MXPA01007072A - Clamping mechanism for frame assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamping head assembly for clamping a first member to a second member at a miter joint, where the clamping head assembly includes a first fence member (54) with a first positioning edge (58) for positioning an edge of the first member and a second fence member (56) that is movable and includes a second positioning edge (60) for positioning an edge of the second member. The second positioning edge is arranged at an angle with respect to the first positioning edge. Additionally, the first fence member and the second fence member are configured and arranged so that the angle is approximately bisected by the miter joint formed between the first and second members. The second fence member (56) is movable in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the miter joint, whereby a normal force is generated upon the miter joint. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a frame making machine that includes the clamping head assembly just described.

Description

FASTENING MECHANISM FOR FRAME ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a machine for joining two members by means of a miter joint, a fastener head assembly for use in such a machine, and a method for adapting a joining machine. already existing to include the present fastener head assembly. More particularly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a frame erection machine used to join two frame members by a miter joint, where the machine includes a fastener head assembly with two stop members, where at least one of them is mobile, which are used to align the members of the frame in the proper orientation. The present invention also relates to this fastener head assembly, as well as adapting a machine including a conventional head assembly to the head assembly of the present invention. It should be noted that although the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described with reference to their use in the frame manufacturing industry, uses within other industries in which they are intended are also contemplated within the scope of the present invention. It requires joining members at a miter board, for example the joinery industry. A miter joint is a corner joint that is formed by joining one member to another at its respective ends, where each edge is cut at a certain angle; The line defined in the joint between adjacent edges is the miter joint. Conventionally, for adjacent edges cut at the same angle, if the included angle between the two members is 90 degrees, the joint angle is 45 degrees, and if the included angle is 60 degrees, the joint angle will be 30 degrees . Accordingly, a miter joint angle is by definition an acute angle. Machines for joining two frame members by an angled joint are known in the art. A popular machine, which appears enlarged in Figure 1, is the "Miter-Mite VN 4 Electronic", manufactured and distributed by Alfamacchine-IT / AMP of Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA. The frame erection machine 10 includes a work table 12 with a working surface 14 preferably horizontal. Briefly, as those skilled in the art know, the machine 10 operates in the following manner. First, a frame member is aligned with one of the two stop members 22, 24 with a miter joint between them. Next, the front bracket 38 (optional) moves horizontally in a direction generally coincident with the miter joint, and pushes each of the two frame members against its respective stop member 22, 24. Then the vertical clamp 36 joins the frame members from the top, pushing them down and against the work surface 14. Finally, one frame member is nailed with the other on the miter joint by one or more nails (e.g., nails, corrugated bolts or other kind of bolts) that are urged upwards and towards the miter joint by a nail drive which is placed below the work surface 14. After the nailing operation, the two frame members (which now they form a single unit) can be removed from the machine since they were already joined together by the miter joint. Since the present invention relates primarily to the methods and devices used to fasten the frame members, these characteristics of the prior art machine will be described in more detail below. The machine 10 includes three primary clamping subassemblies: (1) a stationary clamping assembly 16; (2) a front mobile clamp assembly 18; and (3) a vertical movable clamp assembly 20. It should be noted that since these features are known to those skilled in the art., only the main components of each subassembly will be described below. The stationary fastener assembly consists mainly of two stationary stop members 22 and 24 which are fixed relatively rigidly on the work surface 14 by a plurality of bolts 26 which extend through a plurality of associated perforations 28. The perforations 28 they are in the form of elongated slots to allow some adjustment in the positioning of the stationary stop members 22 and 24. The handles 30 are useful for adjusting the vertical angle of the edge of the stop members to better accommodate and achieve a tight fit between frame members that have angled or non-uniform edges. As shown in Figure 1, the inside (or left) side of each of the stationary stop members defines a laying edge on which rests a respective edge of one of the frame members to be joined. The second subassembly, the front movable clamp assembly 18, includes a front movable clamp member 32, configured to move within the rail 34. The placement of the front clamp member 32 can be varied by moving the securing handle 36 to another of the bores 38. In operation, the front movable clamp member 32 is moved from a first position in which it moves backwards (towards the left side of Figure 1) to a second position (towards the right side of Figure 1) in the that holds the frame members that you want to join. The direction of travel of the front clamp member 32 is essentially coincident with the miter between the two frame members that will be joined to each other. The third subassembly, the vertical movable clamp assembly 20, includes a pressure plate 36 attached with a roller 38. The roller 38 is attached to a support structure 40, in turn connected with two cylinders 42. The cylinders 42 are rigidly fixed on the