EP3659770B1 - Tool for cutting slate plates with waste collector - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a tool for cutting slate or plates of similar material, in particular transportable and usable on a roof.

In the field of home roofing, several materials can be used: zinc, tiles or stone, such as slate. Other synthetic materials can be used to imitate the appearance of the previously mentioned materials. For example, we can cite fiber cement boards as a material similar to slate.

In the field of slate roofing, there are many tools specific to this material and intended for cutting the plates, cutting them into a chosen curved shape, drilling them and fixing them.

In general, the roofer cuts the slate sheets on the ground to the desired general size, then mounts them on the roof to be covered and recuts them more finely using pliers or special hammers. Then he drills them (an operation also called “punching”) and fixes them with hooks on the roof battens. The latter are longitudinal battens, generally made of wood, fixed transversely to the frame (generally the rafters) of the roof and perpendicular to the slope of the roof.

Once the slates have been installed, either the roofer detaches himself from the fall protection system and comes down from the roof to prepare new slates, or he is helped by an assistant who can install new pre-cut slates to save him time and to break away. In the latter case, labor costs are much higher.

One of the best-known slate or fiber cement board cutting tools is the CA600 model from the JOUANEL company. This tool comprises a frame delimiting a cutting table carrying a cutting slot above which a guide rail is arranged. A carriage fitted with a cutting disc engaged in the slot and a pulling handle is slidably mounted on the rail. A first end of the rail has a reversible retaining means (generally a ball screw) of the carriage and the other end has a shock absorbing pad at the end of the stroke.

The tool also includes a support table preferably equipped with squareness stops. The support table is mounted coplanar with the cutting table to allow part of the plate to be supported during cutting. It can be fixed to the right or left of the cutting table depending on whether the operator is left-handed or right-handed.

The latter then places the cutting plate on the cutting table and the support table. Then, he unlocks the retaining means and then pulls the carriage towards him to cut the plate. Finally, he returns the cart to the first end and locks it to prevent it from sliding on its own and injuring the user.

This tool is very heavy (more than 22 kg) and cannot be transported on the roof by a single person.

The cutting waste evacuated through the slot falls directly onto the ground which must then be swept up.

To be moved, the tool includes a gripping handle fixed on the body of the tool in a plane perpendicular to the cutting plane. It also includes a carriage lock at one end of the rail during transport to prevent the carriage from rolling along the guide and creating a dangerous imbalance due to its weight while the user holds the handle in one or two hands.

To overcome these problems, a tool of similar design, much lighter, and intended to be mounted and used directly on the roof, called “Mini Cad” from the company DIMOS, has already been proposed.

This tool includes a frame raised by toothed feet and a cutting waste collection chute surmounted by the cutting table carrying the cutting slot. The collection chute is necessary to prevent waste from damaging the roof. The tool also includes a guide rail, a cutting carriage, as well as a support table to be fixed to the right or left of the cutting table depending on whether the user is right-handed or left-handed.

The spacing of the feet is chosen so that they can be inserted between two battens in order to hold the tool on the roof and prevent it from slipping. Once the surface near the user is covered with slates, the latter raises the tool slightly to release the teeth from the batten and slides the tool near a new area to be covered.

If this tool has the advantage of allowing slates to be cut on the roof, that is to say on the very place where the slates are used, it still has many disadvantages.

The presence of the collection chute between the cutting table and the feet makes the tool very unstable and the latter systematically tips over when the user leans on the support table. Tilting can be limited if the teeth of the feet bite strongly into the batten, but the latter is then damaged.

The collection chute includes a vertically pivoting mounted bottom, so to empty the chute, the tool must be tilted to the side and the bottom pivoted open. It is then necessary to shake the tool thus opened to remove the waste, but given its size and its weight in this position, it is common for the user to drop it. Furthermore, it is common for the bottom of the chute to become detached during transport, which empties the chute in an undesired location and risks injuring the user.

