Chip Catcher

Abstract

A safety guard and chip catcher to catch and retain dust, chips and debris resulting from a drilling operation, and having the form of a receptacle of flexible transparent material attached to the drill chuck and surrounding the drill bit and forming with the surface being drilled a sealed enclosure, the flexible walls of the receptacle being normally resiliently extended but gradually collapsing as the drilling operation proceeds and the bit penetrates deeper into the surface being drilled.

Description

This invention is a safety guard and chip catcher for drilling appliances and designed for attachment to the drill chuck of a drilling rig in a manner to form with the surface being drilled a sealed enclosure about the drill bit and thus catch and retain the dust, chips and debris resulting from the drilling operation, especially where the drilling rig is required to be used in an overhead or inverted position.

It is well known that workmen engaged in drilling operations of the character described are subject to serious injury, particularly about the head, face and eyes from falling or flying chips and debris resulting from such drilling operations. This is particularly true where high-speed drilling rigs are used in metal-drilling operations where the resulting chips are extremely hot and can therefore cause serious injury when coming in contact with a sensitive part of the workman's body.

With these facts in mind, the invention seeks to provide means in the form of an attachment for a drilling rig which will catch and retain all falling or flying debris resulting from a drilling operation while providing the operator a clear view of the drill bit and its position with respect to the surface to be drilled at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the character described, a receptacle of flexible transparent material generally frustoconical or funnellike in shape with means for attaching the smaller end thereof to the chuck of a drilling rig and with means at the larger end thereof to form a sealed engagement with the surface to be drilled.

A further object of the invention is to provide at the smaller end of the receptacle an antifriction bearing member having an outer race member secured to the receptacle and an inner race member fitted with a bushing dimensioned to fit upon the drill chuck of a drilling rig with which the device is to be used whereby the receptacle may be held against rotation by the engagement of the larger end of the receptacle with the surface being drilled while the drill bit rotates freely within the receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide the larger end portion of the receptacle with a resilient annular cushion of sealing material so as to conform to irregularities in the surface to be drilled and at the same time function as a brake to preclude any tendency of the receptacle to rotate while the drilling rig is in operation.

A further object of the invention is to maintain the walls of the flexible receptacle normally extended axially and laterally of the drill bit by a spiral coil spring enclosed within the receptacle and maintained therein under compression by engagement with the bearing member at the smaller end of the receptacle and with an inturned annular flange on the receptacle at the larger end thereof.

A further object of the invention is to form the flexible receptacle of molded, transparent polyethylene plastic and to provide the inner surface of the receptacle with an inwardly opening spiral groove dimensioned to receive and at least partially house the coil spring whereby to better control the collapsing action of the receptacle wall as a drill bit penetrates the surface being drilled.

A further object of the invention is to provide the smaller end portion of the frustoconical wall of the receptacle with a generally cylindrical portion dimensioned to receive with a snug fit the antifriction bearing member, said cylindrical portion terminating in a flange dimensioned and arranged to underlie and support the bearing member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of interchangeable chuck-engaging bushings each such chuck member having an outer diameter dimensioned to fit snugly within the inner rotatable race member of the antifriction bearing member but each bushing having a different inside diameter respectively dimensioned to snugly fit upon drill chuck members of different predetermined size.

Another object of the invention is to slightly stiffen one or both flanges provided at the opposite ends of the receptacle to a degree necessary to resist deformation thereof under the compressive force of the extension spring, the ends of which bear upon or are effective against said flanges.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described means for readily detaching or disassembling the bearing member and spiral spring member from the receptacle for purposes of replacement and repair of parts, or for collapsing the receptacle for purposes of storage or shipment.

These and other features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification when read in the light of the accompanying drawings wherein we have illustrated a preferred form of our invention and wherein

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a drilling rig having the invention attached thereto and showing it in position to operate upon a horizontal overhead surface,

FIG. 2 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 1, of the drilling rig showing the progressive collapse of the chip catcher as the drill bit penetrates the surface being drilled,

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the drilling rig in operation and positioned at an angle other than 90.degree. to the surface being drilled,

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the invention taken on a plane passing through the central axis thereof with the extension spring shown in full lines, and

