| JP56003130 | BENT-PLATE CUTTER |
| JP09234622 | HAND NIBBLER |
| WO/1999/039857 | CUTTING TOOL |
GARBEN, Finn (Magnoliaveg 76, 11 m.f, Frederiksberg, DK-2000, DE)
CLAIMS
1. A fine-grained material pounding device (PD) for pounding/cutting fine-grained materials (FGM), such as slate, fiber cement or tile, comprising
a housing (H),
at least one movable cutter (MC),
one or more jaw elements (JE) for resting on one or both sides of a plate of finegrained material (FGM) during operation of said pounding device (PD) and
a motor element (ME) connected to said movable cutter (MC) for establishing a reciprocating movement of said movable cutter (MC),
wherein said reciprocating movement of said movable cutter (MC) provides a crushing of said plate of fine-grained material (FGM) during operation of said pounding device (PD) by pounding said movable cutter (MC) against the plate of fine-grained material (FGM).
2. A pounding device (PD) according to claim 1, wherein said pounding device (PD) is suited for handheld operation.
3. A pounding device (PD) according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said motor element (ME) is electrically driven.
4. A pounding device (PD) according to claim 3, wherein said motor element (ME) is powered by an electrical battery (B).
5. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-4, wherein said pounding device (PD) moreover comprises at least two jaw elements (JE) positioned on opposite sides of said movable cutter (MC).
6. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-5, wherein said jaw elements (JE) are connected to said motor element (ME), thereby establishing a reciprocating movement of at least one of said jaw elements (JE) during operation of the pounding device (PD).
7. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-6, wherein the distances (SP) between each of said one or more jaw elements (JE) and said movable cutter (MC) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of said movable cutter (MC) are between 0.1 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 15 mm and most preferred between 2 mm and 10 mm.
8. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-7, wherein said at least one movable cutter (MC) has a pounding part (PP) and a driving part (DP) positioned between said jaw elements (JE), said movable cutter (MC) being pivotable around a pivot joint (PJ).
9. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-8, wherein said movable cutter (MC) reciprocates at a frequency of between 50 and 1500 reciprocating movements per minute, preferably between 100 and 1200 reciprocating movements per minute and most preferred between 300 and 700 reciprocating movements per minute during operation of the pounding device (PD).
10. A pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-9, wherein said pounding device (PD) moreover comprises a spacer (S) for cutting at a predefined distance from a reference.
11. The use of a pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1 - 10 for pounding/cutting fine-grained material (FGM), such as slate, fiber cement or tile.
12. A method for pounding/cutting fine-grained materials (FGM), such as slate, fiber cement or tile, comprising the steps of
placing a pounding device (PD) according to any of the claims 1-10 with the one or more jaw elements (JE) resting on one or both sides of a plate of said fine-grained material (FGM),
switching on the pounding device (PD) to initiate a reciprocating movement of the movable cutter (MC) and
moving forward the pounding device (PD) to divide the plate of fine-grained material (FGM) along a track defined by the movement of the pounding device (PD). |
POUNDING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a pounding device for cutting fine-grained materials such as slate, fiber cement or tile, the use of said pounding device and a method for pounding/cutting fine-grained materials, such as slate, fiber cement or tile.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Slate is a natural and long lasting material and very applicable for roof decks. Roofing with slate is a very time-consuming work, as the cutting out of the slate is typically done by means of traditional hand tools.
The cutting to size of slate plates is typically done before mounting the plate on the roof by means of a traditional slate cutter, which is basically two pieces of angle iron bolted together to form a cutting edge. The fixed piece can be mounted to a board, and a fence or guide could be added to ensure a 90 degree cut. An example of such a slate cutter is disclosed in British patent GB506375. Another example of a well- known slate cutter is the slate tongs which may be used for cutting slate in intricate shapes, such as curvatures.
Alternatively, a motorized circular saw may be used, for example, with a diamond blade to make the cuts in the slate.
Another typical tool to be used in relation to slate is the slate hammer, which is typically used for nailing the slate plates to the roof. When using known types of motorized and non-motorized cutting tools, the slate hammer is typically also used for trimming the slate plate after performing the cut in order to obtain a natural look
and a beveled or jagged edge of the plate. An example of a slate hammer is disclosed in French patent application FR2885830.