To be able to be transported on the roof, this tool includes on the one hand a transport strap attached to the frame and on the other hand a device for reversible blocking of the carriage at a first end of the rail to prevent the latter from rolling along the guide during movement. Thanks to the strap, the user can use both hands to climb onto the roof.

However, the tool is very unbalanced due to the locking arrangement and the tool weighs heavily on the user's shoulder while climbing onto the roof. Due to this imbalance, the tool cannot be hoisted onto the roof with a rope, at the risk of damaging the tool and/or the house.

A cutting tool according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from the document FR 2 861 630 A1 .

The objective of the present invention is to provide a slate cutting tool usable on a roof, light, practical, safe and economical.

By practical we mean that the tool must be able to be handled easily, without requiring significant effort.

By safe, we mean that the tool must be stable (no tipping or unbalance), both in use and in transport.

According to the invention, the tool comprises a waste collection and evacuation system which does not require tipping of the tool while being lockable automatically and easily during transport.

The tool can therefore easily be used on a roof without the risk of cutting waste damaging the roof and without the risk of the tool emptying unintentionally during transport.

• une table de découpe portant une fente de découpe au-dessus de laquelle est agencé un rail de guidage,
• un chariot de découpe monté coulissant le long du rail de guidage et muni d'un disque de découpe engagé dans la fente et d'une poignée de préhension
• une goulotte de collecte des déchets de coupe agencée sous la table de découpe, la goulotte de collecte comprenant un fond, deux parois latérales et deux parois d'extrémité,

Thus, the subject of the invention is a tool for cutting a slate plate or similar material comprising:

• a cutting table carrying a cutting slot above which a guide rail is arranged,
• a cutting carriage mounted sliding along the guide rail and provided with a cutting disc engaged in the slot and a gripping handle
• a cutting waste collection chute arranged under the cutting table, the collection chute comprising a bottom, two side walls and two end walls,

According to the invention, at least one of the end walls of the chute is pierced with a waste evacuation window and further comprises a hatch mounted movably between a collection position in which the hatch closes the window. evacuation and an emptying position in which the hatch clears the window.

• la trappe peut être montée coulissante parallèlement à la paroi d'extrémité qui la porte ;
• la trappe peut être montée pivotante sur la paroi d'extrémité qui la porte ;
• la trappe et la paroi d'extrémité qui la porte peuvent être percées chacune d'un trou de sécurité agencés de telle sorte qu'en position de collecte, le trou de sécurité de la trappe et le trou de sécurité de la paroi d'extrémité sont en regard l'un de l'autre ;
• l'outil de découpe peut comprendre, en outre, un organe de sécurité présentant une partie annulaire ouvrable réversiblement apte à passer dans les trous de sécurité de la trappe et de la paroi d'extrémité en position de collecte et à interdire un mouvement de la trappe par rapport à la paroi d'extrémité ;
• l'organe de sécurité présentant une partie annulaire ouvrable réversiblement peut être choisi parmi un anneau brisé, un mousqueton, une manille et un maillon rapide ;
• l'outil de découpe peut comprendre une sangle de portage munie à chaque extrémité d'un organe de sécurité destiné à être fixé dans les trous de sécurité de la ou des trappe(s) et de la ou des parois d'extrémité ; et/ou
• la ou chaque trappe et la ou chaque paroi d'extrémité peuvent être percées chacune d'une lucarne, les lucarnes étant agencées de telle sorte qu'en position de collecte, la lucarne d'une trappe et la lucarne de la paroi d'extrémité portant la trappe sont en regard l'une de l'autre pour constituer une poignée de manutention.

According to other embodiments:

• the hatch can be mounted sliding parallel to the end wall which carries it;
• the hatch can be pivotally mounted on the end wall which carries it;
• the hatch and the end wall which carries it can each be pierced with a security hole arranged so that in the collection position, the security hole of the hatch and the security hole of the end wall are facing each other;
• the cutting tool may further comprise a safety member having a reversibly openable annular part capable of passing through the safety holes of the hatch and of the end wall in the collection position and of preventing movement of the hatch relative to the end wall;
• the safety member having a reversibly openable annular part can be chosen from a split ring, a carabiner, a shackle and a quick link;
• the cutting tool may comprise a carrying strap provided at each end with a safety member intended to be fixed in the safety holes of the hatch(es) and the end wall(s); and or
• the or each hatch and the or each end wall can each be pierced with a skylight, the skylights being arranged such that in the collection position, the skylight of a hatch and the skylight of the end wall carrying the hatch are facing each other to constitute a handling handle.

