GB2118480A - Combination apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Combination apparatus comprises a base (60) for supporting a workpiece and having means defining a guide fence (76, 77) against which the workpiece can be positioned, and including an end stop (78) for determining the precise location of the workpiece. Two guide rails (66, 67) are supported over the base (60) and have respective rebates (68, 69) or U-section channels for locating the sole plate of a working tool. The guide rails (66, 67) can be displaced vertically with respect to the base (60) to clamp the workpiece to the base and at the same time guide the tool with respect to the workpiece. The guide rails (66, 67) may further be individually laterally adjustable by means of secondary guides (63, 64, 65), which guides are displaceable perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the base (60) whereby to provide the "vertical" adjustment of the guide (66, 67) towards and away from the base (60). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combination apparatus The present invention relates to combination apparatus for accurately positioning both a tool and a workpiece on which the tool is to operate, and service as a guide.

The basic principle of such guides has been known for a considerable time and is embodied, for example in the conventional mitre box which generally takes the form of a channel section member having two parallel upright walls spaced by a space. A workpiece is fitted between the two walls which have a number of slots in their thickness. These slots are aligned across the two walls in selected positions and inclinations, usually 450 (although 600 slots are sometimes provided). A saw is inserted into the slots and guided thereby to effect perpendicular or 450 cuts.This simple basic piece of equipment for use with hand tools provides guidance both for the tool and for the location of the workpiece so that the operation, namely sawing, on the workpiece can be effected accurately without requiring an unduly high degree of skill or experience on the part of the operator. Similar, more sophisticated tool guides have recently been introduced for guiding hand saws but no really satisfactory equivalent exists for power tools. Similar operations are provided, when power tools are used, by means of a fixed cutting head, for example a circular saw blade of a saw bench, and by arranging for the workpiece to be moved relative to the cutting tool. Such tools are specialised pieces of equipment and suitable, in the main, only for industrial application.

The present invention seeks to provide a combination guide for tool and workpiece which is particular iy adapted for use in combination with domestic power tools to enable working operations to be performed on workpieces accurately and, in particular, repeatedly.

According to one aspect of the present invention a combination guide by means of which accurate positioning of both a workpiece and a tool can be achieved, comprises a base having a working surface on which, in use of the guide, a workpiece is supported to be operated on by a tool, and at least one guide rail for a tool held in a position above the surface of the base such that a workpiece to be operated on by the tool can extend, in contact with the working surface of the base, beneath the guide rail along which the tool is guided.

For accurate positioning of the workpiece the working surface of the base may be provided with indicia against which the workpiece can be located although it is preferred that there is provided a guide fence for locating the workpiece accurately in position with respect to the guide rail and hence the tool to be guided thereby.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention there are two such guide rails for the tool, these extending accurately parallel to one another whereby closely to confine the course of the tool to follow a predetermined path. In a straightforward embodiment the guide rails may be rectilinear although for special purposes the guide rails may be curved either with a single or multiple curvature. Similarly, it is preferred that there be provided a plurality of interchangeable such guide rails of different forms for different tools (for example a power saw and a router) and these can be of different shape to define a plurality of different paths which the tool is to follow.In such an embodiment the guide rails must be readily releasable from their mounts on the base and in order to allow positioning of the workpiece over the whole of the base board area, so that the base is free to accommodate workpieces of any shape, it is preferred that the guide rails are supported only at their ends, although intermediate supports may be provided for special purposes should this be required.

In order to accommodate workpieces of different thickness it is envisaged that a range of different spacers may be provided to vary the height of the guide rails above the base board. Such variation would also depend on the range of adjustment of the working component of the tool to be used for the operation in question. For example, a power saw operating a circular saw blade may have a greater range of vertical adjustment than a router.

The guide fence for the workpieces may itself be rectilinear as in the preferred embodiment although curved guide fences may be appropriate for specially shaped workpieces or a guide fence comprising two inclined sections forming a tapered or wedge shape region against which a shaped workpiece may be fixedly located may be provided.

