Patent Application
20180264602
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to CNC cutting machines typically used for cutting materials and more particularly to a CNC cutting machine which is self-equipped, self-powered, and is mounted on a vehicle for transport to remote jobsites where electrical power is unavailable. The disclosed vehicular cutting machine 1 can cut complex industrial planar designs in a manner similar to large gantry machines permanently installed on a shop floor.
A CNC (computer numerical control) cutting machine is a cutting machine tool that uses computer software programs to automatically execute a series of cutting operations. Many types of CNC cutting machines are in existence which can provide some means for the automated cutting of materials. Although most of the prior art cutting machines are adequate and function as intended, the prior art devices possess one common disadvantage: they require considerable amount of set-up time and require several items of equipment and accessories to be positioned and hooked up to the CNC cutting machine before cutting operations begin.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/804,281; Jul. 19, 2010: The disclosed mobile CNC cutting machine is an automated CNC cutting machine affixed to a wheeled platform for rapid set-up on a remote job site. The machine is particularly well suited to cut metal materials, and is built on a solid metal structure for easy transporting to a job site and ready for use on arrival.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,754 July 2008 Lin; Disclosed is a CNC tungsten steel cutting machine suitably used to cut a metal material, such as tungsten carbide steel, includes an operational platform, a cutting mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a delivering mechanism, and a control panel. When a metal material to be cut is received in a feeding tray of the feeding mechanism, lifting control rods of the feeding mechanism lift the metal material until the metal material is temporarily positioned. Once the latest metal material is completely cut, the lifting control rods push the next metal material, so that the next metal material moves into the V-shaped guiding groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,754 October 2006 Morello; The invention is a vehicle for use in the construction trade to support steel building fabrication and support issues. In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle comprises a trailer, a mobile type unit containing enough equipment to handle most tasks used on a construction site, particularly a metal building construction site. The trailer has its own self-contained power and is fully supportive of a mobile metal building factory that is used commonly in the art. The vehicle is designed to serve as a mobile metal factory and will be used in the construction of self-supporting metal structures that are known in the industry, and is fully self-contained, supplying all of the tools and equipment necessary for construction support at the site where the vehicle is located.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,389 February 1999 Bartlett, et. al.: A CNC cylindrical grinding machine comprising a bed, a worktable movable relative to the bed along a linear path, wheelhead movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of worktable travel, a rotatable grinding wheel mounted thereon for engagement with a workpiece mounted on the worktable, wheel drive means on the wheelhead for rotating the grinding wheel, headstock and tailstock means carried by the worktable for supporting a workpiece at its opposite ends, drive means associated with the headstock and tailstock means for rotating the workpiece, worktable drive means for effecting movement of the worktable relative to the bed and therefore the wheelhead, wheelhead drive means for effecting movement of the wheelhead and therefore the grinding wheel towards and away from the workpiece, control means by which all of the drive means and particularly the worktable and wheelhead drive means, are controlled, thereby to enable the workpiece to be positioned axially and rotationally relative to the grinding wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,698 January 1995 Buchholz: Disclosed is a trailer for use in the construction trade. The trailer is fitted out with power saws and the like built in and is particularly adapted to accept long pieces of lumber for sawing. The trailer is distinguished by its open platform and cantilevered roof by which three open sides are provided so that longer pieces of lumber may be ripped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,206 Oct. 1977 Griffin. In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is a shop type composite trailer which can be folded to a compact size for transport and can be expanded during shop use. This trailer has an enclosure with shop type material processing equipment mounted therein. It also has means for removing the equipment from the enclosure while still attached to and supported by such enclosure. Additionally, it has supports for supporting the work material adjacent to the removed equipment.
In consideration of the previous summarizations of similar devices, it can be determined that a need exists for a CNC cutting machine that is not hindered by the operational restrictions described above. In particular, a need exists for a CNC cutting machine that is self powered and operationally-ready with a minimal set-up time. Additionally, this CNC cutting machine should be mobile in order to quickly reach a job site, which job site may not have electricity or a source of compressed air available.
The present inventive concept is an improvement of a CNC cutting machine which satisfies all the previously-described workplace needs. A primary object of the present invention, referred to as a “vehicular cutting machine,” 10 is to utilize it for cutting different types of material, particularly flat metal sheets at remote, unpowered worksites. The vehicular cutting machine 10 essentially uses a computer 46 to create the shapes to be cut and control whatever cutting mechanism 15 is operated by the vehicular cutting machine 10. The resulting shapes are smoother than would be possible with a human hand guided cutting mechanism, and can include intricate curves, inside cuts, and sharp corners.