The cutting of the slate plates must be performed prior to mounting the plates on the roof, which means that much time-demanding and accurate measuring of the plates must be performed. Thus, working with slate, especially in relation to roofing, is a very slow and time-consuming process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a fine-grained material pounding device for pounding/cutting fine-grained materials, such as slate, fiber cement or tile, comprising
a housing,
at least one movable cutter,
one or more jaw elements for resting on one or both sides of a plate of fine-grained material during operation of said pounding device and
a motor element connected to said movable cutter for establishing a reciprocating movement of said movable cutter,
wherein said reciprocating movement of said movable cutter provides a crushing of said plate of fine-grained material during operation of said pounding device by pounding said movable cutter against the plate of fine-grained material.
The term "fine-grained material" is to be understood as material that may be crushed by being pounded. Examples of such material are slate, fiber cement and tile. These materials are all characterized by being easily crushable.
The invention provides an advantageous device for cutting slate and the like materials by means of performing a pounding action. When the material is hit by the movable cutter of the pounding device, a small piece of the material is crushed.
An advantageous feature of the invention is that a cut made by a pounding device according to the invention automatically leaves beveled or jagged edges on one side of the plate of fine-grained material on both sides of the cut, thus eliminating the need of using a slate hammer for trimming the plates after cutting.
The inclusion of one or more jaw elements for resting on one or both sides of the plate during the cutting makes it easier for the worker to operate the pounding device during the process of cutting. Furthermore, the one or more jaws resting on one or both sides of the plate of fine-grained material work as backstops positioning the plate during the cutting, which minimizes the risk of occurrence of cracks or breaks in the material being positioned by the jaws when it is pounded by the movable cutter.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said pounding device is suited for handheld operation.
Manufacturing the pounding device as a handheld light weight tool is very advantageous in that the device may easily be carried and operated by a worker without any considerable physical burden. Thus, by making the pounding device handheld, it is achieved that the cutting of plates can take place on the roof, so that the worker does not have to climb down to the ground or to a scaffold to perform the cutting before climbing up again to nail the plate to the roof.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, said motor element is electrically driven.
It is advantageous to have an electrically driven motor element because electric motors are typically substantially smaller and lighter than combustion engines, that are able to perform a similar amount of work.
In yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention, said motor element is powered by an electrical battery.
In a very advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pounding device is powered by a battery. This feature makes it easier for the worker to operate the device due to the fact that he or she does not depend on cabling to the mains power.
In an embodiment of the invention, said pounding device moreover comprises at least two jaw elements positioned on opposite sides of said movable cutter.
The inclusion of at least two jaw elements for resting on one or both sides of the plate during the cutting makes it easier for the worker to operate the pounding device during the process of cutting. Furthermore, by using jaws resting on one or both sides of the plate on both sides of the movable cutter, the edges on both sides of the groove made by the pounding device will be left beveled and jagged without cracks and breaks, when a plate of fine-grained material has been cut by the pounding device.
In an embodiment of the invention said jaw elements are connected to said motor element, thereby establishing a reciprocating movement of at least one of said jaw elements during operation of the pounding device.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the jaw elements perform a reciprocating movement, preferably in an opposite cycle than the movable cutter.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distances (SP) between each of said one or more jaw elements (JE) and said movable cutter (MC) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of said movable cutter (MC) are between 0.1 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 15 mm and most preferred between 2 mm and 10 mm.
The sizes of the beveling of the edges on the front of the plate being cut depend on the distances between the jaw elements and the movable cutter. Appropriate sizes of the beveling are achieved if the distances are kept within the specified ranges. It should be noted that in the case of two or more j aw elements, the distances between each of them and the movable cutter must not necessarily be the same.
In an embodiment of the invention, said at least one movable cutter has a pounding part and a driving part positioned between said jaw elements, said movable cutter being pivotable around a pivot j oint.
Arranging the movable cutter with a pounding part and a driving part placed on opposite sides of a pivot joint is an advantageous way of achieving the desired motion of the movable cutter.
In yet a preferred embodiment of the invention, said movable cutter reciprocates at a frequency of between 50 and 1500 reciprocating movements per minute, preferably between 100 and 1200 reciprocating movements per minute and most preferred between 300 and 700 reciprocating movements per minute during operation of the pounding device (PD).
Experience has shown that frequencies within the specified ranges are advantageous in order to obtain a precise and fine cut through plates of fine-grained material.