The or each guide rail may conveniently be formed from a length of angle section releasablyfastened at each end to the base board. Preferably the base board has a plurality of fastening points which permit the guide rails to be secured thereto at one of a range of different positions having different inclinations with respect to the guide fence which defines the orientation of the workpiece. The base board itself, or one of the guide rails, may have a plurality of slots extending transversely with respect to the other guide rail to allow variation in the separation of the guide rails to be effected thereby permitting different tools, having different widths, to be accommodated.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention there is also provided a mounting point for a drill stand which may be incorporated in the guide of the present invention.

The guide fence may be releasably mounted on the base, and may be provided with a depth gauge in the form of a transverse abutment projecting from the guide fence for engagement by one end of a workpiece to determine its location with respect to the guide rails. The depth gauge is conveniently formed as an elongate member with a transverse abutment, the elongate member being housed in a longitudinal slot or recess in the guide fence and being provided with means for locking or clamping the depth gauge with respect to the guide fence at a selected adjustment.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which: Figure l is a plan view of a first embodiment showing the component parts set for use with a power saw; Figure 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1 showing the components positioned in an alternative orientation for making inclined passes of a tool with respect to a workpiece; Figure 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale of the embodiment of Figure 1, taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 modified for use with a drilling machine; Figure 5 is a side view of the device adapted as illustrated in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;; Figure 7 is a plan view of the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a detail of the second embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, 2 and 3, the combination guide of the present invention comprises a base 11 suitably reinforced by underlying transverse ribs 12, 13, 14 and 15. These ribs may also be of value in locating the base 11 over the well of a conventional work bench, or for securing the base 11 in a vice or other clamping means. The base 11 is generally square as shown in Figure 1, although other configurations can be employed if desired. In particular an elongate rectangle extending laterally as viewed in Figure 1, that is having greater side-to-side extent may be envisaged.

At one end of the base 11 is a guide fence generally indicated 16 and comprising two parts 17, 18 which are aligned with one another and separated by a space 20.

The first part 17 of the guide fence 16 is secured to the base 11 by two screw clamping fasteners a first of which, indicated 21, comprises a captive bolt passing through an opening 22 in the base 11 and an aligned opening 23 in the first part 17 of the guide fence 16 and on which is secured a wing nut 24. At the inner end of the guide fence part 17 there is an elongate axially extending slot 25 which aligns with a corresponding underlying slot 26 in the base 11.

Through this slot passes a captive bolt 27 having a hexagon head 28 which engages in a shouldered recess 29 of the slot 26 in the base 11. The bolt 27 passes through the slot 25 in the guide fence part 17, an opening 30 in a guide rail 31 and carries a second wing nut 32. The two wing nuts 32 and 24 thus clamp the guide fence part 17 to the base board 11 but can be released for removal of the guide fence if desired.

The second guide fence part 18, which is longitudinally aligned with the first part 17 is also secured by a bolt and wing nut arrangement comprising a bolt 33 and wing nut 34 at the end thereof adjacent the first guide fence part and by a similar bolt and wing nut 35,36 at the end remote from the first guide fence part. The second guide fence part 18 has a longitudinally extending recess 37 formed in its underside, which is open at the end remote from the first guide fence part 17. Housed in the slot 37 is a depth gauge 38 comprising an elongate body portion 39 having transversely extending abutment portion 40 at the free end thereof. The elongate body portion 39 is housed in the slot 37 in the second guide fence part 18 with the free end and abutment portion 40 projecting out from the open end thereof.

The elongate body portion 40 of the depth gauge 38 has an elongate slot 41 through which passes the bolt 35 of the clamping arrangement which secures the end of the second guide fence part 18. Adjustment to the position of the abutment portion 40 of the depth gauge 38 can thus be effected readily by releasing the wing nut 36, sliding the depth gauge 38 to the required position, and clamping the wing nut 36.

Parallel to the first guide rail 31 is a second guide rail 42 which, like the first guide rail 31, is mounted above the guide fence and secured thereto by means of the clamping arrangement which holds the inner end of the guide fence part 18 to the base 11. The other end of each guide rail 31, 42 is secured, spaced above the base plate 11 by means of a respective guide rail support 43,44 including a screw clamping arrangement 45,46 comprising a captive bolt and wing nut arrangement similarto those at the other end of the guide rail. The apertures in the base plate 11 through which the screw clamping arrangements 34 and 46 at each end of the second guide rail 42 pass are circular holes so that this guide rail is fixedly located in position when fitted to the base plate 11.The screw clamping arrangements 32,45 at each end of the first guide rail 41, however, pass through elongate slots 25,47 in the base plate 11 thereby permitting the first guide rail 31 to be adjusted laterally towards or away from the second guide rail 42 by releasing the screw clamps 32,45.

