WO1987000800A1

WO1987000800A1 - Machine for engraving upstanding surfaces

Info

Publication number: WO1987000800A1
Application number: PCT/GB1986/000460
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Charles Gordon
Original assignee: The Permanent Sign Company Limited
Priority date: 1985-08-02
Filing date: 1986-07-31
Publication date: 1987-02-12
Also published as: GB8618681D0; GB8618683D0; GB8618680D0; GB2183549A; EP0231316A1; GB2183550A; AU6198286A; GB8618682D0; EP0231317A1; WO1987000801A1; GB2183551A; GB2178370A; AU6197986A

Abstract

An engraving machine adapted to engrave an upstanding surface of a kerbstone has a main frame (11) with a channel section (27) for receiving stencils (18) with symbols to be replicated by an engraving tool (29). The tool (29) and a complementary stencil-engaging guide (15) are mounted on a carriage (12). The carriage (12) is displaceable along sets of tubular guides (21, 19) to enable an operator to follow the symbols defined by the stencils (18). The frame (11) is stabilized by rearwardly extending arms (39) which form beds for receiving weighted objects and the arms (39) are themselves supported on a rear suface for adjustment to vary the angular disposition of the main frame (11). Alternatively thrust means (80, 60, 50) can urge the frame towards the surface to be engraved.

Description

Machine for engraving upstanding surfaces. TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to engraving machines primarily for engraving concrete kerbstones or the like in situ.

BACKGROUND ART

A known engraving machine of the type with which the present invention is concerned is described in GB Patent Publication No 2138748. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In general the present invention provides an engraving machine for use in engraving a generally upstanding concretious surface in situ; said machine comprising a main frame, means on the frame for receiving one or more stencils, a carriage, means supporting the carriage at the front of the frame for movement relative to the frame within a plane parallel to the surface to be engraved, an engraving tool or tool holder supported by the carriage for permitting the tool to engage the surface to be engraved and a stencil guide which can be made to follow a pattern defined by a stencil by movement of the carriage in said plane. In accordance with one aspect of the invention arms are fitted to the main frame to project outwardly therefrom during use, the arms serving to receive weighted objects to stabilize the machine during the engraving operation, and means are provided for supporting the arms or parts thereof on a supportive surface beneath the arms. The arms would usually project rearwardly from the main frame. Conveniently the support means for the arms, permits these arms to be adjusted in inclination thereby to bring the main frame into a desired orientation vis a vis the surface to be engraved, e.g. a face of a kerb. The support means can take the form of screw-threaded spindles on the arms or parts thereof.

Tubular guides or the like also known from GB 2138748 can define the directions of movement of the carriage. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention means is provided to compensate for the effects of gravity otherwise tending to move the carriage downwardly in its plane of movement.

In another aspect the invention provides thrust means for urging the frame towards the surface to be engraved.

The thrust means can be embodied as piston and cylinder units or rams used in conjunction with the weighted arms which form a rear frame. As an alternative the frame can be carried by a raisable and lowerable jib of a mobile vehicle so that the jib on the vehicle forms the thrust means, at least in part.

The invention may be understood more readily and various other aspects and features of the invention may become more apparent from consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an engraving machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of another modified form of engraving machine;

Figure 3 is a schematic part-sectional view of part of the machine showing another modification;

Figure 4 is a schematic part-sectional view of part of the machine showing a further modification; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further engraving machine constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 6 depicts a vehicle equipped with an engraving machine in accordance with the invention. MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes an engraving machine and as depicted in Figure 1 the machine 10 is composed of a frame 11 with side members 28 and a channel-like transverse structure 27 which receives cut-out stencils 18. Bearing blocks or collars 20 are mounted for sliding along a pair of tubular guides 19 disposed between the side members 20. A pair of tubular guides 21 interconnect the blocks 20 and a carriage 12 in turn slidably mounted on the tubular guides 21 with the aid of bearing blocks or collars 22. The guides 21 extend perpendicular to the guides 19. The carriage 12 has a handle 24 for displacing the carriage 12 along the guides 21 in the direction of arrows C-D. The guides 21 are additionally connected at their ends with a cross-piece serving as a handle 25 for displacing the carriage 12 along the guides 19 in the -direction of arrows A-B. The carriage 12 supports a stencil-engaging guide 15 which an operator can displace by moving the carriage 12 as appropriate to follow the shape of the stencils 18. A rotary engraving tool 29 with a replaceable hardened bit is likewise supported by a holder on the carriage 12 and follows the path described by the guide 15 to permanently mark a kerb 30. As shown, the side members 28 of the frame 11 are linked to rearwardly projecting arms 39. These arms 39 are separate but could be linked by additional frame members. The arms 39 would normally have the same shape but for simplicity the arm 39 at the right-hand side of the drawings is cranked and one-piece while that at the left hand-side is, as an alternative, composed of two pivotably-connected portions 39', 39". L-shaped cross pieces 40 on the arms 39 provide beds for weighted blocks

41 which can be stacked one on another. The arms 39 are supported by means of adjustable screw-threaded spindles

42 with pads 43 at their lower ends. By adjusting the spindles 42 up and down the disposition of the main frame 11 can be altered to adjust the angular disposition of the kerb 30. Optionally, suction devices 13 can serve to clamp the frame 11 to the kerb 30 and as shown in Figure 1, the suction devices 13 are supported by arms 31 which are linked to the side members 28 for pivoting universally or up and down as indicated by arrows S. This pivotal motion can be disabled by operating levers 32 or the like to lock the arras 31 to the side members 28. This permits the frame 11 to be positioned and clamped in an appropriate orientation depending on the depth of the kerb 30 and its angular rake.

