WO1996009178A1

WO1996009178A1 - Cutting or planing tool

Info

Publication number: WO1996009178A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/002274
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raymond Patrick Deer; Michael James Deer; William Thomas Johnson
Original assignee: Raymond Patrick Deer; Michael James Deer; William Thomas Johnson
Priority date: 1994-09-23
Filing date: 1995-09-25
Publication date: 1996-03-28
Also published as: GB9419231D0; AU3529895A

Abstract

A planing tool (10) comprises a wheeled chassis or body member (14) supported off a work surface by four wheels (16). At the front end of the body member (14) is mounted a blade (18) which is held clear of the work surface. Preferably the tool includes means for adjusting the height of the blade with respect to the work surface. Preferably the tool also includes a rod or pole (24) pivotally connected to the body member.

Description

CUπiNG OR PLANING TOOL

This invention relates to a tool particularly, but not exclusively, for planing wall surfaces.

In the professional decorating trade, it is often required to remove "high points" from a wall surface, or to perforate or remove a previous wall covering, before applying a new finish. This is particularly so when preparing interior textured coatings on ceilings and walls prior to caulking, i.e. skimming. Removal of "high points" provides a smooth surface to receive new textured coatings, painting or paper hanging.

There are currently three accepted methods of preparing textured coatings. In the first two methods, the old coating is completely removed, and in the third method "high points" only are removed from the textured surface. The first method consists of applying a caustic paint remover which softens the coating to allow it to be stripped off with a knife. This method is expensive, time consuming, very messy and requires protective clothing. The second method uses steam stripping; this is costly, slow, difficult to use and is not effective on textured coatings which do not soften in contact with water.

In the third method, a conventional hand scraper is used to remove "high points". This method is somewhat erratic, time consuming and physically very tiring, especially on ceilings. The decorator can only work on a small area at a time and he is constantly up and down the

T TE SHEET RULE 26 ladder in order to cover the area to be prepared. The blade cannot be held at a constant angle to the surface and this results in uneven strokes, causing the blade to snag and also to gouge deeply into the surface in places. This all results in an inconsistent work rate.

British Patent Number 887742 and British Published Patent Application Number 2 Oil 820 each show wheeled scraper arrangements where the scraper is provided at its non-blade end with a wheel which bears against the work surface, thus keeping the blade at a substantially constant angle with respect to the surface. In use, the blade is in constant contact with the surface and the cutting force applied through the blade in the sense perpendicular to the surface is related directly to the force applied to the tool by the user. Thus, although the tool may assist in keeping the cutting edge generally parallel with the surface, it does not control the depth of cut.

It is an aim of "this invention to provide a tool in which the blade is generally supported off the work surface and in which the force applied to the tool in the direction perpendicular to the surface is transmitted through the tool body rather than through the blade.

Accordingly, this invention provides a tool comprising a body member having work surface engaging means adapted in use to bear against and move over a work surface when applied thereto, said body member including or supporting a cutter element having a cutting edge which is supported in use at a pre-set height off said work surface. The tool may be used as a planing tool for removing "high points" from a wall or ceiling surface or for applying a preparatory treatment thereto. In use the body member preferably adopts a preset disposition with respect to the work surface, determined by the work surface engaging means. Preferably, said work surface engaging means comprises a plurality of rotary engaging means such as wheels, preferably disposed in opposed end regions of said body member. Alternatively said means may comprise runners. The tool preferably includes means for adjusting the height of said cutter element with respect to the work surface. Said adjusting means may comprise means for adjusting the position of said cutter element with respect to said body member. Alternatively, said adjusting means may comprise means for adjusting the position of said work surface engaging means with respect to said body member.

Preferably, said body member includes means for releasably securing said cutter element thereto. Preferably said blade element may be secured to said body member in a number of different configurations, each presenting a different cutting edge.

Said cutter element may be disposed generally forwardly of said body member or it may be disposed adjacent a mid- region of said body member. Preferably, said planing tool includes a rod or pole pivotally connected to said body member. The pole or rod may be assembled from a number of smaller sections. Preferably, the pole is pivotally connected to the body member by a pivotal arrangement allowing pivoting about at least two axes. In one particular arrangement, the pivotal attachment comprises of a universal or ball joint.

Preferably, the cutting edge of the cutting element extends generally perpendicular to the usual direction of travel of the body member. However, where a slicing action is required, the cutting edge may be set at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of travel.

Preferably, the body member has a manually grippable handle for being gripped by a user.

The tool may include a container for collecting material removed by said cutter element. This may comprise a housing adjacent the cutter.

