U.S. patent number 3,903,609 [Application Number 05/475,492] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-09 for adjusting device for lumber planer.
Invention is credited to Fred E. Brown.
United States Patent |
3,903,609 |
Brown |
September 9, 1975 |
Adjusting device for lumber planer
Abstract
An adjusting device for setting knives on wood heads. A housing
with arcuate shaped legs rests on the planer drum and a movable
electrical contact member mounted on the housing is set to a
preselected distance from the surface of the planer drum
corresponding to the desired height of the knives. A battery
powered light is mounted on the housing and is electrically
connected to the contact member and is energized when the blade is
moved into contact with the contact member thereby visually
indicating the proper height of the cutting blade.
Inventors: |
Brown; Fred E. (Castro Valley,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
23887808 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/475,492 |
Filed: |
June 3, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
33/635; 340/678;
33/836; 340/680 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23Q
16/00 (20130101); B23Q 17/2225 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23Q
16/00 (20060101); B23Q 17/22 (20060101); B27G
023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;33/185R,169B,172E,143L,166 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Martin, Jr.; William D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cypher; James R.
Claims
I claim:
1. An adjusting device for a lumber planer comprising:
a. a non-electrical conducting housing formed with indent means in
the area of the point of said contact member and having a pair of
depending legs the ends of which are formed in an arcuate shape
adapted for resting upon the surface of a planer drum in a stable
stance;
b. a contact member movable in infinite increments from a position
in physical and electrical contact with a knife blade mounted on
the planer drum to a position out of contact with said knife
blade;
c. a light-emitting device mounted on said housing;
d. power means including a dry cell battery for energizing said
light-emitting device;
e. ground means mounted for reciprocal movement within one of said
housing legs and electrically connecting said drum and said
energizing means;
f. an electrical circuit connecting said contact means and said
power means;
g. spring means biasing said ground means into contact with said
drum; and
h. said contact member being threadably engaged by mating threads
in an opening in said housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for setting and adjusting the
knives on wood planer heads. The wood planer referred to is a
motor-driven machine which planes the edges of wood lumber. Such
machines have a drum which is rotated by an electric motor. The
drum carries four or more knives which are mounted on the
periphery. The knives must be carefully set to an exact radial
distance from the axis of rotation of the drum in order to make
even contact with the lumber which is being planed.
Present methods of setting the blades are strictly mechanical and
require more complicated and expensive tools. Such present methods
are most laborious and time consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The gist of the present invention is the use of a light-emitting
device and portable energizing means to energize the light emitter
when physical contact is made between the blade to be adjusted and
the adjusting contact point of the invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device which is
relatively inexpensive, extremely accurate, easy to use, and will
save considerable time over present methods in adjusting the
cutting blades on lumber planers.
Another object is to provide a device as described which can be
used to adjust the blades on lumber planers without removing the
chip breakers on the planer.
Still another object is to provide a device which is lightweight,
rugged, and portable.
A further object is to provide a device which can be used by lumber
mills and carpentry shops.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of the device set in place on a lumber
planer.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the device of the present
invention with portions cut away for purposes of showing the
construction of the device.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the device taken generally along line
5--5 of FIG. 2.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
The adjusting device of the present invention consists briefly of a
housing 2 having legs 3 and 4 adapted for touching contact with a
planar drum 6, an electrical contact member 7 threadably mounted in
the housing and adapted for physical and electrical contact with
the cutting edge 8 of a knife blade 9, a light emitting bulb 11,
energizing means such as a battery 12, a circuit electrically
connecting the member 7 with the battery 12, and a contact member
13 biased toward the drum by a spring 14.
The adjusting device is primarily for use in adjusting the blades
of a lumber planer to a precise distance from the axis of rotation
16 of drum 6.
A typical planer, as shown in FIG. 1, includes feed rollers 17 and
18 which turn in the direction of arrows 19 and 20 and engage and
move a board 21 in the direction of arrow 22. Mounted on the
periphery of the drum are a plurality of blades 9, 9a, 9b, and 9c.
Each of these blades is set in a socket and can be moved in the
direction shown by double arrows 23, 23a, 23b, and 23c. Suitable
clamp means is provided in the planar drum to permit adjustment of
the blades and for holding the blades securely during operation of
the machine. As a safety device, lumber planers have chip breakers
24 and 25 mounted in spaced relation near the upper periphery of
the drum. The chippers disintegrate any large chips dislodged from
the surface of the board by the knives and which are thrown at high
speed against the chippers.
In order for a lumber planer to work properly, the edges 8 of all
of the knife blades must be set to the same distance from the
access of rotation of the drum 6. The knife edges must be properly
set when new or re-sharpened blades are inserted and they should be
periodically checked and adjusted.
The standard adjustment tools all operate on a mechanical principle
and either rest on shoulders of the machine, such as surfaces 27
and 28 or they rest on the drum. Previous devices, however, were so
large that they required removal of the chip breakers 24 and 25
which further increased the time to check and adjust the knife
blades.
Referring to FIG. 2, the member 7 is formed with a sharp point 29
which moves axially of opening 31 formed in the housing. The
housing is formed with an indentation 32 so that a knife blade can
protrude into the opening for contact with the point of the member.
The ends of the legs of the housing are formed with smooth arcuate
surfaces 33 and 34 having about the same radius as the planer drum
so that the housing can rest solidly thereon. A slot 36 is formed
in the upper end 37 of the contact member so that an ordinary screw
driver can be used to rotate the member and move the point into and
out of contact with the edge of the knife blade. A locking nut 38
is threadably mounted on the member 7 for engagement with the top
surface 39 of the housing for holding the member 7 when the
selected adjustment height is decided upon.
The housing is constructed of a non-electrical conducting material
such as acrylic plastic or other hard lightweight material.
Preferably, the housing is formed with an opening 41 for receiving
a battery therein. A bulb holder 42 is connected to the housing as
by a threaded end 43 which mates with a threaded opening 44. A nut
46 may be provided for easy insertion and removal. A spring contact
member 47 electrically connects a light bulb 11 with battery
terminal 48. Spring 14 is compression biased by enlarged head 49 on
member 13 and urges the contact point 51 against the surface of
drum 6.
The electrical circuit connecting the adjustment member 7 with the
battery may consist of a slide shoe 52 which is a conducting metal
and presses against the metal member 7. A spring metal member 53
connected to the housing by screw 54 holds the shoe. A wire 56
connects the slide shoe to the bulb holder which is electrically
connected to the battery.
To adjust the knife blades, an operator should set the first knife
in a temporary stance with the heel 57 of the bevel showing no more
than 1/16 inch. Next, the contact member 7 should be screwed down
to a position with the point 29 contacting the knife edge 8. The
member should then be firmly locked in position by turning lock nut
38 into engagement with the top surface 39. All of the other knife
blades 9a, 9b, and 9c should then be brought up to that point where
the knife blade touches point 29 and the light bulb flashes on. If
the operator is doubtful whether the adjustment is correct, he may
drop the knife down no more than 0.001 of an inch and the light
will go out. By raising it again, ever so gently, the light will go
on again.
Using the device of the present invention, an operator should be
able to adjust the knives in about 20 minutes. Using the prior
equipment, the job generally took about two man-hours. Much of the
time was spent removing the chip breakers and mounting them back in
place. Using the device of the present invention, there is no need
to remove the chip breakers.
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