Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02620698 2008-02-08
RAIL GUIDE WITH BEARINGS FOR TILE SAW
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application, having attorney docket number TBDC. 136067, claims
the
benefit of and priority to commonly owned U.S. Provisional Application Serial
No. 60/941,941,
having attorney docket number TBDC.134558, filed June 4, 2007, which is hereby
incorporated
by reference in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR
DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present invention relates generally to a tile cutting machine. More
particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a tile cutting
machine having a
cutting head assembly movable relative to a tub containing water and a holding
mat with nubs
for supporting a tile to be cut, wherein a blade of the cutting head assembly
is positioned at a
depth that allows full penetration through the tile and into contact with
water received within the
tub.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Because of their durability, affordability, and aesthetic qualities,
tiles are
commonly used in a wide variety of finishing applications. For instance, tiles
are often used for
covering roofs, floors, and walls. Additionally, tiles may be used to
construct countertops and
tabletops.
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[0005] At the time of installation, a tile installer must trim tiles to fit
the edges of the
installation site. As an example, when installing tiles as a floor covering,
the installer must cut
tiles along the edges of the room to fit the room's dimensions. A variety of
portable tile cutting
tools are available that allow the installer to cut tiles to the dimensions
needed at the installation
site. Simple tile cutting tools include hand tools, such as tile nibbers, for
instance, which are a
specialty tool shaped similar to pliers and are used to nibble away at a tile
in order to cut and
shape it. Another simple tile cutting tool is a tile cutter that uses a
scoring wheel to score the tile
along a line. The user may then snap the tile along the score line. However,
cutting tiles using
these simple types of cutting tools may be difficult and time-consuming. For
instance, a user
may find it difficult to cut tiles using these tools without breaking the
tiles. Additionally, these
types of cutting tools may not be suitable for cutting tiles of certain
materials.
[0006] For larger tile installations and to save time and effort, a tile
installer may use a
wet tile saw to cut tiles. A wet tile saw typically uses a wide, circular
blade with sand crystals or
diamonds to cut a tile by grinding a channel through the tile. Water is
splashed on the blade to
control dust, cool the blade, and reduce friction while cutting. However,
currently available wet
tile saws present a number of drawbacks. For instance, wet tile saws may be
difficult to operate
and intimidating, especially to novice tile installers, such as do-it-
yourselfers. Additionally, wet
tile saws are often cumbersome and difficult to clean. Further, a water pump
is typically used to
draw water from a water supply and splash the blade while cutting. Splashing a
blade in this
manner is messy as a result of water being sprayed all over and leads to water
loss. The water
pump also adds an additional item that must be cleaned and maintained. Further
still, the user
generally must move the tile through the stationary saw blade. As the tile is
being moved, it can
easily shift out of alignment, resulting in a miss-cut tile.
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SUMMARY
[0007] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified
form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This
summary is not intended
to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be
used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0008] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a tile cutting
machine. In
one aspect, a tile cutting machine includes a tub having four walls and a
bottom for receiving
water. A holding mat having a number of nubs for supporting a tile to be cut
is received within
the tub. A cutting head assembly is movable relative to the tub and includes a
blade and a motor
for driving the blade. The blade is positioned at a depth that allows full
penetration through the
tile and into contact with water received within the tub.
[0009] In another aspect, an embodiment is directed to a tile cutting machine
that
includes a tub having four walls and a bottom for receiving water and a
holding mat having a
number of nubs for supporting a tile to be cut. A rail assembly that includes
a cross rail system
and a side rail system is coupled to the tub. A cutting head assembly
including a blade and a
motor for driving the blade is slidably coupled to the cross rail system
facilitating positioning the
cutting head assembly relative to the tile received within the tub. The cross
rail system in turn is
slidably coupled to the side rail system for facilitating movement of the
cutting head assembly to
cut the tile received within the tub. Additionally, the blade is positioned at
a depth that allows
full penetration through the tile and into contact with water received within
the tub.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification
and are to
be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are
employed to indicate
like parts in the various views:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tile cutting machine in accordance
with an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 1, but
showing a
fence and a tile received within a tub of the tile cutting machine;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tile cutting machine of
FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 1, but
showing a
fence received within the tub of the tile cutting machine at a location
facilitating a 45-degree
angle cut;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fence in accordance with an
embodiment of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a top view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a left side elevational view of the tile cutting machine of
FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a right side elevational view of the tile cutting machine of
FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the tile cutting machine of FIG.
1;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 9;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a cutting head assembly with hold-down
feet in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a cutting head assembly with bristle
skirts in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
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[0023] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side elevational view of a
rail bearing in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a tile cutting machine with a
removable cross rail
system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of a side rail bearing housing
of the tile
cutting machine of FIG. 14;
[0026] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 1,
but showing
an alternate embodiment of a holding mat with a tile placed thereon for
cutting;
[0027] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the tile cutting machine of FIG.
