GB2277902A

GB2277902A - Woodworking apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2277902A
Application number: GB9309923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Gregory
Original assignee: HISPEC EUROP Ltd
Current assignee: HISPEC EUROP Ltd
Priority date: 1993-05-14
Filing date: 1993-05-14
Publication date: 1994-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-14
Also published as: GB2277902B; GB9309923D0

Abstract

Woodworking apparatus is provided to work wood or wood like material. A first tool e.g. a router is mounted for movement over an arcuate path and is utilised to form an inclined slot. A second tool e.g. a drill mounted on the support means for the first tool is movable reciprocally to drill a hole in the lower end of the slot. <IMAGE>

Description

Woodworkins Apparatus This invention relates to woodworking apparatus and in particular to apparatus for working wood, hardboard, particle board, plastic laminates and other materials, hereinafter called "wood", which may be drilled and shaped in a similar manner to wood.

It has been proposed in U.S. patent specification No. 4603719 to perform a drilling and counterboring operation on wood using a router and a drill.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved woodworking apparatus in which tool life is improved.

According to the invention woodworking apparatus comprises a support for a workpiece, a first woodworking tool mounted for movement over an arcuate path to effect removal of material from the workpiece, and a second woodworking tool operable to drill a bore in the workpiece, common support means for the first and second tools whereby the first tool is pivoted about an axis during an operative movement of the first tool and the second tool is moved reciprocally and substantially in a straight line during an operative movement.

Preferably the support means is pivoted by drive means during said operative movement of the first tool and the second tool is driven for its operative movement by said drive means.

Conveniently the workpiece is supported on a support surface which intersects the path of operative movement of the first tool which may comprise a routing tool.

The operative movement of the second tool may be substantially tangential to the operative movement of the first tool and the second tool may comprise a drill.

The drive means may be a piston and cylinder device operable in one direction to pivot the support means during at least the operative movement of the first tool, and the piston and cylinder device being drivably connected to the second tool and operable in the opposite direction to move the second tool in its operative movement. Abutment means may be provided to limit the pivotal movement of the support means and to limit relative movement between the support means and the second tool.

The first tool is conveniently directly mounted on the support means and the second tool is mounted for movement relative to the support means during its operative movement, such relative movement being controlled by said abutment means and by resilient means urging the second tool in a non-operative direction.

The apparatus also provides clamping means for clamping the workpiece in an operative position on the apparatus, the clamping means comprising a pivotal arm arranged to engage the workpiece at one end, and at the other end the arm being drivable by drive means between clamping and disengaged positions, the arm being pivotal about a pivot intermediate said ends.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus, the clamping means being omitted for clarity, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a vertical section, corresponding to Fig. 1, of the apparatus and showing the clamping means, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a scrap view of a workpiece.

Referring to the drawings the woodworking apparatus comprises a frame 10 and the frame provides a support surface 11 for a workpiece 12, usually a component of a piece of furniture made of wood, hardboard, particle board, chipboard or the like. The workpiece 12 is to be formed with a slot or inclined bore 13 (Fig. 5) terminating adjacent an edge of the workpiece and having a hole 14 formed for receiving a screw (not shown) by which the workpiece is to be connected to another article. The inclined bore 13 is made to enable the screw to be entered through the hole 14 and screwed into the other article. For this purpose the hole 14 is at an angle to the associated side surface of about 60.

The frame 10 also includes a support for a pivot 16 and a pivotal support 17 for a cylinder 18. Mounted on the pivot 16 is an upwardly directed pivotal support arm 20 which carries towards its upper end a routing tool 21 and an associated drive arrangement 22. The tool 21 rotates about the axis of the drive 22 and said axis lies generally parallel to the arm 20. The tool 21 is positioned to intersect the plane of the support surface 11 so that during a pivoting movement of the arm 20 about the pivot 16 from the position shown in Fig. 1, the tool 21 operates and forms the inclined bore 13 in the workpiece 12.

The upper end of the arm 20 also carries a drill tool 24 having a drive 25. The drive 25 is movable relative to the arm 20 in a direction at a right angle to the arm 20, i.e. tangentially of the axis of pivoting of the arm 20. The drive 25 is movably carried on a guide 26 which is mounted on guide rods 26A for reciprocal movement in a straight line along the guide rods 26A during an operative movement of the tool 24. The operative direction of the tool 24 is at an angle of some 60 to the plane of the surface 11 and during said operative movement the tool 24 drills the hole 14 in the workpiece 12. The drive 25 is spring biased by springs 27 towards the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, i.e. an inoperative position, the springs acting between the guide 26 and a plate 28 mounted on the arm 20. At its rear end the guide 26 engages an abutment 29 when in said inoperative position.

