Automated saw

• US 3,910,142 A
• Filed: 11/28/1973
• Issued: 10/07/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MiTek Holdings, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: John C. Jureit, Lawrence A. Hoffman
• Inventors: Jureit, John C., Hoffman, Lawrence A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schran, Donald R.
• Application Number:
  US05/419,819
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 83/71,268,360,364,361,467,468,471.3,471.2,485
• US Class Current: 83/74
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/001 Measuring or control devices, e.g. for automatic control of work feed pressure on band saw blade measuring in general G01; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/008 comprising computers
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 16/00 Equipment for precise positioning of tool or work into particular locations not otherwise provided for automatic control or regulation of position of tool or work B23Q15/22; arrangements for indicating or measuring existing or desired position of tool or work B23Q17/22
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 1/002 by cross-cutting saw benches with non-feedable circular saw blades for cross-cutting laterally fed workpieces B27B5/228; cross-cutting reciprocating saws with power drive B27B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 27/10 Devices for moving or adjusting the guide fences or stops
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 5/20 the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut; Radial saws, i.e. sawing machines with a pivoted radial arm for guiding the movable carriage
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/188 characterised by special applications and not provided for in the relevant subclasses, (e.g. making dies, filament winding)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/148 Including means to correct the sensed operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/461 With abutment to position work being fed with respect to cutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/531 With plural work-sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7697 Tool angularly adjustable relative to work-support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7763 Tool carrier reciprocable rectilinearly

Abstract

The automated saw has a saw table and saw superposed over the table for movement there across at selected angles. Board-lengthpositioning devices are spaced along the saw table. The variable angle saw and the variable-length-positioning devices are controlled by an input including predetermined numerical information. The saw is set up that single and double cuts can be made at opposite ends of the boards with the board length and saw angle positioning devices being automatically preset by the numerical information input.

Claims

1. A cutting machine comprising a framework including a cutting surface comprised of a table adapted for receiving a wooden member, cutting means comprising a blade, first control means for providing a first motion to said blade to effect a cut on said wooden member, second control means for providing a second motion to said blade relative to said wooden member for engaging said blade with said wooden member;

reference position means including a guide fence for supporting and aligning said workpiece in relation to said blade, a carriage mounted on said framework for movement therealong, a plurality of stops carried by said carriage and movable therewith along said cutting surface and parallel to said fence for establishing distances of cuts between said blade and said stops, each of said stops being movable from a first position spaced from said cutting surface into a second position providing an abutment for an end of said wooden member, means for moving said stops from said first position to said second position, means for positioning said carriage along said framework and thereby positioning said stops relative to said cutting surface to establish select cutting distances between said stops and said blade;

means providing data in the form of electrical signals representing a predetermined distance between a selected stop and said blade, means responsive to said signals for controlling said positioning means to locate said carriage in a position whereby said selected stop is located at a the predetermined distance from said blade, said signal responsive means including means for actuating the stop moving to move said selected stop from a first to a second position, and means for clamping said wooden member to said table surface thereby holding said wooden member rigid during a cutting operation.

2. A machine according to claim 1 including means for actuating said clamping means, said signal responsive means being operable to retract the selected stop from engagement with said wooden member in response to actuation of said clamping means.

3. A machine according to claim 1 including means for moving said wooden member across said table for engagement against said guide fence.

4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said clamping means applies a force to said wooden member in a direction opposite to the second direction of movement of said blade.

5. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said first control means includes a motor for rotating said blade, and wherein said second control means includes means for translating said blade while the same is being rotated to engage said blade with said wooden member.

6. A cutting machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal responsive means includes memory means for storing said electrical signals, said positioning means being operable in response to the pattern of signals in said memory means.

7. A cutting machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said data is provided in blocks and wherein said memory means includes individual memory elements, means for connecting each memory element in turn to said data source to store a particular portion of each data block, and means coupling said individual memory elements to said positioning means.

8. A cutting machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said positioning means includes means responsive to at least a portion of the signal pattern in said memory to control the position of said carriage relative to said framework.

9. A cutting machine as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for moving said carriage comprises a reversible motor operative in response to a portion of said signal pattern, a lead screw driven by said motor, and a follower attached to said movable carriage and adapted to cooperate with said lead screw for moving said carriage toward or away from the blade in accordance with the direction of rotation of the lead screw.

10. A cutting means as defined in claim 5 wherein said second control means comprises an arm for movably supporting said saw blade and blade motor, an arm motor, means driven by said arm motor to extend and retract said saw blade along said arm, and manual switch means to actuate said blade motor and said arm motor under control of an operator.

11. A cutting machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal responsive means comprises means for receiving signals corresponding to said predetermined distance between said selected stop and said blade, means for receiving information regarding the actual distance between said selected stop and said blade, means for comparing said actual distance and said predetermined distance and for providing a difference signal, means responsive to said difference signal to operate said positioning mechanism to reduce the difference between the actual and predetermined distances and to provide an indication when the actual distance equals the predetermined distance.

12. A cutting machine as defined in claim 1 including further signal responsive means for storing data representing identifying characteristics for selecting the wooden member, and means for displaying said identifying data in visible form.

13. A cutting machine comprising a framework including a cutting surface comprised of a table adapted for receiving a wooden member, cutting means comprising a blade, first control means for providing a first motion to said blade to effect a cut on said wooden member, second control means for providing a second motion to said blade relative to said wooden member for engaging said blade with said wooden member;

reference position means including a guide fence for supporting and aligning said workpiece in relation to said blade, a carriage mounted on said framework for movement therealong, a stop carried by said carriage and movable therewith along said cutting surface and parallel to said fence for establishing a distance of cut between said blade and said stop, said stop being adapted to provide an abutment for an end of said wooden member, means for positioning said carriage along said framework and thereby positioning said stop relative to said cutting surface to establish select cutting distances between said stop and said blade;

means providing data in the form of electrical signals representing a predetermined distance between said stop and said blade, means responsive tO said signals for controlling said positioning means to locate said carriage in a position whereby said stop is located at the predetermined distance from said blade, and means for clamping said wooden member to said table thereby holding said wooden member rigid during a cutting operation.