In an embodiment of the invention, said pounding device moreover comprises a spacer for cutting at a predefined distance from a reference.
A spacer is in advantageous when plates have to be cut into a specified width, or when they should just be cut with a straight cut. The reference may e.g. be a piece of wood such as a lath or a rafter on a roof. Also, a spacer can be used for cutting plates in intricate shapes, such as curvatures, by letting the spacer follow a template having the desired shape.
In another aspect of the invention, it relates to the use of a pounding device as described above for pounding/cutting fine-grained material, such as slate, fiber cement or tile.
Using a pounding device according to the present invention for cutting fine-grained material is very advantageous in that the device is easily operated by a worker, for example on a roof-top, thus eliminating the need to climb down for cutting each slate plate before climbing up again for nailing it to the roof. Furthermore, the jagged edges left behind by a pounding device according to the present invention after cutting a plate of fine-grained material eliminates the need of using a slate hammer for trimming the plates after cutting.
In yet another aspect of the invention, it relates to a method for pounding/cutting fine-grained materials (FGM), such as slate, fiber cement or tile, comprising the steps of placing a pounding device (PD) as described above with the one or more jaw elements (JE) resting on one or both sides of a plate of said fine-grained material (FGM),
switching on the pounding device (PD) to initiate a reciprocating movement of the movable cutter (MC) and
moving forward the pounding device (PD) to divide the plate of fine-grained material (FGM) along a track defined by the movement of the pounding device (PD).
THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the figures, in which
fig. 1 illustrates a pounding device according to an embodiment of the invention as seen in cross section,
fig. 2 illustrates a pounding device as seen from the top,
fig. 3 illustrates a pounding device as seen in a perspective view,
fig. 4 illustrates an example of a spacer for a pounding device,
fig. 5 illustrates the operation of a pounding device according to an embodiment of the invention,
figs. 6a and 6b illustrate an example of the pounding mechanism of a pounding device according to an embodiment of the invention,
figs. 7a and 7b illustrate examples of alternative designs of the movable cutter in accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention,
fig. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a pounding device according to an embodiment of the invention, and
figs. 9a and 9b illustrate a part of two embodiments of a pounding device comprising two jaw elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Fig. 1 illustrates a pounding device PD as seen in cross section according to an embodiment of the invention. The pounding device PD comprises a housing H, one or more preferably fixed jaw elements JE, a motor element ME and a movable cutter MC having a pounding part PP, a driving part DP and a pivot joint PJ.
The housing H of the pounding device PD houses the inner parts of the pounding device PD. The housing H may be made of any solid or flexible material such as metal, plastic, wood etc. or any combination thereof. Moreover, the housing H may comprise an outer surface made of rubber or another anti-slip surface.
The housing H may have an ergonomic design making it comfortable for the worker to operate the pounding device PD.
During operation, the pounding device PD crushes fine-grained material FGM with the movable cutter MC, which performs a reciprocating movement between two end positions, thereby pounding the material FGM and providing a cutting of the material FGM.
The movable cutter MC is positioned between two jaw elements JE, which work as backstops holding down the material FGM during the cutting, thus minimizing the risk of cracking or breaking of the material FGM when it is pounded by the movable cutter MC.
The movable cutter MC is connected to a motor element ME which, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises an electrically driven motor. The motor may
be an electromotor providing a rotating movement, which is transformed into the reciprocating movement of the movable cutter MC by means of a coupling means.
Evidently, the pounding device may comprise an ON/OFF button, which activates or deactivates the movable cutter MC, e.g. by activating or deactivating the motor element ME.
Moreover, the figure illustrates that, during operation of the pounding device PD, the movable cutter MC pivots around a pivot joint PJ of the pounding device PD.
Fig. 2 illustrates the pounding device PD as seen from the top according to an embodiment of the invention.
From this point of view, it is seen that there are spaces SP between two jaw elements JEl, JE2 and the movable cutter MC. The widths of these spaces are at least 0.5 mm according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. In other embodiments, however, the widths may be smaller.
The width of the movable cutter MC corresponds roughly to the width of the groove in the material FGM after the cut.
The spaces provide passage way for the pounded and crushed fine-grained material CM, thus avoiding that small fragments of crushed material CM are jammed between the movable cutter MC and the jaw elements JEl, JE2.
Turning now to fig. 3, a perspective view of the pounding device PD is disclosed with a housing H, one or more preferably fixed jaw elements JEl, JE2, a movable cutter MC and a pivot joint PJ as previously disclosed.
Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a spacer S for the pounding device. Such a spacer S may be utilized for the purpose of cutting at a fixed distance from a given reference such as a roof lath. This makes it easy for the worker to make a straight cut or a cut following the variations of a more or less intricately shaped reference object. The spacer S may easily be adjusted to make the distance to the reference smaller or larger.
Fig. 5 illustrates the use of a pounding device PD according to an embodiment of the invention. The figure illustrates a pounding device PD while pounding and cutting its way through a piece of fine-grained material FGM. The pounding device PD may easily be pushed forward by the user and will, thereby, make a cut through the finegrained material FGM.
Advantageously, the edges of the material FGM, which has been cut with the pounding device PD, will not be completely sharp but rather have a more natural , jagged appearance. Conventionally, when using a motorized circular saw to cut the material FGM, the edges of the cut material FGM are very sharp. Especially when cutting slate, it is desirable to have a natural appearing jagged edge of the slate after cutting. This is obtained by using the present invention due to the fact that the fine- grained material FGM is pounded and not just cut as in conventional techniques. This feature is described in more detail with reference to fig. 9a and 9b.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the jaw elements JE of the pounding device PD may be adjusted to regulate the spaces SP between the jaw elements JEl, JE2 and the movable cutter MC.
Figs. 6a and 6b illustrate an example of the pounding mechanism of the pounding device according to an embodiment of the invention.
The figures illustrate that the movable cutter MC cuts the fine-grained material FGM by means of pounding the material FGM with a reciprocating movement of the movable cutter MC. When operated, crushed material CM will be thrown out through the spaces SP between the movable cutter MC and the jaw elements JE.
Figs. 7a and 7b illustrate examples of alternative designs of the movable cutter MC in accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention. The figures illustrate embodiments of the pounding device PD, wherein the movable cutter MC has alternative forms. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7a, the movable cutter MC has a more edged form than in the embodiment shown in the previous figures, which may , however, crush the material in the same manner as described above with reference to figs. 6a and 6b.
It should be noted that the design of different elements in the figures l-7b, such as the housing H as well as the jaw elements JE and the movable cutter MC, only is to be understood as examples. Other designs are applicable within the scope of the invention.
Alternative designs may comprise a pounding device PD, wherein the housing H is bended in one or more directions to obtain a more suitable working position for the worker, when operating the pounding device PD.
Fig. 8 illustrates a block diagram of the pounding device PD according to an embodiment of the invention. The figure discloses an actuator A, a movable cutter MC, an electrical battery B and a mains supply connection MSC.
An actuator A is understood to be an arrangement that creates automatic motion. For example, the actuator A may be represented by a motor element ME. In this figure, it is seen that an actuator A is connected to the movable cutter MC, thereby providing a movement of the movable cutter MC during operation of the pounding device PD.
The actuator A may be electrically driven through connection to a battery B and/or through a mains supply connection MSC.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the actuator A, the movable cutter MC, the battery B and/or the mains supply connection MSC are comprised within a housing H.
Figs. 9a and 9b illustrate how the pounding device PD may provide a very advantageous jagged edge, which is especially desirable when cutting slate.
Both of the figures illustrate a part of the pounding device PD, which comprises two jaw elements JEl, JE2. Moreover, the figures illustrate a cross section of the finegrained material FGM, which is cut by the pounding device PD.
It is seen that the width of the movable cutter MC corresponds to the width of the groove in the fine-grained material FGM..
When the fine-grained material FGM is cut, the pounding device PD advantageously leaves behind jagged parts JP of the edges of the fine-grained material FGM. As seen in the figure, the widths of the jagged parts JP correspond to the widths of the spaces SP between the jaw elements JEl, JE2 and the movable cutter MC.
Fig. 9a is an example of smaller jagged parts JP corresponding to smaller spaces SP, while fig. 9b is an example of larger jagged parts JP corresponding to larger spaces SP.
In an embodiment of the invention, the positions of the jaw elements are adjustable, meaning that the widths of the jagged parts JP may be regulated correspondingly.
This feature is especially advantageous in relation to cutting slate due to the fact that it is desirable to have such a natural appearing jagged edge of the slate.
It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular examples described above but may be designed and altered in a multitude of varieties within the scope of the invention as specified in the claims.
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