Plunge router locking system

• US 6,261,036 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Porter-Cable Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Randy G., McNeal, Waymon L. Jr., Bosten, Donald R., Stolzer, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Daniel W.
• Application Number:
  US09/193,172
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 144/136.95, 144/154.5, 409/182, 409/204, 409/206, 409/210, 409/218
• US Class Current: 409/182
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 5/10 Portable hand-operated wood-milling machines; Routers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/306608 End mill [e.g., router, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/307952 Linear adjustment

Abstract

Improvements made to a router relate to a plunge router locking system. The locking system comprises a locking arm lever coupled to a threaded member arm which engages a plunge guide post to hold the router motor housing at a desired height above the router base when the locking arm member is in the locked position. When the locking arm member is moved into an unlocked position, the motor housing can move up and down the plunge guide post, where the motor housing is opposed by a bias system comprising a compression spring to prevent the motor housing from free-falling into the router base. Additionally, the locking arm lever can be held in the unlocked position with the use of a mating coupling member attached to the motor housing in order to keep the plunge locking system in an unlocked position.

Claims

1. A plunge router having a plunge locking system, the plunge router comprising:

a router motor;

a router base;

a motor housing surrounding the router motor;

a first plunge guide post coupled to the router base and configured to support the router motor housing at a plurality of heights from the router base;

the plunge lock system being configured to hold the motor housing at a desired position on the plunge guide post, the plunge lock system comprising a threaded coupler member and a torsion spring; and

a lock arm lever coupled to the plunge lock system by the threaded coupler member;

wherein;

the lock arm lever comprises a locked position which prevents the router motor from moving on the first plunge guide post;

a plunge position which enables the router motor to move on the first plunge guide post while the lock arm lever is held in the plunge position; and

an unlocked position which enables the router motor to move on the first guide post while the lock arm lever remains in the unlocked position without being held.

16. The router according to claim 1, wherein the plunge locking system further comprises:

a mating catch device located on the motor housing and behind the lock arm lever; and

the torsion spring comprising a catch rod located proximate one end of the torsion spring and a support rod proximate the other end of the torsion spring;

wherein;

the catch rod is located on the rear of the lock arm lever and is configured to engage a mating catch device to hold the lever in an unlocked position to enable the motor housing to move up and down on the plunge guide post; and

the support rod engages a side of the mating catch device to provide tension within the torsion spring as the lock arm lever is moved into the unlocked position in order to provide a force to return the lock arm lever to the locked position when the catch rod is disengaged from the mating catch device.

17. The router according to claim 16, wherein:

the lock lever arm rotates about the threaded coupler member; and

the threaded coupler member is configured to engage mating threads in the motor housing to move the threaded coupler member inward as it rotates.

18. The router according to claim 17, wherein:

the router comprises a first router handle; and

the lock arm lever is located on the motor housing proximate to the first router handle in order to permit the lock arm lever to be operated by one or more fingers while a corresponding palm of a user'"'"'s hand holds the first router handle.

19. The router according to claim 18, wherein:

the router further comprises a first plunge guide post; and

the locking system further comprises;

a brass plug located one end of the threaded coupler member;

a hollow cylindrical bushing surrounding the first plunge post, the bushing defining a hole through a side of the bushing to permit the brass plug on one end of threaded coupler member to pass through the hole in order to engage the first guide post after the first guide post passes through the bushing; and

a bias system located within the bushing to provide a lifting force between the motor housing and the router base along the first plunge rod.

20. The router according to claim 19, wherein the bias system comprises a cylindrical compression spring configured to surround the depth stop member, and

the compression spring is compressed between the motor housing and the first guide post as the motor housing travels along the first plunge guide post in order to provide a force to lift the motor housing away from the router base along the first plunge guide post.

21. The router according to claim 20, wherein the torsion spring is compressed as the threaded coupler member bolt rotates with the movement of the locking arm lever.

2. A plunge router having a plunge locking system, the plunge router comprising:

a router motor;

a router base;

a motor housing surrounding the router motor;

a first plunge guide post coupled to the router base and configured to support the router motor housing at a plurality of heights from the router base;

the plunge lock system being configured to hold the motor housing at a desired position on the plunge guide post, the plunge lock system comprising a threaded coupler member and a torsion spring; and

a lock arm lever coupled to the plunge lock system by the threaded coupler member;

a mating catch device located on the motor housing and behind the lock arm lever; and

the torsion spring comprising a catch rod located proximate one end of the torsion spring and a support rod proximate the other end of the torsion spring;

wherein;

the lock arm lever comprises a locked position which prevents the router motor from moving on the first plunge guide post;

the lock arm lever further comprises a plunge position which enables the router motor to move on the first plunge guide post while the lock arm lever remains in the plunge position;

the catch rod is located on the rear of the lock arm lever and is configured to engage a mating catch device to hold the lever in an unlocked position to enable the motor housing to move up and down on the plunge guide post; and

the support rod engages a side of the mating catch device to provide tension within the torsion spring as the lock arm lever is moved into the unlocked position in order to provide a force to return the lock arm lever to the locked position when the catch rod is disengaged from the mating catch device.

