GB2195099A

GB2195099A - Band sawing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2195099A
Application number: GB08702326A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kimio Wada
Original assignee: Ryowa & Co
Current assignee: Ryowa & Co
Priority date: 1986-09-09
Filing date: 1987-02-03
Publication date: 1988-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2007-02-03
Also published as: DE3702795A1; FR2603508B1; FR2603508A1; CH672448A5; GB2195099B; GB8702326D0; CA1278498C

Abstract

A band sawing machine comprises an endless band saw blade (17) extremely narrow in width with vapor deposited diamond particles (22) over a cutting edge (18) thereof and/or an abrasive belt (21) made of a strip of sheet metal formed in a continuous loop for use with band sawing machines with diamond particles (22) vapor deposited over one side surface (20) thereof and a band saw blade guide means (11) provided with a roller (c) in which is defined a vertical groove (46) which supports a sliding rear edge of the band saw blade (17) in motion end with a pair of rollers (a) which support two wide side surfaces of the band saw blade (17) in motion from both sides thereof, whereby the deflection of the band saw blade (17) in motion may be prevented. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Band sawing blade The present invention relates to band saw machines. More specifically the invention relates to improvement on band saw blades, abrasive belts and band saw blade guide means adopted by band sawing machine.

Conventional band saw blades, abrasive belts and band saw blade guide means adopted by band sawing machines are now explained hereunder, in turn.

Firstly, a band saw blade of a prior art is made from endless loop-shaped belt with serrated cutting edge of continuous teeth and is trained around a plurality of wheels spacedly disposed in the frameworks of a band sawing machine. One of a plurality of wheels is driven by means of an electric motor or the like.

When the plurality of wheels are rotated by operation of the power-driven wheel, the band saw blade trained therearound is shifted therewith to pass through a slot defined in a cutting table provided on a baseworks of the band sawing machine cuts a workpiece of wood or metal which is fed toward the band saw blade in motion. The workpiece which is arranged on the cutting table is, with the band saw blade in motion as a pivot, shifted or turned forward vertically or horizontally etc. so that the workpiece is to be cut into desiredshapes relative to directions of the movement.

A band saw blade of a prior art is usually made from a piece of steel sheet having teeth defined along a cutting edge thereof. Consequently, it may be easy to move the workpiece to be cut in straight or diagonal direction, but there is some difficulties in cutting the workpiece into a circular shape or into configulation of complex patterns.

The band saw blade of a prior art may cut, for example, workpieces of wood or plastic having lower hardness than that of steels but, the problem is that the band saw blade is unsuitable for cutting any workpiece containing substances harder than steel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved band saw blade, wherein an endless band saw blade of an extremely small width having a cutting edge over which diamond particles are vapor deposited is presented. By using the band saw blade mounted on a band sawing machine, it is possible to cut workpieces into circular shapes as well as into other complex shapes but also- to cut any workpieces containing substances high in hardness.

Secondly, a conventional abrasive belt adopted by band sawing machines will be described. Most of abrasive belts of this sort are made of cloth or paper or the like as main materials with grinding stone in paste form attached or guled to one surface thereof. The abrasive belt of this sort is, in the similar manner as a band saw blade, trained over a plurality of rotating wheels spacedly disposed in the frameworks of a band sawing machine and passes through a slot defined in a cutting table provided on the baseworks of a band sawing machine to polish a desired surface of a workpiece held by a jig or the like positioned on the cutting table.

However, the conventional abrasive belt fails to achieve polishing any workpiece having higher hardness than that of grinding stone paste and moreover, requires frequent replacement thereof because of quick tear and wear of cloth, paper or the like. Moreover, the elasticity of cloth or paper tends to bring forth another problem which causes the belts to fail to apply pressure enough for polishing a surface of workpieces when the surface of workpieces to be polished constitutes an irregular and complex shape having curvetures or concaves and convexes with a result that a desired polishing may not be performed.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved abrasive belt, wherein an abrasive belt adopted by a band sawing machine is of a flexible strip sheet metal formed of an endless hoop and over one side surface thereof are vapor deposited diamond particles.

The abrasive belt according to this invention adopted by a band sawing machine not only enables to perform an effective polishing over the surface of a workpiece held in a jig on a cutting table of a band sawing machine regardless of shapes but also accomplishes an efficient polishing of any materials having hardness lower than that of diamond without frequent replacement thereof.