16 taken
along the line 17-17;
[0028] FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a portion of the holding mat of FIG. 16
taken in the
area of 18;
[0029] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a tile cutting machine in accordance
with a
second embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 19,
but showing
the cutting head assembly rotated so the blade can produce a bevel cut;
[0031] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a tile cutting machine in accordance
with a third
embodiment of the present invention with the cutting head assembly in a raised
position;
[0032] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 21,
but showing
the cutting head assembly in a lowered position to make a plunge cut;
[0033] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a tile cutting machine in accordance
with a third
embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 24 is a plan view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 23;
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[0035] FIG. 25 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the
tile
cutting machine of FIG. 23, with a portion of a bearing plate cut away to
reveal some roller
bearings;
[0036] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the tile cutting machine of FIG. 23,
illustrating
the ability to remove the cutting head assembly and cross rails from the tub
and side rails;
[0037] FIG. 27 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tile cutting machine
of FIG. 25,
with a portion thereof in cross-section to illustrate the coupling between the
cross rails and side
rails;
[0038] FIG. 28 is a view similar to that of FIG. 27, but with the cross-
section in an
alternate plane to further illustrate the coupling between the cross rails and
side rails;
[0039] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a fence of the
present
invention;
[0040] FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a hold down of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 31 is fragmentary right side elevational view of the cutting head
assembly of
the tile cutting machine of FIG. 23 with portions omitted for clarity and a
portion of the housing
cut away to reveal a cutting head assembly lock; and
[0042] FIG. 32 is an enlarged view of the area 32 of FIG. 31.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] With reference to the drawings, wherein like reference characters
designate like
parts throughout the different views, a tile cutting machine according to an
embodiment of the
present invention is designated generally with the reference numeral 10. The
tile cutting
machine 10 may be used to cut objects, such as tiles, pavers, and bricks, of a
variety of different
materials, such as, for instance, ceramic, porcelain, stone, marble, slate,
travertine, and granite.
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The term tile, as used herein, is not to be construed in a limiting fashion,
but should be
interpreted broadly to encompass, in addition to the items mentioned above,
any item that would
generally be cut by a wet saw. The tile cutting machine 10 generally includes
a tub 12 for
receiving tiles to be cut, a cutting head assembly 14 for cutting tiles, and
cross and side rail
systems 16, 18 for facilitating movement of the cutting head assembly 14
relative to the tub 12.
[0044] The tub 12 retains water used for tile cutting and generally includes a
pair of side
walls 20, a pair of end walls 22, and a bottom 24. It should be readily
understood that the tub 12
could be any desired shape with any number of walls (e.g., round, octagonal,
etc.) and still
perform the function of retaining water used during cutting of a tile. A
holding mat 26 that
includes a plurality of raised nubs 28 extending perpendicularly from the
plane of the holding
mat 26 is received within the tub 12 and supported by an elevated table 30.
The holding mat 26
and nubs 28 are generally constructed from rubber, however, any suitable
material that creates a
high friction, non-slip relationship with a tile surface when placed in
contact therewith may be
used. Preferably, the nubs 28 have a hardness and stiffness sufficient to
support a tile 31 placed
on the holding mat 26, but are flexible enough such that the nubs 28 may be
pushed out of the
way if contacted by a cutting blade while a tile is cut. The nubs 28 provide
frictional gripping on
the bottom of a tile placed on the holding mat 26, thereby facilitating
cutting of the tile without
requiring a user to press down on the tile with a hand. The nubs 28 also
permit water to reside
there between and directly under the majority of a bottom surface of the tile
during the cutting
operation. By elevating the table 30 and holding mat 26, debris may drop off
the holding mat 26
and into the bottom of the tub 12. Further, sediment can settle underneath the
mat and be out of
sight while also not interfering with the ability of the mat to hold tiles. It
should be noted that
while some benefits (e.g., cleaning, replacement, etc.) have been found in
having a separate
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holding mat 26 that is removable from the tub 12, it is within the scope of
the present invention
to have a tub that has nubs 28 formed in or molded in the bottom 24, thereby
eliminating the
need for a separate holding mat 26.
[0045] A fence 32 may be placed in the tub 12 to facilitate aligning tiles to
be cut. The
fence 32 includes lower projections 34 that may be received in holes 36 in the
holding mat 26
(and/or table 30). In various embodiments, a number of holes 36 may be
provided at various
locations in the holding mat 26 such that the fence 32 may be positional in
the tub 12 to allow
tiles to be cut at various angles to the left or right of a center line. For
instance, as shown in FIG.
2, the fence 32 is positioned to allow a tile to be cut at a 90-degree angle.
Alternatively, as
shown in FIG. 4, the fence 32 may be positioned to allow a tile to be cut at a
45-degree angle. It
should be understood that any of a variety of additional positions for the
fence 32 may be
provided within various embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, it
should be
understood that corresponding holes 36 may be placed in the mat 26 on the
opposite side of the
tub 12 (in this case, as illustrated, on the right side of the mat 26) such
that the setup becomes
ambidextrous to accommodate both left and right handed users of the tile
cutting machine 10.
