Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Door and window
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-09
2001-02-06
Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Door and window
C033S197000, C033S562000, C144S144100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182371
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a router guide apparatus having a securing means for securing the apparatus to the sides or edges of boards and panels, and particularly the sides or edges of doors and windows.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When routing the edges of boards and panels, such as a recess for a door hinge, it is desirable to provide a stable working platform on which the router can rest.
In the prior art, a number of designs have been proposed for templates and devices which can be used for routing recesses for door hinges. One such design is shown in Spielman, P.,
The New Router Handbook
(New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1993) at pp. 181-183. In illus. 14-13 and 14—14, a template guide for door hinge mortising is shown. The template guide shown in illus. 14-13 and 14—14, provides two parallel supporting rails on which the hand-held router can rest. However, the two supporting rails form a relatively narrow gauge track and the hand-held router has a substantial overhang, with the possibility that the hand-held router could easily tip during use. On p. 182, in illus. 14-17 to 14-19, another door hinge template is shown attached to a clamping block. While the apparatus in illus. 14-17 to 14-19 provides a wider platform, it is still possible for the hand-held router to tip if brought close to the edge, as shown in illus. 14-18. Furthermore, the area to be mortised is fixed by the fixed rectangular hole cut into the fixed platform.
Another prior art design is disclosed in Spielman, P.,
Router Jigs and Techniques
(New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1988) at pp. 293-294. In illus. 610-612, a C-shaped template is shown nailed onto a clamping bar. Again, the platform has a relatively narrow width, and it is possible that the router can tip if brought close to the edge, as shown in illus. 611.
Yet another prior art design is disclosed in De Cristoforo, R. J.,
The Portable Router Book,
2
nd Edition (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1994) at pp. 236-237. The template design shown in
FIG. 11-52
, on p. 236, is narrow, and relies on the router operator to keep the router from tipping. The designs shown in
FIGS. 11-53
and
11
-
54
, on p. 237, are similar to the designs shown in the Spielman references and, therefore, suffer from the same drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What all these proposals have in common is that they require the use of a template guide. Correspondingly, they do not provide adequate support for the router base. The present invention is based on the realization that it is preferable to guide the router by its base and to provide full support for the base.
The present invention provides a router guide apparatus having a securing means which provides better performance than prior art devices.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a guide apparatus, for use with a router having a base, an edge on the base for guiding the router, and a router bit extending out from the router for rotation about a router axis, the guide apparatus comprising:
(1) a working platform;
(2) securing means for securing the working platform to a workpiece with the working platform mounted on the securing means, said securing means being separable from said working platform;
(3) an aperture for the router bit to extend therethrough; and
(4) a fence means on the working platform for guiding the base of the router, said fence means comprising a plurality of independently adjustable guide fences, at least one of the guide fences being an outboard fence positionable beyond the working platform.
Preferably, the securing means comprises a clamping projection means extending down below the working platform whereby, in use, the clamping projection means can be clamped to the workpiece. The clamping projection means comprises a generally elongate clamping bar, extending out beyond the working platform at either end thereof.
Advantageously, the securing means includes flange tabs projecting from the ends of the clamping bar and located beside and substantially parallel to the working platform.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of routing a workpiece, the method comprising:
(1) providing a portable router having a router base and a router bit extending from the base;
(2) providing a guide apparatus comprising
(a) a working platform;
(b) securing means for securing the working platform to a workpiece, said securing means being separable from said working platform;
(c) an aperture for the router bit to extend therethrough; and
(d) a fence means on the working platform for guiding the base of the router, said fence means comprising a plurality of independently adjustable guide fences, at least one of the guide fences being an outboard fence positionable beyond the working platform;
(3) mounting the guide apparatus by the securing means to a workpiece;
(4) adjusting the fence means to a desired location, and selecting and fitting a desired router bit to the router; and
(5) operating the router and guiding the router on the working platform by the fence means to route the workpiece.
Preferably, the method further provides the steps of:
(a) providing a securing means having a clamping bar providing surfaces perpendicular to the working platform and flange tabs substantially parallel to the working platform; and
(b) clamping one of the flange tabs and the perpendicular clamping surfaces to the top surface of the workpiece adjacent the side edge surface thereof, for routing the workpiece on the edge or adjacent the side edge surface.
Further objects and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3789892 (1974-02-01), Converse et al.
patent: 3967665 (1976-07-01), Lund
patent: 4434824 (1984-03-01), Bussey
patent: 4914822 (1990-04-01), Wetherington
patent: 5042542 (1991-08-01), Purviance
patent: 5052454 (1991-10-01), Meinhardt
patent: 5123463 (1992-06-01), Grisley
patent: 5154214 (1992-10-01), Hagerman
patent: 5433009 (1995-07-01), Keels, Jr.
patent: 5494089 (1996-02-01), Lubbe
patent: 5533556 (1996-07-01), Whitney
patent: 5862848 (1999-01-01), Beall
patent: 5893402 (1999-04-01), Darling
patent: 6065913 (2000-05-01), Rogers
patent: 6112783 (2000-09-01), Newman
Spielman, P.,The New Router Handbook(New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1993) pp. 181-183.
Spielman, P.,Router Jigs and Techniques(New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1988) pp. 293-294.
De Cristoforo, R.J.,The Portable Router Book, 2nd Edition(Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books, 1994) pp. 236-237.
Bereskin & Parr
Gibson Randy W.
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