tile cutter

Abstract

Tile cutter with a frame (1) with a base plate (2) and a guide (3) arranged above the base plate (2), along which a carriage (4) carrying a cutting tool (5) can be displaced in order to create a notch on the surface of a tile lying on the base plate (2), wherein a stop (17) is located on the base plate (2) against which a front edge of the tile can be placed, and with a breaking jaw device (6) which is gear-coupled to the carriage (4) and which is lowered onto the surface of the tile (27) in the final phase of the displacement of the carriage (4) in order to break the tile along the notch, wherein the breaking jaw device (6) has two breaking jaws (7) which are fastened to the frame (1) so as to be movable essentially transversely to the direction of displacement of the carriage (4), the distance of which breaking jaws from the stop (17) being adjustable, wherein the breaking jaws (7) are pivotably mounted on the frame (1) attached lever arrangement (11, 12),characterized in that the lever arrangement (11, 12) is adjustable in length.,

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tile cutter comprising a frame with a base plate and a guide arranged above the base plate, along which a carriage carrying a cutting tool can be displaced in order to produce a notch on the surface of a tile lying on the base plate, and comprising a breaking jaw device which is gear-coupled to the carriage and which is lowered onto the surface of the tile in the final phase of the displacement of the carriage in order to break the tile along the notch.

[0002] GB 932 640 A and DE 1 235 792 B describe a tile cutter with a base plate and a guide arranged above the base plate, along which a carriage can be moved, carrying a cutting tool designed as a cutting wheel. By means of a linkage, the carriage is connected to a lever which is fixedly mounted on the frame and can pivot. When the lever is pivoted, the carriage slides along the guide. A notch is cut into a tile lying on the base plate. In the final phase of the lever pivoting, a breaking jaw device is lowered, which has a lever arrangement which is pivotally attached to the frame. At the end of the lever arrangement are two breaking jaws, each of which presses down on the surface of the tile from above on one side of the notch in order to break it along the notch.

[0003] DE 10 2012 101 773 A1 describes a tile cutter in which the breaking jaw assembly is attached to the carriage. By pivoting a lever attached to the carriage, the breaking jaw assembly is lowered to break the previously notched tile along the notch.

[0004] US 1,932,659 A discloses a tile cutter with jaws designed as crowbars that extend over the entire length of a guide arranged above a base plate, along which a carriage carrying a cutting tool can be displaced. Rollers are arranged on the carriage, which, when a lever attached to the carriage is pivoted, act on the jaw device to press against the upper side of the crowbars, causing them to lower to break the previously notched tile along the notch.

[0005] FR 2 504 845 A1 discloses a lever pivotably mounted on the frame of a tile cutter. The lever supports a cutting tool, and the lever additionally forms breaking jaws that are lowered by pivoting the lever and apply force to a tile resting on a base plate of the tile cutter, causing it to break along a scoring track previously created by the cutting tool. The lever, and thus the cutting tool and the breaking jaws, are displaceable in a displacement direction, and the distance between a stop, against which the tile rests for processing, and the breaking jaws can be varied by moving the lever.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of developing the generic tile cutter in a manner that is advantageous for use. This object is achieved by the invention defined in the claims.

