Patent Application
20080045128
Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention In such drawing(s):
The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatus and its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the present apparatus and method of use.
The edge of door skins are formed when a portion of the sheet metal is folded by 180°. The edge of the door sheet metal is then pressed into the fold of the door skin. When cutting the edge of the skin it is possible to sever the folded over portion of the door skin from the bulk of the door skin without cutting into the edge of the door. However, this cutting operation must be carefully controlled, i.e., the depth of cut must be deep enough to sever the skin folded portion, but not deep enough to cut the door edge.
Described now in detail, and as shown in the attached figures, is a mechanized cutter apparatus 10 for cutting into an edge 22 of a metal sheet 20 (see
An adjustable clamp 60 is held in a displaced position with respect to the guide plate 40, the clamp 60 engaging the motor 30 to secure it in a fixed position relative to the guide plate 40, and thereby securing the cutting tool 34 at a selected position relative to the hole 42 and especially the guide bar surface 52. The cutting tool 34 extends through the hole 42 as best seen in
A housing 70 is integral with and extends from the guide plate 40 in opposition to the motor 30. The housing 70 is further integral with a flange 72 and a nipple 74. The nipple 74 removably engages a handle 80 providing interior therein, a storage space 82 for receiving chips 24 cut from the metal sheet 20. The nipple 74 provides a latch 75 which engages the handle 80 so as to hold the handle 80 to the nipple 74. Both the housing 70, the nipple 74 and the handle 80 are essentially hollow so that metal chips 24 chipped away from the metal sheet 20 as it is cut are captured and fall into the storage space 82 for later disposal by removing the handle 80 from the nipple 74 using the latch 75.
Mounted on the housing 70 is a sliding door 76 positioned in parallel with the guide bar 50. The sliding door 76 has a bias relationship with a biasing element 77, preferably a coil spring which is mounted and positioned to move the sliding door 76 toward the guide plate surface 44. Therefore, the sliding door 76 is able to prevent cut chips 24 from flying out of the apparatus during cutting operations. These chips 24 are captured and stored within the handle 80.
In operation, the wing nut 69 is rotated to select a desired depth of duct as shown on the calibrated dial 64. Next, the sliding door 76 is pressed downwardly against spring 77 in the direction shown by arrow “B” in
The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.
The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.
Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.
The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented.
