GB2198679A

GB2198679A - Improvements in and relating to guillotines

Info

Publication number: GB2198679A
Application number: GB08728086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Henry Trickey
Original assignee: GREENWOOD ELECTRONIC Ltd W
Current assignee: GREENWOOD ELECTRONIC Ltd W
Priority date: 1986-12-12
Filing date: 1987-12-01
Publication date: 1988-06-22
Also published as: GB8728086D0; GB8629804D0

Abstract

A guillotine comprises a support 1 for a work piece 3 and is provided with a stationary blade 4 against which a movable blade 5 is movable in a cutting plane 6 to cut the work piece 3. A clamp means 9 is provided to clamp the work piece 3 on the support 1 during cutting and to substantially block the gap between the movable blade 5 and the work piece 3 but yet allow the line of cut of the movable blade 5 in the work piece 3 to be visible from the clamp means 9 side of the movable blade 5. To this end, the surface 13 of the clamp means 9 facing the cutting plane may be inclined to the cutting plane or at east part (15, Fig. 3) of the clamp may be made of transparent material. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in and relating to Guillotines The present invention relates to improvements in guillotines and particularly, but not exclusively, to hand operated guillotines of the type used in machine shops and research and development departments for cutting sheet material such for example as copper laminated fibreglass PCBs.

Such guillotines generally comprise a support for the work piece to be cut and are provided along one edge with a stationary blade against which a second blade moves in a cutting plane which is generally perpendicular to the surface of the support. During cutting, the work piece is clamped against the support by a clamping bar which extends adjacent and generally parallel to the cutting plane. It has been noted that in these guillotines, there is a gap between the cutting edge of the moveable blade and the surface of the work piece into which gap it is possible to insert a finger from either the front or the rear of the blade and it is now considered that this gap presents a safety hazard to the operator or particularly to an assistant.

According to the present invention there is provided a guillotine comprising a work piece support provided along one edge with a stationary blade, a moveable blade moveable in a cutting plane against the stationary blade for cutting a work piece on the support, and clamp means for holding the work piece on the support during cutting, the clamp means extending across the support parallel to the cutting plane and adjacent thereto, wherein the clamp means extends in a direction away from the support a distance so as, in use, to substantially obscure the gap between the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position and a work piece positioned on the support.

Advantageously the clamp means is adapted so that, at least in the inoperative position of the moveable blade, the line of cut of the moveable blade in the work piece is visible from a position to that side of the cutting plane on which the clamp means is provided. A face of the bar facing towards the cutting plane may be inclined relative to the cutting plane to enable the line of cut of the moveable blade in the work piece to be viewed, at least in the inoperative position of the moveable blade. Alternatively, at least a part of the clamp means may be made of a transparent material through which the line of cut is visible.

The clamp means, which is moveable between an inoperative position and a clamping position holding a work piece against the support, may be generally elongate and have a thickness in a direction generally perpendicular to the support surface such that, in its inoperative position, its upper surface is at least level with the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position. Preferably, its thickness is at least equal to the gap or the maximum gap between the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position and the support.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of an embodiment of guillotine according to the present invention; and Figures 2 and 3 are sections generally on the line I - I of Figure 1 showing different embodiments of clamp means for the guillotine of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings, the guillotine comprises a work piece support 1 having a surface 2 on which a work piece 3 to be cut is supported. The work piece support 1 is provided along its front edge with a stationary blade 4 against which a moveable blade 5 is moveable in a cutting plane 6 to cut the work piece 3.

As shown the moveable blade 5 has a cutting edge 7 which is inclined relative to the surface 2 of the support 1 and to the work piece 3 positioned thereon to progressively cut the work piece 3 and this cutting edge 7 defines a gap 8 with the work piece 3 which progressively widens from one end of the blade to the other.

This gap is, in use, substantially obscured by clamp means 9 which serve to hold or clamp the work piece on the support 1 during cutting. The clamp means 9 extends substantially the full width of the support surface 2 parallel with the cutting plane 6 and is located immediately adjacent the cutting plane. It can also be located closer to the cutting plane than in known guillotines.

