Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~03949~;
This invention relates to a guide for use with a marker or
cutting tool to trace ou~ a path on a piece of flat p]anar material
or to cut from the same a portion to a particular selected shape. In a
preferred embodiment of the invention the guide is adjustable and is
used to cut out oval shaped mats for framing photographs or cutting
sheets of plastic, wood or the like into various elliptical sizes and
shapes. The guide may be modified in keeping with other embodiments
to trace out or cut circles, rectangles or squares on a flat planar
sheet of material.
With respect to formingoval shapes, ellipsographs are known
as exemplified by Canadian Patent 111,843 issued ~ecember 19, 1907 and
which consists of a base msmber having two guide slots or channels
disposed at right angles to one another and in which are slidably
; mounted two guides adjustably attached to an arm carrying a stylus for
tracing out a path on the surface on which the guide rests.
,~! A principal object of the present invention is to provide an
improved guide of the foregoing type ancl one which is suitable for use
in cutting sheet material on which the guide is placed. In general
the present guide is substantially simplified over that of the patented
device and includes a cutter for cutting the material. The arrangement
of the components furthermore is such that it is more adaptable for
cutting.
Accordingly, there is provided in accordance with the present
invention a guide for use in tracing a path or cutting along such
path on a flat planar sheet of material comprising a base plate having
- means on one face thereof for retaining the same in position on the
surface of said ~heet of material and a pair of longitudinally extending
channels disposed transversely to one another in the opposite face; a
pair of cam follower members slidably mounted in respective ones of the
channels; a longitudinally extending bar having a slot extending in the
longitudinal dlrection thereof; means adjustably positioning respective ones
of the cam follower members in ~ai~ 910t and pivotally connectin~ the
same to said bar and a head assembly secured to said bar at one end
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thereof and including means for detachably securing thereto an element
engageable with the surface of the sheet of material on which the base
is mounted.
The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference
to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is an oblique view of one embodiment of a guide
constructed in accordance with the present invention and having a
cutting member attached thereto;
Figures 2 and 3 are oblique views of a portion of the guide
with parts detached therefrom;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along section 4-4 of
Figure l;
Figure 5 is an oblique view of the guide illustrated in
Figure 1 but with a router tool attached thereto;
Figure 6 is an oblique view of the device illustrated in
Figure S but with the router tool detached from the guide;
Figure 7 is an oblique view of another embodiment of a.guide
provided in accordance with the present in~ention;
Figure 8 is ~imilar to Figure 7 but illustrating the cutter
head detached from the guide; and
Figure 9 is an oblique view of a portion of the bar and an
attachment therefor adapting the same for use in tracing or cutting a
circle.
Referring now in detail to the drawings, shown in Figure 1
is a tool gulde 10 consisting of a base 20, a bar 30 having a cutter
head 40 attached to one end thereof and a pair of slides 50 adjustably
attached to the bar 30. During use of the device the guides slide
in channels in the upper surface of the base causing thq cutter head
to follow a particular path when the arm is rotated in a plane
parallel to the surface on which the base rests.
The base 20 is a rigid planar member having longitudinally
extending grooves or channels 21 and 22 in the upper surface thereof.
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The channels are disposed transverse to one another and they are
rectangular in cross-sectional shape as can be seen from Figure 2.
The channels, however, may be dovetail-shaped in cross-section
facilitating retaining the guide members therein.
During use of the guide the base 20 is placed on the upper
surface of a flat planar sheet of material to be marked or cut and to
retain the same in position the lower face of the base is provided with
a plurality of pins 23 projecting from the face opposite to the face
on which the channels are located. Two pins are illustrated in
~igure 2 and with reference to Figure 1 the pins are located on each
of four quadrants of the base defined by arms projecting outwardly from
the center. Obviously, any number of pins may be provided, the main
requisite being that the base is held securely in position during use
of the guide. The pins~ however, mar the surface of the material
and in the event one wishes to use the portion of the material lying
within the outline configuration of the base, other means may be used
for holding the base in position, for example, the lower face of the
base may be provided with a double-faced tape or suction cups. The
latter is particularly suitable when the device is used for cutting
sheets of glass or plastics material.