[0007] First and foremost, it is proposed that the crushing jaw device and the carriage interact via a control flank arrangement. The control flank arrangement preferably has a control flank. This control flank interacts with a control element of the carriage to lower the crushing jaw device. In a preferred development of the invention, the control flank is formed by a control slope. This control slope is preferably formed by the crushing jaw device. The control element, preferably assigned to the carriage, can slide along the control slope to lower the crushing jaw device. However, it is also conceivable to assign the control slope to the carriage and the control element to the crushing jaw device. The control element is preferably formed by a pair of rollers. The crushing jaw device can have two crushing jaws that are attached to the frame and can move essentially only transversely to the displacement of the carriage.Each of the two breaking jaws can have a control flank, in particular a control bevel. The lever arrangement is attached to the frame in such a way that the control element only acts on the control flank once a complete notch has already been made in the surface of the tile using the cutting tool. For this purpose, the breaking jaws can be seated on a lever arrangement pivotally attached to the frame, wherein the lever arrangement can have two lever arms running parallel to one another. The two lever arms can be pivoted about a pivot axis, in particular fastened to a support of the guide. Wedge-shaped breaking jaws are each seated at the free ends of the lever arms. A roller can roll along the inclined upper side of the breaking jaws facing the guide in order to lower the breaking jaw so that its underside can exert a breaking force against the surface of the tile to be broken.There can be a gap between the two breaking jaws through which the cutting tool can pass. To ensure that the lowering movement of the breaking jaws only occurs when the notch has been completely cut into the surface of the tile, the cutting tool is arranged upstream of the control element with respect to the cutting direction of the carriage. Only when the cutting tool has completely passed through the slot does the control element come into contact with the control flank. In a further development of the invention, the length of the lever arrangement is adjustable. This means that the distance between the breaking jaws and a stop, against which the tile to be cut can be placed, is adjustable. Particularly for cutting diagonal cuts, it proves advantageous if the position of the breaking jaws along the guide is adjustable. The guide is preferably formed by two rails running parallel to one another.The rails extend at equal distances, i.e. in a parallel extension relative to the base plate. A crushing rib can protrude from the base plate towards the guide, which runs below the cutting tool in the direction of displacement, so that the two crushing jaws are each arranged on one side of the rib. Each crushing jaw can be seated on an associated lever arm. The two lever arms can be connected to one another by a crossbar. Two crossbars can be provided which connect lever arms running parallel to one another. The lever arms can be made of steel and, in particular, can be manufactured from stamped parts. To vary the length, the two lever arms can each have a longitudinal slot with locking recesses projecting transversely from it. A section of the pivot axis can be accommodated in the locking recesses so that the distance of the crushing jaws from the pivot axis can be adjusted.

[0008] An exemplary embodiment is explained below with reference to the attached drawings. They show: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment, wherein a breaking jaw device assumes a position in which a tile to be cut rests against a transverse stop; Fig. 2 a plan view of the embodiment; Fig. 3 a side view of the embodiment; Fig. 4 a section along the line IV - IV in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a perspective view according to Fig. 1, but enlarged in the area of the crushing jaw device 6 and with the guide rail 3 removed; Fig. 6 an enlarged side view, also with the guide removed; Fig. 7 a representation according to Fig. 6, but with broken slide 4; Fig. 8 a representation according to Fig. 5, but with slides 4 further displaced in the cutting direction; Fig. 9 a representation according to Fig. 6, but in an operating position of the carriage according to Fig. 8, in the final phase of the carriage displacement; Fig. 10 a follow-up to Fig. 9 with lowered crushing jaw device 6; Fig. 11 a representation according to Fig. 1, but with a position of the breaking jaw device 6 for cutting a diagonal cut; Fig. 12 a top view of the tile cutter in the Fig. 11 shown operating position.

[0009] The tile cutter shown in the drawings has a support plate 14, from which feet 15 protrude downwards, with which the frame 1 can be placed on a surface. Above the support plate 14 is a base plate 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the base plate 2 is designed in several parts. It consists of several base plate sections, each of which is spring-loaded relative to the support plate 14. This allows the individual base plate sections to be lowered towards the support plate 14. The force of the springs 26, which hold the base plate 2 spaced from the support plate 14, can apply a cutting force with which a cutting tool 5 can cut a notch into the surface of a tile resting on the base plate 2.

[0010] Two supports 13 protrude from the base plate 2, supporting two parallel U-shaped guide rails 3. The openings of the guide rails 3 face each other. Rollers 22 of a carriage 4 run in the U-shaped spaces of the guide rails 3. The carriage 4 can be displaced along the guide rails 3 in the direction of extension of the guides 3.

[0011] The carriage 4 has a housing with a downwardly projecting cutting tool 5, which is designed as a cutting wheel.

[0012] On the base plate 2 there is a head stop 17 against which a front edge of a tile 27 to be cut can be placed.

[0013] On the carriage 4 are two control rollers 9, which are arranged rearward of the cutting tool 5 relative to the position of the stop 17. The two rollers 9 are arranged laterally and offset in the cutting direction relative to the cutting wheel 5 and are attached to the end of a rocker 32, which is pivotally mounted about an axis 33 in a cavity in the housing of the carriage 4.

[0014] The rocker arm 32 has a stop 39. This stop interacts with the eccentric outer circumferential surface of a height adjustment wheel 38. The height adjustment wheel protrudes partially through an opening located on the top of the housing, allowing it to be rotated. By turning the height adjustment wheel 38, its eccentric circumferential surface is moved into a different position relative to the stop 39, allowing the pivot angle of the rocker arm 32 to be adjusted. This allows the height of the control element 9 to be adjusted and adapted to tiles of different thicknesses.