A piston and cylinder device 31 moves the routing tool 21 and the drill 24 between their operative and inoperative positions, the piston rod 32 of the device 31 being pivotally attached to the guide 26 at its free end and the cylinder 18 being pivotally attached to the frame 10. The arm 20 is constrained against movement in the clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, beyond the position shown by an abutment 33.

The operational movements of the tools 21 and 24 ensure that the inclined bore 13 is formed in the workpiece 12 first, closely followed by the formation of the drill hole 14. At the start of the operational movements the apparatus is as shown in Figs.

1 and 2 with the piston and cylinder 32 extended, but not to its fullest extent. Upon retraction of the device 32 the arm 20 pivots and the routing tool executes an arcuate movement about the pivot axis 16 and, at the same time, makes the bore 13 in the workpiece 12. Upon completion of the bore 13, at which a limit switch (not shown) is operated, the device 31 is extended and the arm 20 pivots in a reverse direction until the arm 20 comes up against the abutment 33. Further extension of the device 31 causes the tool 24 to move with its drive 25 against the action of the springs 27 until it has formed the hole 14 in the workpiece 12. During this latter movement the arm 20 remains stationary and the drive 25 of the tool 24 executes a rectilinear movement during the drilling of the hole 14, the hole 14 thereby being straight compared with the arcuate shape of the bore 13.

Upon completion of the hole 14 the device is retracted to the position of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and the workpiece can be removed.

Limit switches (not shown) control the operative movements of the tools 21 and 24.

To secure the workpiece 12 in position on the surface 11 a clamping arrangement is provided, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The clamping arrangement comprises a clamping arm 35 pivotally secured to the frame 10 at 36, at a position spaced to the end 38 from a central position between the ends of the arm 35.

Towards one clamping end of the arm is formed a clamping member 37 which at its underside is arranged to engage the upper surface of the workpiece 12.

At the opposite end 38 of the arm is located a clamping cylinder 39 which is extendable to engage the underside of the arm and cause it to pivot about the pivot 36 and move the member 37 into clamping engagement with the workpiece. An interlock switch (not shown) is provided on the arm 35 to ensure that until it is actuated by the engagement of the cylinder 39 and is hence in the clamping position the apparatus cannot be operated.

The operation of the clamping arrangement is to ensure that the workpiece is securely clamped before the bore and the hole are formed in the workpiece. Moreover the clamping arm 35 acts as a machine guard during operation. The arm 35 is in the form of spaced apart members 40 between which is located the device 31 and the drive 25.

In use the apparatus provides an effective way of forming the bore and the hole in successive operations which is able to give long life to the drill tool 24 and causes the tool 24 to pass along its desired straight line path.

Claims

1. Woodworking apparatus comprising a support for a workpiece, a first woodworking tool mounted for movement over an arcuate path to effect removal of material from the workpiece, a second woodworking tool operable to drill a hole in the workpiece, and common support means for the first and second tools whereby the first tool is pivoted about an axis during an operative movement of the first tool and the second tool is moved reciprocally and substantially in a straight line during an operative movement.

2. Woodworking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support means is pivoted by drive means during said operative movement of the first tool and the second tool is driven for its operative movement by said drive means.

3. Woodworking apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the workpiece is supported on a support surface which intersects the path of operative movement of the first tool.

4. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first tool comprises a routing tool.

5. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the operative movement of the second tool is substantially tangential to the operative movement of the first tool.

6. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second tool comprises a drill.

7. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the drive means is a piston and cylinder device operable in one direction to pivot the support means during at least the operative movement of the first tool and the piston and cylinder device being drivably connected to the second tool and operable in the opposite direction to move the second tool in its operative movement.

8. Woodworking apparatus according to claim 7 wherein abutment means is provided to limit the pivotal movement of the support means and upon engagement of the support means with the abutment means limited relative movement between the support means and the second tool takes place.

9. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first tool is directly mounted on the support means and the second tool is mounted for movement relative to the support means during its operative movement.

10. Woodworking apparatus according to claim 9 wherein relative movement between the second tool and the support means is controlled by resilient means urging the second tool in a non operative direction.

11. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising clamping means for clamping the workpiece in an operative position on the apparatus, the clamping means comprising a pivotal arm arranged to engage the workpiece at one end and at the other end the arm being drivable by drive means between clamping and disengaged positions, the arm being pivotal about a pivot intermediate said ends.

12. Woodworking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first woodworking tool is arranged to cut an inclined slot in the workpiece and the second tool is arranged to drill a hole at one end of said slot.

13. Woodworking apparatus substantially as described with reference to the drawing.