Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6575070
-
Patent Number
6,575,070
-
Date Filed
Monday, January 31, 200025 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 10, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Shoap; Allan N.
- Druan, Jr.; Thomas J
Agents
- Ramaswamy; V. G.
- Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 083 6511
- 083 614
- 083 171
- 083 932
- 425 296
- 425 297
- 425 308
- 425 315
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line. The apparatus includes a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material. In addition, the apparatus includes a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table. Further, the apparatus includes an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material in position with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table. The apparatus also includes a device engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for cutting sheets of material such as foam adhesive material.
Often, composite components such as those used in gas turbine engines are made by assembling sub-components such as sheets of carbon reinforced resins and/or more complex structures in predetermined orientations. Sheets of adhesive material are applied to the sub-components and activated to form the composite components. Frequently, the sheets of adhesive material are a foam or film epoxy material having paper backing covering each face prior to use.
Conventionally, a knife and a straight edge are used to cut the sheets of adhesive. However, as the sheets are cut, the technician simultaneously must hold the straight edge in place on the sheet of material, hold the knife against the straight edge and press the knife against the sheet of adhesive with sufficient force to cut the adhesive. If the knife becomes spaced from the straight edge or the straight edge moves, the cut will not be straight. Further, this procedure sometimes produces slivers of the adhesive, slivers of the paper backing, and/or slivers of the straight edge. If the slivers are not found and removed, they can become embedded in the components. In addition, the knife must be periodically sharpened or replaced thereby adding cost to the components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the several features of the present invention may be noted the provision of an apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line. The apparatus includes a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material. In addition, the apparatus includes a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table. Further, the apparatus includes an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material in position with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table. The apparatus also includes a device engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
In another aspect, apparatus of the present invention includes a table and an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the table. The guide has a track extending longitudinally along the guide. Further, the guide has two inward facing edges spaced by a gap having a generally constant width positioned generally vertically above the preselected line on the sheet of material when the guide is positioned above the sheet of material and the sheet is received by the table. In addition, the apparatus includes a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and below the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table. The wire is positioned laterally between the edges and vertically below the gap of the guide when the guide is positioned above the sheet of material. The apparatus also includes a shuttle moveably engaging the guide track for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material and through the gap in the guide to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
Moreover, the present invention includes a method of cutting a sheet of material. The method includes positioning an elongate guide adjacent a first face of a sheet of material and positioning a wire adjacent a second face of the sheet of material opposite the first face. Further the method includes the step of pulling the wire through the sheet of material and through the gap between the spaced edges of the elongate guide to cut the sheet of material.
Other features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is side elevation of an apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a top plan of the apparatus;
FIG. 3
is a cross section of the apparatus taken in the plane of line
3
—
3
of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
is a cross section of the apparatus taken in the plane of line
4
—
4
of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 5
is a cross section of the apparatus taken in the plane of line
5
—
5
of
FIG. 2
; and
FIG. 6
is a cross section of the apparatus similar to
FIG. 4
but showing a guide in a raised position.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
FIG. 1
, apparatus of the present invention is designated in its entirety by the reference number
10
. Generally, the apparatus
10
includes a table (generally designated by
12
), a wire
14
, an elongate guide (generally designated by
16
) and a shuttle (generally designated by
18
). As will be explained in further detail below, the apparatus
10
pulls the wire
14
through a sheet of material, generally designated by
20
, to cut the sheet of material along a preselected line
22
(shown in phantom in FIG.
2
). Although the apparatus
10
of the preferred embodiment is used to cut sheets of foam or film adhesive material, it is envisioned the apparatus could be used to cut sheets of material such as waxes, plastics, resins, elastomers, paper and food products without departing from the scope of the present invention.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the table
12
has a top, generally designated by
30
, supported by four legs
32
(only two of which are visible in FIG.
1
). As shown in
FIG. 2
, the top has a planar upper surface
34
sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material
20
. Although the upper surface
34
may have other dimensions without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment used for cutting sheets of material
20
which are about 26 inches by about 12 inches, the upper surface is about 29 inches by about 20 inches.