The disclosed vehicular cutting machine 10 operates by means of motorized positioning of a gantry 20 and its attached trolley 115 along both an X-axis 27 and a Y-axis 28. The positioning operation enables the gantry 20 to travel fore and aft over a horizontally-oriented cutting area 25, while the attached trolley 115 is motorized to move laterally left or right over the cutting area 25. These movements are coordinated through pre-selected computer design programs in perfect synchronization so as to produce shapes of virtually any design. In certain embodiments, the same computer also controls the actuation of an oxygen-acetylene (oxy-fuel) torch 12, turning it on slightly before beginning a desired cut, thereby permitting it to burn through the material first. Other embodiments of the vehicular cutting machine 10 utilize a laser-powered 13 cutting mechanism or a plasma 14 cutting mechanism.
Another object of the vehicular cutting machine 10 is to design and construct the machine 10 so as to be immediately portable for transporting it to a remote and/or electrically un-powered worksite. To achieve the above object, the present inventive concept provides a vehicular-mounted CNC cutting machine integrally constructed onto on a wheeled, framed structure which may be towed onto any jobsite, and immediately available for use.
The objects, features, and advantages of the inventive concept presented in this application are more readily understood when referring to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, totaling ten figures, show the basic components, functions, and/or methods of use of the vehicular cutting machine 10. In the several figures, like reference numbers are used in each figure to correspond to the same component as may be depicted in other figures.
The following description includes the preferred embodiment for carrying out the inventive concept disclosed. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of operation of the vehicular cutting machine 10. The scope of the concept is further defined by the claims accompanying this disclosure.
Customarily, a CNC cutting machine is set up on the shop floor inside a building, the building further having electrical wiring of suitable voltage and amps, and a source of compressed air, oxygen, and acetylene. A user or intended customer must physically bring the materials to be cut to the building, where the CNC cutting machine can then be set up to perform the work. The result is that efficiency is less than desirable due to the labor and time spent in transporting the raw materials in preparation for set up of the cutting job. The concept of a trolley containing a cutting mechanism and mounted onto a gantry-type structure which travels on parallel tracks is known in the metal-cutting industry. However the present inventive concept presents a unique and advantageous design, featuring immediate mobility of a cutting machine which is self-equipped, self-powered, and a construction enhancing entity in itself
The present inventive concept is a design allowing a CNC cutting machine to be mounted on a sturdily framed wheeled vehicle. Referred to as the “vehicular cutting machine” 10, this apparatus can then be transported upon its own structural frame, to practically any jobsite. This mobility is a particular advantage to the customer at the jobsite where there is an immediate requirement for a small number of precision parts in a short time during a plant or facility start-up, shutdown, or power outage. This type of wheeled, transportable CNC cutting machine has not been used in this industry, oftentimes because of harsh road environments. The present inventive concept negates the problems previously encountered by the prior art, and makes possible a transportable, vehicular CNC cutting machine 10.
In viewing
The left gantry vertical beam 22 connects to the upper gantry 20, which in turn, allows movement of the gantry 20 longitudinally along the left linear guide rail 35(a), corresponding to the X-axis 27 of a computer-generated program. Rubber stops 40 limit horizontal travel of the guide roller bearing 30.
To ensure a stable platform for performing cutting operations, left and right front retractable stabilizers 70(a), 70(a) along with left and right rear retractable stabilizer 60(a), 60(b) may be extended onto the surface upon which the vehicular cutting machine 10 rests.
As is shown in
The gantry 20 is powered by an electric motor 133, which motor 133 is also moderated by a stepper motor gear reduction system 130 (shown in
As previously described, the trolley 115 is mounted on a gantry 20 which is supported upon two right-side guide roller bearings 30, and one left-side roller bearing 30. In this manner, the gantry is enabled longitudinal movement of the entire gantry 20 on the horizontal linear guide rails 35(a), (b) which corresponds to the Y-axis 27 of a computer 46—generated cutting program. The guide roller bearings 30 allow the gantry 20 to roll atop the two linear rails 35 which run the length of the cutting area 25 of the cutting machine 10.
As shown in
The control console 45 is used to display and set operational parameters for operating the vehicular cutting mechanism 15. The control console 45 houses any type of industrial computer 46 with a processor and hard drive to include a programmable logic controller (PLC) or personal computer. The control console 45 is the location upon the vehicular cutting machine 10 from which a user/operator processes the software that controls the cutting process.
