GB2413106A

GB2413106A - Adjustable worktop jig

Info

Publication number: GB2413106A
Application number: GB0515798A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Piciorus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-25
Filing date: 2004-11-25
Publication date: 2005-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-25
Also published as: GB0515798D0; GB2413106B; GB0425988D0; GB2405825B; GB2405825A

Abstract

An adjustable worktop jig for use in cutting or routing complementary male and female profiles on lengths of worktop includes at least one guide slot 212 defining at least one guide surface for cutting or routing the male and female profiles and an angularly adjustable datum surface 222 mounted for adjustable angular movement on the jig to enable alignment of the jig at a desired angle on a workpiece. In this way, male and/or female profiles can be cut at incrementally adjusted angles to produce a joint with a nominal angle of e.g. 90{ or an adjusted angle, perhaps to allow for out of true walls (see figs. 5 and 6). The datum surface may be provided by plates 220 with a datum edge 22 which are pivotally mounted to the jig and slidably mounted in arcuate slots 214, 216, 218.

Description

Adjustable Worktop Jig This invention relates to an adjustable worktop jig

for use in cutting or routing complementary male or female profiles on respective first and second worktop pieces to allow a jointed worktop surface to be made up by assembling the first and second worktop pieces with their complementary profiles adjacent or abutting. This technique is used in many situations including, but not limited to, kitchen worktops.

In such arrangements, the worktop jig acts as a template guide for producing two matched joining surfaces which can be achieved with a hand l O router and a straight cutter.

It is known to provide a worktop jig for producing female and male joints for kitchen and bathroom worktops. The worktop jig comprises a flat board with a profiled slot of suitable cranked "J" or "hockey stick" profile, together with a series of holes designed to receive location or aligning pins. The location or ë : . 15 aligning pins are pushed into specific holes in the jig which allow the jig to be ..e aligned against the edge of the worktop itself, positioning the cutting slot a correctly in order to produce an accurate 90 or a 45 join. There are many versions of this type of jig on the market.

:: However, the existing worktop jigs can only produce the above set ë.e angles. This is a problem because many instances, the internal angle of two adjacent walls may be slightly different from the nominal 90 . In this instance the user must resort to trial and error by nudging the worktop jig in the appropriate direction and then clamping it, without the benefit of an accurate alignment position. This is far from preferred because it is imprecise and can easily result in wasted time or material, or a poor end result.

There is therefore a need for a worktop jig which allows worktop surfaces to be cut accurately to provide a worktop joint at other than the nominal 90 and 45 .

Accordingly, there is provided a worktop jig for use in cutting or routing complementary male and female profiles on respective first and second lengths of worktop, said jig including: at least one guide slot defining at least one guide surface for cutting or routing said male and female profiles, an angularly adjustable datum surface mounted for adjustable angular movement on said jig to allow pre-set alignment of the jig with a work piece.

The guide slot may typically comprise a straight position and a cranked portion, each of which are used in forming said male and female profiles. The jig may be used for situations where the walls are square, but easily adjusted to .

: . 15 particular out of true angles. ..

Embodiments of the invention provide a jig where an angle of the male/female joins can be achieved other than, and including, 90 and 45 . In preferred embodiments a required joint angle can be achieved by selecting a :: suitable combination of set male and female angles.

The invention will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of an embodiment of worktop jig in accordance with this invention, utilising an angularly adjustable location plate; Figure 2 is a detailed section view on the attachment of the location plate to the jig; Figure 3 is a schematic view showing formation of a male joint at an incrementally adjusted angle relative to the nominal 90 and Figure 4 shows a typical male and female joint made using the attachment.

Figure 5 is a plan view of an example of an out of square wall arrangement; Figure 6 is a top plan view showing the angularly adjusted joint lines required to fit a worktop surface against the walls shown in Figure 4; Figure 7 is a drawing indicating a range of angles from 87 to 93 achieved using the embodiment of worktop jig shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Referring initially to Figure 1, in this embodiment the worktop jig 210 has a main body portion and a guide slot 212. The jig 210 also includes three arcuate slots 214, 216 and 218 respectively for receiving an adjustment plate : 15 220 having a datum edge 222. Each slot 214, 216 and 218 has associated ...

therewith engravings or similar marking indicia indicating various angular .

adjustments, the markings adjacent slot 214 being shown in Figure 1. For the ë slots 216 and 218, the markings are on the other side of the worktop jig and are :.: . not visible in the Figures. The markings allow the plate to be adjusted at various angles relative to a nominal joint angle. Thus, as shown, the adjustment plate may be adjusted continuously to any angle in the range of from -20 to +20 relative to the nominal angle, using the relevant associated scale.

The location plate 220 is placed in slot 214 when the jig is being used to cut a male joint adjusted from a nominal angle of 90 ; in slot 216 for a female 90 joint; and in slot 218 for a nominal 45 joint. An extra position (not shown) can also be used for female 45 .

As seen in Figure 2, the plate 220 has a raised arcuate portion which cooperates with the slot to constrain the plate to move angularly and the fixing 224 is provided to allow the plate to be clamped in the required angular position.

In use, to cut a male profile for an out of square joint, the required deviation or angular adjustment is determined, and the adjustment plate 220 is positioned in slot 214 and adjusted to suit the angular incremenVdeviation required and then clamped in position. The jig is then applied to the male workplace with the plate and surface 222 of the angular plate 214 abutting the front of the worktop as shown in Figure 3. The female joint is then cut to the same or different angle to the male to give the required combined angle. Figure 4 shows the joints assembled together.

Figure 5 shows a typical example of a room with out of square walls with it.: 15 corner angles of 93.0 and 87.5 . It should noted that although an out of square . angle of 3 does not appear to be a large, over a worktop length of three metres, .. the out of square distance or gap would be 157mm. The out of square distance (d) can be determined trigonometrically, knowing the out of square angle (alpha) e :.: and the length (I) of the worktop, according to the formula d=l.tan alpha.

Figure 6 shows how the cuts on the three worktop lengths could be made In order to accommodate the out of square walls. Thus the left hand female joint might have an Increment of +1 , the left hand male joint an increment of +2 making the required 93 angle. On the right hand side, the right hand male joint may be formed with an angular increment of -2. 5 with the female joint being formed as the nominal 90 to give the combined angle of 87.5 .

Figure 7 is a series of diagrams showing the combination of male and female joints to produce an overall required internal angle. Thus, with the -0.5 , 0 , +0.5 and +1 increments the female joint and -2.5 , -1.0 , 0 and + 2 on the male side, the range of out of square internal angles from 87 to 93 can be achieved in 0.5 increments. ë .. .e .e .. .

Claims

Claims 1. A worktop jig for use in cutting or routing complementary male

and female profiles on respective first and second lengths of worktop, said jig including: at least one guide slot defining at least one guide surface for cutting or routing said male and female profiles, an angularly adjustable datum surface mounted for adjustable angular movement on said jig to allow pre-set alignment of the jig with a work piece.
2. A worktop jig according to Claim 1, wherein said datum surface is formed on a datum element which is pivotally mounted on said jig.
3. A worktop jig according to Claim 2, wherein said worktop jig includes at least one arcuate slot within which at least a part of said datum element may be received and angularly adjusted.
4. A worktop jig according to Claim 3, wherein the worktop jig : 15 includes a first arcuate slot for receiving said datum element for angular .e adjustment used in producing the male profile and a second arcuate slot for receiving said datum element for angular adjustment for use in producing said female profile. -

:.: .
5. A worktop jig according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein . .

said jig includes indicia marks or the like indicating the extent of angular adjustment.

6 A worktop jig substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to, and as illustrated, in any of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.