A mount
36
is provided below the table top
30
. The mount
36
includes a conventional spool support
38
for holding a spool
40
of wire
14
and a clamp, generally designated by
42
, for attaching the wire to the table
12
. The clamp
42
includes a internally threaded cylinder
44
having a hole (not shown) extending diametrically through the cylinder. The wire
14
is unwound from the spool
40
and threaded through the hole in the cylinder
44
. A screw
46
is threaded into the cylinder
44
so it abuts the wire
14
to hold the wire in place. When a sufficient length of wire
14
is unwound from the spool
40
as will be explained below, the screw
46
is tightened to clamp a first (trailing) end of the wire in position with respect to the table
12
. The wire
14
extends upward from the clamp
42
and partially around a pin
48
extending through a bracket
50
attached to the table top
30
. From the pin
48
, the wire
14
extends through the shuttle
18
. The wire
14
extends from the shuttle
18
underneath the sheet
20
and partially around a pulley
52
mounted on the table top
30
to a clamp, generally designated by
54
, similar to the clamp
42
adjacent the spool
40
. The clamp
54
comprises an internally threaded cylinder (not shown) similar to the cylinder
44
and a screw
56
similar to screw
46
for clamping a second (leading) end of the wire
14
to a tensioning device, generally designated by
58
.
The tensioning device generally includes a weight
60
which is pivotally attached to a bracket
62
extending downward from the table top
30
. As the weight
60
is biased down by gravity, it pulls the leading end of the wire
14
clamped to the weight and tensions the wire so the wire is positioned adjacent the upper surface
34
of the table
12
and generally vertically below the preselected line
22
on the sheet of material
20
when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table. Although the weight
60
may be heavier or lighter without departing from the scope of the present invention, the weight of the preferred embodiment is about nine pounds. Further, although a weight
60
is used to tension the wire
14
in the preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other conventional tensioning devices may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. A hook
64
is provided on the weight
60
for attaching the weight to an eye
66
mounted on the table
12
. Thus, the weight
60
may be lifted and supported to remove tension from the wire
14
when adjusting the wire in the clamps
42
,
54
. Further, a U-shaped safety bar
68
mounted on the table
12
extends around the weight
60
to prevent the weight from swinging downward in the event the wire
14
breaks.
As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, two fences
70
,
72
are mounted on the table top
30
for aligning the sheet of material
20
with respect to the guide
16
to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line
22
. The first fence
70
is fastened to the table top
30
with fasteners (not shown). As illustrated in
FIG. 3
, the second fence
72
includes pins
74
which engage holes
76
in the table top
30
for holding the fence in a preselected position perpendicular to the first fence
70
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the table top
30
has a series of holes
76
for adjusting the position of the second fence
72
thereby changing the finished width of the sheets of material
20
after being cut. In addition, it is envisioned that indicia (not shown) may be inscribed on the upper surface
34
of the table
12
to aid in determining the finished width of the sheets of material
20
after being cut. Further, blocks
78
are provided on each side of the guide
16
for ensuring the guide remains parallel to the second fence
72
.
As further illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the wire
14
extends adjacent the upper surface
34
of the table
12
and below the sheet of material
20
when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table. Although the wire
14
may have other dimensions and be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment the wire has a nominal diameter of about 0.011 inches and is made of ASTM A228 material. As will be explained in further detail below, the wire
14
is pulled upward away from the upper surface
34
of the table
12
and through the sheet of material
20
to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line
22
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 3
, the guide
16
includes two elongate members
80
having L-shaped cross sections. The horizontal leg of each member
80
has a lower edge
82
which faces a corresponding lower edge on the other member.
The facing edges
82
are spaced by a gap, generally designated by
84
, having a generally constant width
86
. Although the gap
84
may have other widths
86
without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment the gap has a width of about 0.040 inches. Further, the gap
84
is positioned directly vertically above the preselected line
22
on the sheet of material
20
when the guide
16
is positioned above the sheet of material and the sheet is received by the upper surface
34
of the table
12
. Each of the members
80
includes a groove
88
opening inward toward a channel
90
formed between the vertical legs of the members. The grooves
88
and channel
90
form a track extending longitudinally along the guide
16
for guiding the shuttle
18
along the guide. Although the members
80
may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment the members are made of aluminum. A stiffening plate
92
is attached to the upper end of each member
80
for stiffening the respective member against lateral deflections.
