GB2177970A

GB2177970A - Tilting bench assembly for metal- and wood-working machines

Info

Publication number: GB2177970A
Application number: GB08516102A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Collin Stuart Camp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-06-26
Filing date: 1985-06-26
Publication date: 1987-02-04
Also published as: GB8516102D0

Abstract

A rigid bench assembly provides vertical adjustment for machining operations being carried out on it by virtue of a vertical tilting action, a pivot being located at or near one end of the bench assembly. The bench is caused to tilt by a jacking means 12 acting on its base. The material being machined passes along the top 2 of the bench, with or without the aid of a sliding carriage, and passes beneath the cutting tool located above the bench. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tilting bench assembly for metal- and wood-working machines This invention relates to metal- and wood-working machines.

Operations carried-out in order to shape metal or wood material often require that the material be supported on a flat bench or bed and thatthe bench be raised and lowered in orderthatthecutting/shaping tool contact the material atthe appropriate height.

The mechanism required to raise and lowerthe bench or bed needs expensive machining and a num berofmoving parts.

According to the present invention there is provided a tilting bench assembly wherein height adjustment is achieved by causing the bench to tilt in a vertical plane about a fixed horizontal pivot.

Specific embodiments ofthe invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in exploded perspective, the bench assembly, including pivot, jacking means and optional base frame.

Figure 2 shows the bench assembly in a wood planer/thicknesserconfiguration.

Referring to the drawings, the bench assembly comprises a rigid box 1 withworksurfaceitopframe 2. The box is stiffened internally in order to achieve a distribution of stress throughout the structure which is as even as possible and the box is constructed of any material which will provide adequate stability, stiffness, flatness, straightness and freedom from creep. The dimensions ofthe box may be determined to suit the application. The box is supported on subframe4towhich isfixedaspindle5bymeansof brackets 6. The spindle ends are located within plain bearing bushes 7 fixed within brackets 8which in turn are securely fixed to the concrete floor or optional base frame 9.

The jacking means may operate at any point along the base of the box structure orwithin the box structure, consistent with stability and minimised distortion ofthe box structure when loaded. jacking means operates by gear means, screw rod, rack-and pinion, hydraulic ram or any other suitable means, either manually or electrically powered. The raising and lowering effort is applied (in this embodiment) between subframe extension 3 and lower support 10 which isfixedtothegroundorto baseframe9.

In this embodiment, hand wheel 11 causesthesub- frame extension 3, by gear and screw means (not shown), to travel up and down threaded rod 12thus causing the bench assembly to tilt about pivot 5.

Threaded rod 12 is free to tilt in a vertical planeto accomodate relative horizontal displacement be tween itsupperand lowersupportsl0and 13.

The upper (work) surface of the bench assembly may be in the form of a plane surface with orwithout guide means such as grooves, rebates and fences. It may alternatively be a frame structure providing sup port and guide meansforasliding carriagewhereon the material to be worked is clamped.

In Figure 2 the invention is shown in its configuration as a planer/thicknesserfor planing wood to required dimension. The cutter block and bearing assembly 14, powered and surmounted by an electric motor (not shown) is supported by cradle 15 which is in turn fixed to the ground orto the optional base frame 9. Wood is fed beneath the rotating cutter block in a direction parallel with the long axis of the bench, either manually or by powered means (not shown).

The wood may be supported either directly by a plane work surface 2 or, preferably, it may be fixed to a sliding carriage (not shown) which follows a straight path, guided by the top of the bench or by guide means incorporated into it. Conventional drive/pressure rollers (not shown) and an anti-kick-back device (not shown) may be fixed to the cradle 15.

Operation ofthe invention is effected by locating a powered cutting or shaping tool overthe bench orto the side of it. The tool may be supported by a structurn fixed directly to wall or ground or fixed to the optional base frame. The material to be worked on is moved along theworksurface in any direction, and it is supported either directly bythe work surface or upon a sliding carriage. The height on the material at which the cutting or shaping tool operates is adjusted by the jacking means which causes the bed to tilt aboutthe pivot 5.

1. Atilting bench assemblyfor metal- and woodworking machines wherein height adjustmentf is achieved by causing the bench to tilt in a vertical plane about a fixed horizontal pivot.

2. A tilting bench assembly for metal- and wood- working machines as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bench is a rigid beam structure of box construction with internal stiffening members such that all parts are stressed and load-bearing.