This arrangement allows a user to operate the cutting head assembly 14 with
either their left or
right hand and still maintain maximum visibility of the tile.
[0046] In an embodiment, the fence 32 may be provided with an arm 38 that is
hingedly
attached near one end of the fence 32, allowing the arm 38 to be moved between
a down position
and an up position. As shown in FIG. 5, the arm 38 extends perpendicular to
the length of the
fence 32 and, in the down position, lies across the surface of the holding mat
26. When the arm
38 is placed in the down position, a tile 31 may be placed with one side
abutting the fence 32 and
an adjacent side abutting the arm 38. In this manner, the arm 38 acts as a
stop to provide
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resistance for the tile as the tile is cut, as well as facilitate alignment of
the tile. In the up
position, the arm 38 does not extend past the side of the fence 32 but instead
extends away from
the surface of the holding mat 26 such that a continuous surface is provided
by the fence 32 for
aligning a tile. It may be desirable to place the arm 38 in the up position,
for instance, when
insufficient space would be available in the tub 12 for cutting larger tiles
with the arm 38 in the
down position. Additionally, the arm 38 may be coupled with the fence 32 such
that it may be
moved to a down position on either side of the fence 32 to accommodate use of
the fence 32 on
either side of the tub (i.e., to allow the fence 32 to be used with both left
and right handed
setups).
[0047] In various embodiments of the present invention, the tile cutting
machine 10 may
be configured to facilitate cutting specialty tile pieces. For instance, in
one embodiment, a slot
40 may be provided in the holding mat 26 and table 30 for receiving a portion
of corner tiles. To
cut a corner tile, one side piece of the corner tile may be placed in the slot
40 such that the other
side piece lies flat on the holding mat 26 and may be cut using the cutting
head assembly 14.
After it has been cut, the other side piece may be placed in the slot 40 such
that the one side lies
flat on the holding mat 26 and may be cut.
[0048] To facilitate cutting oversized pieces, a door 42 may be provided on
one side wall
20 of the tub 12 that may be removed to provide an opening in the tub 12. Part
of an oversized
tile piece may be inserted through the opening, and the end of the oversized
tile piece within the
tub 12 may then be cut using the cutting head assembly 14. It should be
readily understood that
the tub could be provided with multiple doors positioned at various locations
around the tub
(e.g., at every 90 or 45 ) to accommodate longer items and/or provide for an
ambidextrous
setup.
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[0049] In some embodiments, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 16-18,
specialty tile
recesses may be formed in the holding mat 26 to receive small specialty tile
pieces having
increased thickness or a tile of a standard size. The recesses may be
specifically sized such that
the standard size tiles or the specialty tile pieces fit within the recesses.
For example, FIG. 16
illustrates an embodiment of a holding mat 26' having a first recessed area
102 where the nubs
28a are about half their normal height in an area that is, for example, four
inches wide by four
inches long. As a result, a standard 4"x4" tile will fit in the first recessed
area 102 and be self
aligned. Additionally, the taller nubs 28 outside the first recessed area 102
act on the side of the
4"x4" tile during the cutting procedure to assist with holding it in place as
it is cut.
[0050] The holding mat 26' also includes a second recessed area 104 where the
nubs 28b
are about three quarters their normal height in an area that is, for example,
eight inches wide by
eight inches long. As a result, a standard 8"x8" tile will fit in the second
recessed area 104.
FIGS. 17 and 18 further illustrate the nubs of varying height. Accordingly,
the recesses allow for
an increased thickness of a specialty tile piece as well as facilitate
aligning and holding a
standard size tile piece in place while cutting. The holding mat 26 is
removable to permit ready
use of mats of different nub patterns or heights, as well as to permit easy
replacement of worn or
damaged mats.
[0051] Movable relative to the tub 12 is a cutting head assembly 14, which
provides for
tile cutting. The cutting head assembly 14 generally includes a casing 44
housing a blade 46 and
a motor 48 for driving the blade 46 through a drive system 50. A blade LED
(not shown) may
also be provided within the casing 44. The LED shines on the blade to allow
illumination of
areas which are blocked from light, thereby providing better vision of the
cutting area. While an
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LED has been identified for providing illumination, any light source capable
of illuminating the
cutting area and/or under the casing 44 will suffice.
