Sandwich tuck pointing blade

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6769423
  • Patent Number
    6,769,423
  • Date Filed
    Friday, September 20, 2002
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 3, 2004
    21 years ago
Abstract
A tuck pointing blade includes at least two saw blades, each having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter, and a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of each adjacent saw blade. Each saw blade is arranged so that the multiple slots are offset relative to the multiple slots in each adjacent saw blade. In addition, the tuck pointing blade can be configured with three or more saw blades including adjacent blades having different physical properties and/or materials.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention relates to a tuck pointing saw blade having two or more adjacent saw blades.




2. Description of Related Art




Tuck pointing blades are used to trim and/or remove mortar in brickwork and other masonry. Typically, a tuck pointing blade is a single saw blade having a particular kerf pattern used to remove old mortar. This operation is generally time-consuming and places a great deal of stress and wear on both the tuck pointing blade and the associated power tool.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is one object of this invention to provide a tuck pointing blade that cuts mortar rather than grinds mortar like conventional blades.




It is another object of this invention to provide a tuck pointing blade having multiple saw blades, each saw blade having slots rotationally offset relative to each adjacent saw blade.




It is yet another object of this invention to provide a tuck pointing blade having multiple saw blades including at least one saw blade formed of a different material than at least one other saw blade.




A tuck pointing blade according to a preferred embodiment of this invention includes at least two saw blades each having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter. Preferred embodiments of this invention include two or three saw blades however additional embodiments may include four, five, six, seven or more saw blades.




The saw blades are preferably diamond saw blades chosen for durability and strength in tuck pointing applications, particularly saw blades known to those having ordinary skill in the art to be suitable for cutting masonry, concrete, brick, mortar and other such materials.




A spacer may be positioned between each adjacent saw blade to create a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of each adjacent saw blade. Each adjacent saw blade is preferably welded around a center ring that forms an arbor hole of the tuck pointing blade. The spacer, such as a washer, is preferably positioned between each saw blade and is attached around the center ring.




According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the slots of each saw blade are rotationally offset relative to the slots in each adjacent saw blade. More specifically, the slots of each saw blade are preferably approximately centered between the slots of each adjacent saw blade.




According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, at least one saw blade of the tuck pointing blade may be formed of a softer material than at least one other saw blade to promote equal wear across perimeters of each saw blade in the tuck pointing blade.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:





FIG. 1

is a front perspective view of a tuck pointing blade according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;





FIG. 2

is a front view of a tuck pointing blade according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;





FIG. 3

is a side perspective view of a tuck pointing blade according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; and





FIG. 4

is an exploded schematic view of a tuck pointing blade according to one preferred embodiment of this invention.











DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIGS. 1-4

show tuck pointing blades


10


according to several preferred embodiments of this invention. Tuck pointing blade


10


preferably comprises two or more saw blades


20


sandwiched together. Tuck pointing blade


10


may then be used to trim and/or remove mortar and other material from within and between bricks and similar masonry work.




Tuck pointing blade


10


according to a preferred embodiment of this invention comprises two or more saw blades


20


, preferably diamond saw blades, that include multiple slots


30


positioned radially around each saw blade


20


. As shown in

FIG. 1

, slots


30


may generally taper inwardly toward a center of saw blade


20


and terminate in a central radius


35


.




The saw blades


20


are spaced relative to each adjacent saw blade


20


to create gaps


45


between a perimeter cutting surface


70


of each adjacent saw blade


20


. As a result, each adjacent saw blade


20


is spaced relative to each other at least along a perimeter cutting surface


70


, and preferably such gap


45


extends through tuck pointing blade


10


and terminates approximately at center ring


50


and/or spacer


40


.




Slots


30


of each saw blade


20


are preferably rotationally offset relative to slots


30


in each adjacent saw blade


20


. Rotationally offset cutting segments between each saw blade


20


enables aggressive cutting performance. The multiple saw blade structure of tuck pointing blade


10


results in a rapid cutting action of mortar instead of a grinding action thereby resulting in 30-40% more mortar removed per hour of cutting than a conventional tuck pointing blade. In addition, the spaced saw blades


20


result in a substantially lighter tuck pointing blade


10


than a conventional tuck pointing blade resulting in less operator fatigue than conventional blades and cooler running cutting equipment. The reduced weight of the subject tuck pointing blade


10


results in cooler temperatures and increased motor life for cutting equipment as less amps are drawn by the lighter blade.