work surface 14 from below, so that the tie plates 44 are below the work surface 14 and the cylinders 42 extend through perforations 44 to be placed above the work surface. If necessary, the horizontal location of the pressure plate 36 can be adjusted by loosening the handle 46, and then sliding the cord plug 48 into the slot 50. The vertical height of the pressure plate 36 can be adjusted by manipulating the other handle 52 In operation, the cylinders 42 are removed to push the pressure plate 36 downwardly on top of the frame members that will be joined to each other at the miter joint. In this way, the frame members are fixedly held when the bolts are inserted from below (for example nails or corrugated bolts). A common problem in many frame-forming machines of the prior art, such as the one described above, is that the two frame members that are joined to each other may not be properly held in the miter joint. A small space may remain between the two frame members on the miter board before nailing them. If this is the case, when the frame members are nailed there will be an unpleasant separation in the joint between the two frame members. That is, the miter joint may be too wide over its entire length, resulting in a visible air gap over the entire length of the miter joint, or the miter joint may be uneven, where a portion of the miter joint may be uneven. The miter board has a visible air space and another portion is adjusted without visible air space. Neither of these two situations is desirable, since the intention is to achieve a tight miter joint without visible space between the two frame members. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved frame assembly machine that is capable of consistently assembling a tight miter seal. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastener head assembly for use with a frame assembly machine, where the resulting miter joints are adjusted. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastener head assembly for use with a frame machine, wherein the assembly includes at least one movable stop member for properly positioning the frame member within the machine prior to the nailing operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastener head assembly that applies a force to the frame members that are joined to each other by a miter joint, where the force is applied in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the gasket. miter. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for adapting an improved fastener head assembly to an existing frame assembly machine. These and other objects of the present invention will be discussed or made apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects described above are achieved or exceeded by the present frame assembly machine, which is characterized by a fastener head assembly that provides an additional clamping force to hold the frame members in position before joining one. with another by a miter joint, where an additional clamping force is applied in a direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint. In the preferred embodiments, the additional clamping force is achieved by providing a movable abutment member which cooperates with the stationary stop member to retain the two frame members in the proper position before nailing together. More specifically, the present invention provides a clamping head assembly for clamping a first member with a second member in a miter joint, wherein the clamping head assembly includes a first abutment member with a first positioning edge for positioning a clamp head. edge of the first member and a second stop member that is movable and includes a second positioning edge to place an edge of the second member. The second positioning edge is arranged at an angle with respect to the first positioning edge. Additionally, the first stop member and the second stop member are configured and arranged such that the angle is approximately bisected by the miter joint that is formed between the first and second members. The second stop member is movable in a direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint, thereby generating a normal force to the miter joint. In addition, the present invention also relates to a frame erector machine that includes the fastener head assembly already described. Another aspect of the present invention relates to adapting an existing frame erector machine with an improved fastener head assembly. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for adapting a frame erector machine that originally includes a primary (preferably generally horizontal) work surface and two stationary stop members for positioning the first and second frame members that are desired join by a miter joint, where the two stationary stop members are placed on the primary work surface. The first step of the method involves removing at least one of the stationary stop members of the frame erection machine. The second step involves installing at least one movable stop member on the frame erector machine, wherein the movable stop member is capable of moving in a direction generally perpendicular to the miter joint between the first and second frame members. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described, with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an enlarged view of a prior art frame erector machine, including a prior art fastener head assembly consisting of two stationary stop members. Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the fastener head assembly of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the fastener head assembly of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the fastener head assembly of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to Figure 2, a first embodiment of the present fastener head assembly will be described. It should be noted that the features of Figure 2 that also appear in the prior art device of Figure 1 will be numbered with the same numbers used in Figure 1. It should also be noted that in Figure 2 a cut is made of a portion of the pressure plate 36 to allow a better view of the components that are below this plate. In the embodiment of Figure 2, the clamping head assembly 52 includes two stop members, a stationary stop member 54 and a movable stop member 56. The stationary stop member 54 includes a positioning edge 58 to align the edge of one of the frame members to be joined by a miter joint, and the mobile stop member 56 also includes a positioning edge 60 to align the other frame member. The stationary stop member 54 is preferably rigidly fixed on the work surface 14 by several bolt and slot arrangements, where only one is shown. These arrangements each include a bolt, such as a bolt 62, and a slot, such as a slot 64. The elongated slots 64 allow some adjustment in the positioning of the stationary stop member 54. In this preferred embodiment, the movable stop member 56 is joined with a cylindrical roller 66 of an air cylinder 68 by a pivot connection 70 made through a block 72. The block 72 is rigidly fixed with the upper part of the movable stop member 56. One end of the cylinder 68 is preferably fixed with a cylinder base 73, such that the cylinder extends horizontally from the base, so that the cylindrical roller 66 is aligned with the pivot connection 70. Instead of using a pneumatic cylinder to move the stop member mobile 56, it is also contemplated that other electro-mechanical devices may be used, for example controls and electronic, mechanical or pneumatic parts. Preferably two guide rollers 74 are provided, where each can slide between a corresponding guide blog 76, to guide the movable stop member 56 on a straight horizontal path that is perpendicular to the miter joint that will be between the two frame members. that join with one another. The guide rollers 74 preferably have notches in the areas 75, which is a simple method to fix them with the raised projection 79 of the movable stop member 56. Preferably a stop bar 78 is provided on the ends of both guide rollers 74, with in order to prevent the rollers from extending too much. The guide blocks 76 and the cylinder base 73 are preferably rigidly joined to a supplementary work surface 77. Optionally, additional guides for the movable stop member 56 can be provided by a pair of bearings 80 placed within a pair of slots 82 ( of which only one is shown). It should be noted that each bearing 80 passes through one of the grooves 82, and is fixed to the work surface 14, and this combination of groove and bearing allows the movable stop member 56 to slide on the work surface 14. Other optional feature of the present invention is the inclusion of a projection 84 on the stationary stop member 54. The projection functions to align the frame members before joining and holding the members together. The projection also facilitates the centering of the bolt with respect to the miter joint. A notch 86 may also be included in the movable stop member 56. The notch provides a space for the movable stop to move inward and toward the stationary stop, and at the same time apply pressure perpendicular to the miter joint. In this way, this notch / protrusion configuration facilitates the formation of the miter joint. In operation, the steps related to the fastener head assembly of the present invention are simply incorporated into the operating steps of prior art frame making machines. Accordingly, first the operator fixes a frame member against each of the positioning edges 58 and 60. Next, the front moving clamp 32 moves towards the frame members in a direction essentially coincident with the miter joint. Then the cylinder 68 is activated to move the movable stop member 56 in the direction of the arrow, creating a force on the frame members that is approximately perpendicular to the miter joint. This force is useful to reduce the spacing between the frame members in the miter joint. The pressure plate 36 is then lowered, creating a downward force on the frame members. Finally, the frame members are fixed to one another on the miter joint, for example by means of one or more bolts that are pushed up from below the work surface 14. Accordingly, the two frame members are fixed one with another on a miter board, and can be removed from the machine. Another important aspect of the present invention is that the present fastener head assembly can be adapted to a frame erector machine with two stationary stop members, such as those shown and described with reference to Figure 1. The basic adaptation procedure is the next. First one of the stationary stop members is removed, like the stop member 22 of Figure 1. The movable stop member 56 is then placed on the primary work surface 14 in the appropriate area. The mobile stop member 56 is placed on the primary work surface 14 in the appropriate zone. The movable stop member 56 preferably includes the block 72, although the stop member is not yet connected to the cylindrical roller 66 or the guide rollers 74. Either before or after installing the movable stop member 56, it is fixed to the machine a supplementary work surface (such as a surface 77 of Figure 2). On the supplementary work surface 77 are placed the components that are used to move the mobile stop member 56, such as the pneumatic cylinder 68, the guide blocks 76, and so on. At this point, the guide rollers are connected to the movable stop member 56 by the notched zone 75 and the above-mentioned raised nose configuration 79. The cylindrical roller 66 is also connected, by means of the pivot connection 70. The pneumatic tubes 81 are then connected to the cylinder 68, and the machine is able to be operated. If so desired, the other stationary stop member (member 24 of Figure 1) can also be replaced by a stop member with a projection (such as member 54 of Figure 2 with projection 84) in order to facilitate the essential alignment of the frame members before the fastening operations. A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the schematic view of the upper part of the machine shown in Figure 3. Again, similar parts of Figures 1 and 2 will be numbered with the same index numbers of Figure 3. One of the main features of the embodiment of Figure 3 is that the work surface 14 is divided into two sections, the section 14A and the section 14B. In this embodiment, the movable stop member 56 is rigidly fixed with the work surface section 14A, and the entire section 14A of the work surface is configured to move in the direction of the arrow, i.e. in one direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint between the two frame members.