The bar 30 is a rigid member made of wood~ metal or a rigid
plastics material. The bar is a longitudinally extending member having
a central, longitudinally extending slot 31. The lower face of the
bar has a groove 32 that is wider in width than the slot 31 and provides
a seat for receiving a portion of the slide members 50 to be described
in detail hereinafter. One end of the bar 30 has a centrally located
notch 33 and a pair of apertures 34 for respectively locating and
securing a further bar thereto as will be described hereinafter with
reference to Figures 7 and 8. The opposite end of the bar is provided
with a flange member 35 having a threaded aperture 36 for receiving
a thumb screw and a recess 37 for receiving a centering or locating pin.
The bar 30 further includes a longitudinally extending groove 38 on
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the upper surface adjacent one marginal edge, the purpose of which
will be described hereinafter with reference to the embodiment illustrated
in Figures 7 and 8.
The cutter head 40 i~cludes a block-like member 40a made of
a rigid material, for example, a plastics material, wood9 metal or the
like. An aperture in member 40a rotatably receives a thumb screw 41
adapted to be threaded into the threaded aperture 36 in flange 35 there-
by detachably securing the cutter head to the bar 30. An aperture 42
extends longitudinally through member 40a adjacent the lower edge thereof.
A pin 44 having a slot in one end thereof for receiving a cutting blade
45 passes through the aperture 42 and the opposite end has a finger grip
nut 46 threaded thereon. Adjustment of the nut permits selectively
removing and clamping the blade 45 on the member 40a. The block member
40a has a further aperture 47 extending therethrough transverse to the
aperture 42. The aperture 47 is provided for receiving a marking
member or the handle of a glass cutter, either of which can be clamped
in position by having the handle portion thereof pass through an
aperture 48 in pin 44.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 the slot, recelving
blade 45, is shown as extending in a direction parallel to the length
of the pin 44. When cutting a circle or oval, the knife blade may be
perpendicular to the plane of the sheet of material being cut or at
an angle thereto. By rotating the pin 44 in member 40a the knife may
be positioned at various different angles permitting cutting the
material on a bevel. However, for effecting a bevel cut with the
cutter as illustrated in Figure 7 it will be necessary to provlde pins
44 with a slot for receiving the knife blade disposed at an angle to
the longitudinal axis of the pin rather than perpendicular thereto as
illustrated in Figure 7.
Each slide 50 consists of a slide block or cam follower 51
appropriately shaped to slidably fit in respective ones of channels 21
and 22 of the base. A plate 53 is pivotally mounted on each slide
~L6)39496
block 51 and so dimensioned as to fit into the slot 32 in the lower
face of bar 30. A threaded aperture 54, surrounded by a sleeve 56 which
projects upwardly from the plate 53 into the slot 31 of bar 30,
receives a thumb screw 55. The thumb screw is provided with a lower
- flat face 57 and together with plate 53 clampingly engages opposite
faces of the bar 30. Loosening of the thumb screws permits sliding
members 50 longitudinally along the bar to a desired selected position
after which it is clamped thereon. The members 51 of the respective
pair of slides 50 are located in respective ones of the grooves or
channels 21 and 22 in the base and the relative positioning of the two
members 50 with respect to one another and the distance from the cutter
head 40 determines the path traced out by the cutter head when the
bar 30 is rotated.
The type of cutter mounted on the cutter head 40 will be
dependent upon the type of material to be cut and is readily replaceable
to facilitate re-sharpening or substitution of cutter blades to always
ensure a sharp edge for cutting purposes.
To cut an oval mat ~or picture framing from paper board stock,
the assembly illustrated in Figure 1 is placed on the material and the
pair of slides 50 appropriately positioned determining the shape and
size of oval to be cut. The center portion of the stock material is
; normally discarded and accordingly the previously described impallng
pins 23 may be utilized to secure the guide in position holding the
same while the bar 30 is caused to rotate. In the event the portion of
stock of material, on which the base 20 is mounted, is to be utilized
the previously described suction cups or double-faced tape may be
used.
In Figure S there is illustrated a power driven router tool
60 attached by a unting bracket 70 to the bar 30 and which is located
at the end thereof opposite to that of the cutter head 40. The
mounting bracket 70 consists of an angle member having flanges 71 and
72 at right angles to one another. Flange 71 has a pair of apertures
~J139~96
corresponding to apertures 34 in the bar 30 and receive respective ones
of a pair of bolt and nut assemblies 73 detachably securing the bracket
to the bar 30. The flange 72 has a slot 74 extending inwardly from the
free edge thereof and which receives the stem of a stud 75 threaded into
a bracket 76 attached to the router 60.