The profile of tuck pointing blade


10


is generally rectangular in cross-section, even after tuck pointing blade


10


is substantially worn. As a result, the tuck pointing blade leaves a generally square bottom in the mortar which meets standard architectural requirements.




Each adjacent saw blade


20


is preferably welded or otherwise attached around center ring


50


that forms the arbor hole


60


of tuck pointing blade


10


. In addition, spacer


40


, such as a washer, is may be positioned between each saw blade


10


and may be welded or otherwise attached around center ring


50


.




Tuck pointing blade


10


is preferably made of a carbon steel core having multiple cutting segments with acceptable percentages of diamond content. Tuck pointing blade


10


may alternatively be formed of any other material or materials known to those having ordinary skill in the art.




According to one preferred embodiment of this invention shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, two saw blades


20


are joined together and spaced and separated using spacer


40


, preferably a washer, attached around a center arbor hole


60


. Each saw blade


20


preferably includes a plurality of radially positioned slots


30


that extend partially through saw blade


20


toward a center of the saw blade


20


. The adjacent saw blades


20


are rotationally offset relative to each other so that the radial slots


30


of the first saw blade


22


are approximately centered between the radial slots


30


of the second saw blade


24


.




According to another preferred embodiment of this invention, shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, three saw blades


20


are joined together and each spaced and separated using spacer


40


attached around a center arbor hole


60


. As a result, tuck pointing blade


10


according to this embodiment includes, in order: first saw blade


22


, first spacer


42


, second saw blade


24


, second spacer


44


and third saw blade


26


. Each saw blade


20


preferably includes a plurality of radially positioned slots


30


that extend partially through saw blade


20


toward a center. Each adjacent saw blade


20


is rotationally offset relative to the next so that slots


30


of first saw blade


22


are approximately centered between slots


30


of second saw blade


24


and slots


30


of third saw blade


26


are likewise centered between slots


30


of second saw blade


24


. As such, radially extending slots


30


of first saw blade


22


are generally aligned with radially extending slots of third saw blade


26


.




Finally, and as shown schematically in

FIG. 4

, tuck pointing blade


10


may include more than three saw blades


20


arranged in a similar manner as described above wherein each saw blade


20


is spaced and offset relative to each adjacent saw blade


20


. Therefore, tuck pointing blade


10


may include four, five, six or seven or more saw blades


20


spaced and offset relative to each other.




According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, the center saw blade or blades, such as second saw blade


24


shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, in a multiple saw blade arrangement may be formed of a softer material to promote equal wear across the perimeters of each saw blade


20


in tuck pointing blade


10


. Without such softer center saw blade, the outer saw blades may wear faster thereby resulting in uneven cutting of brick mortar. Accordingly, one or more saw blades


20


within tuck pointing blade


10


may include different physical properties and/or materials than one or more adjacent saw blades


20


.




