US2076511A - Woodworking tool - Google Patents

Description

April 1937. 'r. HEDGPETH 2,076,511

WOODWORKING TOOL Filed May 2, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'r. L. HEDGPETH WOODWORKING TOOL Filed May 2, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to wood working tools, and is particularly concerned with wood working tools of the type usually termed shapers. Some of the features of the invention, however, are of universal application to other types of tools, and I do not wish to be limited in the application of my invention except as set forth in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved shaper having an improved form of chuck for securing cutters of various sizes whereby the same shaper may be utilized for performing different kinds of work upon various sizes of material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved shaper structure by means of which cutters or other tools of different sizes and proportions may be very quickly substituted one for the other so as to change the adjustment of the machine for different types of work.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved drive shaft arrangement, including means for adjusting the vertical position of the drive shaft and the cutting tool carried thereby which is more simple, economical, sturdy, and capable of more efficiently performing its functions than the devices of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved construction and mode of adjustment of the guides for maintaining the work in the proper position with respect to the cutting tool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the three sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a shaper constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the shaper taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the adjustable support for the movable work guide on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the details of construction of the clamping means for maintaining the drive shaft bearing at predetermined height.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the details of construction of the adjusting mechanism for lifting or lowering the supporting bearing for the drive shaft.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6,6- of Fig. 1, showing the details of construction of the stand, table, and drive shaft.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the axis of the shaft spindle showing details of construction of the clutch and associated parts for supporting the cutter.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 88 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing further details of construction of the stand, table, and adjusting mechanism for raising or lowering the spindle.

The shaper which is indicated in its entirety by the numeral l0 preferably comprises a table II, stand l2, guard I3, cutter I4, drive shaft or spindle l5, and other associated parts which will be described in detail, for permitting the shaper to perform its functions most efliciently. The stand or base I2 preferably comprises a cast metal member which may be formed with three vertical walls l6, l1, l8 (Fig. 2) which are joined together in box-like form in substantially right angles to each other, and provided at the top with attaching flanges IQ for securing the table,

and at the bottom with attaching flanges or feet for securement to some bench or other supporting member. The flanges 20 are of course provided with openings 2| comprising elongated slots for receiving the bolts which secure the stand I2 to the base. Likewise the attaching flanges H! at the top are provided with apertures 22 for receiving the screw bolts 23 which are threaded into the threaded bores 24 formed in lugs 25 carried by the lower side of the table top II.

The table or work supporting member II also preferably comprises a cast metal member which is provided with a downwardly extending border flange 26 for the purpose of reinforcing the edge and it may also be provided with a plurality of transverse reinforcing ribs 21 on its lower side, as well as a plurality of lugs 25 previously mentioned, for receiving the attaching screws 23. The upper surface 28 of the table is preferably machined to a flat plane surface across which the work pieces are adapted to slide and by means of which they are guided and maintained in a predetermined vertical plane with respect to the cutter l4. At a predetermined centrally located point the table I I is formed with a substantially circular aperture. 29 bordered by a downwardly extending flange 30, the aperture 28 being located to pass the spindle I 5 and being of'suiilcient size to accommodate the chuck and other associated structures.

The table II preferably supports the guard structure l3 which may consist of a cast metal member which is formed with a pair of flat attaching flanges 3|, 32 each having a considerable area for engaging the table top. The attaching flanges3l, 32 may be formed on their lower sides with transversely extending protruding portions or guides.33, 34, preferably located to be formed with the slots 35, 36. The guide portions 33, 34 on the bottom of the guard may be machined to a flat plane surface, both of the surfaces being in the same plane so that these surfaces are the clamping and engaging surfaces by means of which the guard is secured on the table and against which the clamping bolts 31, 38 act.

The apertures 35, 36 are preferably in the form of elongated slots so that the guard may be slid upward and downward across the table in Fig. 1, that is, horizontally on the table with respect to the cutter 4. The clamping bolts 31, 38 preferably comprise substantially non-circular metal rods which are provided at their lower ends with the reduced threaded portion 33 adapted to be threaded into the threaded bores 46 which are provided in the table top H.

A washer 4| may be provided to increase the bearing surface at the shoulder 42 and the clamping bolt may be provided with a transverse pin 43 at the top for engagement with the fingers. The pin 43 may be a drive flt in.a transverse bore in the bolt 31. In the event of the bolt being too flrmly secured to be dislodged by means of pin 43, a wrench or other tool may also be applied to the non-circular metal rods of the bolt 31.

