GB1583813A - Cement tile cutting machine - Google Patents

Description

(54) CEMENT TILE CUTTING MACHINE (71) I, ARTURO BAY, of Italian nationality, of Via Varese 3, Cantello (Varese), Italy do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to manually actuated tile cutting machines.

Particularly, this invention may find a suitable application for tiles made of cement and of large size and thickness compared with tiles of conventional design and size.

For cutting conventional tiles consisting of a relatively breakable material such as refractory material, double lever pliers are known the longer arms of which have at each of their free terminal portions a cutting tool. By bringing these tools together when acting on the longer arms of such pliers, cutting of the tile placed between the shorter arms of the pliers is caused.

Whereas these manually actuated pliers are satisfactory for cutting small size tiles of refractory material such as brick, the same are no longer satisfactory for cutting relatively thick cement made tiles in view of the relatively high strength required by the operator for actuating the conventional pliers. Consequently these cement made tiles are usually cut with a band saw consequently with waste of time and dust formation.

An object of this invention is to obviate the above outlined drawbacks inherent to the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided a cement tile cutting machine comprising a base member to which a lower cutting tool is fixed, an upper tool carrying member able to be moved by a trapezoidal lever system and actuated by a hand actuated control lever, the trapezoidal lever assembly comprising a first and a second arm pivotally connected at points fixed with respect to the base member, the upper tool carrying member being pivotably connected to each arm at third and fourth points, the spacing of the pivot points being such that a rotational movement exerted by the said control lever causes a translationed movement of the said upper tool carrying member along a vertical line containing the axis of the lower cutting tool fixed to the base plate.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : - Figure 1 is a vertical elevational view with some portions represented in sectional view of a cement tile cutting machine according to this invention, and Figure 2 is an explanation diagram of the machine operation.

With reference now particularly to Figure 1 (BS) is a platform suitably consisting of a longitudinally extending upper member (LA) of T-shaped cross-section in order to increase its resistance, the platform having two laterally extending supports (AL) of iron formed with holes (FO) for the eventual fastening of the platform for example to a workbench or for assembling legs not shown.

Two uprights (MO, MN) are provided each consisting of twin listels defining therebetween a gap whereby between the twin listels of the upright (MO) (which upright is substantially T-shaped) a control bar (BA) is pivotally mounted at (5) and between the twin listels of upright (MN) the shorter arm of an L-shaped control lever (LE) and a crank (MA) are respectively pivotally mounted at (3) and (4) as shown in the drawing. The crank (MA) has a projecting portion operating as a cam (CA). The lever (LE) and the crank (MA) are connected with one another by a connecting rod (BI) suitably consisting of two twin links or listels.

As shown, the angular portion of the lever (LE) is pivoted at (2) between the twin listels of the connecting rod (BI) and the terminal portion of crank (MA) is pivoted at (1) in the gap defined by the twin listels of the connecting rod (BI).

The pivotal mounting at (5) of the control lever (BA) is provided in the gap defined by the twin listels of the upright (MO) and this control bar (BA) slides in the gap defined by the upright twin listels (MN). At a terminal portion of the T-shaped upright (MO) at (6) a correction arm (BR) is pivoted.

At the platform (BS) there is fixed (for example by welding) a cup-shaped piece (BE) to which a lower tool (UT) having a cutting edge (e) can be rigidly fastened by means of a lock screw (VI). (TU) is an upper movable tool fixed to a movable member (PO) pivoted at (7) to the correction arm (BR) and at (9) to the control bar (BA). The correction arm (BR) preferably consists of two twin listels between which the translatively moved member (PO) is mounted. The control bar (BA) preferably is suitably fork-shaped at its terminal portion (CR) in order to receive the tool carrying member (PO). The latter is formed with a cylindrical portion (CI) into which may be adjustably fixed the upper tool (TU).

In order to adapt the tile cutting machine to tiles having very large thickness irregularities the mounting of the upper tool (TU) is adjustable. In the embodiment shown the tool (TU) is formed with a flat portion (PI) against which a fastening screw (IV) operates, the tool (TU) being biased upwards by a spring (ML) compressed between a flanged portion (FL) of the tool and a shouldered portion as shown. Similarly, a blocking vertical bolt (BU) is provided to be screwed into a threaded nut (ES) welded to the top of the cylindrical portion (CI) and operating to shift downwards (arrow FE) the upper cutting tool (TU) against the reaction of the spring (ML).

The control bar (BA) is anti-clockwise biased (Figure 1) by a return spring (MM) hooked at (10) to the control bar (BA) and at (8) to the platform (BS).

An operator's drive so as to give the L-shaped control lever (LE) an anticlockwise movement (Figure 1) logically causes an anti-clockwise rotation of crank (MA) (and consequently of the cam portion CA). Thanks to the trapezoidal articulated lever system 7-9-5-6 the end (E) of upper movable cutting tool (TU) is in practice shifted vertically downwards (see E!).