In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 the bar 30
described with reference to Figure 1 has a bar 80 detachably secured
thereto by bolt and nut assemblies 81. Bars 30 and 80 are disposed
transversely to one another providing effectively a T-square. The
notch 33 in the end of bar 30 receives a block or pro;ection on bar 80
- providing a centering device and together with the bolt and nut assemblies
81 passing through apertures 34 ensures bars 30 and 80 are at right
angles to one another. The bar 80 fits flatwise on the underface of
bar 30 thereby providing a straight edge 82 for engaging the side edge
of a sheet of material to be cut. The cutting head 40 previously
described with reference to Figure 2 is detachably secured by the wing
nut 41 to a backing plate 49, the lower edge of which is slidably mounted
in groove 38 of bar 30. The lower edge portion may be notched locating a
face of the backing plate 49 closely adjacent the longitudinal edge
of bar 30. The tolerances however are such that there is normally a slight
space between the face of backing plate 49 and the adjacen~ face of member
40a so that by adjusting thumb screw 41 a tight sliding fit is main-
tained between the cutter head and the bar 30. This is desirable when
using the cutter head to slide longitudinal~y along the bar 30 and
effecting a cut parallel to such bar. In this instance a knife holder
of the type illustrated in Figure 2 is utilized. In making a cut
transverse to the length of the bar 30 wing nut 41 is utilized to clamp
the cutter head on the bar and the entire assembly then slides along the
sheet using edge 82 as a guide by engaging the edge of the Material
being cut. For this the knife blade 45 ls located in a slot 49 in
the pin Member 44 which is disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis
of the pin.
~39~96
In Figure 9 there is illustrated a further embodiment wherein
the bar illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and having a cutting head
attached thereto as illustrated in Figure 2 may be used for cutting or
tracing a circle. Referring to Figure 9 there is illustrated an attach-
ment 90 consisting of a plate 91 adapted to fit in recess 32 of bar 30
and having an upwardly directed protrusion 92 which projects into the
slot 31 of bar 30. Plate 91 has a threaded aperture 93 for receiving a
finger grip screw 94 clampingly attaching plate 91 to the bar 30. ~ixed
to the bar 91 and projecting downwardly therefrom is a needle-like or
centering pin member 95 for impaling the surface of the material on which -
the bar is used defining the center of rotation for the cutter bar 30
when used to cut a circle from the sheet material. In the event the
portion of the sheet material on which the centering device is mounted
is to be used, pin 95 may be replaced by a suction cup journalled for
rotation on the plate 91. This prevents marring the surface of the
material.
; ~rom the foregoing it will be seen there is provided a guide
adapted to many uses and which is simple in construction and thus
relatively inex~ensive to produce. It may be used to cut mat board,
glass, wood, plastics and other materials and the cutter may be either
a knife blade or a router bit. The guide may be used to cut a circle,
rectangle, square or oval pattern and one of the main advantages is
the fact that it has unlimited size potential. The unit itself is
compact and the oval mat cutter can cut an oval anywhere from a circle
to a slim line oval merely by ad~ustment of the two slide or cam plates.
The entire unit is designed to be readily assembled and disassembled.
The base 20 and bar 30 are relatively thin thus placing the cutter head
closely adjacent the material to be cut mlnimizing forces which would
tend to shift the assembly during a cutting operation and thus rendering
it easy in use to maintain the guide in its desired exact location.
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In the ~oregoing, the base plate ~s described as having
two channels disposed at ~ight angles to one another and in which are
slidably mounted respective ones of a pair of cam follower members.
Obviously various alternative structures may be provided to perform the
function of the channel and guide follower. For example, the channels
in the base may be replaced by ribs projecting upwardly from the base
plate and intersecting one ànother at right angles. Cam followers may
be mounted slidably on respective ones of the transversely disposed
ribs and the latter modified adjacent their intersection to permit
a cam follower slidably mounted on one of the ribs to bypass the other
rib. The ribs may be a bar-like member attached to or protruding up-
wardly from the base and the cross-sectional shape may be such as to
retain the cam followers thereon permitting only sliding movement of
the cam follower on the rib associated therewith.