• la figure 1, une vue schématique en perspective d'un mode de réalisation préféré d'un outil de découpe selon l'invention dans lequel la trappe du collecteur de déchet est fermée, en position fermée de collecte des déchets ;
• la figure 2, une vue schématique en perspective du mode de réalisation de la figure 1 dans lequel la trappe du collecteur de déchet est en position ouverte de vidage des déchets ; et
• la figure 3, une vue schématique en perspective d'un agrandissement partiel de la figure 1 au niveau d'une extrémité de l'outil comprenant un organe de sécurité verrouillant la trappe en position fermée.

Other characteristics of the invention will be set out in the detailed description below, made with reference to the appended drawings, which represent, respectively:

• there figure 1 , a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a cutting tool according to the invention in which the hatch of the waste collector is closed, in the closed waste collection position;
• there figure 2 , a schematic perspective view of the embodiment of the figure 1 in which the waste collector hatch is in the open waste emptying position; And
• there Figure 3 , a schematic perspective view of a partial enlargement of the figure 1 at one end of the tool comprising a safety member locking the hatch in the closed position.

There figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a tool for cutting a slate plate, or similar material, according to the invention. The tool 100 is positioned between two battens A in the use position.

It comprises a cutting table 110 carrying a slot 111 above which a guide rail 120 is arranged. In this embodiment, the guide rail is constituted by two L-shaped profiles 121 (also called "angle") arranged facing each other and at a distance from each other to provide a passage for a cutting carriage 130 mounted sliding along the guide rail 120.

The cutting carriage 130 includes a gripping handle 131 fixed to a casing 132. The latter protects a cutting disc 133 engaged in the cutting slot 111 and rotatably mounted in the casing by a shaft 134.

The casing includes bearings (not visible in the figure) arranged above and below the horizontal tracks 122 of the angles 121 of the guide rail.

The cutting tool 100 according to the invention also includes a chute 140 for collecting cutting waste. This chute 140 is arranged under the cutting table 110 in order to collect the cutting waste falling through the slot 111 of the cutting table 110.

The chute 140 comprises a bottom 141, two side walls 142 and two end walls 143.

Each end wall 143 is extended, below the level of the bottom 141 of the chute 140, by feet 148 which allow the tool to abut against one of the battens A of the roof. Preferably, the feet 148 have teeth 149 directed towards the center of the tool so as to ensure better retention of the tool against the battens A by the simple weight of the tool 100 itself.

According to the invention, at least one of the end walls 143 is pierced with a waste evacuation window 144. A hatch 150 is associated with the end wall 143 pierced by the window 144 and it is mounted movably between a collection position in which the hatch 150 closes the evacuation window 144, and an emptying position in which the hatch 150 clears the window to let the waste pass.

In the illustrated embodiment, the hatch 150 is slidably mounted parallel to the end wall 143 which carries it. Preferably, the hatch 150 is arranged between the end wall 143 and the angles 121 so that it is held in sliding position by the horizontal tracks 122.

Advantageously, the hatch 150 and the end wall 143 which carries it are each pierced with a security hole, respectively 151 and 145. These security holes 145 and 151 are arranged such that in the collection position , the security hole 145 of the end wall 143 and the security hole 151 of the hatch 150 face each other.

This arrangement makes it possible to insert into these two holes 145 - 151 facing each other a reversibly openable annular part of a safety member 160 (see Figure 3 ). In this way, in the collection position, that is to say when the hatch 150 obscures the window 144, the safety member prohibits the relative movement of the hatch 150 relative to the end wall 143.