Instead of suction devices thrust devices can be used and Figure 5 shows such a modified arrangement where thrust devices 80, such as hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder units serve to urge the frame 11 against the surface to be engraved. The devices 80 react against a rigid structure 100 such as a beam or girder forming an abutment.

Figure 2 depicts another alternative arrangement where the arm 39 is again composed of pivotably linked portions 39', 39" of which the rear portion 39" is inclined to rest on the ground while the portion -39' is supported by adjustable legs 48.

The carriage 12 tends to move downardly on the guides 21 due to gravity and an operator needs to overcome this bias when raising the carriage 12. In accordance with a further feature of the invention means is provided to compensate for this. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, to assist in controlling the displacement of the carriage 12 a counterweight W is linked via a cable 46 engaged on a rotatable pulley 45 to the carriage 12. Alternatively compression springs 42 can be mounted on the guides 21 between the blocks 22, 20 as shown in Figure 4, to compensate for the effects of gravity on the carriage 12.

As another alternative the frame 11 may be carried by a mobile vehicle capable of thrusting the frame 11 firmly against- the kerb 30 under hydraulic or pneumatic force. Figure 6 depicts a vehicle 59 which has a raisable and lowerable arm 60 supporting the frame 11 in a detachable manner. Thrust devices 61 such as hydraulic jacks, can be interposed between the frame 11 and the arm 60 and used to urge the frame 11 firmly in position against the kerbstone for example. However, the arm 60 or the vehicle can perform this function. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The above description essentially relates to a product of manufacture which is moreover industrially usable in a useful manner to engrave or mark an existing concrete surface in its external environment in situ.

Claims

I CLAIM

1. An engraving machine for use in engraving a concretious surface in situ; said machine comprising a main frame (11), means (27) on the frame for receiving one

5 or more stencils (18), a carriage (12), means (20, 21, 22) supporting the carriage at the front of the frame for movement relative to the frame within a plane parallel to the surface to be engraved, an engraving tool or tool holder (29) supported by the carriage for permitting the

10 tool to engage the surface to be engraved and a stencil guide (19) which can be made to follow a pattern defined by a stencil (18) by movement of the carriage in said plane, characterized by arms (39) fitted to the main frame (11) to project outwardly therefrom during use, the arms

15 serving to receive weighted objects (41) to stabilize the machine during the engraving operation and means (42, 43) for supporting the arms or parts thereof on a supportive surface beneath the arms.

2. An engraving machine for use in engraving a 0 concretious surface in situ; said machine comprising a main frame (11), means (27) on the frame for receiving one or more stencils (18), a carriage (12), means (20, 21, 22) supporting the carriage at the front of the frame for movement relative to the frame within a plane parallel to " the surface to be engraved, an engraving tool or tool holder (29) supported by the carriage for permitting the tool to engage the surface to be engraved and a stencil guide (19) which can be made to follow a pattern defined by a stencil (18) by movement of the carriage in said plane characterized by thrust means (80, 60, 59) for urging the frame towards the surface to be engraved during use.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame is composed of side members (28) with a channel-like transverse structure (27) therebetween, said structure constituting at least in part the stencil reception means.

4. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carriage support means supports the carriage for movement in orthogonal directions.

5. A machine according to claim 3, wherein a first set of elongate guides (19) extend between the side members (28), and the carriage support means takes the- form of bearing collars (20) mounted for sliding on said first set of guides, a further set of elongate guides (21) extending perpendicularly to the first set of guides and interconnecting said collars and further bearing collars (22) mounted to the carriage (12) for sliding on said further set of guides.

6. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the arms (39) are cranked.

7. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the arms (39) are each composed of pivotably-interconnected portions (39', 39").

8. A machine according to any one of claims 1, 6 or 7 wherein the arms are provided with cross-pieces (40) forming beds for receiving the weighted objects.

9. A machine according to any one of claims 1,.6, 7 or 8, wherein the means for supporting the arms takes the form of adjustable screw-threaded spindles (42) with pads at their lower ends (43). 5

10. A machine according to any one of claims 1, 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the means (42, 43) for supporting the arms is adjustable to vary the angular disposition of the frame.

11. A machine according to any one of the preceding 10 claims and further comprising means for compensating for the effects of gravity otherwise tending to move the carriage downwardly in said plane.

12. A machine according to claim 11, wherein the compensating means takes the form of a counter-weight (W)

-|5 linked to the carriage (12) with a cable (46).

13. A machine according to claim 11, wherein the compensation means takes the form of compression springs (47) biasing the carriage (12) in an upward direction.

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