Stone working – Work supports
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-28
2003-10-28
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Stone working
Work supports
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637424
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains generally to power tools and more particularly to an improved cutting tool such as a tile saw and methods for adjusting and operating the cutting tool.
BACKGROUND
Portable power saws such as tile saws are frequently used by craftspeople to cut building materials such as tiles and stone into different shapes and sizes for various applications. For example, craftspeople working on construction and remodeling projects often use tile saws to cut tiles and stone for floors, walls, countertops, and fireplaces. Because on-site tile cutting saves time and money as compared with off-site cutting, many tile saws are portable so that craftspeople can use them at the work site.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a portable tile saw
10
, which includes a frame
12
, tile-tray guide rails
14
, a tile-cutting tray
16
, a coolant pan
18
, a saw motor
20
, and saw blade
22
. Because tiles are typically made from ceramic or stone, the saw blade
22
is often diamond tipped. The tile saw
10
is shown cutting a tile
24
.
Unfortunately, many portable tile saws are heavy and bulky, and thus are difficult for a lone craftsperson to transport around the work site. For example, a craftsperson often carries his/her portable tile saw up and down stairs. But the tile saw's weight—typically anywhere from 70 to 120 lbs—and structural layout make it difficult to carry even for a relatively strong person. Therefore, many craftspeople seek,assistance when carrying their tile saws, particularly when carrying them up and down stairs. But if assistance is unavailable, a craftsperson either waits for assistance to arrive or carries the saw by himself/herself. Unfortunately, waiting for assistance can delay the job and thus cause the craftsperson to lose revenue, and carrying the saw alone can cause the craftsperson to injure himself/herself or to drop and damage the saw.
Referring again to
FIG. 1
, another problem with many portable tile saws is that the blade coolant leaks onto the floor or other saw-support surface. For example, a pump (not shown in
FIG. 1
) circulates a coolant such as water from the coolant pan
18
to the saw blade
22
, and ideally, the coolant flows back into the pan
18
. The pan
18
, however, is in a fixed position and is only about as wide as the frame
12
. Therefore, if a craftsperson cuts a relatively wide tile, the tile may extend past the edge of the frame
12
, and thus past the edge of the pan
18
. Consequently, the coolant that dribbles from the blade
22
onto the tile surface may roll off the edge of the tile and onto the floor instead of back into the pan
18
.
Still referring to
FIG. 1
, yet another problem with all portable tile saws is the lack of a routing attachment. Frequently, after cutting the tile
24
, a craftsperson smoothens and/or shapes the corners and edges of the tile before installing it. To do this, the craftsperson typically uses a separate routing tool or sends the tile
24
out to a routing facility. Unfortunately, routing tools are relatively expensive, and sending tiles out to a routing facility often delays the completion of the project.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a frame having a hollow cylindrical receptacle, a cutting tool mounting structure having a cylindrical insert that is disposable within the hollow receptacle, a cutting tool that is mountable to the mounting structure, and a material tray slidably mountable to the frame. The cylindrical receptacle and insert allow one to swivel the cutting tool, such as a saw or a router, in and out of position.
In another aspect of the invention, a cutting-tool mounting structure includes a receptacle, a holding bar that is disposable and rotatable within the receptacle and that holds a cutting tool, and a tool-position assembly that retains the holding bar in a desired rotational position with respect to the receptacle. Therefore, instead of loosening brackets and rotating the cutting tool, such as a saw, around the holding bar, one can position the cutting tool by merely rotating the holding bar.
In another aspect of the invention, a material-cutting tray includes a cutting side, an underside, and a wheel assembly mounted to the underside. The cutting side has a length in a cutting direction and first and second ends perpendicular to the cutting direction. The wheel assembly includes four wheels each rotatable in the cutting direction and each positioned ⅛-⅓ of the length of the cutting side from the respective closest one of the first and second ends. By positioning the wheels inward of the ends, the tray has more travel distance along a guide rail. Thus, for material, such as a tile, of a given size, one can use a frame having a shorter length as compared to tile saws having trays with wheels at the tray ends.
In another aspect of the invention, a material-cutting tray includes a cutting side, an underside, and a wheel assembly mounted to the underside. The wheel assembly includes tray-support wheels each rotatable in a cutting direction and for respectively engaging the upper sides of a pair of guide rails, and includes a retain-release mechanism for retaining the tray to one or both of the rails. Therefore, where the wheels are mounted inward of the tray ends and a material, such as a tile, unbalances the tray, such a mechanism prevents the tray from tipping.
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MK Diamond Products, Inc., Tile and Stone Catalog, 1996, p. 13.
Fuhrman Dana E.
Fuhrman Michael D.
Suryan Mark J.
Carver Saw Co.
Grant Alvin J.
Graybeal Jackson Haley LLP
Hail III Joseph J.
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