Patent Application
20150283622
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drilling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Using a hand drill to make a bore in a metallic workpiece can be challenging. The initial penetration of the drill bit into the workpiece is often difficult, time-consuming and frustrating to an average user. Typically, the drill bit will dance around, or slide on the surface of the workpiece and the user must exert a considerable force to the drill body in order to stop the drill bit from dancing around. This process is especially exacerbated when the workpiece is a cylindrical pipe. One solution to this problem has been to first create a pilot hole, or create an indentation with a center-punch and hammer at the point to be drilled, and then place the point of the bit in the indentation and start drilling. A user is forced to lean in on the drill to apply pressure on the drill bit, however, for pipes in excess of ⅜ inches, drilling a single hole may be especially time-consuming and exhausting for a user, as the user may only apply so much force on the drill before fatigue sets in, thereby lengthening the completion time for the bore. In addition, there is an additional difficulty in holding the drill steadily and rigidly on a pipe to be bored, which may result in undesirable bores, the drill bit jamming within the bore, or worse-still breaking within the bore. It is therefore apparent that using a hand drill for such an operation has numerous drawbacks, and is not ideal for applications or industries in which a plurality bores are desired as part of the production.
It is an object of the present invention to mitigate or obviate at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.
In one of its aspects, there is provided a tool mounting apparatus for a leverage force to a tool, the apparatus comprising:
In another of its aspects, there is provided a method for applying a leverage force to a tool, the method comprising the steps of:
In another of its aspects, there is provided a method for drilling a hole through a workpiece in a fast and efficient manner. The method is especially useful for drilling horizontal holes through a vertically disposed workpiece, such as a cylindrical pipe, with substantially thick walls. Advantageously, holes may be drilled in the workpiece with minimal effort, which results in decreased fatigue on the user, and less frustration, thereby increasing production.
Several preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying block diagrams and schematic diagrams, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way.
An upper end 22 of the vertical arm 18 comprises an upper support 24 for releasably engaging the workpiece 14 above a ground plane 25, and a lower support 26 proximate a lower end 27 for releasably engaging the workpiece 14, in order to rigidly secure the mounting apparatus 10 to the workpiece 14. A chain-link 28 is attached proximate the lower end 27 of the vertical arm 18 and wraps around the workpiece 14 and secured via a speedy nut 29 (and bolt). An elongate plate 30 extends from proximate the upper end 22 of the vertical arm 18 and intersects about the middle of the horizontal arm 20 at an angle, and extends beyond the horizontal arm 20. The elongate plate 30 is rigidly joined to the vertical arm 18 and the horizontal arm 20 of the frame 16, via welding or other joinder mechanisms. A lower portion 31 of the plate 30 comprises an aperture 32 which receives a drill body 33 to provide support for the drill 12, as shown in
One end 34 of the horizontal arm 20 is securedly attached proximate to the lower end 27 of the vertical arm 18. An L-shaped lever 35 is pivotally attached proximate to another end 36 of the horizontal arm 20 at a pivot point 37. The lever 35 comprises an elongate actuating first leg 38 and a second leg 40, substantially perpendicular to the elongate actuating first leg 38. The elongate actuating first leg 38 includes a free-end 42 having a manual grip portion 44 formed thereon, preferably a slip-on elastomeric grip engageable by a user's hand to apply a force thereto. A resilient biasing member 45 extends between upper end 22 of the vertical arm 18 and adjacent to free-end 42. The resilient biasing member 45 allows the lever 35 to return to a rest position after the force is removed from manual grip portion 44.
The second leg 40 of the lever 35 is substantially vertical to the ground plane 25, and extends downwardly from the pivot point 37 towards the ground plane 25, and terminates at free end 46. The second leg 40 includes an attachment mechanism 48 for securing the drill 12 thereto. The attachment mechanism 48 is hingedly attached proximate to free end 46 of the second leg 40, and comprises a U-shaped rod 50 received by a hole 51. The U-shaped rod 50 is formed of a pair of interconnected tines 52, 54 which abut opposing sides of a drill body 33. A clamp 56, such as a hose clamp, placed over the tines 52, 54 and around the body portion 33 of the drill 12 is tightened to securely fasten the drill 12 to the apparatus 10. For example, the hose clamp 56 comprises a worm gear and a tightening band, such as a metal strip perforated to correspond with teeth of the worm gear. Other suitable attachment mechanism include any conventional device or devices used to secure one object to another, such as, for example, devices that wrap around the drill 12 such as, straps, lines or cables or other types of fasteners. Accordingly, the attachment mechanism 48 restricts any axial motion of the drill body 33 within the aperture 32 and translates the force applied on the manual grip portion 42 of the elongate actuating first leg 38 into a longitudinal force to the drill 12.