3. Atilting bench assembly for metal- and woodworking machines as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the height adjustment is effected by a jacking means such as a hydraulic ram, mechanical screw or gear means operating between the bench and the ground or between the bench and a structure fixed to the ground.

4. Atilting bench assemblyformetal-andwood- working machines as claimed in any preceeding claim wherein the pivot means comprises a horizontal spindlefixed to the beam structure and turning in bearingsfixed directly or indirectly to the floor or ground.

5. Atilting bench assembly for metal- and woodworking machines as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a baseframefixed to the ground orfloor supports, locates and connects the components of the bench assembly, including a powered cutting or shaping tool.

6. Atilting benchassemblyformetal-andwood- working machines as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bench assembly is operated as a woodworking planer/thicknesser and the cutter block is supported above the bench by a cradle arrangement fixed directly or indirectly to the ground orfloor.

7. A tilting bench assembly for metal- wood- working machines substantially as described herein

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tilting bench assembly for metal- and wood-working machines This invention relates to metal- and wood-working machines. Operations carried-out in order to shape metal or wood material often require that the material be supported on a flat bench or bed and thatthe bench be raised and lowered in orderthatthecutting/shaping tool contact the material atthe appropriate height. The mechanism required to raise and lowerthe bench or bed needs expensive machining and a num berofmoving parts. According to the present invention there is provided a tilting bench assembly wherein height adjustment is achieved by causing the bench to tilt in a vertical plane about a fixed horizontal pivot. Specific embodiments ofthe invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in exploded perspective, the bench assembly, including pivot, jacking means and optional base frame. Figure 2 shows the bench assembly in a wood planer/thicknesserconfiguration. Referring to the drawings, the bench assembly comprises a rigid box 1 withworksurfaceitopframe 2. The box is stiffened internally in order to achieve a distribution of stress throughout the structure which is as even as possible and the box is constructed of any material which will provide adequate stability, stiffness, flatness, straightness and freedom from creep. The dimensions ofthe box may be determined to suit the application. The box is supported on subframe4towhich isfixedaspindle5bymeansof brackets 6. The spindle ends are located within plain bearing bushes 7 fixed within brackets 8which in turn are securely fixed to the concrete floor or optional base frame 9. The jacking means may operate at any point along the base of the box structure orwithin the box structure, consistent with stability and minimised distortion ofthe box structure when loaded. jacking means operates by gear means, screw rod, rack-and pinion, hydraulic ram or any other suitable means, either manually or electrically powered. The raising and lowering effort is applied (in this embodiment) between subframe extension 3 and lower support 10 which isfixedtothegroundorto baseframe9. In this embodiment, hand wheel 11 causesthesub- frame extension 3, by gear and screw means (not shown), to travel up and down threaded rod 12thus causing the bench assembly to tilt about pivot 5. Threaded rod 12 is free to tilt in a vertical planeto accomodate relative horizontal displacement be tween itsupperand lowersupportsl0and 13. The upper (work) surface of the bench assembly may be in the form of a plane surface with orwithout guide means such as grooves, rebates and fences. It may alternatively be a frame structure providing sup port and guide meansforasliding carriagewhereon the material to be worked is clamped. In Figure 2 the invention is shown in its configuration as a planer/thicknesserfor planing wood to required dimension. The cutter block and bearing assembly 14, powered and surmounted by an electric motor (not shown) is supported by cradle 15 which is in turn fixed to the ground orto the optional base frame 9. Wood is fed beneath the rotating cutter block in a direction parallel with the long axis of the bench, either manually or by powered means (not shown). The wood may be supported either directly by a plane work surface 2 or, preferably, it may be fixed to a sliding carriage (not shown) which follows a straight path, guided by the top of the bench or by guide means incorporated into it. Conventional drive/pressure rollers (not shown) and an anti-kick-back device (not shown) may be fixed to the cradle 15. Operation ofthe invention is effected by locating a powered cutting or shaping tool overthe bench orto the side of it. The tool may be supported by a structurn fixed directly to wall or ground or fixed to the optional base frame. The material to be worked on is moved along theworksurface in any direction, and it is supported either directly bythe work surface or upon a sliding carriage. The height on the material at which the cutting or shaping tool operates is adjusted by the jacking means which causes the bed to tilt aboutthe pivot 5. CLAIMS

7. A tilting bench assembly for metal- wood- working machines substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompany- ing drawing.