Between the two attaching flanges 3|, 32 of the guard l3, this guard is preferably provided with a raised guard yoke 44 comprising an integral part of the guard which extends upward at 45, horizontally at 46, and downward at 41. The top portion 46 is preferably provided with a cut-out portion 48 for accommodating the cutter, the proportions being such that the cutter can never be brought into direct engagement. with any part of the guard when the guard is secured by its clamping bolts 31, 38. The top portion 46 also is cut back at the feed side of the cutter at 43 so as to permit the guide on that side to recede farther in that direction and to permit the desired depth of cut by means of the shaper cutter l4.

The attaching flange 32 also preferably supports a vertically extending guide flange 50 which is provided with a horizontally extending slot 5| for receiving a screw bolt 52. The guide flange 50 preferably supports a guide: in the form of a flat wooden strip 53 which is of sufficient width to extend from the table top surface 28 to a point adjacent the top of the guard 44. Wooden guide strip 53 may be secured in place by the screw bolt 52 which extends through the wooden guide 53 and flange 50, and is provided with a nut 54. The guide strip 53 is adapted to guide that portion of the work which has pwsed cutter I4 and its position is adjusted by means of the adjustment of the guard |3 on the bolts 31, 38.

The shaper is also preferably provided with a second additionally adjustable guide strip 55 comprising a similar flat wooden strip which is carried by the supporting flange or shoe 56 adjustably mounted on a shaft 51. The shoe 56 is likewise provided with an elongated slot 58 for receiving the screw bolt 53 which passes through the wooden guide member and through an aperture in the flange 55 to clamp the wooden guard on the guide 56 by means of nut 68.

The supporting shoe or flange 56 also carries a diagonally and rearwardly projecting lug 6| which is'provided with a bore-or socket 62 for receiving the reduced cylindrical end 63 of the shaft 51. End 63 of shaft 51 may be clamped in its socket 62 by means of a set screw 54 threaded into a transverse bore. The attaching flange extending key-way or slot 10 and screw bolt 68 is provided with a reduced cylindrical portion- H which isadapted to project into the slot 10, the shaft slidably engaging the end portion 1| and the latter preventing rotation of the shaft 51 as the shaft slides back and forth. 5

The bearing portion 65 is provided with a smaller counterbore 12 at its outer end for roi-atively receiving the adjustment shaft 13. Ad-

justment shaft 13 is provided at its outer end with a crank comprising a hub 14 and handle 15. The hub 14 has a bore 15 for receiving the end of shaft 13 to which it is secured by a transverse pin 16 which passes through both the hub and shaft and is riveted over at its ends. The crank may also be provided with the counterbalance 11 for balancing the weight of the handle 15. The shaft 13 is preferably formed with an annular flange or thrust bearing 18 located just inside the bore 66, the hub 14 acting as the opposite thrust bearing.

The inner end of shaft 13 is threaded as at 19 complementarily to the threads in the threaded bore located in shaft 51. Thus rotation of the shaft 13 by crank 15 results in the progression forward or backward of the shaft 51 which carries the additionally adjustable guide 55. Of course, the guide 55 .being carried by shaft 51 which in turn is carried by bearing portion 65 and guard l3, guide 55 is likewise adjustable with the guard l3.

The angle of the supporting flange 56 with respect to shaft 51 is such that the guide strip 55 is carried in a plane parallel to the guide strip 53. Adjustable guide strip 55 may be brought into closer proximity to the cutter M by means of the adjustment of the shaft 51 longitudinally in its bearing 65 and at the same time the guide 55 may be moved horizontally in a direction at right angles to the plane of the two guides 53, 55 to determine the depth of cut of the shaper cutter 4.

The stand I2 is also preferably provided with means for supporting an adjustable bearing sleeve 8| by means of which the shaper spindle or drive shaft |5 maybe supported for rotation and for adjustment in a vertical plane with respect to the top of the table This supporting means preferably comprises the vertically ex tending web 82 integrally joined to the horizontally extending webs 83, 84 which are carried by the side wall l6 and which at their edges support the substantially cylindrical bearing sleeve houssecured in fixed adjusted position by means of a lock nut 9| and it prevents the rotation of the sleeve 8| as the sleeve slides upward and downward in the housing 85. The housing is also preferably provided with a vertically extending slot 92 located in the side opposite the supporting webs 82--84 and adapted to pass the stud bolt 93 which has its reduced threaded end 94 threaded home in the threaded bore of bearing sleeve 8|. Stud bolt 93 has an enlarged cylindrical portion 96 which may be provided with a washer 91 and which may rotatably support a roller sleeve 98, the roller sleeve being retained thereon by head 99.