While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the saw blade according to this invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A tuck pointing blade comprising:at least two saw blades each having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter, the at least two saw blades arranged around a central arbor to create a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of each adjacent saw blade, wherein at least one saw blade of the at least two saw blades is formed of a softer material than at least one other saw blade to promote equal wear across perimeters of each saw blade in the tuck pointing blade.
  • 2. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein the slots of each saw blade are rotationally offset relative to the slots in each adjacent saw blade.
  • 3. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein the at least two saw blades are diamond saw blades.
  • 4. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein the least two saw blades include a generally rectangular cross-section.
  • 5. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 where each adjacent saw blade is welded around a center ring that forms an arbor hole of the tuck pointing blade.
  • 6. The tuck pointing blade of claim 5 wherein a spacer is positioned between each saw blade and is attached around the center ring.
  • 7. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein the tuck pointing blade comprises a carbon steel core and multiple cutting segments with diamond content.
  • 8. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots extend partially through each saw blade toward a center of the saw blade.
  • 9. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein adjacent saw blades are rotationally offset relative to each other so that the slots of a first saw blade are approximately centered between the slots of a second saw blade.
  • 10. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein three saw blades are joined together and are each spaced and separated using a spacer attached around a center arbor hole.
  • 11. The tuck pointing blade of claim 10 wherein each adjacent saw blade is rotationally offset relative to each other so that the slots of a first saw blade are approximately centered between the slots of a second saw blade and the slots of a third saw blade are approximately centered between the slots of the second saw blade, thereby generally aligning the slots of the first saw blade with the slots of the third saw blade.
  • 12. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein four saw blades are joined together and are each spaced and separated using a spacer attached around a center arbor hole.
  • 13. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein five saw blades are joined together and are each spaced and separated using a spacer attached around a center arbor hole.
  • 14. The tuck pointing blade of claim 1 wherein six saw blades are joined together and are each spaced and separated using a spacer attached around a center arbor hole.
  • 15. A tuck pointing blade comprising:at least two saw blades each having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter; a spacer positioned between the at least two saw blades to create a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of each adjacent saw blade, the at least two saw blades positioned so that the multiple slots of each saw blade are rotationally offset relative to the multiple slots in each adjacent saw blade, wherein at least one saw blade of the at least two saw blades is formed of a softer material than at least one other saw blade to promote equal wear across perimeters of each saw blade in the tuck pointing blade.
  • 16. The tuck pointing blade of claim 15 comprising a generally rectangular cross-section.
  • 17. The tuck pointing blade of claim 15 wherein three saw blades are joined together and are each spaced and separated using a spacer attached around a center arbor hole.
  • 18. The tuck pointing blade of claim 15 wherein each adjacent saw blade is rotationally offset relative to each other so that the slots of a first saw blade are approximately centered between the slots of a second saw blade and the slots of a third saw blade are approximately centered between the radial slots of the second saw blade, thereby generally aligning the slots of the first saw blade with the slots of the third saw blade.
  • 19. A tuck pointing blade comprising:a first saw blade having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter; a second saw blade having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter; a third saw blade having multiple slots positioned radially around a perimeter, wherein at least one saw blade of the first saw blade, the second saw blade and the third saw blade is formed of a softer material than at least one other saw blade; a first spacer positioned between the first saw blade and the second saw blade to create a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of the first saw blade and a perimeter cutting surface of the second saw blade; and a second spacer positioned between the second saw blade and the third saw blade to create a gap between a perimeter cutting surface of the second saw blade and a perimeter cutting surface of the third saw blade.
Parent Case Info

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application no. 60/391,579, filed Jun. 27, 2002.

US Referenced Citations (27)
Number Name Date Kind
2475892 Hasty Jul 1949 A
2709878 Barnes Jun 1955 A
2807256 Olson Sep 1957 A
3127887 Metzger Apr 1964 A
3261383 Woolley Jul 1966 A
3866502 Brewer, Sr. Feb 1975 A
4033319 Winter Jul 1977 A
4188934 Reinhardt et al. Feb 1980 A
4236356 Ward Dec 1980 A
4516560 Cruickshank et al. May 1985 A
4550708 Roemmele et al. Nov 1985 A
4583515 Ballenger Apr 1986 A
4962748 Schweickhardt Oct 1990 A
5020280 O'Reilly Jun 1991 A
5115796 Schweickhardt May 1992 A
5197453 Messina Mar 1993 A
5261385 Kroll Nov 1993 A
5313742 Corcoran et al. May 1994 A
5392758 Rognon Feb 1995 A
5441033 Chiuminatta et al. Aug 1995 A
5505189 Chiuminatta et al. Apr 1996 A
5507273 Chiuminatta et al. Apr 1996 A
5537987 Okawauchi Jul 1996 A
5787871 Jones et al. Aug 1998 A
6142139 Lupi Nov 2000 A
6321738 Walsh Nov 2001 B1
6371103 Lupi Apr 2002 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
4239570 May 1994 DE
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/391579 Jun 2002 US