[0052] In an embodiment such as that shown in FIG. 11, the cutting head
assembly 14 is
provided with flexible hold-down feet 52 to assist with maintaining a tile in
position while the
tile is being cut. The hold-down feet 52 comprise elongated members 54 that
are coupled at a
first end 56 to the front end of the casing 44. Any suitable attachment method
may be used for
coupling the hold-down feet 52 to the casing 44, such as bolts, pins, rivets,
and the like. The
hold-down feet 52 are biased in a manner such that as the cutting head
assembly 14 is moved
along the length of the tub 12 to cut a tile, the hold-down feet 52 engage the
top of the tile and
press it downwardly. In this manner, the hold-down feet 52 work in conjunction
with the nubs
28 gripping the bottom of the tile to maintain the tile in place. As such, a
tile may be cut without
requiring a user to press down on the tile with one hand.
[0053] In addition to the hold-down feet 52, or in place thereof, rollers (not
shown) may
be positioned on the casing 44 for holding down a tile during the cutting
operation. The rollers
may be biased downwardly away from the casing 44. During the cutting
operation, the rollers
would be deflected upwardly when they come into contact with a tile. This
arrangement
accommodates tiles of varying thickness. This arrangement also provides for
the deflected roller
to exert a downward pressure on the tile during the cutting operation.
[0054] In another embodiment, such as that shown in FIG. 12, bristle skirts 58
are
disposed on the cutting head assembly 14 to facilitate maintaining the tile in
position while the
tile is being cut. The bristle skirt 58 may be coupled to the casing 44 on
either side of the blade
46. Similar to the hold-down feet 52, the bristle skirts 58 engage the top of
a tile to be cut and
work in conjunction with the nubs 28 gripping the bottom of the tile to
maintain the tile in place
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as the tile is cut. By varying the number, stiffness and density of the
bristles, the downward
force provided by the bristle skirts when they are deflected can be altered.
In some
embodiments, the bristles may be very stiff and closely packed to provide a
significant
downward force on the upper surface of the tile when the bristles are
deflected. In addition to
being biased back to a straight position, the deflected bristles can act like
a feather board to resist
a kick back or rearward movement of the cutting head assembly 14 during the
cutting operation.
Additionally, the bristle skirts 58 reduce water splash and spray as the tile
is being cut, thereby
helping to retain water in the tub 12. Although the bristle skirts are shown
in FIG. 12 as being
disposed on the casing 44 on either side of the blade 46, one skilled in the
art will recognize that
bristle skirts may additionally or alternatively be placed on the casing 44 in
front of andlor
behind the blade 46. Such an enclosure of the cutting area with bristle skirts
58 also acts to
contain the dust that results from the cutting process.
[0055] The cutting head assembly 14 is movable relative to the tub 12 via a
rail system
that includes a cross rail system 16 and a side rail system 18. The cross rail
system 16 includes a
pair of cross rails 76 that facilitate lateral movement of the cutting head
assembly 14 relative to
the tub 12 to facilitate positioning of the cutting head assembly 14 for
cutting tiles. In the
illustrated embodiment, the use of two cross rails 76 is shown as this
provides increased stability
for the cutting head assembly. Nonetheless, although two cross rails 76 are
shown in the
drawings, it should be understood that one or more cross rails 76 may be
employed in various
embodiments of the present invention.
[0056] The casing 44 of the cutting head assembly 14 includes rail openings
60, allowing
the passage of the cross rails 76 through the casing 44. Cross rail bearing
housings (not shown)
are disposed within and secured to the casing 44. The cross rail bearing
housings include rail
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bearings that slidably engage the cross rails 76 to facilitate movement of the
cutting head
assembly 14 along the cross rails 76.
[0057] A rail bearing 66 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention is
illustrated in FIG. 13. However, it should be understood that other types of
rail bearings may be
used within the scope of embodiments of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 13, four
wheels or roller bearings 68 secured on axle pins 70 are disposed at 90-degree
intervals about a
rail opening 72 formed in a bearing housing 74. Slots 75 are formed in the
bearing housing 74
and receive the axle pins 70. The roller bearings 68 may be constructed of
plastic or other
suitable material, while the pins 70 may be constructed of metal or other
suitable material.
[0058] A cutting head assembly lock 62 is provided for locking the cutting
head
assembly 14 in position along the cross rails 76. Additionally, a laser 64 is
provided on the
cutting head assembly 14 for aligning the cutting head assembly 14 for cutting
tiles. The laser 64
projects a bright line 65 down into the tub 12 and onto the upper surface of
the mat 26. The
projected line is in alignment with the plane of the blade 46, thereby showing
the location of the
cutting path or a cut to be performed on a tile. Further, a scale or measuring
device (not shown)
may be provided on the end wall 22 of the tub. The scale may be intersected by
the line
projected by the laser to allow for accurate measuring of the cutting width on
a tile without
having to measure the tile directly with a separate measuring device or mark
directly on the tile.