The stand I2 is also provided with means for supporting and raising or lowering the bearing sleeve 8| which may comprise the cam member I88 provided with a diagonally and upwardly extending slot I8I. The cam member I88 may consist of a cast metal member which is provided with the fiat plate portion I82 surrounding the slot I8I and with the horizontally extending lugs I83, I 84 which extend at right angles to the fiat plate portion I82. Lugs I83, I84 are provided with horizontally extending bores I85, I88 which act as guideways for receiving the guide rods I81, I88. The stand side wall I8 is preferably provided with a pair of inwardly extending cast metal lugs I89, I I8 to provide additional support for these guide rods I81, I88 which have their inner threaded ends threaded into the bores III, H2 in the lugs I89, H8.

The outer ends of the guide rods I81, I88 are threaded into the bores H3, H4 located in the front wall I1 of the stand I2. Thus the guide rods I81, I88 are fixedly mounted and are adapted to slidably support the cam member I88. The lower'lug I84 on cam member I88 is preferably provided with a substantially larger body for providing material to form a follower which may be provided by forming a threaded bore I I5 in lug I84 parallel to the bore I86. The lug I84 may thus be caused to reciprocate by means of a threaded shaft II6, the inner end of which threads into the bore H5 and the outer end of which carries a crank II1 of similar shape to the crank previously described. Crank H1 is likewise pinned to the shaft II6 as previously described with respect to crank 15 and the shaft II6 may be provided with a thrust bearing H8 in the form of a collar which is secured just inside the front wall I1 by means of a set screw II9 threaded into the collar H8 and bearing against shaft H5. The edges of the slot I8I engage the roller 98 carried by lug 93. As the cam member I88 moves horizontally to the left in Fig. 8, the lower wall of the slot lifts the lug 93 and with it the bearing sleeve 8|.

The walls of slot I8I preferably fit the roller 98 quite closely so as to limit end play of the bearing sleeve 8| and spindle I5, and cam I 88 may thus be used to definitely adjust the vertical position of the bearing sleeve 8| which carries this spindle I5. The bearing sleeve 8| prefer ably carries at each end an outer race I28, I2I

of the ball bearings I 22, which rotatably support the spindle I5. These outer races may be secured in bearing sleeve 8| by frictional or drive fit. The spindle I5 is preferably provided with substantially cylindrical or gradually tapered portions I23, I24 which may be usedto secure to the shaft the inner races I 25, I25 which may likewise have a frictional or drive fit on the spindle I5.

The lower end of spindle I5 may comprise a cylindrical portion upon which is mounted the hub I21 of a drive pulley I28 preferably of the V type, the groove I29 being adapted to receive the V-shaped belt I38. The pulley I28 may be secured on spindle I5 by means of a set screw I3I passing through the'hub and bearing against the shaft. At its upper end the spindle I5 is preferably provided just above the ball bearing I28, I22, I25 with an integral cylindrical enlargement I32 which has its periphery threaded for receiving the adapter sleeve I39 having a complementary internal thread. The upper end of spindle I5 is preferably provided with a fiat surface I35 having located in its center a cylindrical axially extending lug I36 for the purpose of centering accurately the cutter and associated parts. Enlargement or head I32 is also preferably provided with an eccentrically located pin I31 extending vertically from its fiat top I35 and the pin I31 may be secured by a drive fit in the bore I38.

The upper end of spindle I5 is also provided with a chuck sleeve I39 which may comprise a substantially cylindrical member preferably formed with one or more fiat sides (Fig. 1) I48, for receiving a wrench or other tool. The chuck sleeve I39 has a vertically extending bore which is threaded at |4I to engage the threaded head I32. Beyond the threaded 'bore I4I the chuck sleeve I39 is provided with a frusto conical or tapered aperture I42 which is adapted to engage and center the lower tapered frusto conical body I43 of the tool holder I44.