As illustrated in
FIG. 4
, a bracket
100
connects one pair of adjacent ends of the guide members
80
. The bracket
100
is pivotally connected to the table top
30
by the pin
48
extending through the bracket
50
so the guide
16
is pivotable between a raised position as shown in
FIG. 6
in which the guide is spaced from the upper surface
34
of the table
12
for positioning the sheet of material
20
on if the upper surface of the table and a lowered position as shown in
FIG. 4
in which the gap defined by the edges of the guide is positioned generally vertically above the wire
14
. Thus, when the guide
16
is in the lower position, it holds the sheet of material
20
in position with respect to both the wire
14
and the upper surface
34
of the table
12
. In addition, a stop
102
is provided on the bracket
100
to limit the rotational travel (i.e., counterclockwise rotation) of the guide
16
as shown in FIG.
6
. Still further, as shown in
FIG. 2
, a conventional counter mechanism
104
is attached to the bracket
50
on the table
12
for counting each time the guide
16
is raised to load a sheet of material
20
on the table
12
. As illustrated in
FIG. 5
, a fitting
106
connects the adjacent ends of each guide member
80
opposite the bracket
100
. A knob
108
is provided on the fitting
106
to provide a handle when moving the guide between its raised and lowered positions.
As further illustrated in
FIG. 4
, the shuttle
18
has four guide rollers
110
which roll in the grooves
88
in the guide members
80
to direct the shuttle along the guide
16
and above the preselected line
22
on the sheet of material
20
. In addition, two wear pads
112
are provided on each side of the shuttle
18
for ensuring the shuttle remains centered in the track formed by the grooves
88
and the channel
90
. The shuttle
18
also includes a rotatably mounted sheave
114
in a vertical slot
116
extending in from one end of the shuttle. The sheave
114
guides the wire
14
upward through the sheet of material
20
and through the gap
84
to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line
22
as will be explained below. Thus, the shuttle
18
forms a device which engages the wire
14
for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material
20
to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line
22
. The wire
14
extending from the pin
48
wraps almost entirely around a groove
118
provided in the sheave
114
and then extends to the pulley
52
as explained above. Moreover, although the groove
118
may have other shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention, in the preferred embodiment the groove has a rounded bottom
120
for guiding the wire as shown in FIG.
3
. Initial testing has indicated a groove
118
having a rounded bottom
120
is less likely to become gummed up by adhesive from the sheet of material
20
than is a groove having a V-shaped bottom. Although the sheave
114
may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment the sheave is made of tetrafluoroethylene. As illustrated in
FIG. 4
, a horizontal slot
122
is provided along the bottom of the shuttle
18
for maintaining sufficient clearance between the shuttle and the wire
14
. Further, the shuttle
18
includes a handle grip
124
for moving the shuttle along the channel
90
. Preferably, the grip
124
is angled so it may be grasped more easily.
To load the apparatus
10
, the guide
16
is raised to the position shown in
FIG. 6 and a
sheet of material
20
is positioned over the wire
14
and on the upper surface
34
of the table top
30
so the wire is positioned adjacent a lower face
130
(
FIG. 4
) of the sheet of material. Further, the sheet of material
20
is positioned so edges of the sheet of material
20
abut the corresponding fences
70
,
72
. As explained above, the fence
72
may be suitably positioned on the table top
30
by placing the pins
74
in the appropriate holes
76
in the table top so the sheet of material
20
will be cut to the desired size. Once the sheet of material
20
is in position, the guide
16
is lowered to the position shown in
FIG. 1
so the guide is adjacent an upper face
132
(
FIG. 4
) of the sheet of material. Then the shuttle
18
is moved from the position shown in
FIG. 4
toward the fence
70
to the position shown in FIG.