Because the guide rails 31, 42 are held spaced above the base plate 11 at each end thereof a workpiece (not shown) can be positioned on the base plate 11 beneath the guide rails and in contact with the guide fence 16. The length of the base plate 11, parallel to the guide rails 31,42 permits workpieces of a considerable width to be located in position. The thickness of a workpiece which can be accommodated is determined by the height of the guide rails 31,42 above the base plate 11, and this can be increased, if desired, by means of extra length bolts 27,33 and packing spacers (not shown) positioned between the guide rails 31,42 and the guide rail supports 43 and 44 on the base plate 11, or guide fence parts 17,18 as appropriate. Extra length bolts will also be required at 45 and 46 to replace the bolts shown in the drawings. In use of the combination guide described above a workpiece is located against the depth gauge 38 and guide fence 16 in a predetermined position and orientation, and a power tool, such as a saw or router positioned in the shoulders defined by the angle section guide rails 31,42. A working pass of the power tool is then effected by manually pushing the tool along the guide rails 31,42, the working component of the tool passing through the space 20 between two guide fence parts 17, 18.

As can be seen in Figure 2 the guide rails 31,42 can be located in different positions on the base plate 11 by means of a plurality of apertures 50 positioned about the base plate in predetermined locations for the purpose of executing mitres, that is to align the guide rails in the positions shown in Figure 2. Further holes 54, 55, 56 are provided for aligning the guide fence parts 17,18 in different longitudinal positions to accommodate smaller width workpieces as referred to above. The guide rails 31,42 are shown in Figure 2 in a position suitable for making inclined cuts at 450 with respect to the length of a workpiece positioned against the guide fence 16. An alternative position for the guide rails, for making inclined cuts in the opposite direction, is illustrated in broken outline in Figure 2.

It will also be appreciated from Figure 2 that the inner ends ofthetwo guide fence parts 17,18that is the ends facing the space 20 are chamfered to permit the passage of a blade or router bit as a power tool is displaced along the guide rails.

A further modification is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, where the guide rail 31 is shown positioned inverted whilst the guide rail 42 has been removed.

A drill stand, generally indicated 51, which may be of conventional design, is fitted to the base plate 11 so that a power drill 52 carried thereby can be used to drill holes in a workpiece guided by the guide rail 31 now acting as a workpiece guide fence. Suitable marks on the guide fence may be made to assist in accurately locating the workpiece along the guide fence or a depth gauge, similar to the depth gauge 38, may be mounted on the guide rail 31 and secured in position by the screw clamping arrangement 45 with the provision of a further aligning screw through one of the apertures 53 whown in Figure 4 spaced along the length of the guide rail.As before, the guide rail 31 is secured in slots 25,47 thereby allowing it to be adjusted transverse its length to determine the position in this direction from the adjacent edge of the holes to be formed in the workpiece the position of which is determined by contacting its adjacent edge with the guide fence constituted by the rail 31.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 the embodiment shown comprises a base 60 which is preferably adapted for mounting on the work bench commercially available under the trade mark of the Black and Decker "workmate". Other mounting arrangements may, of course, be provided. At each corner of the base 60 is a short upright column 61 on which is mounted a support carrier 62 having a hand wheel 63 by means of which the carrier 62 can be adjusted in height up and down the column 61. The carriers 62 at one end of the base 60 carry a pair of steel rods 63, 64 parallel to one another, and at the other end the carriers 62 carry a single rod 65 which extends parallel to the two rods 63, 64.

Mounted on the rods 63,64, 65 are two guide rails 66,67 which are shaped with rebates 68, 69 to receive a mounting plate or sole plate of a machine tool such as a power saw, router or the like. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) instead of the rebates 68, 69 the guide rails 66, 67 may be provided with U-shape channels facing one another for locating the sole plate of the machine tool both against upward and downward displacement, allowing the machine tool only to slide along the channels parallel to the guide rails 66, 67 themselves.