[0059] Each of the cross rails 76 include first and second distal ends 78, 80
that are
coupled to side rail bearing housings 82 of the side rail system 18. Any
suitable attachment
method may be used for coupling the first and second ends 78, 80 of the cross
rails 76 to the side
rail bearing housings 82, such as bolts, pins, rivets, and the like. The side
rail system 18 includes
a pair of side rails 84 that extend along the sides of the tub 12 and
temlinate at first and second
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distal ends 86, 88, which are secured to end blocks 90. The end blocks 90
represent the four
corner posts of a base 91 that supports the rail systems 16, 18. The base 91
preferably includes
the four end blocks 90 connected together by the side rails 84 and front and
back cross rails 93.
The tub 12 is preferably sized to fit within the base 91 and is removable
therefrom for ease in
emptying and carrying. The side rails 84 allow front to back movement of the
cross rail system
16 and cutting head assembly 14 along the length of the tub 12 to facilitate
cutting tiles placed
within the tub 12. While rail systems 16, 18 have been disclosed as being
separate from the tub
and supported on the end blocks 90, it should be noted that it is within the
scope of the present
invention for the base 91 to be connected to the tub 12 (as in FIGS. 19-22).
Similarly, it is
within the scope of the present invention to eliminate the need for the corner
posts 90 and the
base 91 by mounting the side rail system 18 directly to sidewalls of the tub
12 (also as in FIGS.
19-22). Further still, it is within the scope of the present invention to, in
an economy versions of
the present invention, to completely eliminate the side rails and simply have
the cross rail system
16 slide along the upper edge of the opposite sidewalls. In this arrangement,
the right and left
sidewalls would form tracts along which the cross rail system 16 would move.
[0060] The side rail bearing housings 82 include rail bearings for slidably
engaging the
side rails 84 and facilitating movement of the cross rail system 16 and the
cutting head assembly
14 along the side rails 84. In one embodiment, rail bearings 66, such as that
shown in FIG. 13
and discussed above, are employed. However, it should be understood that other
types of rail
bearings may be used within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.
[0061] In some embodiments, such as that shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the side
rail
bearing housings 82 may include separate upper and lower side rail bearing
housings 92, 94. As
such, the upper side rail bearing housing 92 may be removed from the lower
side rail bearing
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housing 94 to facilitate removal of the cutting head assembly 14 and allow
easier storage,
cleaning, maintenance, and blade changing, for instance. Additionally,
separate upper and lower
side rail bearing housings 92, 94 may allow for adjustment of the height of
the cutting head
assembly 14. For instance, as shown in FIG. 15, in one embodiment, the lower
side rail bearing
housing 94 includes pegs 96 that may be received within openings 98 in the
upper side rail
bearing housing 92. Additionally, a height adjustment screw 100 is provided in
the upper side
rail bearing housing 92. As a user turns the height adjustment screw 100, the
upper side rail
bearing housing 92 moves up or down along the height adjustment screw 100 and
is guided by
the pegs 96. While a default cutting depth where the lowermost portion of the
blade 46 during
operation is slightly below a plane that includes the upper most tip of the
nubs 28, such that the
blade would just cut all the way through a tile placed on top of the nubs 28
of the mat 26 and still
come into contact with the water, providing a height adjustment feature
permits the user to
accommodate for blades of varying diameter (though wear or initial size
difference), wear in the
mat 26 (as nubs are worn down), tiles set in various recessed areas (e.g.,
102, 104), and cuts that
are not intended to severe the tile into two pieces (e.g., dado and rabbit
cuts).
[0062] While FIGS. 14 and 15 show an embodiment where height adjustment is
provided
by moving the cross rail system 16 vertically toward and away from the side
rail system 18, it is
within the scope of the present invention for the vertical relationship
between the rail systems 16,
18 to be fixed and the height adjustment feature be provided in casing 44. In
this embodiment,
the motor, and in turn the cutting blade 46 is moved up and down inside the
casing 44 by way of
a height adjustment mechanism. Similarly, the height adjustment screw 100
becomes a locking
mechanism similar to the cutting head assembly lock 62 for locking the cross
rail system 16 in
position along the side rail system. This is accomplished by providing a bore
through the lower
CA 02620698 2008-02-08
side rail bearing housing 94 such that the tip of the height adjustment screw
100 can come in
contact with the side rail 84. By providing the bore through the lower side
rail bearing housing
94 with threads, the upper and lower side rail bearing housings 92, 94 may be
secured together.
[0063] In addition to providing the height adjustment mechanism in cooperation
with the
casing 44 of the cutting head assembly 14, the present invention also
contemplates an
embodiment where the cutting head assembly 14 includes a casing 44 that
selectively and
releasably holds a stand alone cutting tool (e.g., an angle grinder) therein.
In this embodiment,
the stand alone cutting tool replaces the motor 48 and the cutting blade 46 as
it provides its own
self contained motor and cutting blade. When the user desires to use the stand
alone cutting tool
separately from the tile cutting machine 10, such as to grind a tile already
in place, the user
simply uncouples the cutting tool from the casing 44 and removes it from the
same. Once the
user is done, the user positions the stand alone cutting tool back into the
casing 44 and securely
couples it back with the casing for use as part of the tile cutting machine
10. The height
adjustment mechanism in the casing 44 permits the user to use a number of
different stand alone
tools in connection with the casing 44 and simply adjust the cutting height of
each tool to the
desired cutting depth.