In order to be able to move, the mobile section 14 of the work surface is connected to a support structure 88 located below the work surface 14. The support structure 88 preferably includes four mounting blocks 90, which are used for mounting two rollers 92. A bearing 94, such as a Thompson bearing, is slidably mounted on each roller 92. The upper parts of the bearings 94 are rigidly connected to the lower part of the section 14A of the work surface. The bearings 94 are preferably connected to each other by a bar 96, connected near a central portion thereof with a cylinder 98. The cylinder 98 is configured to move the bearings 94 and the section 14A of the work surface in the same direction , since all these parts are rigidly connected to the bar 96. In the embodiment of Figure 3, as well as in the embodiment of Figure 2, only a slight movement of the stop member 56 is required to provide sufficient pressure on the miter board. For example, a distance of approximately 0.64 centimeters is sufficient. Since a minimum amount of movement is required, it is also contemplated that the section 14A of the work surface may be mounted by hinges with a mechanism for moving it relative to the other section (section 14B). Although the movable stop member 56 could then move only in one arc (instead of being perfectly perpendicular to the miter joint, as in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3), the movement distance is so small that it can be considered a movement. rectilinear. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the vertical movable clamp assembly 20, which includes the pressure plate 36, is preferably configured in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 1. However, since the section 14A of the Working surface is mobile (together with the associated cylinder 42), the left side of the horizontal bar 41 of the support structure 40 must be connected to the left cylinder 40 with a horizontally sliding connection, as with a bearing. In the alternative, the parts supporting the pressure plate 36 can all be placed on the movable section 14A, in which case a horizontally sliding connection between the horizontal bar 41 and the left cylinder 42 is unnecessary. The embodiment of Figure 3 also it can be adapted to an existing frame erector machine, such as the machine 10 shown in Figure 1. Basically, the work surface 14 (Figure 1) is removed from the work table 12, and divided into two sections 14A and 14B (Figure 3) on a line that is coincident with the location of the miter joint between the two frame members that it is desired to join with one another. The support structure 88 is installed inside the work table 12, the section 14A of the work surface is placed above the support structure, and the lower part of the section 14A is connected to the upper parts of the bearing 94. The other section of the work surface, section 14B, is then reinstalled on work table 12 so that it remains stationary with respect to the work table. The stops 54 and 56 can be installed on their respective sections (14A and 14B) of the work surface, either before or after the work surface is reinstalled on the table 12. The vertical movable clamp assembly 20 (Figure 1) ) can also be reinstalled on the appropriate work surface section 14A (or, if desired, on both sections 14A and 14B) before or after the sections are reinstalled on the table 12. Referring now to Figure 4, shows a schematic view of the upper part of the machine of a third embodiment. In this embodiment, the two stops 54 and 56 are fixed on the work surface 14, and additional pressure is applied by the bearings 100. In this schematic view, the arrows 102 represent cylinders and other similar pressure devices, which apply pressure to the bearings 102 in the directions of the arrows. As in the other embodiments, each of the bearings 102 applies pressure in a direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint between the two frame members that are joined to each other. In this way, the frame members move together to form the miter joint, while they are held against the work surface, which produces a more tight miter joint. Preferably, the cylinders 102 are arranged to apply forces in the vertical direction and also in the horizontal direction. This combination of forces can be achieved by arranging the cylinders 102 at an angle with respect to the work surface 14. The suggested range for the angle is between 30 and 60, where the most preferable is 45. This mode can also be adapted in a Existing machine, such as the machine of Figure 1. Although particular embodiments of the fastener head assembly and the method for adapting a frame erector machine to include the assembly were shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes can be made and modifications without departing from the present invention in its broader aspects, as described in the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS 1. A fastener head assembly for fastening a first member with a second member by a miter joint, wherein the fastening head comprises: a first stop member including a first positioning edge for positioning an edge of the first member; and a second stop member including a second positioning edge for positioning an edge of the second member, wherein the second positioning edge is disposed at an angle to the first positioning edge, wherein the first stop member and the second stop member are configured and arranged so that the angle is approximately bisected by the miter joint formed between the first and second members, where the second stop member is movable in a direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint, thereby generating a normal force on the miter joint. The fastener head assembly of claim 1, further comprising a front movable clamp member for exerting a force on the first and second members in a direction essentially coincident with the miter joint. The fastener head assembly of claim 1, further comprising a vertical clamp member for exerting a downward force on the first and second members. The fastener head assembly of claim 1, wherein the second stop member includes a notch and the first stop member includes a projection, whereby the notch and the projection facilitate movement or alignment of the stop members first and second. The fastener head assembly of claim 1, wherein the first stop member is fixed to be relatively stationary with respect to the second stop member. 