At one end of each of the guide rails 66,67, that is the end mounted on the single transverse rod 65 there are provided clamping screws 70,71 acting through terminal enlargements 72,73 at the ends of the guide rails 66,67. At the other end, the guide rails 66, 67 are provided with clamping plates 81 which have shallow channels for receiving the rods 63, 64.

Terminal enlargements 82 of the guide rails 66,67 also have cooperating channels for receiving the transverse rods 63, 64 and common clamping screws 74,75, provided with suitable hand wheels for manual operation serve to clamp the guide rails 66, 67 respectively in a selected position along the rods 63,64. This arrangement allows the guide rails to be released from the rods 63, 64 if necessary and swing around the rod 65, to allow the positioning of an awkwardly shaped workpiece if such could not be fitted into position by sliding under the rails in the normal way.

In normal operation, the guide rails 66,67 can be raised from the base 60 by acting on the hand wheels 63 clamping the carriers 62 to the pillars 61 and can be lowered onto a workpiece resting on the base 60 and tightened down to clamp the workpiece in position, again by suitably acting on the clamping screws 63.

Distributed over the surface of the base board 60 are a plurality of apertures 76 in positions which allow the fitting of dowels 77 in selected apertures to provide a guide fence against which the workpiece can be located. As illustrated in Figure 6 and Figure 7 the dowels are fitted to provide a guide fence perpendicular to the guide rails 66, 67 although it will readily be appreciated that by selecting appropriate apertures 76 a number of predetermined angles can be achieved.

Finally, an adjustable depth stop generally indicated 78 is positioned in one corner of the base board adjacent the transverse row of apertures 76.

The depth stop comprises a support column 79 through which passes a rod 80 at each end of which is fitted a transverse foot 81, 82. A clamping screw 83 is carried on the column 79 and serves to clamp the rod 80 in any selected axial position. This axial position determines the position of the feet 81, 82 with respect to the guides 66, 67 thereby determining the length of the workpiece cut off when positioned along the dowels 77.

Claims (18)

1. Combination apparatus by means of which accurate positioning of both a workpiece and a working tool can be achieved, comprising a base having a working surface on which, in use of the apparatus, a workpiece is supported to be operated on by a tool, and at least one guide rail for a tool held in a position above the surface of the base such that a workpiece to be operated on by the tool can extend, in contact with the working surface of the base, beneath the guide rail along which the tool is guided, the guide rail being mounted on supports and the arrangement being such that the guide rail itself can be adjusted to clamp the workpiece between itself and the base.

2. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which there is provided a guide fence for locating the workpiece in a selected position with respect to the guide rail and hence the tool to be guided thereby.

3. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which there are two such guide rails extending parallel to one another whereby closely to confine the course of the tool to follow a predetermined path.

4. Combination apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, in which the guide rails are rectilinear.

5. Combination apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the guide rails are curved.

6. Combination apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim including a plurality of interchangeable guide rails of different forms.

7. Combination apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 6, in which the guide rails are adjustable laterally of their length.

8. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, in which the guide rails are individually adjustable laterally of their length to adjust their position with respect to the base board.

9. Combination apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the or each guide is adjustably mounted on guide support elements extending transversely with respect to the said guides.

10. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, in which the transverse guide support elements are vertically adjustable to effect the said clamping of the workpiece between the base and the guides themselves.

11. Combination apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8,9 or 10, in which each transverse guide support element is mounted at each end on a carrier adjustable along a vertical support column.

12. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, in which there are provided manually operable screw clamping means on the said carriers for securing them in position on the column.

13. Combination apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, further including means for locating the position of a workpiece with respect to the base.

14. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, in which the said locating means comprise a plurality of pins or pegs which can be located in apertures formed in the base.

15. Combination apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, in which there are further provided means for determining the position of a workpiece in a direction orthogonal with respect to the said locating means.

16. Combination apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 15, in which the said transverse guide support elements are rods, such as metal rods and there are provided screw clamping means at each end of each guide for securing the guide in selected position along the guide rod constituting the guide support element.

17. Combination apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, further including means for attaching a pillar of a pillar drill to the base adjacent the or one of the said guide rails.

18. Combination apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, or Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.