GB2183551A - Engraving machines - Google Patents

Description

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GB 2 183 551 A

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SPECIFICATION

Improvements in engraving machines

5 The present invention relates to engraving machines primarily for engraving concrete surfaces orthe like in situ.

A known engraving machine of the type with which the present invention is concerned is descri-10 bed in GB Patent Publication No 2138748. Ageneral object of the present invention is to improvethe known form of machine.

In one aspect the present invention provides an engraving machinefor use in engraving a concretious 15 surface in situ; said machine comprising a main frame, means on theframefor receiving one or more stencils, a carriage, means supporting the carriage at thefrontoftheframefor movement relative to the frame within a plane parallel to thesurface to been-20 graved, an engraving tool ortool holdersupported by the carriagefor permitting the tool to engagethe surface to be engraved, a stencil guide which can be made to follow a pattern defined by a stencil by movement of the carriage in said plane, and thrust 25 means for urging the frame towards the surface to be engraved during use.

The surface to be engraved is generally upstanding as, for example, the face of a kerb or a wall of a building and theframe is thrust or urged againstthis 30 surface during the engraving process by thethrust means. The thrust means may comprise piston and cylinder units supported by a rigid structure such as anotherframe ora beam or girder. Alternatively, the main frame can be carried by a raisable and lower-35 ablejibofamovablevehicle,thejiborthevehicle forming said thrust means at least in part. Tubular guides orthe like known from GB 2138748 can define the directions of movement of the carriage.

The invention may be understood more readily 40 and various other aspects and features of the invention may become more apparent from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the 45 accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an engraving machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of an elevated form of 50 the machine; and

Figure 3 depicts a vehicle equipped with an engraving machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

An engraving machine 10 as depicted in Figure 1 is 55 composed of a frame 11 with side members 28 and a channel-like transverse structure 27 which receives cut-out stencils 18. Bearing blocks orcollars 20 are mountedforsliding along a pairoftubularguides19 disposed between the side members 20. A pair of 60 tubularguides21 interconnectthebiocks20anda carriage 12 in turn is slidably mounted on the tubular guides 21 with the aid of bearing blocks or collars 22. The guides 21 extend perpendicularto the guides 19. The carriage 12 has a handle 24for displacing the 65 carriage12alongtheguides21 in the direction of arrows C-D. The guides 21 are additionally connected attheirends with a cross-piece serving asa handle 25 for displacing the carriage 12 along the guides 19 in the direction of arrows A-B. The carriage 12 supports a stencil-engaging guide 15 which an operator can displace by moving the carriage 12 as appropriate to follow the shape of the stencils 18. A rotary engraving tool 29 with a replaceable hardened bitis likewise supported bya holderonthecarriage 12 and follows the path described by the guide 15to permanently mark a kerb 30. In accordance with the invention, thrust devices 80, such as hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder units, serve to urge theframe 11 against the surface to be engraved during use. The devices 80 react against a rigid structure 100, such asa beam or girder, forming an abutment.

The frame 11 can be used in an elevated position to engravea wall of a building say. To achieve this a base frame 50 adjustable with screw devices 51 can be used as shown in Figure 2. The main frame 11 is supported on the base frame 50 with the aid of piston andcylinderunits 52 which can raiseand lowerthe main frame 11. The base frame 50 can be made up from easily-assembled units permitting theframe 50 to be built up to any desired height. The units 52 can also serve to thrustthe frame 11 against the wall and the base frame 50 acts as a supportforthe reactive forces.

Asanotheralternativetheframe 11 may be carried bya mobile vehicle capable of thrusting the frame 11 firmly agains the kerb 30 or an elevated surface under hydraulic or pneumatic force. Figure 3 depicts a vehicle 59 which has a raisable and lowerable arm 60 supporting theframe 11 in a detachable manner. Thrust devices 61 such as hydraulic jacks, can be interposed between the frame 11 and the arm 60 and used to urge the frame 11 firmly in position against a wall or a kerbstone for example. However, the arm 60 orthe vehicle can perform this function.

Claims (1)

1. An engraving machinefor use in engraving a concretious surface in situ; said machine comprising a main frame, means on theframe for receiving one or more stencils, a carriage, means supporting the carriage at the front of the frame for movement relative to theframe within a plane parallel to the surface to be engraved, an engraving tool ortool holdersupported by the carriagefor permitting the tool to engage the surface to be engraved, a stencil guide which can be made to follow a pattern defined bya stencil by movement of the carriage in said plane, and thrust means for urging theframe towards the surface to be engraved during use.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the frame is composed of side members with a channellike transverse structure therebetween, said structure constituting at least in partthe stencil reception means.

3. A machine according to claim 1,whereinthe carriage support means supports the carriage for movement in orthogonal directions.

4. A machine according to claim 2, wherein a first set of elongate guides extend between the side

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GB 2 183 551 A

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members, and the carriage support means takes the form of bearing collars mounted forsliding on said first set of guides, a further set of elongate guides extending perpendicularlyto thefirst set of guides 5 and interconnecting said collars and further bearing collars mounted to the carriage for sliding on said further set of guides.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the further set of guides are interconnected by a cross-

10 piece serving asa handlefordisplacingthecarriage along the first set of guides and the carriage has a further handlefor displacing the carriage along the furtherset of guides.

6. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to

15 5, wherein said thrust means takes the form of piston andcylinderunits.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein the piston and cylinder units are supported bya rigid structure forming an abutment during use.

20 8. A machine according to claim 7, wherein the rigid structure is a base frame holding the frame in an elevated position.

9. Amachineaccordingtoanyoneofclaim 1 to5, wherein theframe is carried by a raisable and lower-

25 ablejibofamovablevehicle,thejiborthevehicle forming said thrust means at least in part.

10. A machine substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.

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Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company (UK) Ltd, 4/87, D8991685.

Published by The Patent Office,25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.