Manually actuated ceramic cutting machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a manually actuated ceramic cutting machine, comprising a table (1) mounted on a support structure (5), and a tool carrier head (2) which can be moved along a longitudinal guide comprising a single longitudinal guide rail (3) arranged on one side of the tool carrier head (2) and which has a cutting tool (21) and an actuation handle (22), the guide rail (3) is laterally offset from a vertical plane coinciding with a longitudinal trajectory when the cutting tool (21) scribes on the ceramic piece, the guide rail (3) being arranged by its ends on both sides of a support (51) attached to opposite ends of the support structure (5), the longitudinal guide rail (3) comprising longitudinal rails (31, 32) for moving the slide (4), the slide has a horizontal shaft (41) for rotating the tool carrier head (2) in a vertical plane.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of manually actuated machinery, in particular to a manually actuated ceramic cutting machine, which is used for marking a cutting line on a ceramic piece and breaking the ceramic piece along the cutting line. Background Art

[0002] Currently, manual ceramic cutting machines are widely known on the market, comprising: a workbench suitable for positioning the ceramic piece to be cut, and a tool-carrying head with a cutting tool, which is manually actuated by a handle and can be moved longitudinally along a guide device to draw a cutting line on the ceramic piece using the cutting tool.

[0003] Manual ceramic cutters are basically of two types with respect to the guide means of the tool-carrying head, namely cutters with two parallel rails between which the tool-carrying head can be moved, and cutters with a single central rail, between which the tool-carrying head can be moved longitudinally. The latter type of cutter is most closely related to the cutter that is the subject of the present invention.

[0004] Several examples of manual ceramic cutting machines having a single guide rail for moving the tool carrying head (also called single guide rail cutting machines) are described in utility models ES1067012U, ES1062584U and ES1069449U from the same applicant as the present invention.

[0005] As discussed below, these single rail cutters suffer from several drawbacks.

[0006] The first drawback is that their cutting tools are small and inserted in the lower part of the tool-carrying head, so that, compared with two-rail cutting machines, they have very little play and are essentially fixed elements without movement. This is because the space between the mounting area of ​​the cutting tool on the tool-carrying head and the ceramic to be cut is very small, and therefore the vertical movement of the cutting head is also very small.

[0007] Another drawback of these single rail cutting machines is that it is difficult for the operator to view the cutting area because the cutting tool is hidden beneath the tool carrying head and is aligned vertically with the rail that moves the head.

[0008] Another disadvantage is that the cutting force that can be applied is very limited.

[0009] When the tool carrying head is moved along the longitudinal guide by friction (i.e., without any elements providing smooth movement), the tool carrying head exhibits abrupt and intermittent movements, resulting in irregular scoring of the cut line on the ceramic piece, and subsequent irregular cutting or breaking of the ceramic piece along the cut line.

[0010] The technical problem to be solved is: developing a single-guide manual ceramic cutting machine, which is convenient for operators to use and improves the quality of the cutting obtained. Summary of the invention

[0011] The manually actuated ceramic cutting machine of the present invention has the following technical features: it improves the operator's field of vision of the cutting area, provides smooth and straight movement of the head, and ensures that the cutting line is correctly drawn on the ceramic piece.

[0012] The cutting machine is of the type described in the preamble of the main claim and comprises: a workbench mounted on a support structure, a tool-carrying head movable along a longitudinal guide, the tool-carrying head comprising a cutting tool for marking a breaking line on a ceramic piece, an actuating handle and a clamp for breaking the ceramic piece along a cutting line previously marked on the ceramic piece by the cutting tool.

[0013] According to the invention, the longitudinal guide device of the tool-carrying head comprises a single longitudinal guide rail arranged on one side of the tool-carrying head, the guide rail being laterally offset from a vertical plane coinciding with the longitudinal trajectory of the cutting tool when marking the ceramic piece, and being arranged at its two ends on support members attached in turn to the opposite ends of the support structure.

[0014] The tool-carrying head is guided on a single longitudinal rail which moves transversely relative to the tool-carrying head, which, in addition to providing greater simplicity compared to manual ceramic cutters having two parallel rails, substantially improves the operator's view of the cutting area, since the rail does not constitute an obstruction to the viewing of the working area.