The tool holder I44 also has a bore I45 for receiving the centering lug I38 and has an eccentrically located bore I46 for receiving the pin I31. The lower end I41 of the tool holder body is substantially fiat for engaging the fiat upper end of the chuck head I32 and the relative proportions of the frusto conical body I43 and frusto conical bore I42 are such that the flat end I41 of the tool holder body may be drawn tightly against the fi'at end of the chuck head I32 by the sleeve I39. The tool holder is of course centered by the lug I36 in bore I46 and secured against rotation by the pin I31 in bore I46.

Tool holder I44 also comprises an upwardly extending threaded shaft I48 on which the shaper cutter may be secured. The shaper cutters have cylindrical bores for receiving the shaft I48 and the shaft is provided with a securing nut I49 and a lock nut I58 for fixedly securing the cutter on the shaft. Cutters of various sizes and types may be employed, the cutter shown in Fig. 7 making a V-shaped groove while the cutter shown in Fig. 6 is adapted to form a board with the ordinary tongue used on tongue and groove lumber.

The amount which is cut from the work piece I5I depends upon the setting of the guide member 55 with respect to the cutter, and after the work piece passes the cutter it is further guided in its course by means of the guide member 53. The cutter may be raised or lowered with the spindle I5 to work upon the material at any elevation and thus the groove formed for example in Fig. 6 may be formed at any desired elevation with respect to the upper and lower surfaces of the work piece Ill.

The bearing sleeve housing 85 is also preferably provided with means for fixedly clamping the bearing sleeve in any predetermined position, the

details of which are shown in Fig. 4. Thus the bearing sleeve housing may be provided with a laterally projecting clamp housing I52 which comprises a substantially cylindrical lug, the axis of which extends horizontally and which is provided with a horizontal circular bore I58 communicating with the vertical bore 85. A threaded bore I54 is formed in the rear wall of the clamp housing I52 and adapted to receive the threaded end I55 of a clamping bolt I55. The clamping bolt I55 is formed with a reduced cylindrical portion I5l which rotatably receives a clamp sleeve I58.

Clamp shaft I55 is also provided with an enlarged cylindrical extension I59 which is of sufficient length to extend out beyond the wall I8 where it sup-ports a hand knob I50 which is secured thereto by means of a set screw I6I. Between the cylindrical extension I59 and the reduced portion I55 there is an annular shoulder I62 which bears against the clamp sleeve I58. Clamp sleeve I58 is a cylindrical member provided with a bore I53 for receiving the cylindrical part I56 and its outer surface is substantially cylindrical except for the portion I54 at the inner end which is curved complementarily to the bearing sleeve 8I or tapered. When the clamp sleeve I58 is urged inward by means of shaft I55 the surface I54 engages the bearing sleeve 8| and forces the bearing sleeve into engagement with the opposite side of the bore 86 thus clamping the hearing sleeve 8I in any predetermined vertical position.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved shaper structure by means of which various cutters may be applied to the cutter spindle without the necessity for removing the spindle or reversing the spindle as is necessary in many of the devices of the prior art. The spindle chuck is adapted to receive and secure the tool holders for various sizes of tools and the cutter may be changed very quickly by merely removing the cutter with its tool holder by means of a wrench applied to the chuck sleeve I39. If the cutter is of such size that it will go on the same tool holder it is only necessary to remove the two nuts I49, I50 which secure the cutter in place.

My shaper is also provided with the improved form of guard and guide arrangement by means of which both guides may be simultaneously adjusted and clamped in position with the screw bolts 31 and additional adjustment may be secured for the guide member 55 which determines the depth of cut by means of the threaded member I9 actuated by crank I5 adjusting the shaft 51. The threaded member itself is adapted to hold this guide in predetermined position without necessity for any additional clamp, but if desired the screw bolt 68 may perform the additional function of more securely clamping this shaft 51 and guide 55 in place.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a shaper, the combination of a supporting base with a work supporting table, said base having a spindle housing located inside the base and extending vertically, said spindle housing having a vertically extending bore, a bearing sleeve slidably mounted in said vertically extending bore and having a transversely extending lug, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve and carrying a cutter, cam means for adjusting the vertical position of said spindle by reciprocating said bearing sleeve, said cam means having a diagonally and upwardly extending slot for engaging said lug, said cam means being siidably mounted on a pair of guide rods, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in a horizontal direction on said guide rods to adjust said spindle.