The arrangement according to the invention therefore not only makes it possible to easily evacuate the waste by tilting the tool 100 when the hatch 150 is open while also providing a system for locking the hatch in the closed position, which is simple, economical and very effective.

The safety member 160 illustrated in Figure 3 is a carabiner but it is also possible to choose a split ring, a shackle, a quick link, or any other device allowing it to be inserted securely into holes 145 and 151.

Preferably, the safety member is arranged at one end of a strap 161 for carrying the tool.

To ensure great versatility of the tool, each end wall of the chute 140 is provided with a hatch 150, a window 144, a hole 145 and a hole 151. In this way, it it is possible to evacuate the waste whatever the positioning of the tool 100 and it is also possible to use a strap 161 provided at its two ends with a safety member carabiner type for blocking the hatches 150 on the end walls 143 in the collection position.

In an advantageous embodiment, the or each hatch 150 and the or each end wall 143 is/are each pierced with a skylight, respectively 152 and 146. The skylights 146-152 are arranged such that in position collection, the skylight 152 of a hatch 150 and the skylight 146 of the end wall 143 face each other and constitute a handling handle.

This handle has a double function: on the one hand it allows the tool 100 to be grasped at each end with one hand to move it, and on the other hand it allows the hatch 150 to be grasped and to slide it upwards to that it releases the window 144 of the end wall 143 and that the user can empty the waste collection chute.

The illustrated arrangement is particularly advantageous since it allows the chute to be emptied without having to completely turn the tool over and is simple and economical.

In an embodiment not illustrated, the hatch 150 can be pivotally mounted on the end wall which carries it. In this case, safety holes will be provided on the pivoting hatch and on the end wall to ensure that the hatch is held against the wall by a carabiner 160 or any other safety device when carrying the tool with a strap 161.

Claims (8)

1. Cutting tool (100) for cutting a sheet of slate or similar material, comprising:

   • a cutting table (110) which has a cutting slot (111) over which a guide rail (120) is arranged,

   • a cutting carriage (130) mounted so that it can slide along the guide rail, and fitted with a cutting disc (133) engaged in the slot, and with a grab handle (131),

   • a channel (140) for collecting the cutting waste, which channel is arranged under the cutting table (110), the collecting channel comprising a bottom (141), two lateral walls (142) and two end walls (143),

   characterized in that at least one of the end walls (143) of the channel is pierced with a waste removal window (144) and further comprises a hatch (150) mounted with the ability to move between a collection position in which the hatch (150) closes the removal window (144) and an emptying position in which the hatch (150) uncovers the removal window (144).
2. Cutting tool according to Claim 1, in which the hatch (150) is mounted with the ability to slide parallel to the end wall (143) that bears it.
3. Cutting tool according to Claim 1, in which the hatch (150) is mounted with the ability to pivot on the end wall that bears it.
4. Cutting tool according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the hatch (150) and the end wall (143) that bears it are each pierced with a safety hole (145-151) which holes are arranged in such a way that, in the collection position, the safety hole (151) of the hatch (150) and the safety hole (145) of the end wall (143) face one another.
5. Cutting tool according to Claim 4, further comprising a safety member (160) having a reversibly openable annular part able to enter the safety holes (145-151) in the hatch (150) and in the end wall (143) in the collecting position and to prevent movement of the hatch with respect to the end wall.
6. Cutting tool according to Claim 5, in which the safety member (160) having a reversibly openable annular part is chosen from a split ring, a carabiner, a shackle and a quick link.
7. Cutting tool according to Claim 5 or 6, comprising a carry strap (161) equipped at each end with a safety member (160) intended to be fixed into the safety holes (145-151) of the hatch(es) and of the end wall(s).
8. Cutting tool according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the or each hatch (150) and the or each end wall (143) are each pierced with a cutout (146-152), the cutouts being arranged in such a way that, in the collection position, the cutout (152) of a hatch (150) and the cutout (146) of the end wall (143) bearing the hatch (150) face one another to constitute a handling handle.

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