As can be seen in
As stated above, the upper support 24 and lower support 26 allow the mounting apparatus 10 to be rigidly secured to the workpiece 14. The upper support 24 and lower support 26 are adapted to suit the contour of the workpiece 14 to be drilled, and therefore may include any configuration that interfaces with the workpiece 14. As shown in
In another exemplary embodiment, when the workpiece 14 is relatively planar, then the upper support 24 and lower support 26 are relatively planar.
An exemplary method of operation will now be described with reference to
The bracket 64 may be include two diametrically opposed apertures 66, 72 such that after completion of the first bore through aperture 66 of bracket 64, the apparatus 10 is swung around to make the second bore. This bracket 64 feature is useful when opposing bores are desired, or in instances where the drill bit 15 is not long enough to drill from one side to the opposite side of the workpiece 14, or the drill bit 15 is likely to overheat or break. Accordingly, the first and second bores may form one continuous straight hole through the workpiece 14, or the bores are made to a predetermined depth into the workpiece 14.
Upon application of a downward force, the elongate actuating first leg 38 rotates about the pivot point 37, and a mechanical advantage is obtained in applying a force to the hand drill 12. While the mechanical advantage is related to the length of the elongate actuating first leg 38, in one exemplary embodiment the mechanical advantage is approximately 8 times the actual downward force applied to the elongate actuating first leg 38. Therefore, the benefit of the mechanical advantage facilitates continuous operation of the apparatus 10 by a user before fatigue sets in. In one example, a half-inch hand drill 12 is used to make a bore in a 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 and takes about 30 seconds to plunge through the example of side of pipe 14. As per the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) specifications, a 4 inch Schedule 80 (SCH 80) welded and seamless steel pipe has an outside diameter of 4.5 inches, a wall thickness of 0.337 inches. In one exemplary operation, the time to mount the press on the 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 and bracket 64 and tighten the chain link 28 and speedy nut 29 is approximately 30 seconds, drill one wall of the 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 is approximately 30 seconds, the time to remove the apparatus and reinstall on the opposite side of the 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 is approximately 30 seconds, and the approximate time to drill the opposite side of the 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 is 30 seconds. Therefore, the total boring operation takes approximately 120 seconds. After the two bores have been completed, the amount of time to remove the apparatus and reinstall the apparatus on the next 4 inch SCH 80 pipe 14 and bracket 64 is approximately 30 seconds. In a typical operation, a user using apparatus 10 can make two bores in 30 (thirty) 4 inch SCH 80 pipes 14 in one hour, or 60 bores/hour. In contrast, a user using the same half-inch hand drill 12 without the aid of the apparatus 10 and without the benefit of the mechanical advantage can only accomplish boring two bores in 24 (twenty four) 4 inch SCH 80 pipes in 40 hours (one work week), or only 1.2 bores/hour.
Once the boring operation on the workpiece 14 is complete, the apparatus 10 is removed in the opposite sequence from installation, and the drill 12 may remain attached to apparatus 10, if the apparatus 10 is to be placed on to another workpiece 14, or another location on the workpiece 14. As described above, the mounting and de-mounting of the apparatus 10 is relatively quick, and greatly improves efficiency.
In yet another embodiment, the bracket 64 may include a plurality of apertures 66 such that a plurality of bores in the workpiece 14 may be made in accordance to the configuration of the apertures 66 or as desired by the user or the application. For example, bores may be made using only a portion of the apertures 66.
In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises markings for indicating the depth of bore or the length of the drill bit 15 in the workpiece 14.
In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises a means for setting a desired depth in the workpiece 14, as shown in
In another embodiment, the lever 35 comprises a brace member 80 extending from the elongate actuating first leg 38 to the second leg 40.