3. The router according to claim 2, wherein:

the lock lever arm rotates about the threaded coupler member; and

the threaded coupler member is configured to engage mating threads in the motor housing to move the threaded coupler member inward as it rotates.

4. The router according to claim 3, wherein:

the router comprises a first router handle; and

the lock arm lever is located on the motor housing proximate to the first router handle in order to permit the lock arm lever to be operated by one or more fingers while a corresponding palm of a user'"'"'s hand holds the first router handle.

5. The router according to claim 4, wherein:

the router further comprises a first plunge guide post; and

the locking system further comprises;

a brass plug located one end of the threaded coupler member;

a hollow cylindrical bushing surrounding the first plunge post, the bushing defining a hole through a side of the bushing to permit the brass plug on one end of threaded coupler member to pass through the hole in order to engage the first guide post after the first guide post passes through the bushing; and

a bias system located within the bushing to provide a lifting force between the motor housing and the router base along the first plunge rod.

6. The router according to claim 5, wherein the depth-stop member is configured as a tube having a flat surface on one side.

7. The router according to claim 5, wherein the bias system comprises a cylindrical compression spring configured to surround the depth stop member.

8. The router according to claim 7, wherein the compression spring is compressed between the motor housing and the first guide post as the motor housing travels along the first plunge guide post in order to provide a force to lift the motor housing away from the router base along the first plunge guide post.

9. The router according to claim 8, wherein the torsion spring is compressed as the threaded coupler member bolt rotates with the movement of the locking arm lever.

10. The router according to claim 9, wherein the threaded coupler member is configured to be a threaded bolt.

11. A plunge locking system for use with a plunge router having a router base and a motor housing surrounding a router motor, the plunge locking system comprising:

a first plunge guide post coupled to the base plate and configured to support the router motor housing at a plurality of heights from the router base;

a plunge lock used to hold the router motor at a desired position on the first plunge guide post;

a threaded coupler member;

a torsion spring comprising a spring coil, a catch rod located proximate one end of the spring coil, and a support rod proximate the other end of the spring coil; and

a lock arm lever having a locked position and an unlocked position and being coupled to the plunge lock system by threaded coupler member and the torsion spring;

a mating catch device located on the motor housing;

a brass plug coupled to one end of the threaded coupler member;

a hollow cylindrical bushing located within a first plunge post and defining a hole through a side of the bushing to permit the brass plug on one end of the threaded coupler member to pass through the hole in order to engage the first guide post when the first guide post is positioned within the bushing; and

a cylindrical compression spring located within the bushing and surrounding the tube depth stop to provide a lifting force between the motor housing and the router base along the first plunge rod;

wherein;

the catch rod and the support rods comprise straight rods extending outwardly from the ends of the spring coil parallel to each other;

the catch rod is located on the rear of the lock arm lever to engage the mating catch device to hold the lever in an unlocked position to enable the motor housing to move up and down on the plunge guide rods; and

the support rod engages the side if the mating catch device to provide tension within the torsion spring as the lock arm lever is moved into the unlocked position posts in order to provide a force to return the lock arm lever to the locked position when the catch rod is disengaged from the mating catch device.

12. The plunge locking system according to claim 11, wherein the catch rod and the support rod are made from the same material as the spring coil.

13. The plunge locking system according to claim 11, wherein

the plunge locking system further comprises a first router handle coupled to the motor housing; and

the lock arm lever is located proximate the motor housing adjacent to a first router handle to permit the lock arm lever to be operated by one or more fingers while a corresponding palm of a user'"'"'s hand holds the first router handle.

14. The plunge locking system according to claim 11, wherein the router is further comprises a second router handle coupled to the motor housing on a side of the motor housing opposite the first router handle.

15. The router according to claim 11, wherein the compression spring is compressed between the motor housing and the plunge lock bolt as the motor housing travels along the plunge guide in order to provide a force to lift the motor housing away from the router base along the first plunge guide post.