[0015] A crushing rib 25 runs along the base plate 2 in the direction of extension of the two guide rails 3. The crushing rib 25 runs below the cutting wheel 5 and is formed by a T-shaped body which is fastened to the support plate 14.

[0016] By means of an adjusting wheel 24, the preload of a spring 30 can be adjusted, which acts with one end on a holding shaft 31, at the end of which the cutting tool 5 is located. The other end of the spring is supported on a plunger 36, the axial position of which can be adjusted by means of the adjusting wheel 24.

[0017] A height adjustment ring 35 is provided, which forms an internally threaded sleeve 34. A threaded shaft 29 is inserted into the internal thread of the sleeve 34. By rotating the height adjustment ring 35, the threaded shaft 29 can be displaced in the axial direction in order to adjust the height of the cutting tool 5. A locking pin 37 secures the rotational position of the height adjustment ring 35 or the threaded sleeve 34, which is axially fixed in the housing of the carriage 4.

[0018] The support 13, which is spatially associated with the head stop 17, forms a pivot axis 12 that supports a crushing jaw device 6. The crushing jaw device 6 has two spaced-apart lever arms 11 that can be pivoted about the pivot axis 12. The two lever arms 11 are connected to one another by means of crossbars 20, 16 such that they run parallel to one another.

[0019] At their free ends, the lever arms 11 each carry a wedge-shaped breaking jaw 7. The breaking jaw 7 has a lower side facing the base plate 2, with which it rests on a tile 27 to be cut. The breaking jaw device 6 can be mounted so as to be rigidly pivotable about the pivot axis 12, so that it can remain in various pivot positions due to bearing friction.

[0020] Opposite the underside of the crushing jaws 7 is an inclined control bevel 8. The crushing jaws 7 thus have a wedge shape. On the surface of each of the two crushing jaws 7, there is also a groove 21 through which the control roller 9 can roll.

[0021] The two crushing jaws 7 are spaced apart from each other so that a gap 10 remains between the two crushing jaws 7. The gap 10 has a sufficient gap width for the cutting wheel 5 to pass through the gap 10.

[0022] A handle section 28 also protrudes from the free end of the lever arm 11, with which the crushing jaw device 6 can be lifted.

[0023] The distance between the crushing jaws 7 and the stop 17 or the pivot axis 12 can be adjusted. For this purpose, each of the two lever arms 11 has a longitudinal slot 19 from which a plurality of locking recesses 18 protrude. The locking recesses 18 are spaced at different distances from the crushing jaws 7. The pivot axis 12 can be optionally placed in one of the many locking recesses 18, so that the respective locking recess 18 forms a storage recess. This varies the distance between the crushing jaw 7 and the stop 17 or the pivot axis 12.

[0024] The crossbars 16, 20 connect the two lever arms 11 to each other in such a way that a rectangular frame is created in plan view. The support 13 is inserted into the frame, so that the crushing jaw device 6 is captively connected to the frame 1.

[0025] The reference number 23 designates a side stop which is adjustable transversely to the direction of extension of the guide 3.

[0026] The tile cutter works as follows: If a tile is to be cut at right angles to a peripheral edge, this peripheral edge is placed against the head stop 17. The breaking jaw device 6 is positioned such that the two breaking jaws 7 are directly adjacent to the stop 17. The breaking jaws 7 are located in the area of the peripheral edge of the tile 27 to be cut.

[0027] The carriage 4 is then moved from a position away from the stop 17 towards the stop 17, with the cutting wheel 5 running onto an edge of the tile 27 and, as it runs over the surface of the tile 27, carving a notch there. When the cutting tool 5 reaches the two breaking jaws 7, it runs through the gap 10 until it has run over the edge of the tile resting against the stop 17. Approximately at the same time, or with a slight delay, the two spaced-apart rollers 9 each come into contact with their associated control bevels 8 or into the grooves 21. As the carriage 4 is moved further towards the stop 17, the breaking jaws are pressed downwards, so that the tile 27 resting on the breaking rib 25 breaks along the notch. The control member 9 thereby runs onto the control flank 8 of the breaking jaw 7.The rocker 32 pivots slightly until its stop 39 strikes the eccentric cam of the height adjustment wheel 38. With the help of the height adjustment wheel, the height of the roller 9 is previously adjusted to such a position that the crushing jaws only become effective when the notch is completely produced.