Typically, CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) type software is used to program the vehicular cutting machine's 10 operations. The user will occupy the bow floor space 197 (shown in
In different embodiments, the cutting mechanism 15 may be an oxy-fuel cutting torch 12, a plasma cutting device 13, or a laser cutting device 14. In the preferred embodiment, the frame structure for the vehicular cutting machine 10 is fabricated from 3.0 inch by 6.0 inch, by ¼ inch thick steel tubing. The steel tubing for the right and left lower beams 190, 191 is typically 20.0 inches in length. The vertical braces 200, 201 and lateral braces 195(a), (b) are joined symmetrically, from side-to-side at opposite locations to provide a rigid frame design which is built to withstand all traveling conditions, including rough road conditions. Adjustable rear retractable stabilizers 60(a), (b), front retractable stabilizers 70(a), (b), a 500-pound rated hitch 80, and right and left lift jacks 75(a), (b) are attached to the right and left lower beams 190, 191 of the frame. In the preferred embodiment, the entire vehicular cutting machine 10 rests upon a structural frame connected to 5,200 lb.-rated, tandem axles 65.
As shown best in
As shown in
As shown in
In viewing
Referring to
In actual industrial use, an operator/driver typically tows the vehicular cutting machine 10 to the jobsite with a standard truck or other vehicle that has a trailer hitch compatible with the hitch 80 of the vehicular cutting machine 10. The operator secures the vehicular cutting machine 10 in a level and stationary position by adjusting rear retractable stabilizers 60(a), 60(b), and front retractable stabilizers 70(a), 70(b), and left and right lift jacks 75(a), 75(b). The vehicular cutting machine 10 is further equipped with a tubular level 270 (not shown) which is an aid to achieving orientation parallel to the horizon.
The operator secures the material to be cut; typically flat metal sheets, in the cutting area 25. The operator at the control console 45 sets operation parameters by interfacing the control console 45 with a laptop or desktop computer 46, so as to carry out a completely automatic cutting operation without manual processing, and providing precise and speedy cutting of the material.
A laptop or desk-mountable computer 46 uploads the appropriate CAD/CAM software for the particular job. The operator also checks for any last-minute cutting parameter changes in the job over a wireless network, integral to the control console 45. The operator, by means of the CAD/CAM software, controls the positioning of the gantry 20 and trolley 115. The gantry 20 positions the cutting mechanism 15 along the Y-axis 28 of the material to be cut in the cutting area 25. The trolley 115 then positions the cutting mechanism 15 along the X-axis 27 of the material to be cut in the cutting area 25. The X-axis 27 and Y-axis 28 motion of the cutting mechanism 15 allows precise cuts of any shape or design as set from the control console 45.
The right upper beam 185(b) supports the right linear rail 35(b). Four support arms 162(b) support and attach four right-side linear guide rail mounts 160(b) to right vertical braces 200, 200(b) and consequently, to the right upper beam 185(b). The vertical gantry beams 24(a), (b) are attached to guide roller bearings 30 which make contact with the respective left and right linear guide rails 35(a), 35(b). The gantry 20 moves fore and aft, atop the left and right linear rails 35(a), 35(b), along the designated “Y-axis” of the cutting surface 25.
Also shown in
Compared with the conventional CNC cutting machines, the vehicular cutting machine 10 provides several new functions and advantages. The vehicular cutting machine 10 carries out the completely automatic cutting operation without manual processing. A significant feature of the vehicular cutting machine 10 is that its mobility saves manpower and set-up time. While a prior art CNC machine is going through its set-up stages, it cannot be producing required work pieces, which amounts to non-productive time which cannot be recovered. The reduction in set-up time reduces the manufacturing costs. The vehicular CNC cutting machine 10 can be towed in to a worksite and typically set-up in less than 15 minutes.
The vehicular cutting machine 10 is constructed with several different embodiments and operational features, including an operator's umbrella 260; a printer within the control console 45; an integral mobile hotspot within the control console 45 for providing a wi fi network; Windows-based CNC control software; a 13,000-watt portable generator; a retractable electric cord reel; and a gas-powered air compressor for CNC plasma cutting processes.
Many variations of this inventive concept will occur to those skilled in the art. Some variations include the vehicular CNC cutting machine dimensions; and the type of cutting mechanism. All such variations are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the inventive concept. Although some embodiments are shown to include certain features, the applicant specifically contemplates that any feature disclosed herein may be used together or in combination with any other feature on any embodiment of the invention. It is also contemplated that any feature may be specifically excluded from any embodiment of an invention.
This is a non-provisional patent application which claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/473,352 filed on Mar. 18, 2017, and currently co-pending before the USPTO, by reference as though said provisional patent application No. 62/473,352 appears fully herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62473352 | Mar 2017 | US |
