FR3072318A1 - STABILIZED SLATE CUTTING TOOL - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a tool for cutting a slate plate usable on a roof, light, practical, safe and economical. The cutting tool comprises: ⢠a cutting table (110) carrying a cutting slot (111) above which is arranged a guide rail (120), ⢠a cutting carriage (130) mounted sliding along the guide rail (120), - a chute (140) for collecting cutting waste arranged under the cutting table and comprising a bottom (141) and two side walls (142), - a support table (170) mounted coplanar with the cutting table (110), the tool further comprising , a U-shaped tube (180), having a longitudinal core (181) and two branches (182), arranged such that in the position of use, the longitudinal core (181) is coplanar with the bottom (141) of the chute (140).

Description

STABILIZED SLATE CUTTING TOOL.

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

In the area of home roofing, several materials can be used: zinc, tile or stone, such as slate. Other synthetic materials can be used to imitate the appearance of the previously mentioned materials. For example, mention may be made of fiber cement sheets as a material similar to slate.

In the field of slate roofing, there are many tools specific to this material and intended to cut the plates, to cut them according to a selected curved shape, to drill them and to fix them.

In general, the roofer cuts the slate plates on the ground to the desired general dimension, then mounts them on the roof to be covered and cuts them more finely using pliers or special hammers. Then he drills them (also called "punching") and fixes them with hooks on the roof battens. These 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 are laid, either the roofer detaches from the fall protection system and goes down from the roof to prepare new slates, or he is helped by an assistant who can mount new pre-cut slates to save him time to come off. In the latter case, the labor costs are much higher.

One of the best known slate or fiber cement cutting tools is the CA600 model from JOUANEL. 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 pull handle is mounted sliding on the rail. One end of the rail has a reversible retaining means (generally a ball screw) for the carriage and the other end has a shock absorption buffer at the end of the stroke.

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

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

This tool is very heavy (over 22 kg) and cannot be carried on the roof by one person.

Cutting waste discharged through the slot falls directly on the ground which can be swept later.

To be moved, the tool comprises a grip handle fixed to the body of the tool in a plane perpendicular to the cutting table. It also includes a device for locking the carriage at one end of the rail during transport to prevent the latter 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 similar design tool, much lighter, intended to be mounted and used directly on the roof, has already been proposed, called “Mini Cad” from the company DIMOS.

This tool includes a frame raised by toothed feet and a chute for collecting cutting waste 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 to keep the tool on the roof and prevent it from slipping. Once the surface near the user is covered with slate, the user slightly raises the tool to clear the teeth of 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 at the place of use of the slates, it still has many drawbacks.

The presence of the collection chute between the cutting table and the feet makes the tool very unstable and the latter tilts systematically when the user leans on the support table. The tilting can be limited if the teeth of the feet bite strongly in the battens, but the latter is then damaged.

The collection chute has a vertically pivoted bottom mounted, so that to empty the chute, the tool must be tilted to the side and the bottom pivoted. It is then necessary to shake the open tool to remove the waste, but given its size and weight in this position, it is common for the user to drop it. Furthermore, it is common for the bottom of the chute to come off 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 comprises on the one hand a transport strap fixed to the frame and on the other hand a reversible blocking device of the carriage at one end of the rail to prevent the latter from rolling along the guide during the trip. Thanks to the strap, the user can use both hands to climb on the roof.

However, the tool is in great imbalance due to the locking arrangement and the tool weighs heavily on the shoulder of the user during the climb on the roof. Because of this imbalance, the tool can not be hoisted on the roof with a rope, at the risk of damaging the tool and / or the house.

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

By practice is meant that the tool must be able to be handled easily, without requiring significant effort.

By sure, we mean that the tool must be stable (no tilting or imbalance), both in use and in transport.

According to the invention, the tool is designed to be retained on the battens in a stable manner, that is to say without risk of tilting during cutting, while facilitating its movement along the battens, which may seem incompatible with tool stability.

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 grip handle, • a chute for collecting cutting waste arranged under the cutting table and comprising a bottom and two side walls, • a support table mounted coplanar with the cutting table,

According to the invention, the tool further comprises a U-shaped tube, having a longitudinal core and two branches, arranged so that the longitudinal core is coplanar with the bottom of the chute.

According to other embodiments:

• the U-shaped tube can be removable or fixed;

• the branches of the U-shaped tubing can be fixed under the support table;

• the branches of the U-shaped tube can be fixed to a side wall of the chute;

• the chute may include retaining feet for retaining the tool against a strip in the position of use; and / or • the support table and the longitudinal core of the U-shaped tube can be spaced apart by a sufficient distance so that a user can grasp the longitudinal core with one hand.