FIG. 5 is a view showing the invention with the extension spring removed from the chip catcher and the latter collapsed as for repair or replacement of parts.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is illustrated, the safety guard and chip catcher comprises a generally frustoconically shaped or funnel-shaped receptacle indicated generally by the reference character 1. The receptacle is provided with aligned openings at opposite ends and is preferably made from flexible, molded transparent linear polyethylene or similar plastic material and is provided at the smaller end with an integrally formed cylindrical portion 2 dimensioned to snugly receive an antifriction bearing member indicated generally at 3. The bearing member 3 is of conventional construction and includes inner and outer relatively rotatable race members as shown and is preferably of a known type of permanently lubricated bearing provided with dust shields 4 and 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, the material of the chip catcher at the smaller end thereof is formed with an integral inturned annular flange 6 which underlies and supports the bearing member 3. The flange 6 is preferably stiffened somewhat by ways and means well known to the workers in the plastic art for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Between the frustoconical portion of the receptacle 1 and the cylindrical portion 2 thereof, a slight annular constriction 16 may be provided which is slightly smaller in diameter than the bearing member 3, but the flexibility and inherent elastic memory of the plastic material of the receptacle will permit the bearing member 3 to be forced through said restriction into the cylindrical portion 2 without damage to the plastic and the resiliency of the plastic will retain the bearing in place as shown. The constriction 16 is disposed with respect to the flange 6 so as to insure proper seating of the bearing on said flange.

At the larger or upper end of the chip catcher the opening is surrounded by an integral inturned annular flange 7 which provides support for an annular sealing ring 8 made of resilient elastomeric material such as sponge rubber which functions to provide a sealing engagement with the surface to be drilled and to brake any tendency of the receptacle to rotate during drilling. The sealing ring 8 is preferably secured to the upper surface of the flange 7 by any suitable plastic or adhesive compound not shown. The flange 7 may be suitably stiffened in a manner suggested in respect to the flange 6 at the smaller or lower end of the chip catcher.

As previously mentioned, the material from which the chip catcher is made is preferably a flexible, transparent plastic material such as linear polyethylene which is molded into the form shown by known means forming no part of the present invention. In order to maintain the body of the chip catcher extended both longitudinally and laterally a spiral coil spring 9 is mounted within the body of the chip catcher and the opposite terminal portions of said spring include planar end portions which engage respectively the upper flange 7 and the upper surface of the bearing seal member 5 as clearly shown in FIG. 4. The spring 9 is mounted within the body of the chip catcher under sufficient compression to maintain the wall or body portion of the chip catcher extended and reasonably taut as shown. The spring 9 is dimensioned transversely to engage the inner wall portion of the chip catcher to maintain the same laterally extended. To insure proper contact between the spring and the side wall portions of the chip catcher, the latter may be formed during manufacture with an inwardly open spiral groove dimensioned to receive and at least partially house the convolutions of the spiral spring. This is of importance in maintaining proper orientation of the spring during the collapse of the wall of the chip catcher as the drill bit penetrates the surface being drilled as clearly shown in FIG. 2. Also, it is now apparent that the stiffening of the upper and lower flanges 7 and 6 serves to enable the flanges the better to resist the compressive force imposed thereon by the spring 9 as the drilling operation proceeds.

The smaller or lower end portion of the chip catcher is dimensioned for attachment to the drill chuck on a drilling rig with which the chip catcher is to be used and to this end the inner diameter of the bearing 3 is dimensioned to receive with a snug fit a bushing 13 made of plastic or similar suitable material and provided with an annular flange 14 which underlies the undersurface of the bearing member 3 as shown. The inner diameter of the bushing 13 is dimensioned to fit snugly upon the drill chuck 15 of a drilling rig on which the chip catcher is to be used. In order to accommodate the different sizes of drill chucks encountered in drilling rigs of different manufacturers, several interchangeable bushings are provided all of which have a uniform outer diameter to fit snugly within the bearing 3, but all of which have different predetermined inside diameters corresponding respectively to the different sizes of chucks met within the trade. Thus, the several bushings 13 adapt the chip catcher for substantial universal use with conventional and known drilling rigs having key-operated chucks of the character shown.

The body of the chip catcher is longitudinally dimensioned so that when in normally extended position it is at least as long as that portion of the drill bit which extends beyond the chuck so that as shown in FIG. 1 the chip catcher and surface to be drilled completely envelop the bit when the drilling operation starts.

The opposite ends of the spring member 9 are arranged to seat freely upon the flange 7 and the dust shield 5 of the bearing 3 and is thus free to be removed from the body portion of the receptacle by laterally or radially collapsing the upper terminal convolution of the spring sufficiently to draw the spring through the upper open end of the body portion of the chip catcher and thus disassemble the associated parts for replacement or repair of the parts, and for collapse of the body portion of the chip catcher for storage or shipment as shown in FIG. 5.

In use the chip catcher as shown more particularly in FIG. 4 is fitted with a bushing 13 dimensioned to fit the chuck 15 of a drilling rig with which it is to be used, and in a manner to form a driving fit therewith. If the hole to be drilled is perpendicular to an overhead horizontal surface, the drilling rig with the chip catcher attached thereto is held in a position shown in FIG. 1 with the axis of the drilling rig substantially perpendicular to said surface and with the point of the drill positioned on the point which marks the center of the hole to be drilled. It will be understood that the drill point is clearly visible through the transparent wall portion of the chip catcher so that this operation may be readily accomplished.