Lastly, a band saw blade guide means of a prior art is explained. A band saw blade guide means is an apparatus designed to guide a band saw blade to be shifted to a vertical or horizontal direction.

The apparatus comprises a band saw blade guide body having in the center thereof a vertical groove and at the bottom thereof is arranged a guide roller rotatably held on a horizontal axis each end of which is supported by the guide body. A pair of guide arms having guide edges are arranged slidably in a pair of grooves defined slantwise in the guide body respectively. The guide edges may be touchable on wide side of the band sae blade which moves therebetween. The clearance between the guide edges and the band saw blade is adjusted by slantwise moving of the guide arms equipped with edge guides respectively.

A band saw blade trained around a plurality of rotating wheels of a band sawing machine is, while in its movement, held to be guided by this band saw blade guide means, thereby smooth movement thereof may be maintained.

The band saw blade may move vertically or horizontally in accordance with a type of band sawing machine by passing through the center vertical groove defined in the guide body with its rear edge having no cutting teeth facing to the vertical groove and slidably contacting on the circumferential surface of the rotatable guide roller. Thus, control of the deflection of the front and rear direction of the band saw blade is maintained. However, as the rear edge of the band saw blade which has no cutting edge touches slidably on the circumferential surface of the rotatable guide roller, the band saw blade slips thereon to sway left and right thereby the precise deflection control of the band saw blade in motion may not be obtained.While a pair of guide edges of guide arms slidably touch on left and right wide surfaces of the moving band saw blade respectively from both sides whereby the control of right and left sidewise deflection of the band saw blade is to be obtained. However, for smooth shifting of the band saw blade between two pair of guide edges of the guide arms, some space may be defined between the band saw blade and guide edges. The space causes the band saw blade in motion to sway left and right with resultant positional deviation of cutting place at the workpiece to be cut thereby.

Furthermore, if the space arranged between the band saw blade and the guides edges is too narrow, drawbacks such as generation of heat therebetween due to friction between the blade and the guide edges may be formed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved band saw blade guide means wherein deflections of a band saw blade is completely prevented by leading the rear edge of a band saw blade in motion to run slidably in a groove defined in the circumferential surface of a guide roller and at the same time by supporting two wide surfaces of the band saw blade in motion by means of a pair of rollers, each of Which is rotatably arranged at the end of a guide arm.

Thus, the band saw blade guide means according to the present invention prevents left and right sidewise deflections of a band saw blade in motion from taking place and at the same time solves the problem of friction to be generated between band saw blade body and the guide edges of the guide arms of the prior art. Consequently, a workpiece arranged on the cutting table is cut precisely at desired pattern and at desired positions by pushing it against the cutting edge of the endless band saw blade which is in motion.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, some embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic front elevation view of a vertical band sawing machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a band saw blade according to this invention.

Fig. (A), (B), (C) are enlarged partial plan views of the band saw blade of Fig. 1, showing a right, a left side view and a front view respectively.

Fig. (D) is a sectional view of Fig. 3(C) seen along the line D-D.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an abrasive belt embodying the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a band saw blade guide means embodying the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view with a roller bracket being taken away.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a holder body.

Fig. 9 is a rear view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an elevation view of a roller bracket.

Fig. 11(A) is a front elevation view of a roller bracket.

Fig. 11(B) is a rear elevation view of Fig.

11(A).

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a roller guide arm.

Fig. 13 is a bottom view of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14(A) is an enlarged elevation view of a guide roller.

Fig. 14(B) is an sectional view of Fig. 14(A) seen in the direction of line B-B.

Fig. 15(A) is an enlarged partial plan view of a band saw blade having a cutting edge which is vacuum plated with diamond particles, Fig. 15(B) is an enlarged partial plan view of a band saw blade having a serrated cutting edge.

Now, exemplary embodiments of the# present invention are described hereunder with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

A vertical band sawing machine to be equipped with a band saw blade, an abrasive belt and a band saw blade guide means of this invention is explained referring to Fig. 1.

The machine 6 is of an approximately L-shape having a horizontal base 2 and an arm 4 extending upwardly from one end of the base 2.

On the top of the base 2 is arranged a working table 8. A flexible band saw blade is trained around a plurality of wheels 13, 14, 15 installed within the base 2 and the arm 4.