Said body member may also include means for securing further work tools thereto; for example a perforator roller or series of discs may be secured to the body element for co-operating with the work surface.

To allow alternative use by a handle or by a pole or rod, the body member may have a coupling means adapted releasably to engage a complementary coupling means provided on a handle assembly or a pivotal coupling for attachment to an elongate rod or pole, so that the user may select, say, a pole attachment when treating ceiling surfaces and the upper part of wall surfaces, and the handle attachment when working on walls up to six feet (two metres) or so.

Preferably, a range of different tools may be provided each with coupling means capable of releasably engaging the coupling means on the handle attachment and the rod or pole attachment. Thus a range of accessories may be provided, consisting of, for example, the planing tool as previously described, a sanding plate and a perforator. Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and two embodiments and various modifications thereof will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of planing tool in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed view of an oblique cutting blade and the corresponding mounting on the body of the planing tool of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed view of a square cutting blade for attachment to the planing tool of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a scrap perspective view showing one form of attachment allowing adjustment of the cutting blade in the vertical direction.

Figure 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of planing tool in accordance with this invention;

Figures 6 (a) , (b) and (c) are detailed views of the cutting element showing the blade in three different configurations;

Figure 7 is a side view of a modification of the embodiment of Figure 6, adapted to allow adjustment of the blade height and blade angle;

Figure 8 is a side view of a modification of the embodiment of Figure 6, adapted to allow blade height adjustment by adjusting the vertical position of the wheels adjacent the blade;

Figure 9 is a side view of a further embodiment of the planing tool in which the cutter blade is mounted in the mid-region of the body, and the front end thereof includes a perforating tool; Figure 10 is a side view of a planing tool in accordance with the invention fitted with dust/chippings collector.

Figure 11 illustrates the components of a kit including a planing tool in accordance with this invention; and Figure 12 illustrates a detail of an alternative arrangement for allowing adjustment of the height of the wheels relative to the body member.

The various embodiments of planing tool described herein are intended to move over a work surface such as a wall and ceiling and to remove "high points" or wall covering from the surface thereof.

Referring initially to Figure l, the first embodiment of planing tool 10 is illustrated schematically adjacent a wall surface 12 having a textured or rough surface with high points. The tool 10 comprises a wheeled chassis or body member 14 to which are rotatably attached four wheels 16 which support the body just off the surface of the wall surface 12. At the front end of the body member is a removable blade assembly comprising a blade 18 and a blade mount 20 which is secured to the body member. The blade 18 is mounted so that its cutting edge is just proud of the low points of the ceiling surface but at a height to slice off the high points. It is important to note that the attitude and height of the body member 14 is set principally by the wheels and is essentially independent of the blade setting. A T-bar 22 is pivoted to the body member 10 to the rear of the forward wheels 16, for pivoting about a single axis generally parallel to the cutting edge. The free end of the T-bar includes a threaded socket for receiving the threaded end of extension pole 24. The extension pole 24 is about six feet (two metres) and may be made in sections.

In use, the planing tool 10 is passed back and forth over the wall surface to be planed and any "high points" projecting beyond the blade 18 are sliced off, thereby smoothing the surface for application of a skim coat. The extension pole 24 allows the operator to put his weight behind the tool and also the mechanical leverage afforded by the pole allows a large area to be covered. Also of course the extension pole affords access to ceilings and the higher regions of wall surfaces which are not easily accessible from ground level.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 4, the cutter blade assembly is attached to the body member 12 by a pair of threaded bolts and sockets 26, 28, which allow both replacement of the blade assembly, and its vertical adjustment relative to the body member, and thus to the work surface. In Figure 2, the cutting edge extends obliquely to the direction of travel "A" of the body member thus providing a slicing action. In Figure 3, the cutting edge extends squarely. Referring more particularly to Figure 4, the cutting blade assembly is provided with two projecting pegs 30 which locate in corresponding slots in the end of the body member 10. Likewise, the threaded bolts are housed in elongate slots to allow vertical adjustment.

Turning now to the embodiments illustrated in Figures 5 to 11, various parts are the same or similar to those of the previous embodiment and will be given the same reference numerals. In Figure 5, the extension pole 24 is attached to the body member 14 by means of a ball joint 34 which allows universal pivoting movement over a restricted locus. The blade 18 may be secured to the blade mount 20 in a variety of different configurations presenting different blade angles, by locating the blade in its normal position, by inverting the blade, and providing a stripping edge by reversing the blade as seen in Figures 6 (a) , (b) , and (c) respectively.