[0064] In yet another embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20, the cutting
head
assembly 14' perniits rotation of the cutting blade 46 from the vertical
orientation illustrated in
FIG. 19 to the tilted or angled orientation illustrated in FIG. 20 to allow
the tile cutting machine
to make bevel cuts in tiles. A height adjustment mechanism in cutting head
assembly 14'
allows for the tilted blade 46 to be lowered such that the bevel cut goes all
the way through the
tile being cut. The height adjustment mechanism in the cutting head assembly
14' also allows for
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
the blade 46 to be raised and lowered while in a vertical orientation, as
illustrated in FIGS. 21
and 22, respectively, to permit the operator to make a plunge cut in a tile.
[0065] FIGS. 19-22 also illustrate one possible version of the above-discussed
alternate
embodiment were the cutting head assembly 14 is modified such that a stand
alone cutting tool
106 replaces the motor 48 and the casing 44 as it provides its own self
contained motor in its
own housing 108. Here, a pair of cross rail bearing housings 110 are supported
on the cross rails
76 and are selectively coupled to the housing 108 of the stand alone cutting
tool 106. The stand
alone cutting tool 106 is selectively uncoupleable from the cross rail bearing
housings 110 to
permit it to be used as a hand held power tool.
[0066] FIGS. 23-32 illustrate a third embodiment of a tile cutting machine in
accordance
with the present invention. The tub 12", which may be molded from a hard
plastic resin or
fiberglass, is preferably formed as a single unit. The tub 12" has feet 112 so
that the tub 12" may
be placed on an uneven surface. Posts 114 are formed in the tub 12" at its
corners for supporting
ends 86, 88 of the side rails 84. Caps 116, having a bolt 118 passing
therethrough, may be used
to secure the side rails 84 to the posts 114. The back right cap 116 has been
removed to provide
greater detail of the arrangement. The caps 116 and bolts 118 allow the side
rails 84 to be
uncoupled from the tub 12".
[0067] Received on the side rails 84 are side rail bearing housings 82". As
illustrated in
FIG. 25, the side rail bearing housings 82" include both forward and rearward
bearing portions
120 that include roller bearings 68. The axle pins 70 of the roller bearings
68 are maintained in
their respective slots 75 by bearing plates 122 which may be secured onto the
ends of the side
rail bearing housings 82" by screws 124.
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
[0068] The side rail bearing housings 82", as illustrated in FIG. 26, include
a generally
planar upper portion 126. Extending upwardly from the upper portion 126 are a
pair of
alignment posts 128 and a hook 130. The alignment posts 128 and the hooks 130
are received in
end caps 132 of the cross rail system 16". The end caps 132 receive the distal
ends 78, 80 of the
cross rails 76. The end caps 132 include openings 133 in their bottom surface
for receiving the
alignment posts 128 and the hooks 130. The end caps 132 include a latch 134
which cooperates
with the hook 130 to selectively couple and uncouple the cross rail system 16"
with the side rail
system 18". The latch 134 of the end caps 132 is biased to a latching position
by a spring 136
positioned within the end caps 132, as illustrated in FIG. 28.
[0069] To uncouple the cross rail assembly 16" from the side rail assembly
18", as
illustrated FIG. 26, a user grabs the two end caps 132 with their hands,
pushes down on the
latches 134 with their thumbs while their fingers are underneath handle
portions 138 of the end
caps 132. This moves the latches 134 out of cooperation with the hooks 130,
thereby permitting
the user to lift the cross rail system 16" upwardly. The tub 12" can now be
flipped over or
sprayed out without fear of getting the cutting head assembly 14" wet and/or
the blade 46 can be
readily accessed for changing. To recouple the cross rail system 16" with the
side rail system
18", the user simply places the end caps 132 over the side rail bearing
housings 82" such that the
alignment posts 128 align with the openings 133 in the bottom of the end caps
132 and lowers
the cross rail system 16" back down onto the side rail system 18" until the
latches 134 catch on
the hooks 130.
[0070] The end cap 132 on the left side of the tile cutting machine 10"
includes a cord
housing 140 through which electrical wires (not pictured) pass to power the
motor 48 of the
cutting head assembly 14". A power cord 142 leads from the cord housing 140
and terminates in
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
a plug (not shown) which may be plugged into a power outlet to power the motor
48. The
electrical wires leading from the cord housing 140 to the cutting head
assembly 14" are
preferably enclosed in a cord tube 144. The cord tube 144 keeps the electrical
wires from
becoming pinched during operation and from coming into contact with the water
contained in the
tub 12" or that may be splashed out of the tub 12" during operation. While the
motor 48 of the
cutting head assembly 14" has been discussed and illustrated as one that gets
power via a cord
plugged into a power outlet (e.g., a standard 110V AC grounded outlet), a
cordless version,
where the motor is powered by a rechargeable battery pack (e.g., 18V or 24V
DC), is within the
scope of the present invention.