[0015] According to the invention, the aforementioned longitudinal guide comprises at least one track or rail for moving a slide, the side of which has a horizontal axis for rotating the tool carrier head in a vertical plane.

[0016] The horizontal axis, in addition to allowing the tool carrying head to rotate in the vertical plane to move the cutting tool closer to or farther away from the ceramic to be cut, also provides a lateral offset between the tool carrying head and the longitudinal guide rails and the trajectory of the cutting tool, thereby helping to prevent the longitudinal guide rails from interfering with the view of the cutting area.

[0017] According to the invention, a support structure is aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal mid-plane of the table and to the longitudinal trajectory of the cutting tool, said support structure comprising at least one longitudinal profile arranged below said table.

[0018] It is envisaged in the invention that the longitudinal guide may comprise a first longitudinal track and a second longitudinal track along which rolling elements move, the rolling elements being connected to the slide by respective rotation axes and limiting the movement possibilities of the slide to the longitudinal direction only.

[0019] These rolling elements, in addition to limiting the movement of the slide to the longitudinal direction, ensuring that the cutting tool makes a straight and precise cut line on the ceramic piece, also provide smooth movement of the tool carrying head relative to the single longitudinal guide rail to avoid jamming and irregular movement of the tool carrying head that often occurs in single guide rail cutting machines.

[0020] Another feature of the guide rail is that, in order to prevent dirt from accumulating on the longitudinal track of the guide rail (such accumulation may hinder the smooth and regular movement of the tool carrying head), a first track is defined on the side of the longitudinal guide rail facing the tool carrying head, and a second track is defined on the lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail. The arrangement of the tracks on the side and lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail makes it difficult for dust, dirt or particles from the building material to enter the tracks.

[0021] According to the present invention, the sliding member includes a vertical flange arranged between the longitudinal guide rail and the tool carrying head, and a horizontal flange arranged between the lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail and the workbench; therefore, the rotation axis of the rolling element moving along the first track of the longitudinal guide rail and the horizontal axis for vertically rotating the tool carrying head are mounted on the vertical flange of the sliding member, while the rotation axis of the rolling element moving along the second track of the longitudinal guide rail is mounted on the horizontal flange of the sliding member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] As a supplement to the description provided herein and in order to help make the features of the invention more easily understood, this specification is accompanied by a set of drawings which, by way of illustration and not limitation, show the following:

[0023] Figure 1 A perspective top view of an embodiment of a manually actuated ceramic cutting machine of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A perspective bottom view of the ceramic cutting machine in the previous figure is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The front view and top view of the ceramic cutting machine in the previous figure are respectively shown.

[0026] Figure 5 An enlarged perspective view of one end of a ceramic cutter is shown.

[0027] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional view of the cutting machine taken along a vertical plane is shown, showing the longitudinal guide rails cut away and the roller arrangement supporting the slide of the tool carrying head. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The manually-actuated ceramic cutting machine in the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings comprises: a workbench (1) for supporting the ceramic piece to be cut, one of the two ends of which is provided with an adjustable angle ruler (11).

[0029] Above the workbench (1), the cutting machine comprises: a tool-carrying head (2) having a cutting tool (21) for marking a cutting line on a ceramic piece, an actuating handle (22) of the tool-carrying head and a nipper (23) for breaking the ceramic piece along the cutting line previously marked by the cutting tool (21).

[0030] In order to move the tool-carrying head (2), the cutting machine comprises: a single longitudinal guide rail (3) arranged on one side of the tool-carrying head and moved to one side of the workbench (1), the tool-carrying head (2) being mounted on a slide (4), the slide (4) being movable along the longitudinal guide rail (3) by means of rolling elements.

[0031] like Figure 4 and Figure 6 The detail shown, the arrangement of the longitudinal guide (3) being moved to one of the two sides of the workbench (1), means that the longitudinal guide will not obstruct the operator's view of the cutting area.

[0032] The longitudinal guide rail (3) is mounted by its ends on one side of a support (51) attached to a support structure (5), which in this embodiment is formed by a single longitudinal profile located below the workbench (1) and vertically aligned with the tool-carrying head (2). The support structure (5) is provided with arms (52) on both sides for oscillating support of the two halves of the workbench (1), the arms (52) being arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal trajectory of the cutting tool (21).

