GB2055313A - Apparatus for cutting building material - Google Patents

Abstract

Portable apparatus for cutting building material comprises a housing (1) which is divided internally into two compartments (5, 6) separated by a partition (7), one of the compartments containing a motor (8) and the other containing a cutting wheel (18) connected to the motor by a shaft (17) passing through the partition, the housing having a cover (3) which includes an aperture (22) through which the cutting wheel projects and which forms a cutting table 21 for the material to be cut. The material to be cut is positioned by a guide 29 and the cutting wheel is protected by a pivoted casing 23. The material may be cut at an angle by being guided over an inclined part 33 of the cover and a supplementary guide plate 35. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for cutting building materials The present invention relates to a portable machine for the cutting of building materials and which is particularly suitable for cutting facing materials, such as glazed earthenware or ceramic tiles.

Various machines are known which are designed for cutting or trimming materials and which can be used by tilers, masons, etc.

Nevertheless, all these machines are cumbersome and the transporting thereof is difficult.

In practice, they generally comprise a table which supports a movable carriage, on which the material to be cut or trimmed is positioned, a member supporting an arm on which is mounted an electric motor, the shaft of which receives a cutting disc, and a pump which draws up water from a cooling water tank and which delivers this water on to the disc, the said disc being partly protected by a casing.

The present invention seeks to provide a machine which is more simple and thus lighter in weight and which can be easily transported at the working area.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided portable apparatus for cutting building material and comprising a housing which is divided internally into two compartments separated by a partition, one of the compartments containing a motor and the other containing a cutting wheel connected to the motor by a shaft passing through the partition, the housing having a cover which includes an aperture through which the cutting wheel projects and which forms a cutting table for the material to be cut.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises a stand supporting a motor, on the shaft of which is keyed a cutting or trimming disc with a protective casing, the stand being formed by a hollow housing closed by a removable cover and provided with a carrying handle, the said housing comprising internally a partition dividing it into two compartments, the first containing the motor while the second accommodates the disc, the shaft extending with a bearing through the partition, the cover having formed therein at least one opening through which the disc projects, and forming a guide table for the material to be cut out, the apparatus also including a guard adapted to cover the projecting part of the disc at the surface of the cover and carried by an arm hinged on the housing.By means of this arrangement, a machine is obtained which is extremely simple and very practical, the second compartment being able to receive water so as to permit the disc to be cooled. In this way, a certain number of elements, which are essential on conventional machines, are obviated.

So as to facilitate the cutting of the material, the cover may be provided with a member for guiding the said material.

Preferably, the guide member comprises a plate supported by two parallel rods mounted for sliding movement in flanges or lugs of the cover, parallel to the shaft of the motor, the said lugs being provided with locking screws.

Preferably, the plate comprises a tongue designed to co-operate with the cap so as to hold the latter during transport.

So as to recover a part of the water carried away by the rotation of the disc, the part of the cover situated above the second compartment may be inclined and formed with slots so that water flows along the inclined part and is returned to the second compartment by way of the said slots.

According to another preferred feature, the housing includes a guide plate extending in a plane forming an angle of 45 relatively to the plane of the disc, so that it is possible for different materials to be cut along angles of 45,.

To make transportation of the apparatus easier, the guide plate may be made removable.

According to another preferred feature of the invention, the guide plate comprises a member receiving two thumb-screws which are adapted to be screwed into tapped holes in the housing and supporting a frame on which the said plate, provided with a ledge and locking means, is movable.

So as to prevent the disc carrying away too much water as it is being rotated, the second compartment may be provided with a deflector partly shielding the disc and disposed in such a way that every point of the latter, situated below a horizontal plane extending through the axis, is brought closer to the said deflector.

Finally, the second compartment may be provided with a drainage means which can be closed by a removable plug.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to one constructional form which is given simply by way of example and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine according to the invention, Figure 2 is also a perspective view, certain parts being assumed to be removed.

The machine illustrated in the figures comprises a hollow housing 1, of which one of the side walls is provided with a gripping handle 2.

The housing 1 comprises latching means 4, permitting a cover 3 to be secured in position.

Internally, the housing 1 is divided into two compartments 5 and 6 by a partition 7. Fixed on the said partition 7 in the compartment 5 is an electric motor 8, the supply to which may be from a plug 9, connected by a flexible conductor 10 to the said electric motor with interposition of a switch 11.

The side wall 13 of the housing 1 may be perforated, so as to facilitate the cooling of the motor. The compartment 6 is adapted to receive water and is provided with a drainage plug 14 in a side wall 15 of the housing 1.

The shaft 17 of the electric motor 8 extends through the partition 7 and receives a cutting or trimming disc 18, which is arranged in the compartment 6. The cutting disc 18 turns in the direction of the arrow "f" and it is provided with a deflector 19, which partly shields the disc 18, so that the water which is entrained by the said disc is not projected on to the lower face of the cover 3.