The drilling rig is then energized and as the drill penetrates the surface as shown in FIG. 2, the wall of the chip catcher gradually collapses accompanied by a longitudinal yielding of the spring 9 while all dust, chips and debris falling or being thrown from the hole being drilled are caught and retained within the chip catcher.

It is apparent that due to the flexibility of the walls of the chip catcher and the yieldability of the spring 9, the invention may be effectively used in instances where it is required to drill a hole at an angle other than 90.degree. to the surface to be drilled. This operation is shown in FIG. 3 from which it is clear that the sealing engagement between the chip catcher and said surface is maintained in spite of the angle of the drill bit with respect to said surface.

It is important to note that the funnel-shaped or frustoconical form of the receptacle has the advantage of permitting holes to be bored at a wide variety of angles to the surface to be drilled without interference between the drill bit and the upper annular end of the receptacle which is engaged with the surface to be drilled and without destroying the seal connection between said surface and the receptacle.

While reference has been made herein to "overhead or inverted drilling operations" it is, of course, apparent that the chip catcher of the present invention is of general utility in respect of drilling operations on any surface which is disposed in a position to cause chips and debris from the drilling operation to fall or to be thrown from the hole being drilled as the drilling operation proceeds.

Also, while the drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a portable electric drilling rig it is of course not limited to drilling rigs of this type but is equally adaptable for use with any type of power or manual drilling rig equipped with a conventional key-operated drill chuck such as employed on portable drilling rigs of the type shown in the drawings.

Claims

Having thus described the invention and the manner in which it is used, we now set forth more particularly the novel features of our invention and what we claim as new is:

1. A safety guard and chip collector for drilling appliances comprising a collapsible receptacle of flexible plastic material generally frustoconical in shape and open at opposite ends, means at the smaller end thereof for detachably connecting the same to a drill chuck of a drilling rig with which the safety guard is to be used, means at the larger end of the guard disposed for frictional engagement with a surface to be drilled, the attachment means at the smaller end including an antifriction bearing member having inner and outer relatively rotatable race members, means securing the smaller end of the safety guard to the outer of said race members, a removable bushing drivingly fitted within the inner of said race members, said bushing having an inner diameter dimensioned to fit snugly upon a drill chuck of a drilling rig with which the safety guard is to be used, and resilient means for normally maintaining the frustoconical receptacle extended.

2. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein said frustoconical receptacle is provided at the larger end thereof with an annular resilient sealing gasket member secured to the outer surface thereof in concentric relation to the drilling axis and disposed thereon so as to form a sealing engagement with the surface to be drilled.

3. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein said receptacle is provided at its larger end with an inturned annular flange and said resilient means for normally maintaining said flexible receptacle extended comprises a conical coil spring member positioned within said receptacle, said spring member having terminal portions seated respectively upon said inturned flange and upon the outer race of said antifriction bearing member.

4. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 2 wherein said coil spring member is laterally dimensioned normally to engage inner side walls of said frustoconical receptacle to maintain said walls laterally extended.

5. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein the smaller end of said frustoconical receptacle is provided with a cylindrical end portion terminating in an inturned annular flange portion, said cylindrical portion being dimensioned to receive with a snug fit the antifriction bearing member which is seated on said flange.

6. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein said frustoconical receptacle member is made of molded plastic material having the properties of transparent linear polyethylene, and wherein said resilient means comprises a spiral coil compression spring and wherein the inner wall surface of said frustoconical receptacle is provided with an inwardly opening spiral groove dimensioned and arranged to receive and at least partially house the convolutions of said coil spring member.

7. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein the frustoconical flexible plastic receptacle is provided at its upper end portion with a stiffened inturned integral flange portion and wherein said resilient means comprises a spiral coil compression spring having an end portion seated upon an inner surface of said stiffened flange.

8. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 7 wherein said frictional engagement means is secured to an outer surface of said stiffened flange.

9. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 5 wherein said frustoconical flexible plastic receptacle is provided at its smaller end with an integral inturned stiffened flange, said antifriction bearing member being seated upon said integral stiffened flange.

10. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 1 wherein said resilient means and said bearing member are removably associated with the frustoconical receptacle whereby the resilient means may be removed from the flexible plastic receptacle and associated parts for replacement and repair.

11. The safety guard and chip collector described in claim 9 wherein an annular constriction is formed in the wall of the receptacle at the region of juncture between the frustoconical wall section and said cylindrical portion to removably confine the bearing member within said cylindrical portion, the constriction being disposed with respect to the flange to retain the bearing member properly seated thereon.