raising by means of a mechanism the front plate 3 in parallel with the rear plate, and determining the quantity of material removal at each pass of the machine;

- port for the expulsion of dust 8;

- seating for the motor 10 in which the motor is usually mounted transversally to the body of the machine 6 and parallel to the axis of the operating roller 5 to which it in general transmits movement by means of a system of pulleys and belt;

- roller tool 5 which can be furnished with blades or with abrasive material or with both systems exchangeable between them. It is the organ of work that, with its own rotating action, will determine the removal of material from the surfaces on which it is used and that together with the function of supporting of the two plates 1 and 3, will operate the level action for which the planer is proposed. It is placed betweed the two sliding plates with transverse horizontal axis with respect to the direction of manual advance of the machine, with rotation opposite to the direction of advancement of the machine;

- flange present in the version with abrasive roller and in the version with abrasive roller and roller furnished with blades interchangeable between them, that will have the function of closing the opening on the body of the machine necessary for the substitution of the abrasive cylinders or of the operating cylinder-rollers. It can also have the function of supporting the bearing on the opposite side to that of the transmission of the roller itself if this latter is not pivoted totally on the side of the transmission;

- front supporting plate with the function of sliding on the material to be worked and to determine the depth of removal of the operating cylinder-roller;

- rear supporting plate which slides on the material behind the operating cylinder-roller.
Characterised by the fact that , the above mentioned sliding plates will have an adjustable positioning, they will in fact be moveable with respect to the casing of the machine and will be able, as and when required, to reset the perfect alignment of the machine.
The front plate adjustable in height by means of the knob 7 is composed of two parts, one 4 solidly attached to the mechanism of the handle 7 and operating in the body of the machine, the second 3 with the function of sliding, fixed to the first with lateral screws or other fixing systems which however must be accessible when the machine rests on a surface.
As and when required it can be repositioned by means of the loosening of the said screws or other fixing systems with consequent alignment with the surface on which the tangent line 14 of the operating roller 5 rests.
The rear plate will be composed of two parts:
One internal part 2 with the function of counter-frame, rigidly fixed to the bottom of the body of the machine 6, one external part 1 connected to the internal part by means of lateral screws 11 or other systems of fixing but always accessible when the machine rests on a flat surface. Once the screws are loosened, this external part can be postioned and aligned perfectly with the reference surface, the surface that is where the tangent line at the bottom of the operating roller fig. 9 - particular 14.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates, according to the preceding claim in which the counter-frame 2 is substituted by appropriate elements protruding from the casing of the machine obtained from the moulding of the same and having the same role as the counter-frame 2, that is to support the sliding plate 1 both in the case that the screws 11 are contained in it and in the case that these same are contained in the sliding plate 1.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims, in which between the counter-frames 2 and 4 and the sliding plates 1 and 3 are inserted springs having the function of pushing the sliding plates towards the reference surface when the screws 11 are loosened for the setting of the alignments of the machine.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which between counter-frames nos. 2 and 4 and sliding plates nos. 1 and 3 are inserted elastic cushion of the neoprene type or other having the function of producing pressure on the sliding plates towards the reference surface during the re-setting of the machine and to stop dust from entering between counter-frame and sliding plate.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which are foreseen interchangeable sliding plates of differing materials to optimise the sliding across various materials which are to be worked.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which the screws 11 are placed, for the sliding plate 1, on the rear side and, for the sliding plate 3, on the front side. Such screws, as is seen in figure 11, will act on a connecting plaque 24, where they will have a seating, pushing it towards the counter-frame 2 and 4. Such push will put pressure between the vertical contact surfaces of the sliding plate nos 1 or 3 with their respective counter-frames in correspondence with the spaces 16 figure 11 and thereby fixing solidly the two elements to each other.
Such surfaces can be suitably knurled or rubber covered to increase the bonding strength.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to claims nos. 1-2-3-4-5 whose sliding plates 1 and 3 will be fixed to their own counter-frames with the fixing screws 11 being present only on one of their sides. On the opposite side there will be avertical contact surface between the sliding plates 1 and 3 and the counter-frames 2 and 4 suitable for making them solidly fixed together when the screws on the opposite side are tightened. Such screws will act on a connecting plaque 24, where they will have a seating, pushing it towards the counter-frame 2 or 4 figure 12. Such push will produce a pressure between the vertical contact surfaces of the sliding plate 1 or 3 with the respective counter-frames in correspondence with the spaces 16 figure 11 fixing solidly the two elements to each other. Such surfaces can be suitably knurled or rubber covered in order to increase the strength of hold.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which the alignment system of the resting surfaces is limited to only one of them.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which the screws n°11 are substituted by alternative fixing systems such as clips, pushbuttons, springs, levers or other.
Manual electric planer furnished with adjustable plates according to any of the preceding claims in which the screws n°11 or any other fixing system are in any case accessible when the machine rests on a flat surface.