In another embodiment, as shown in
In more detail, the mounting apparatus 100 comprises a frame 107 having a vertical arm 108 and a horizontal arm 110 joined together. The vertical arm 108 and horizontal arm 110 are substantially perpendicular to each other.
An upper end 112 of the vertical arm 108 comprises an upper support 114 for releasably engaging the workpiece and a lower support 116 proximate a lower end 117 for releasably engaging the workpiece 104, in order to rigidly secure the mounting apparatus 100 to the workpiece 104. A chain-link 118 is attached proximate the lower end 117 of the vertical arm 108 and wraps around the workpiece 104 and secured via a speedy nut 119 (and bolt). An elongate plate 120 extends from proximate the upper end 112 of the vertical arm 108 and intersects about the middle of the horizontal arm 110 at an angle, and extends beyond the horizontal arm 110. The elongate plate 120 is rigidly joined on to the vertical arm 108 and the horizontal arm 110 of the frame 107, via welding or other joinder mechanisms. A lower portion 121 of the plate 120 comprises an aperture 122 which receives a drill body 123 to provide support for the drill 102, as will be described in greater detail below. One end 124 of the horizontal arm 110 is securedly attached proximate to the lower end 117 of the vertical arm 108.
An C-shaped arm 125 is pivotally attached proximate to another end 126 of the horizontal arm 110 at a pivot point 127. The C-shaped arm 125 curves downwardly to the ground plane 25 from pivot point 127, and terminates at free end 126. A brace 128 is secured to C-shaped arm 125 adjacent to pivot point 127 and extends diagonally to near free end 129 of the C-shaped arm 125. An attachment mechanism 130 for securing the drill 102 is hingedly attached proximate free end 129 of the C-shaped arm 125, and comprises a U-shaped rod 132 received by a hole 134. The U-shaped rod 132 is formed of a pair of interconnected tines 136, 138 which abut opposing sides of a drill body 123. A clamp 140 such as a hose clamp, placed over the tines 136, 138 and around drill body portion 123 of the drill 102 is tightened to securely fasten the drill 102 to the apparatus 100. For example, the hose clamp 140 comprises a worm gear and a tightening band, such as a metal strip perforated to correspond with teeth of the worm gear. Other suitable attachment mechanism include any conventional device or devices used to secure one object to another, such as, for example, devices that wrap around the drill 102 such as, straps, lines or cables or other types of fasteners. For additional support, the drill hand grip portion 106 is also secured to the brace 128 via similar-type fasteners.
An elongate lever 142 is secured to the C-shaped arm 125, at one end 144, and free-end 146 includes a manual grip portion 148, preferably a slip-on elastomeric grip engageable by a user's hand to apply a force thereto. Accordingly, the attachment mechanism 130 restricts any axial motion of the drill body 123 within the aperture 122. The force applied on the manual grip portion 148 of the elongate lever 142 causes the C-shaped arm 125 to rotate about pivot point 127, and inflicts a longitudinal force to the drill 102 via the attachment mechanism 130. The drill body 123 is thus caused to move through aperture 122, thereby advancing the drill bit 105 towards the workpiece 104. The elongate lever 142 may also include a brace member 149 extending about midway of the elongate lever 142 to a lower portion of the C-shaped arm 125.
In another embodiment, the apparatus 100 may also include a roof 150 secured to the horizontal arm 110, and positioned above the drill 102, as shown in
In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 may also include a similar roof and waterproof electrical box, as described above.
In one application, the apparatus 10 or 100 is useful for drilling bores in steel pipes 14 used as anchors for mounting solar panels.
In other embodiments, the power tool includes, but is not limited to, a driver, cutter, screwdriver, screw gun, hammer, hammer drill, rotary tool, saw; and these tools receive accessories or attachments such as blades, chisels, saws, saw blades; and so forth. Accordingly, the guides 60 include apertures corresponding to at least one characteristic of the accessory, such as length, width, depth, or diameter.
While preceding detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention makes reference to the tool being operated and oriented in a horizontal configuration, the tool may be operated in a vertical configuration, or at any angle depending on the work environment and location or orientation of the workpiece 14.
The preceding detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. Thus, the preceding detailed description is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation, and the scope of the invention is defined by the preceding description, and with respect to the attached claims.