In one embodiment, shown in Figure 2, the clamp means comprises an elongate bar 10 carrying on its lower surface a strip 11 of cushioning material, the clamp means 9 having a thickness in a direction perpendicular to support surface 2 such that its upper face 12 lies above the cutting edge 7 of the moveable blade 5 in its inoperative position. As shown, bar 10 has a constant thickness along its length but it will be appreciated that the thickness may progressively increase to correspond with the progressively increasing gap 8.

Preferably bar 10, in combination with strip 11, has a thickness at least equal to the maximum gap 8 between the cutting edge 7 of the moveable blade 5 when in its inoperative position and the support surface 2.

The face 13 of the bar facing the moveable blade 5 is inclined to the cutting plane 6 to enable an operator positioned on the clamp means side of the blade 5 (to the left as shown in Figure 2) to see the line of cut of the moveable blade 5 in the work piece 3, at least when the moveable blade is in its inoperative position. The angle between surface 13 and plane 6 may for example be of the order of about 200.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, the clamp means 9 comprises a bar 14, again provided with a layer 11, of cushioning material. The clamp means 9 also comprises a plate 15 of transparent material on the face of the bar 14 adjacent the cutting plane, through which plate 15 the operator can see the line of cut. The plate can be, as shown, positioned very close to the cutting plane 6 and closer than in known guillotines. The plate 15, the cushioning material 11 and the bar 14 have a combined thickness in the direction perpendicular to support surface 2 corresponding to the thickness of the clamp means 9 described in relation to Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 1, both the clamp means 9 and the blade 5 are in their inoperative positions. In Figures 2 and 3 the clamp means is in its operative position holding the work piece 3 on the support 1, but the blade 5 is still in its inoperative position. As is conventional, the clamp means 9 is applied to the work piece before or as the blade 5 is moved and the means for moving the clamp means 9 and the blade 5 are entirely conventional and will not be described further herein.

Claims

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1. A guillotine comprising a work piece support provided along one edge with a stationary blade, a moveable blade moveable in a cutting plane against the stationary blade for cutting a work piece on the support, and clamp means for holding the work piece on the support during cutting, the clamp means extending across the support parallel to the cutting plane and adjacent thereto, wherein the clamp means extends in a direction away from the support a distance so as, in use, to substantially obscure the gap between the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position and a work piece positioned on the support.

2. A guillotine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamp means is adapted so that, at least in the inoperative position of the moveable blade, the line of cut of the moveable blade in the work piece is visible from a position to that side of the cutting plane on which the clamp means is provided.

3. A guillotine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clamp means comprises a bar, a face of the bar facing towards the cutting plane being inclined relative to the cutting plane to enable the line of cut of the moveable blade in the work piece to be visible, at least in the inoperative position of the moveable blade.

4. A guillotine as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least a part of the clamp means is made of a transparent material to enable the line of cut of the moveable blade in the work piece to be visible, at least in the inoperative position of the moveable blade.

5. A guillotine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutting edge of the moveable blade is inclined relative to a work piece positioned on the support so that the gap therebetween widens progressively in the cutting plane.

6. A guillotine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamp means is moveable between an inoperative position and a clamping position holding a work piece against the support and is generally elongate and has a thickness in a direction generally perpendicular to the support surface such that in its inoperative position its upper surface is at least level with the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position.

7. A guillotine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clamp means has a thickness at least equal to the gap or the maximum gap between the cutting edge of the moveable blade in its inoperative position and the support.

8. A guillotine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamp means comprises an elongate bar of constant thickness along its length.

9. A guillotine as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the clamp means comprises an elongate bar whose thickness varies along its length to correspond with variations in the gap between the moveable and stationary blades.

10. A guillotine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamp means comprises a layer of cushioning material for contacting a work piece during cutting.

11. A guillotine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.