Woodworking – Planer – Adjustable cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2001-09-18
Bray, W Donald (Department: 3725)
Woodworking
Planer
Adjustable cutter
C144S117100, C403S109500, C403S110000, C403S374500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wood planing machine, more particularly to a wood planing machine having a carriage locking unit for positioning a cutter carriage on the wood planing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1
to
3
illustrate a conventional wood planing machine
10
that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,949. The wood planing machine
10
includes a base
11
with two pairs of upstanding posts
12
disposed at the corners of the base
11
for supporting a cutter carriage
13
thereon, a height adjusting unit (not shown) for adjusting height of the cutter carriage
13
relative to the base
11
via a handle
16
which is mounted on a top end of the wood planing machine
10
, and a carriage locking mechanism
20
for positioning the cutter carriage
13
on the posts
12
. The cutter carriage
13
confines with the base
11
a wood passageway therebetween for passage of a workpiece
17
. The carriage locking mechanism
20
includes a locking handle
21
, two pairs of cooperating first and second locking linkages
221
,
222
(only one pair is shown) pivoted on the locking handle
21
and associated with the pairs of the posts
12
, and a plurality of post clamps
23
respectively associated with the posts
12
. The post clamps
23
are resiliently deflectable, and engage their associated posts
12
to prevent vertical translation of the cutter carriage
13
. The second locking linkage
222
includes first and second members (not shown), which are telescopically related. A coiled spring
223
is disposed in the second locking linkage
222
, and is captured by the first and second members. The first and second locking linkages
221
,
222
are turnable relative to each other via operation of the locking handle
21
between a clamped position, in which the first and second locking linkages
221
,
222
are aligned (see FIG.
3
), and the coiled spring
223
urges the post clamps
23
via the first and second locking linkages
221
,
222
to provide clamping forces onto the posts
12
, and a release position, in which the first and second locking linkages
221
,
222
form an angle (see FIG.
2
), and clamping surfaces of the post clamps
23
are in loose contact with the posts
12
, thereby permitting vertical translation of the cutter carriage
13
.
The wood planing machine
10
is disadvantageous in that it is relatively complex to assemble the carriage locking mechanism
20
. Moreover, there is a tendency for the coiled spring
223
to experience elastic fatigue after being in use for a period of time, and can cause undesirable problems, such as loosening and vibration of the cutter carriage
13
during operation of the wood planing machine
10
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wood planing machine that is capable of overcoming the disadvantages described above.
Accordingly, a wood planing machine of this invention comprises: a base having a plurality of spaced apart posts that extend upright therefrom; a cutter carriage mounted movably on the posts; and a carriage locking unit including a plurality of clamp members pivoted on the cutter carriage and turnable respectively toward the posts, a plurality of linkage members, each of which extends between two adjacent ones of the clamp members, and each of which has a front end and a rear end that engages one of two adjacent ones of the clamp members, and a plurality of actuating members, each of which has a pivot end pivoted on the front end of one of the linkage members for turning relative thereto, the pivot end having a cam face that is eccentric relative to a center of rotation of the actuating member, and engaging the other one of the two adjacent clamp members in a cam action manner, each of the actuating members being turnable relative to the respective one of the linkage members between a clamped position, in which the two adjacent clamp members are respectively pushed by the rear end of the respective one of the linkage members and the respective one of the actuating members, thereby providing a clamping force onto the posts and thus preventing movement of the cutter carriage along the posts, and a release position, in which the two adjacent clamp members are released from the rear end of the respective one of the linkage members and the respective one of the actuating members to turn away from the posts, thereby permitting the movement of the cutter carriage along the posts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5013177 (1991-05-01), Sol
patent: 5771949 (1998-06-01), Welsh et al.
patent: 5829499 (1998-11-01), Liao
patent: 5967205 (1999-10-01), Welsh et al.
patent: 6085812 (2000-07-01), Chaing
patent: 6089286 (2000-07-01), Liao
patent: 6142699 (2000-11-01), Pao
Bray W Donald
Christie Parker & Hale LLP
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