[0033] One of the supports (51) attached to both ends of the support structure (5) has wheels (53) so that the ceramic cutting machine can be transported by holding the opposite end of the ceramic cutting machine.

[0034] like Figure 6 As shown, the longitudinal guide rail (3) includes a longitudinal first track (31) defined on the side of the longitudinal guide rail facing the tool carrying head (2) and a longitudinal second track (32) defined on the lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail (3).

[0035] At least three longitudinally movable rolling elements (42) are arranged in the first track (31), the rolling elements (42) are offset from each other in the longitudinal direction and act on the upper and lower opposite ends of the first track (31). The rolling elements (42) are attached to the sliding member (4) through corresponding rotation axes (44), thereby preventing them from moving in the vertical direction.

[0036] The second track (32) of the longitudinal guide is provided with at least two rolling elements (43) acting on opposite sides of said second track, which are attached to the slide (4) via respective rotation axes (45) so as to prevent it from moving in the transverse direction.

[0037] The tool-carrying head (2) is mounted on a horizontal axis (41) which originates transversely from the slide (4) and allows its vertical rotation to move the cutting tool (21) vertically towards or away from the ceramic piece to be cut.

[0038] exist Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the slide (4) has an L-shaped cross-section, which includes a vertical flange (46) on which a rolling element is mounted, a rotating shaft (44) on which a rolling element 42 is mounted, and a horizontal shaft (41) for rotating the tool carrying head (2); and a horizontal flange (47) on which a rotating shaft (45) of a rolling element (43) is mounted.

[0039] The rolling elements (42, 43) provide a smooth and exclusively longitudinal movement of the slide (4) and the tool-carrying head (2), thereby ensuring a high degree of definition of the cutting line of the ceramic part by the cutting tool.

[0040] The essence of the present invention having been fully described, except for the preferred exemplary embodiments, it is hereby stated that for relevant purposes, the materials, shapes, sizes and arrangements of the elements described may be modified without thereby implying a change in the essential characteristics of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A manually actuated ceramic cutting machine comprising a workbench (1) mounted on a support structure (5) and a tool-carrying head (2) movable along a longitudinal guide and having a cutting tool (21) and an actuating handle (22), characterized in that: The longitudinal guide device of the tool-carrying head (2) comprises a single longitudinal guide rail (3) arranged on one side of the tool-carrying head (2), the guide rail being laterally offset from a vertical plane coinciding with the longitudinal trajectory of the cutting tool (21) when marking a line on a ceramic piece, the guide rail (3) being arranged by its ends on both sides of a support member (51) attached to opposite ends of a support structure (5), the longitudinal guide rail (3) comprising at least one longitudinal track (31, 32) for moving a sliding member (4), the side surface of the sliding member having a horizontal axis (41) for rotating the tool-carrying head (2) in a vertical plane.

2. The ceramic cutting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support structure (5) is vertically aligned with the longitudinal midplane of the workbench (1) and the longitudinal trajectory of the cutting tool (21), and comprises at least one longitudinal profile arranged below the workbench (1).

3. The ceramic cutting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal guide rail (3) comprises a first longitudinal track (31) and a second longitudinal track (32), and rolling elements (42, 43) move along the first longitudinal track (31) and the second longitudinal track (32) and are connected to the sliding member (4) through respective rotation axes (44, 45), and limit the movement of the sliding member (4) to the longitudinal direction only.

4. The ceramic cutting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first track (31) is defined on the side of the longitudinal guide rail (3) facing the tool carrying head (2), and a second track (32) is defined on the lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail (3).

5. The cutting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The slide (4) comprises a vertical flange (46) arranged between the longitudinal guide rail (3) and the tool bearing head (2), and a horizontal flange (47) arranged between the lower surface of the longitudinal guide rail (3) and the workbench (1).

6. The cutting machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rotation axis (44) of the rolling element (42) moving along the first track (31) of the longitudinal guide rail (3) and the horizontal axis (41) for rotating the tool carrier head (2) are mounted on the vertical flange (46) of the slide (4).

7. The cutting machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rotation axis (45) of the rolling element (43) moving along the second track of the longitudinal guide is mounted on a horizontal flange (47) of the slide (4).

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