6. A fastener head assembly for holding a first member with a second member by a miter joint, wherein the fastening head comprises: a first stop member including a first positioning edge for positioning an edge of the first member; and a second stop member including a second positioning edge for positioning an edge of the second member, wherein the second positioning edge is disposed at an angle to the first positioning edge, wherein the first stop member and the second stop member they are configured and arranged so that the angle is approximately bisected by the miter joint formed between the first and second members; and a device for applying a force on the first and second members in a direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint. The fastener head assembly of claim 6, wherein the device for applying a force includes a bearing and a cylinder. The fastener head assembly of claim 6, wherein the device for applying a force includes a first bearing and a first cylinder for applying a force near the first member and a second bearing for applying a force near the second member. The fastener head assembly of claim 8, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are both disposed at an angle within the range of 30 and 60 with respect to a generally horizontal work surface. 10. A frame erector machine for attaching a first frame member to a second frame member, wherein the machine comprises: a work table with a work surface; a fastener head assembly positioned on the work table for securing the first frame member with the second frame member by a miter joint, wherein the fastener head assembly includes: a first stop member including a first positioning edge to place an edge of the first member; and a second stop member including a second positioning edge for positioning an edge of the second member, wherein the second positioning edge is disposed at an angle with respect to the first positioning edge., wherein the first stop member and the second stop member are configured and arranged so that the angle is approximately bisected by the miter joint formed between the first and second members, where the second stop member is movable in one direction approximately perpendicular to the miter joint, thereby generating normal force on the miter joint. The frame erector machine according to claim 10, wherein the second stop member is connected to a cylinder so that the cylinder moves the second stop member on the work surface toward the first stop member. The frame erector machine according to claim 10, wherein: the work surface of the work table is divided on a line parallel to the miter joint on a first work surface and a mobile work surface, where the mobile work surface is movable in a generally horizontal direction that is approximately perpendicular to the miter joint; the first stop member is fixed relatively rigidly on the first work surface; and the second stop member is fixed relatively rigidly on the movable work surface. 13. The frame erector machine according to claim 10, further comprising: a front movable clamp member for exerting a force on the first and second frame members in a direction essentially coincident with the miter joint; and a vertical clamp member for exerting a downward force on the first and second frame members. The frame erector machine according to claim 10, wherein the second stop member includes a notch and the first stop member includes a protrusion, whereby the notch and the protrusion facilitate alignment or movement of the limb members. top first and second. 15. A method for adapting a frame erector machine that originally includes a primary work surface and two stationary stop members to place the first and second frame members that it is desired to join with one another by a miter joint, where the two first stop members are positioned on the primary work surface, where the method comprises the steps of: removing one of the first stop members of the frame erector; and installing a movable stop member on the frame erector machine, wherein the movable stop member is capable of being moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the miter joint between the first and second frame members. 16. The method of adapting a frame erection machine according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: installing a supplementary work surface adjacent to the primary work surface; and placing a device for moving the movable stop member on the supplementary work surface, whereby the devices for moving the movable stop member are configured and arranged to slide the movable stop on a top surface of the primary work surface. The method of adapting a frame erection machine according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: removing the primary work surface of the frame erection machine; dividing the primary work surface into two sections along a line which is approximately coincident with the miter joint, where a first section includes a stop member defined as a stationary stop member and a second section includes a defined stop member as a mobile stop member, reinstall the first section of the primary work surface on the frame erector machine, in such a way that it remains relatively stationary with respect to the rest of the machine; and reinstalling the second section of the primary work surface on the frame erector machine, such that the second section, as well as the movable stop member, can move as a unit in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the joint miter between the first and second frame members.