Line boring machine

• US 7,140,813 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley J. Tucker
• Original Assignee: Bradley J. Tucker
• Inventors: Tucker, Bradley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): TALBOT, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/619,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20050013673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 408/42, 408/43, 408/51, 408/52, 408/53, 408/103, 408/129, 408/130, 408/136, 408/236, 408/95, 408/1.R
• US Class Current: 408/43
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 39/003 Drilling machine situated underneath the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 39/161 with parallel work spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/069 for pressing workpieces against a work-table
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 3/04 Stationary drilling machines with a plurality of working spindles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/3806 with plural simultaneously operational work stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/3839 with presser-foot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/385 Rotatable about parallel axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/563 Work-gripping clamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/675 including means to move Tool along tool-axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/6757 Fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/6786 Manually moved lever

Abstract

An up modifier is provided which includes a bed, a modifier, a clamp, a modifier linkage system, a clamp linkage system, and a lever. The modifier is disposed below the bed and is vertically traversable thereunder. The clamp is disposed above the bed and is vertically traversable thereabove. The lever defines a modifier pivot, clamp pivot and a pedal portion. The clamp pivot is interposed between the modifier pivot and the pedal portion. The clamp pivot is vertically traversable, and the modifier pivot and the pedal portion are pivotable about the clamp pivot. The modifier linkage system is attached to the modifier and the lever at the modifier pivot, and the clamp linkage system is attached to the clamp and the lever at the clamp pivot.

Claims

1. A boring machine for boring holes in a bottom side of a work piece, the boring machine comprising:

a. a bed for receiving the work piece;

b. a drill disposed below the bed and vertically traversable thereunder for working the bottom side of the work piece;

c. a clamp disposed above the bed and vertically traversable thereabove for fixing a spatial relationship between the bed and the work piece;

d. a drill linkage system attached to the drill;

e. a clamp linkage system attached to the clamp; and

f. a lever mechanically attached to the drill linkage system and mechanically operative to vertically traverse the drill, the lever mechanically attached to the clamp linkage system and mechanically operative to vertically traverse the clamp such that a clamp downward force is mechanically increased relative to an increasing drill upward force.

16. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the clamp downward force is proportionately increased as the drill upward force is increased such that the clamp downward force is greater than the drill upward force.

2. A boring machine for boring holes in a bottom side of a work piece, the boring machine comprising:

a. a bed for receiving the work piece;

b. a drill disposed below the bed and vertically traversable thereunder for working the bottom side of the work piece;

c. a clamp disposed above the bed and vertically traversable thereabove for fixing a spatial relationship between the bed and the work piece;

d. a drill linkage system attached to the drill;

e. a clamp linkage system attached to the clamp; and

f. a lever attached to the drill linkage system and the clamp linkage system such that a clamp downward force is mechanically and proportionally adjusted with respect to a drill upward force;

g. wherein the lever defines a drill pivot, clamp pivot and pedal portion, the lever is rotatable about the clamp pivot, the clamp pivot is vertically traversable and interposed between the drill pivot and the pedal portion, the lever is attached to the drill linkage system at the drill pivot, the lever is attached to the clamp linkage system at the clamp pivot.

3. The boring machine of claim 2 wherein the bed defines a work pattern, the work pattern being at least one through-hole wherein the work pattern is capable of passing at least a portion of the drill therethrough.

4. The boring machine of claim 2 wherein the drill pivot is biased to a down position.

5. The boring machine of claim 4 wherein the drill pivot is downwardly biased with a weight of the drill.

6. The boring machine of claim 4 wherein the clamp pivot is biased to an up position.

7. The boring machine of claim 6 wherein the drill pivot is downwardly biased with a spring.

8. The boring machine of claim 6 wherein an amount of downward bias on the drill pivot is greater than an amount of upward bias on the clamp pivot.

9. The boring machine of claim 2 wherein the clamp linkage system is at least one pull cable attached to the clamp and the lever.

10. The boring machine of claim 2 wherein the clamp linkage system comprises:

a. at least one minor L-link attached to the clamp; and

b. at least one major L-link attached to the minor L-link and lever.

11. The boring machine of claim 10 wherein the minor L-link(s) defines a fixed pivot, first leg and second leg, the first leg(s) of the minor L-link is attached to the clamp, the first and second legs are pivotable about the fixed pivot of the minor L-link, at least one first elongate bar is rotatably attached to the minor L-link(s) second leg(s), the major L-link(s) defines a fixed pivot, first leg and second leg wherein the second leg(s) of the major L-link(s) is rotatably attached to the first elongate bar, the first and second legs of the major L-link are pivotable about the fixed pivot of the major L-link, at least one second elongate bar is rotatably attached to the major L-link first leg(s) and the lever at the clamp pivot.

12. The boring machine of claim 2 wherein the clamp linkage system comprises at least one C-link attached to the clamp and the lever.

13. The boring machine of claim 12 wherein the C-link defines a base having a fixed pivot, first leg and second leg, the base, first leg and second leg are pivotable about the fixed pivot, the second leg is attached to the clamp, and an elongate bar is rotatably attached to the first leg of the C-link and the lever.

14. The boring machine of claim 2 further comprising a pressure applicator contactable to the pedal portion.

15. The boring machine of claim 14 wherein the pressure applicator is selected from the group consisting of solenoid, pneumatic cylinder, and hydraulic cylinder.

17. A boring machine for boring holes in a bottom side of a work piece, the line boring machine comprising:

a. a bed for receiving the work piece;

b. a drill disposed below the bed and vertically traversable thereunder for working the bottom side of the work piece;

c. a clamp disposed above the bed and vertically traversable thereabove for fixing a spatial relationship between the bed and the work piece;

d. a drill linkage system attached to the drill;

e. a clamp linkage system attached to the clamp; and

f. a lever rotateably attached to the drill linkage system and the clamp linkage system for self adjusting a clamp downward force with respect to a drill upward force.

18. The machine of claim 17 wherein the clamp downward force is increased as the drill upward force is increased.

19. The boring machine of claim 17 wherein the clamp downward force is proportionately increased as the drill upward force is increased.

20. The boring machine of claim 17 wherein the clamp downward force is always greater than a drill upward force.

21. A method for boring holes in a bottom side of a work piece, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a boring machine comprising;

i. a bed for receiving the work piece;

ii. a drill disposed below the bed and vertically traversable thereunder for working the bottom side of the work piece;

iii. a clamp disposed above the bed and vertically traversable thereabove for fixing a spatial relationship between the bed and the work piece;

iv. a drill linkage system attached to the drill;

v. a clamp linkage system attached to the clamp; and

vi. a lever attached to the drill linkage system and the clamp linkage system for self adjusting a clamp downward force with respect to a drill upward force;

b. actuating the clamp via the lever for applying the clamp downward force on the work piece;

c. after actuating the clamp, actuating the drill via the lever for vertically raising the drill toward the work piece; and

d. upon contact of the drill to the work piece, transferring a force exerted on the drill by the work piece to the clamp through the lever such that the clamp downward force is increased as the drill upward force is increased.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the clamp downward force is proportionately increased as the drill upward force is increased.