2. In a shaper, the combination of a supporting 'base with a work supporting table, said base having a spindle housing located inside the base and extending vertically, said spindle housing having a vertically extending bore, a bearing sleeve slidably mounted in said vertically extending bore and having a transversely extending lug, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve and carrying a cutter, cam means for adjusting the vertical position of said spindle by reciprocating said bearing sleeve, said cam means having a diagonally and upwardly extending slot for engaging said lug, said cam means being slidably mounted on a pair of guide rods, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in a horizontal direction on said guide rods to adjust said spindle, said spindle housing having a laterally projecting extension for receiving a clamping sleeve, said clampingsleeve engaging saidbearing sleeve, and threaded means extending from said housing and engaging said clamping sleeve to force said clamping sleeve into engagement with said bearing sleeve to secure said spindle in any predetermined elevation.

3. In a shaper, the combination of a support comprising a base, with a table fixedly secured to said base, a pair of cylindrical guides carried by said base and extending horizontally, a slider carried by said guides and having a threaded bore, a threaded shaft engaging said threaded bore and having engagement with a bearing in said base, a crank on said shaft for rotating said shaft and reciprocating said slider, said slider having a diagonally upwardly extending slot, a verticallyextending slot carried by said base, a bearing sleeve slidably mounted in said vertical sleeve, and means for preventing rotation of said bearing sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve by anti-friction bearings at each end of said bearing sleeve, means carried by said bearing sleeve engaging in said diagonal slot, and a cutter carried by said shaft adjacent said table, said table having an aperture for passing said cutter and shaft whereby the crank may be rotated to determine the elevation of said cutter with respect to said table. v

'4. In a wood working tool the combination of a supporting base with a work supporting table,

said base supporting a vertically extending spindle comprising a metal member having a diagonally and upwardly extending slot for engaging said lug, guide means for slidably mounting said cam means for movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the spindle, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in said transverse plane on said guide means to adjust the elevation of said spindle with respect to said table.

5 In a wood working tool the combination of a supporting base with a work supporting table, said base supporting a vertically extending spindle housing and said spindle housing having a vertically extending bore, a bearing sleeve mounted in said bore and having a transversely extending lug, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve and carrying a cutter, cam means for adjusting the vertical position of said spindle by reciprocating said bearing sleeve, said cam means comprising a metal member having a diagonally and upwardly extending slot for engaging said lug, guide means for slidably mounting said cam means for movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the spindle, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in said transverse plane on said guide means to adjust the elevation of said spindle with respect to said table, said spindle housing having a lateral extension for receiving a clamping member and means for urging said clamping member into engagement with said bearing sleeve to secure said cutter at a predetermined elevation.

6. In a wood working tool the combination of a supporting base with a work supporting table, said base supporting a vertically extending spindle housing and said spindle housing having a vertically extending bore, a bearing sleeve mounted in said bore and having a transversely extending lug, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve and carrying a cutter, cam

means for adjusting the vertical position of said spindle by reciprocating said bearing sleeve, said cam means comprising a metal member having gaging said lug, guide means for slidably mounting said cam means for movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the spindle, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in said transverse plane on said guide means to adjust the elevation of said spindle with respect to said table, said spindle housing having a lateral extension for receiving a clamping member and means for urging said clamping member into engagement with said bearing sleeve to secure said cutter at a predetermined elevation, said latter means comprising a threaded member having a shoulder engaging said clamping member and having threaded engagement with said housing.

7. In a wood working tool the combination of a supporting base with a work supporting table, said base supporting a vertically extending spindle housing and said spindle housing having a vertically extending bore, a bearing sleeve mounted in said bore and having a transversely extending lug, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve and carrying a cutter, cam

means for adjusting the vertical position of said spindle by reciprocating said bearing sleeve, said cam means comprising a metal member having a diagonally and upwardly extending slot for engaging said lug, guide means for slidably mounting said cam means for movement in a plane transverse to the axis of the spindle, and a threaded member for reciprocating said cam means in said transverse plane on said guide means to adjust the elevation of said spindle with respect to said table, said guide means comprising a pair of rods having threaded ends, one end of each rod being mounted on said base and the other end of each rod being secured to said spindle housing, said cam having bores slidably engaging said rods.

'I'HERQN L. HEDGPE'I'H.

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