5
. As the shuttle
18
moves along the guide, the sheave
114
rotates and pulls the wire
14
upward through the sheet of material
20
, past the edges
82
of the elongate guide
16
and through the gap
84
to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line
22
. After the sheet
20
is cut along the preselected line
22
, the shuttle
18
is returned to the position shown in
FIG. 4
before the guide
16
is raised to remove the resulting pieces of sheet material. When the guide
16
is raised, the counter mechanism
104
automatically increments.
Each time the apparatus
10
is used, active portions of the wire
14
are stressed. To prevent the wire
14
from failing due to fatigue, the wire is advanced after some predetermined number of cuts (e.g., 75 cuts) are made.
To advance the wire
14
, the weight
60
is lifted and the hook
64
is inserted in the eye
66
to take tension off of the wire. The clamps
42
,
54
are loosened and the wire
14
is advanced until an unused portion extends over the table top
30
. Once the wire is advanced, the clamps
42
,
54
are re-tightened, the counter mechanism is reset to zero and the weight
60
is unhooked to tension the wire.
Although the apparatus
10
described above is manually operated to cut the sheet of material
20
and to periodically advance the wire
14
, it is envisioned that one or both of these procedures may be motorized and/or automated without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, although the apparatus
10
described above has only one wire
14
, it is envisioned that more than one wires may be used to make more than one simultaneous cuts without departing from the scope of the present invention.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
- 1. Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line, the apparatus comprising:a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material; a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table; an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material and in engagement with the sheet when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table; and a device at least partially positioned above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table and engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line, wherein the device includes a shuttle adapted to pull the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material and the shuttle includes a guide roller, and wherein the guide has a track sized and shaped for receiving the guide roller to direct the shuttle along the guide and above the preselected line on the sheet of material.
- 2. Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line, the apparatus comprising:a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material; a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table; an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material and in engagement with the sheet when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material in position with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table; and a device at least partially positioned above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table and engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line, wherein the table includes a shuttle adapted to pull the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material, and wherein the shuttle includes a rotatably mounted sheave for guiding the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material.
- 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the sheave has a groove with a rounded bottom extending around the sheave for guiding the wire.
- 4. Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line, the apparatus comprising:a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material; a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table; an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material and in engagement with the sheet when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material in position with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table; and a device at least partially positioned above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table and engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line; wherein the table includes a clamp for attaching a first end of the wire to the table, and a tensioning device for pulling a second end of the wire opposite the first end to tension the wire.
- 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the tensioning device includes a weight mounted on the table and attached to said second end of the wire to tension the wire as the weight is biased downward by gravity.
- 6. Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line, the apparatus comprising:a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material; a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and generally vertically below the preselected line on the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table; an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material and in engagement with the sheet when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table for holding the sheet of material in position with respect to the wire and the upper surface of the table, the guide being pivotable between a raised position in which the guide is spaced from the upper surface of the table for positioning the sheet of material on the upper surface of the table and a lowered position in which the guide is positioned generally vertically above the wire; and a device at least partially positioned above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table and engageable with the wire for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
- 7. Apparatus for cutting a sheet of material along a preselected line, the apparatus comprising:a table having an upper surface sized and shaped for receiving the sheet of material; an elongate guide positionable above the sheet of material when the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table, the guide having a track extending longitudinally along the guide and two inward facing edges spaced by a gap having a generally constant width positioned generally vertically above the preselected line on the sheet of material when the guide is positioned above the sheet of material and the sheet is received by the upper surface of the table; a wire positionable adjacent the upper surface of the table and below the sheet of material when the sheet of material is received by the upper surface of the table, the wire being positioned laterally between said edges and vertically below the gap of the guide when the guide is positioned above the sheet of material; and a shuttle moveably engaging the guide track for pulling the wire upward through the sheet of material and through the gap in the elongate guide to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
- 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the shuttle includes a guide roller adapted for engaging the guide track to direct the shuttle along the guide and above the preselected line on the sheet of material.
- 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the shuttle includes a rotatably mounted sheave for guiding the wire upward through the sheet of material and through the gap in the elongate guide to cut the sheet of material along the preselected line.
- 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the sheave has a groove with a rounded bottom extending around the sheave for guiding the wire.
US Referenced Citations (14)