Referring to Figure 7, there is shown an arrangement for adjusting the height and angle of the blade 18. Here the blade element 18 is mounted on the blade mount 20 for rotation about a generally horizontal axis parallel to the cutting edge as indicated by arc "B" and a lock 36 is provided for locking the blade at the required angle. The blade mount 20 is also mounted on the body member 14 for adjustable vertical movement, by means of a screw threaded adjustment arrangement 38 which allows the height to be set at the required level.

Figure 8 shows an alternative arrangement for height adjustment in which the forward set of wheels on the body member are arranged and adjusted vertically by a threaded adjustment arrangement 40, thus altering the blade height relative to the work surface.

In Figure 9, the cutter blade is mounted in the middle of the body region, between the forward and rearward wheels. The blade may be adjusted to a vertical movement by moving it relative to the body (as in Figure 7) or moving the forward and/or rearward wheels relative to the body (as in Figure 8). Instead of the cutter blade 18, the arrangement of Figure 9 may include a perforator roller 42 with a height adjuster 44 attached thereto so that the tool can be used to perforate the surface.

Referring to Figure 10, the planing tool 10 has a chippings container 46 secured around the cutter element with a bristle or wiper type seal arrangement 48 between the periphery of the container and the wall surface, and the container is arranged to collect material removed by the blade, whether the tool is in use on a vertical or horizontal work surface.

Referring to Figure 11, the body element 12 is shown with the male part 50 of a releasable coupling allowing either a handle 54 or a universal joint 56 with the corresponding female part 52 to be secured to the body member. A range of tools may be provided which are capable of coupling to the handle 54 and the universal joint 56 such as, for example, a sanding plate 58 and a perforator 60 with perforator rollers 62. Referring now to Figure 12, in an alternative blade height adjustment scheme, the wheels 16 at the front end of the body member 14 are mounted on an axle 64 which itself is mounted in an eccentric sleeve 66. This assembly is fitted in a bore in a block 68 which is slotted and carries a pinch bolt 70. The height of the blade is adjusted by rotating the sleeve 66 to place the axle 68 at the required height and then securing in positing using the pinch bolt 70.

Claims

1. A tool comprising a body member having work surface engaging means adapted in use to bear against and move over a work surface when applied thereto, said body member including or supporting a cutter element having a cutting edge which is supported in use at a pre-set height off said work surface.

2. A tool according to Claim 1, wherein said work surface engaging means comprises a plurality of rotary engaging means.

3. A tool according to Claim 2, wherein said rotary engaging means comprises wheels.

4. A tool according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said work surface engaging means are disposed in opposed end regions of said body member.

5. A tool according to any preceding Claim, which includes means for adjusting the height of said cutter element with respect to the work surface.

6. A tool according to Claim 5, wherein said height adjusting means comprises means for adjusting the position of said cutter element with respect to said body member.

7. A tool according to Claim 5, wherein said height adjusting means comprises means for adjusting the position of said work surface engaging means with respect to said body member.

8. A tool according to Claim 6, wherein said height adjustment means includes an adjustable eccentrically mounted axle member for said surface engaging means.

9. A tool according to any preceding Claim, wherein said body member includes means for releasably securing said cutter element thereto.

10. A tool according to Claim 9, wherein said cutter element may be secured to said body member in a plurality of different configurations, each presenting a different cutting edge.

11. A tool according to any preceding Claim, wherein said cutter element is disposed generally forwardly of said body member.

12. A tool according to any preceding Claim, wherein said cutter element is disposed adjacent a mid region of said body member.

13. A tool according to any preceding Claim, which includes a rod or pole element pivotally connected to said body member.

14. A tool according to Claim 13, wherein the pole or rod is assembled from a number of smaller sections.

15. A tool according to Claim 13 or 13, wherein the pole is pivotally connected to the body member by a pivotal arrangement allowing pivoting about at least two axes.

16. A tool according to Claim 15, wherein the pivotal attachment comprises a universal or ball joint.

17. A tool according to any preceding Claim, wherein the cutting edge of the cutting element extends generally perpendicularly to the usual direction of travel of the body member .

18. A tool according to any of Claims 1 to 16, wherein the cutting edge of the cutting element is set at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of travel.

19. A tool according to any preceding Claim, wherein the body member has a manually grippable handle for being gripped by a user.

20. A tool according to any preceding Claim, which includes a container for collecting material removed by said cutter element.

21. A tool according to any preceding Claim, which further includes means for securing further work tools thereto.

22. A tool according to any preceding Claim, adapted to allow alternative use by a handle or by a pole or rod, wherein the body member has a coupling means adapted releasably to engage a complementary coupling means provided on a handle assembly or a coupling for attachment to said rod or pole.