The wheel 13 is a driving wheel driven by a motor 12. With the rotation of wheels 13, 14, 15 initiated by a power driven wheel 13 the band saw blade 17 is shifted in the direction of arrows guided by a band saw blade guide means 11 which is fitted to a mounting bracket. 10 connected to the arm 4 and passes through a longitudinal slit 16 disposed in the working table 8.

Usually, a pair of band saw blade guide means 11 are arranged in dandem at an upper and lower position respectively with the working table 8 located therebetween. In the drawing a lower band saw blade guide means is not shown.

Over the surface of a band saw blade 17 diamond particles 22 are vapor deposited. The blade 17 is, normally, in a range between 0.5 and 2.0 mm in width; 0.15 and 0.35 mm in thickness.

The band saw blade 17 is formed in endless hoop-shape and trained over rotating wheels 13, 14 and 15 as shown in Fig. 1.

With the rotation of rotating wheel 13, 14, 15 the band saw blade 17 turns in the direction as indicated by arrows guided by a guide means 11. As diamond particles 22 are vapor deposited on the cutting edge 18 of the blade 17 a workpiece to be cut is cut easily into desired shape when moved against the cutting edge 18 of the band saw blade 17.

Thus, a band saw blade of this invention is of a wire-like materials with smaller width and with diamond particles vapor deposited over the cutting edge thereof provides a broader range of use which enables to cut not only workpieces into complex shapes, especially the workpieces comprising delicate curvetures but also cuts a wide variety of workpieces having hardness lower than that of diamonds.

In Fig. 4, over a surface 20 of strip of sheet metal 19 formed like a hoop diamond particles 22 are vapor deposited. The strip of sheet metal 19 is, in optimum, about 0.5 mm or wider in width; between 0.15 and 0.35 mm in thickness.

An abrasive belt 21 fabricated as described above and trained over rotating wheels 13, 14 and 15 shifts in the directions as indicated by the arrows with the rotation of rotaing wheels 13, 14 and 15. Diamond particles 22 vapor deposited over the suface 20 of the abrasive belt 21 according to the present invention enables an easy polishing on the surface of a workpiece (not shown) set in a jig on the working table when contacted therewith.

Thus, an abrasive belt comprising of a strip of an endless sheet metal over one side of which are vapor deposited diamond particles according to the present invention performs not only an effective polishing on surfaces of a workpiece regardless of shape thereof, especially of a shape consisting of delicate curvetures, but also polishing on any material in hardness lower than that of diamonds.

Now referring to Fig. 5~Fig. 15, a band saw blade guide means will be described.

A holder body 24 of a band saw blade guide means 11 according to the present invention comprises a long vertical groove 26 and a screw hole 28 disposed therein for fitting the holder body 24 to the band saw blade guide means bracket 10 attached to the arm 4; a pair of roller holder arms 30, 30, provided with rollers (a) which are rotatably touching on wide side surfaces (W) of a band saw blade 17 respectively; a pair of long grooves 32, 32, each having a screw hole 34, disposed in the holder body 24 for slidable accommodation of a pair of the roller holder arms 30 therein. The roller (a) is provided with as well as a roller (c) which will be described hereinafter, a ball bearing 47.In a hollow space 39 surround by depending wall plates 36, 36 and 37 disposed in the holder body 24 are accommodated rotatably a roller (c) which slidably receives a rear edge (c') of a band saw blade 17 at its vertical groove 46 which will described hereinafter, and a roller bracket 40 accommodating the roller (c).

At an end portion 31 of the roller holder arms 30 is provided rotatably with a roller (a).

Numeral 38 represents an oval passage hole for a screw to fix the roller holder arm 30 in the long groove 32 in the holder body 24 therewith. Figs. 10 and 11 show a roller bracket 40 supporting rotatably the roller (c).

In a concave space 42 of the roller bracket 40 is positioned the the roller (c) rotatably supported by an axis 44 protruding from the bracket 40. Approximately in the center of circumferential surface of the roller (c) is defined a vertical groove 46 having with the width large enough to receive the rear edge (c') of the band saw blade 17. Numeral 48 represents a through hole drilled in the roller bracket 40.