[0071] The fence 32" in this embodiment, has been significantly altered. The
fence 32"
still includes a pair of downward projections 34 which are receivable in holes
36 in the holding
mat 26. However, the fence 32" has a cutout portion 146 in the middle thereof
for receiving a
corner of a tile 31 to be cut as described in more detail below. The cutout
portion includes
vertical walls 148 which are preferably at a 90 angle with respect to one
another. The vertical
walls 148 are joined by a recessed bridge 150. The fence 32" also has a lower
mat engaging
surface 152 and a side tile engaging face 154. To accommodate the recessed
bridge 150 of the
fence 32", the holding mat 26 is also provided with a recess 156, preferably
in the shape of an
isosceles trapezoid, intermediate two holes 36. The projections 34 and the
holes 36 are
preferably tapered to provide for a friction fit therebetween.
[0072] In use, the user may place the fence 32" along a left or right edge of
the holding
mat 26 or along a front edge of the holding mat 26, as illustrated in FIGs.
23, 24 and 26. A
straight edge of a tile 31 may then be butted up against the side tile
engaging face 154 of the
fence 32" to perform a cut which would be perpendicular to the straight edge
of the tile 31
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
abutting the fence 32", if the fence 32" is positioned along the forward edge
as illustrated.
Alternately, the user may place a corner of the tile 31 in the cutout portion
146 in the manner
illustrated to make a cut that is at a 45 angle to the edges of the tile
placed in the cutout portion
146. The recessed bridge 150 is positioned in the recess 156 and into the
holding mat 26,
thereby permitting the blade 46 to pass there over during the cutting process
without cutting the
fence 32". A fence storage area 158 can be molded into the tub 12" by
providing
correspondingly shaped holes and a recess therein. In the illustrated
embodiment, the fence
storage area 158 has been molded into an upper lip 160 of the back or end
wal122' of the tub 12".
The lower mat engaging surface 152 rests on the tops of the nubs 28, just like
a tile 31.
[0073] Instead of using the fence 32", or in combination with using the fence
32", the
user may employ a tile hold down 162 of the type illustrated in FIG. 30. The
tile hold down 162
has a downwardly depending post 164 of similar size and shape to the
projections 34 on the
fence 32". The tile hold down 162 also includes a body 166, of which a portion
of a lower
surface thereof engages an upper surface of a tile 31 during use. A flange 168
may be provided
on an upper surface of the body 166 to permit the user to easily withdraw the
tile hold down 162
from receipt in one of the holes 36 in the holding mat 26. The tile hold downs
162 may be
positioned in corresponding holes 170 formed in the upper lip 160 of tub 12"
for storage. The
tile hold downs 162 can be used to assist with a "hands free" operation of the
tile cutting
machine 10 where the user does not have to hold the tile 31 down with a hand
during the cutting
process. A tool storage area 172 can also be formed in the tub 12". As
illustrated in FIG. 24, the
upper lip 160 of the back end wall 22 of the tub 12" includes a place for
storing a wrench 174,
which can be used for changing the blade 46, and an Allen wrench 176, for
tightening various
screws.
CA 02620698 2008-02-08
[0074] Another difference in this embodiment include the presence of a button
or switch
178 on the cutting head assembly 14" for selectively activating the laser 64
and/or a light, such
as an LED 180. The laser 64 and LED 180 may be powered by a battery (not
shown) housed
within the casing 44' of the cutting head assembly 14".
[0075] In this embodiment, an alternate cutting head assembly lock 62' is also
provided.
In a previous embodiment, such as that illustrated in FIG. 1, the cutting head
assembly lock 62
took the form of a bolt having a user engageable knob thereon. To lock the
position of the
cutting head assembly 14 along the cross rails 76, the user would simply turn
the knob and
thereby tighten the bolt until its end engaged the cross rail 76. In this
alternate embodiment, the
cutting head assembly lock 62', as best illustrated in FIGs. 31 and 32,
includes a user engageable
lever portion 182. With the lever portion 182 pointed to the left, the cutting
head assembly 14" is
free to slide back and forth from side to side along the cross rails 76. A
simple turn of the lever
portion 182 to the right causes a U-shaped clamp 192 positioned within the
casing 44' to tighten
around the front cross rai176, thereby preventing lateral movement of the
cutting head assembly
14". By tightening the clamp around the cross rail 76, as opposed to having a
bolt directly
engage the cross rail as in the previous embodiment, marring of the cross rail
76 by the cutting
head assembly lock 62' can be avoided.