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

Figure 1, a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a cutting tool according to the invention in the position of use supported on two battens of a roof;

Figure 2, a schematic perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1 during storage;

Figure 3, a schematic perspective view from another angle of view of the tool of Figure 2, once stored; and Figure 4, a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a cutting tool according to the invention in the position of use supported on two battens of a roof.

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

It includes a cutting table 1 10 carrying a slot 1 1 1 above which is arranged a guide rail 120. In this embodiment, the guide rail is constituted by two L-shaped sections 1 21 (also called " angle iron ") arranged opposite one another and at a distance from each other to provide a passage for a cutting carriage 130 mounted to slide along the guide rail 120.

The cutting carriage 130 comprises a grip handle 1 31 fixed to a housing 1 32. The latter protects a cutting disc 1 33 engaged in the cutting slot 1 1 1 and rotatably mounted in the housing by a shaft 1 34.

The casing comprises 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 comprises a chute 140 for collecting cutting waste. This chute 140 is arranged under the cutting table 1 10 to collect the cutting waste falling through the slot 111 of the cutting table 1 1 0.

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 1 40 by feet 1 48 which allow the tool to be in abutment 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.

The tool 100 according to the invention also comprises a support table 170 mounted coplanar with the cutting table 110.

This support table 170 is intended to receive part of the slate to be cut. The support table 170 may advantageously include orientable and / or movable stops to keep the slate in position during cutting.

The support table 1 70 is cantilevered relative to the cutting table 1 1 0 supported by the chute 140 for collecting waste.

According to the invention, the cutting tool 100 further comprises a U-shaped tube 180 having a longitudinal core 1 81 and two branches 1 82 arranged so that in the position of use, the longitudinal core 1 81 is coplanar with the bottom 141 of the chute 1 40. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the branches 1 82 of the U-shaped tube 180 are fixed under the support table 170. In this case, the length branches 1 82 is such that the longitudinal core 181 is coplanar with plane PI passing through the bottom 141 of the chute 140. Thus, when the tool 100 is in the use position, straddling battens A, it rests on the latter by the bottom 141 of the chute 140 and by the core 181 of the U-shaped tube 1 80. The latter being fixed under the support table 170 and, preferably, at the end of the table support 170, the tool thus rests on four surfaces which makes it very stable during cutting. Thus, when the user forces on the support table, the tool according to the invention does not tip over.

According to the invention, the support table 170 and the longitudinal core 181 of the U-shaped tube 180 are spaced apart by a distance d sufficient for a user to be able to grasp the longitudinal core 181 with one hand. Thus, thanks to the use of an anti-tilt part 1 80 in the form of a U-shaped tube, the latter also allows the user to handle the tool and, in particular, to move it along the battens A to cover another area of the roof.

When the user has finished using the tool 100, he dismantles the support table 170 and the U-shaped tube 180 which he pivots in the direction of the arrow Fl under the support table 170 for the tidy. This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 3. The tool according to the invention provides means for fixing the support table 170 in the storage position, that is to say along the tool and perpendicular to the table. cutting 1 1 0.

The embodiment of Figure 4 illustrates the possibility of using U-shaped tubing 180 fixed differently. In this embodiment, the branches 182 of the U-shaped tube are fixed on and perpendicular to a side wall 1 42 of the chute 1 40 and so that the longitudinal core 181 is coplanar with the bottom 141 of the chute 1 40.

Thus, in the use position, straddling two battens A, the tool

100 rests on the battens A by the bottom 141 of the chute 140 and by the branches 1 82 of the U-shaped tubing 1 80.

Claims (6)

1. Tool for cutting (100) a slate plate or similar material comprising: • a cutting table (110) carrying a cutting slot (111) above which a guide rail (120) is arranged, • a cutting carriage (130) mounted to slide along the guide rail ( 1 20) and provided with a cutting disc engaged in the slot and a gripping handle (131), • a chute (140) for collecting cutting waste arranged under the cutting table and comprising a bottom (141 ) and two side walls (142), • a support table (170) mounted coplanar with the cutting table (110) characterized in that it further comprises a U-shaped tube (1 80), having a longitudinal core (1 81) and two branches (1 82), arranged so that in the position of use, the longitudinal core (181) is coplanar with the bottom (141) of the chute (1 40) . 2. Cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped tube (1 80) is removable. 3. Cutting tool according to claim 1 or 2, the branches (1 82) of the U-shaped tube (1 80) are fixed under the support table (1 70). 4. Cutting tool according to claim 1 or 2, the legs (1 82) of the U-shaped tube (1 80) are fixed to a side wall (142) of the chute (140). 5. Cutting tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chute (140) comprises retaining feet (148) for retaining the tool against a strip (A) in the position of use. 6. Cutting tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support table (1 70) and the longitudinal core (1 81) of the U-shaped tube (1 80) are spaced from a distance (d) sufficient for a user to grasp the longitudinal web with one hand.