The cover 3 has an upper face 21, which forms a guide table for the material to be cut, the disc 18 projecting through a slot 22 in the said cover.

The cutting disc 18 is protected by a casing 23, which is carried by an arm 24 mounted for pivotal movement on a shaft 25 of the side wall 15 of the housing. Fixed on the table 21 are two lugs 26, in which slide the two arms 27 of a U-shaped bar 12, the free ends of said arms supporting a guide element 29 which is formed by a plate, the upper rim of which is provided with a tongue 30. The lugs 26 each have drilled therein a tapped hole which extends perpendicularly of the rods 27 and in which are screwed thumbscrews 28 permitting the locking of the said rods.

The cover comprises an inclined part 31, which is extended above the compartment 6 and which is provided with slots 32.

In order to cut a material, such as a slab, tile or the like, the said material is positioned on the table 21, the rods 27 are caused to slide in the lugs 26 in such a way that the plate 29 is brought into a position in which the material to be cut will be guided by said plate to the satisfactory length, the said rods are locked by tightening the screws 28 and the said material is caused to slide so that it comes up against the cutting disc 18. With this displacement, the material will lift the casing 23, which will fall back automatically in order to shield the disc when the cutting operation is completed. Some of the cooling water of the disc will necessarily be projected on to the outside of the cover and will flow on the inclined part 33, so as to be recovered in the compartment 6 through the slots 32.

The inclined part 33 has such an inclination as to form an angle of 45 relatively to the plane of the disc 18. This part may thus serve as a guide for a material to be cut or trimmed along an angle of 45". However, since this inclined part 33 is not of a sufficient width, a supplementary guide plate 35 is provided.

The plate 35 is carried by a support comprising a frame 36 which is fast with a member 37 in which are drilled holes through which extend thumb-screws 38 capable of being screwed into tapped nuts 41 of the wall 15. On its bottom face, the plate 35 comprises two projections or lugs 39, in each of which is drilled a passage in which two parallel arms of the frame can slide, the said lugs having drilled therein tapped holes for receiving locking screws 40 for locking the plate on the said arms of the frame.

The plate is provided with a ledge 42 on which the material to be cut is adapted to rest.

During transport, the plate 35 may be easily dismantled by simply unscrewing the screws 38 and may be placed in the compartment 5. So as to prevent the arm 24 from rocking on its pivot shaft 25 during transport, the casing 23 is locked by displacing the element 29 in such a way that the tongue 30 is adapted to bear against the upper rim of the said casing 23, the said element being locked in this position by tightening the screws 28.

If it is desired to cut or trim a material in such a way as to obtain a cut at 45 , the said material is placed on the ledge 42, the said material being guided on the inclined part 33 and cut by the disc 18.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the construction form which has just been described. It will be possible to incorporate numerous modifications as regards detail, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. Portable apparatus for cutting building material and comprising a housing which is divided internally into two compartments separated by a partition, one of the compartments containing a motor and the other containing a cutting wheel connected to the motor by a shaft passing through the partition, the housing having a cover which forms a cutting table for the material to be cut and which includes an aperture through which the cutting wheel projects.

2. Portable apparatus according to claim 1 for the cutting of building materials, and more particularly glazed earthenware or ceramic tiles, of the type comprising a stand supporting a motor, on the shaft of which is keyed a cutting disc with a protective casing, characterised in that the stand comprises a hollow housing closed by a removable cover and provided with a carrying handle, the said housing comprising internally a partition dividing it into two compartments, the first containing the motor, while the second acommodates the disc, the shaft extending with a bearing through the partition, the cover having formed therein at least one opening through which the disc projects, and forming a guide table for the material to be cut, the apparatus also including a guard adapted to cover the projecting part of the disc at the surface of the cover and carried by an arm hinged or pivoted on the housing.

3. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials, according to claim 2, characterised in that the cover is provided with a member for guiding the material to be cut.

4. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials, according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the guide member comprises a plate supported by two parallel rods mounted for sliding movement in lugs of the cover, parallel to the shaft of the motor, the said lugs being provided with locking screws.

5. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to claim 4, characterised in that the plate includes a tongue adapted to co-operate with the guard so as to retain the latter in position during transport.

6. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the part of the cover which encloses the second compartment is inclined and formed with slots.

7. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to claim 2, characterised in that the housing includes a guide plate extending in a plane forming an angle of 45 relative to the plane of the disc.

8. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to claim 7, characterised in that the guide plate is removable.

9. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterised in that the guide plate comprises a member receiving two thumbscrews adapted to be screwed into tapped holes in the housing and supporting a frame on which the said plate, provided with a ledge and locking means, is movable.

10. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to claim 1, characterised in that the second compartment is provided with a deflector partly shielding the disc and disposed in such a way that every point of the latter, situated below a horizontal plane extending through the axis, is brought closer to the said deflector.

11. Portable apparatus for the cutting of building materials according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the compartment containing the cutting wheel is provided with a drainage means which can be closed by a removable plug.

12. Portable apparatus for cutting building materials substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.