Such a movement results from the diagram of Figure 2 wherein it is observed that the upper position (E) of tool (TU) is in practice shifted to (E!) along the vertical line (AX) containing the cutting edge (e) of the lower tool (TU).

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A cement tile cutting machine comprising a base member to which a lower cutting tool is fixed, an upper tool carrying member able to be moved by a trape zoidal lever system and actuated by a hand actuated control lever, the trapezoidal lever system assembly comprising a first and a second arm pivotally connected at points fixed with a respect to the base member, the upper tool carrying member being pivotably connected to each arm at third and fourth points, the spacing of the pivot points being such that a rotational movement exerted by the said control lever causes a translational movement of the said upper tool carrying member along a vertical line containing the axis of the lower cutting tool fixed to the base plate.

2. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 1 wherein the trapezoidal lever system comprises a substantially T-shaped upright, a control bar comprised by the first arm and pivotably connected to said upright, a correction arm comprised by the second arm and pivotably connected to said upright and to the upper tool carrying member, the latter in turn being pivotably connected to a terminal portion of the control bar.

3. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 2 wherein the control lever is pivotably connected by means of a connecting rod to a cam member pivotably connected to a further upright.

4. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the control bar is biased to an inoperative position by a return spring.

5. A cement tile cutting machine according to any preceding claim wherein the upper cutting tool is adjustably mounted in order to cut tiles of very different thickness.

6. A cement tile cutting machine constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. twin listels of the connecting rod (BI). The pivotal mounting at (5) of the control lever (BA) is provided in the gap defined by the twin listels of the upright (MO) and this control bar (BA) slides in the gap defined by the upright twin listels (MN). At a terminal portion of the T-shaped upright (MO) at (6) a correction arm (BR) is pivoted. At the platform (BS) there is fixed (for example by welding) a cup-shaped piece (BE) to which a lower tool (UT) having a cutting edge (e) can be rigidly fastened by means of a lock screw (VI). (TU) is an upper movable tool fixed to a movable member (PO) pivoted at (7) to the correction arm (BR) and at (9) to the control bar (BA). The correction arm (BR) preferably consists of two twin listels between which the translatively moved member (PO) is mounted. The control bar (BA) preferably is suitably fork-shaped at its terminal portion (CR) in order to receive the tool carrying member (PO). The latter is formed with a cylindrical portion (CI) into which may be adjustably fixed the upper tool (TU). In order to adapt the tile cutting machine to tiles having very large thickness irregularities the mounting of the upper tool (TU) is adjustable. In the embodiment shown the tool (TU) is formed with a flat portion (PI) against which a fastening screw (IV) operates, the tool (TU) being biased upwards by a spring (ML) compressed between a flanged portion (FL) of the tool and a shouldered portion as shown. Similarly, a blocking vertical bolt (BU) is provided to be screwed into a threaded nut (ES) welded to the top of the cylindrical portion (CI) and operating to shift downwards (arrow FE) the upper cutting tool (TU) against the reaction of the spring (ML). The control bar (BA) is anti-clockwise biased (Figure 1) by a return spring (MM) hooked at (10) to the control bar (BA) and at (8) to the platform (BS). An operator's drive so as to give the L-shaped control lever (LE) an anticlockwise movement (Figure 1) logically causes an anti-clockwise rotation of crank (MA) (and consequently of the cam portion CA). Thanks to the trapezoidal articulated lever system 7-9-5-6 the end (E) of upper movable cutting tool (TU) is in practice shifted vertically downwards (see E!). Such a movement results from the diagram of Figure 2 wherein it is observed that the upper position (E) of tool (TU) is in practice shifted to (E!) along the vertical line (AX) containing the cutting edge (e) of the lower tool (TU). WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A cement tile cutting machine comprising a base member to which a lower cutting tool is fixed, an upper tool carrying member able to be moved by a trape zoidal lever system and actuated by a hand actuated control lever, the trapezoidal lever system assembly comprising a first and a second arm pivotally connected at points fixed with a respect to the base member, the upper tool carrying member being pivotably connected to each arm at third and fourth points, the spacing of the pivot points being such that a rotational movement exerted by the said control lever causes a translational movement of the said upper tool carrying member along a vertical line containing the axis of the lower cutting tool fixed to the base plate.

2. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 1 wherein the trapezoidal lever system comprises a substantially T-shaped upright, a control bar comprised by the first arm and pivotably connected to said upright, a correction arm comprised by the second arm and pivotably connected to said upright and to the upper tool carrying member, the latter in turn being pivotably connected to a terminal portion of the control bar.

3. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 2 wherein the control lever is pivotably connected by means of a connecting rod to a cam member pivotably connected to a further upright.

4. A cement tile cutting machine according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the control bar is biased to an inoperative position by a return spring.

5. A cement tile cutting machine according to any preceding claim wherein the upper cutting tool is adjustably mounted in order to cut tiles of very different thickness.

6. A cement tile cutting machine constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.