The roller bracket 40 assembled with the roller (c) by meams of the axis 44 is installed within a hollow space 39 which will be explained hereinafter in detail by means of a roller bracket fixing screw 52 which is fastened to depending wall plates 36, 36 through a screw hole 41 disposed in the depending wall plate 36, a through hole 48 disposed in the roller bracket 40 and a screw hole 43 disposed in the other depending wall plate 36.

By loosening the roller bracket fixing screw 52 and by shifting the roller bracket 40 in the direction as shown in Fig. 11(A), it is possible to make adjustment of the vertical position of the roller bracket 40 together with the roller (c) within the limit of length of the through hole 48 disposed in the roller bracket 40.

Fig. 14 (A), (B) are enlarged views of the roller (c) having a roller bearing consisting of an outer ring 51 and an inner ring 53 with balls 47, each having a retainer 45, being arranged therebetween.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an assembled band saw blade guide means 11, wherein respective roller holder arms 30, 30 are fitted in the long grooves 32 and fixed to the holder body 24 by means of the screws 50, while the roller bracket 40 is arranged in the hollow space 39 by means of the screw 52. The roller bolders arms 30 are fixed to the holder body 24 by means of screws 50 through screw holes 34 defined in the holder body 24 and through the oval holes 38 defined in the roller arms 30.

By loosening the screw 50 the roller holder arms 30 may be shifted slidably along the groove 32 within the lengthwise limit of the oval hole 38 thereby the position of the rollers (a) relative to two wide surface (W) of the band saw blade 17 may be adjusted.

A vertical adjustment of the roller (c) sup ported by the roller bracket 40 can be achieved by moving the roller bracket 40 vertically as indicated by an arrow along the screw hole 48 upon loosening the screw 52 penetrating through the roller bracket 40 which is accommodated in the hollow space 39 defined by the depending wall plates 36, 36 and 37. As a result the space between the roller (c) and the rollers (a), (a) can be adjusted.

As described heretofore the present invention helps to improve performance of band sawing machines in such a way that the two wide side surfaces of the band saw blade which is in motion be held from both sides by a pair of rollers rotatably installed at the end of the roller holder arms and the rear edge of the band saw blade arranged to be passable along in the vertical groove defined in the roller (c), whereby the band saw blade may continuously be shifted smoothly in a predetermined direction without deflection with resultant smooth and precise cutting of the workpieces regardless of complicated configurations thereof.

In the embodiment explained above related to a band saw blade guide means the band saw blade having a cutting edge over which diamond particles are vapor deposited is adopted. However, any band saw blades having a cutting edge provided with teeth (t), as shown in Fig. 15(B), may be available in a similar manner.

And a band saw blade, an abrasive belt and a band saw blade guide means of course may be adopted by a band sawing machine of horizontal type, even though the embodiment of the type is not shown in the drawings.

Claims

1. A band sawing machine having an endless band saw blade or an endless abrasive belt trained around a plurality of wheels to perform cutting operation guided by a guide means or to perform abrasive operation of a workpiece comprises an endless band saw blade having a cutting edge on which is vapor deposited with diamond particles.

2. A band sawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a band saw blade has a width of 0.5-2.0 mm and a thickness of 0.15-0.35 mm.

3. In a band sawing machine as claimed in claim 1, there is an endless abrasive belt trained around a plurality of wheels to perform an abrasive operation of a workpiece, the abrasive belt having an outer surface over which diamond particles are vapor deposited.

4. A band sewing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein an abrasive belt has a width wider than 0.5 mm and a thickness of 0.15-0.35 mm.

5. A band sawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide means for a band saw blade comprises a guide body having a pair of long grooves which receives a pair of sliding roller holder arms provided with a pair of rollers at the end thereof, the pair of roller rotatably touching on both sides of wide surface of a band saw blade which is in motion, and a roller bracket arranged in a hollow space surrounded by depending walls of the guide body, the roller bracked holding a guide roller in and around which is defined a groove which rotatably receives a rear edge of the band saw blade which is in motion.

6. A band sawing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein a guide means for a band saw blade has a pair of roller holder arms slidably arranged in the grooves defined in the guide body respectively.

7. A band sawing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein a roller bracket of a band saw blade guide means has a slit through which the roller bracket is shiftable within the length of the slit.

8. A band sawing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

1 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A band sawing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with a reference to Figs. 1 to 14 and Fig. 15 (A) of the accompanying drawings.

10. A band sawing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

1 to 14 and Fig. 15(B) of the accompanying drawings.