[0076] The U-shaped clamp 192 includes an upper section 194 and a lower
section 196
that are pivotally connected by a pin 198. Both the upper and lower sections
194, 196 include a
pad 200 for engaging the cross rail 76. A bolt 202 is positioned through the
distal ends of the
clamp sections 194, 196 and a nut 204 is received thereon. A spring 206 is
received on the bolt
202 and is positioned intermediate the distal ends of the clamp sections 194,
196 to bias the U-
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
shaped clamp 192 to an open position. Recesses 208 in the upper and lower
sections 194, 196 of
the U-shaped clamp 192 receive the spring 206.
[0077] Coupled with the lever portion 182 is a body portion 210 that includes
a recess
212 for receiving the nut 204. A flange 214 on the body portion 210 is
received in a groove 216
in the casing 44' to couple the body portion 210 therewith. As a user rotates
the lever portion
182 clockwise, the body portion 210 rotates the nut 204 against the pressure
of the spring 206,
thereby moving the distal ends of the clamp sections 194, 196 together and
clamping the cross
rail 76 between the pads 200 which prevents lateral movement of the cutting
head assembly 14"
during use of the tile cutting machine 10. When lateral movement is desired,
the user simply
rotates the lever portion 182 counterclockwise, thereby loosening nut 204 and
allowing the
spring 206 to move the distal ends of the clamp sections 194, 196 away from
each other until the
pads 200 no longer provide sufficient clamping strength on the cross rai176.
[0078] In addition to providing the cutting head assembly lock 62' that
prevents lateral
movement of the cutting head assembly 14", the third embodiment has also been
provided with a
cross rail locking mechanism to prevent movement of the cross rail system 16"
along the side rail
system 18" during transportation of the tile cutting machine 10. To provide
the cross rail locking
mechanism, the rear bearing plate 122' of the left side rail bearing housing
82" has been provided
with a projection 218 that extends rearwardly therefrom and includes an eye
220 therethrough.
When transportation of the tile cutting machine 10 is desired, the user may
simply move the
cross rail system 16" all the way back to the rear of the tub 12". Before the
rear bearing plate
122' abuts the back left post 114, the projection 218 is received in a notch
222 in the back left
cap 116 whereby a pin 224 in the cap 116 may be pushed through the eye 220 of
the projection
218 to secure the cross rail system 16" at the back of the tub 12".
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CA 02620698 2008-02-08
[0079] Other modifications can be made to the tub. For example, the bottom 24
of the
tub 12" has been provided with a drain plug 184 to permit a user to drain
excess water and/or
sediment from the tub 12". Another modification in the third embodiment is the
inclusion of a
roll bar 186 mounted on the outside of the casing 44' of the cutting head
assembly 14". The roll
bar 186 protrudes outwardly from the casing 44' in various locations to
protect various elements,
such as the lever portion 182 of the cutting head assembly lock 62' and on/off
buttons 188, from
damage should the cutting head assembly 14" be dropped upside down. The casing
44" is
provided with a user engageable gripping portion 190 that the user may grab
with their hand to
pull the cutting assembly 14" from the back of the tub 12" towards the front
of the tub 12" during
a cutting operation. Further, in addition to bristle skirts 58 being
positioned around a bottom of
the cutting head assembly 14", a "mud flap" 191, consisting of a flexible
rubber piece, may be
mounted to extend down from the casing 44' directly behind the blade 46 to
keep water from
spraying out of the cutting area (i.e., the area enclosed by the bristle
skirts 58, around the blade
46, and under the casing 44) during use.
[0080] Turning back to the embodiment of the tile cutting machine illustrated
in FIG. 1,
in operation, a tile is placed on the raised nubs 28 with a pool of water
retained in the tub 12
underneath the tile. If the user chooses to use a fence 32 for aligning the
tile, the tile is placed
against the fence 32. The blade 46 on the cutting head assembly 14 is set at a
depth which
allows full penetration through the tile and into contact with the water to
provide lubrication,
cooling, and dust control. The cutting head assembly 14 is positioned for
cutting the tile to a
desired width by being moved laterally across the cross rails 76 and locked in
position using the
cutting head assembly lock 62. The laser 64 and scale may be used to
facilitate proper aligning
of the cutting head assembly 14 for cutting the tile. The user then moves the
cutting head
23
CA 02620698 2008-02-08
assembly 14 along the side rails 84 and the length of the tub 12, preferably
from the back to the
front via a pulling motion, to engage the tile and perform the cut. By having
water contained in
and sitting in the bottom of the tub 12, the tile cutting machine 10
eliminates the need for a pump
to spray water on the blade 46 during use. The blade 46 picks up water from
the tub during use
to cool the blade and lubricate the cut. A separate pump, however, may of
course be added to
and implemented with the present invention.
[0081] The present invention has been described in relation to particular
embodiments,
which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive.
Alternative
embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to
which the present
invention pertains without departing from its scope. Substitutions may be made
and equivalents
employed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited
in the claims. It
will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility
and may be employed
without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated
and within the
scope of the claims.
24