[0028] As soon as the rocker 32 has hit the eccentric surface, the roller exerts a vertical force downwards, which is transferred via the breaking jaw 7 to the tile 27, which is supported on the breaking rib 25. In the final phase of the displacement movement (see Fig. 10) the tile 27 breaks along the notch.

[0029] If, however, a diagonal cut is to be made, the tile is arranged accordingly on the base plate 2 (see Fig. 11 and Fig.12). The cut end is now at a distance from the stop 17. The breaking jaw device 6 is therefore brought into another operating position in which the jaws 7 have a distance from the stop 17 which is selected such that the control rollers 9 only exert a breaking force on the breaking jaws 7 when the cutting tool 5 has completed the notch, i.e. has overrun the edge of the tile 27 pointing towards the stop 17.

[0030] All disclosed features are (in themselves) essential to the invention. The disclosure of the application hereby fully incorporates the disclosure content of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application), also for the purpose of incorporating features of these documents into the claims of the present application. List of reference symbols 1 frame 2 base plate 3 Guide 4 sleds 5 Cutting tool 6 crushing jaw device 7 crushing jaw 8 Control flank 9 Control element 10 gap 11 Lever arm 12 swivel axis 13 carriers 14 Support plate 15 feet 16 Crossbar 17 stop 18 rest recess 19 slot 20 crossbar 21 groove 22 roller 23 Side stop 24 Adjustment wheel 25 Crushing rib 26 spring 27 Tile 28 handle 29 threaded shaft 30 springs 31 Holding shaft 32 swingarm 33 Axis 34 internal thread sleeve 35 Height adjustment ring 36 tappets 37 locking pin 38 Height adjustment wheel 39 stop

Claims

[1] Tile cutter with a frame (1) with a base plate (2) and a guide (3) arranged above the base plate (2), along which a carriage (4) carrying a cutting tool (5) can be displaced in order to create a notch on the surface of a tile lying on the base plate (2), wherein a stop (17) is located on the base plate (2) against which a front edge of the tile can be placed, and with a breaking jaw device (6) which is gear-coupled to the carriage (4) and which is lowered onto the surface of the tile (27) in the final phase of the displacement of the carriage (4) in order to break the tile along the notch, wherein the breaking jaw device (6) has two breaking jaws (7) which are fastened to the frame (1) so as to be movable essentially transversely to the direction of displacement of the carriage (4), the distance of which breaking jaws from the stop (17) being adjustable, wherein the breaking jaws (7) are pivotably mounted on the frame (1) attached lever arrangement (11, 12), characterized bythat the lever arrangement (11, 12) is adjustable in length. [2] Tile cutter according to claim 1, characterized by that the crushing jaws (7) are each located at the end of a lever arm (11) of the lever arrangement and that a section of a pivot axis (12) engages in a longitudinal slot of a lever arm (11) which has a plurality of locking recesses (18) for mounting the lever arm (11) in different distance positions of the crushing jaws (7) to the pivot axis (12). [3] Tile cutter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a control flank arrangement has a control element (9) cooperating with a control flank (8). [4] Tile cutter according to claim 3, characterized by that the control flank (8) is a control slope along which the control member (9) moves, which is in particular a pair of rollers. [5] Tile cutter according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat the lever arrangement (11, 12) is fastened to the frame (1) in such a way that the control member (9) only acts on the control flank when a complete notch has already been made in the surface of the tile (27) with the cutting tool (5). [6] Tile cutter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the crushing jaws (7) are spaced apart from one another by a gap (10) through which the cutting tool (5) arranged upstream of the control member (9) in the direction of displacement of the carriage (4) passes. [7] Tile cutter according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by that the guide (3) is carried by a support (13) which carries the pivot axis (12) about which the lever arm (11), which carries a breaking jaw (7) at the end, is pivotally mounted. [8] Tile cutter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the breaking jaw (7) has a wedge shape. [9] Tile cutter according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized by that the at least one control member (9) is arranged behind the cutting tool (5) on the carriage (4) in the cutting direction. [10] Tile cutter according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by that each of the two crushing jaws (7) is pivotally attached to the support (13) by means of a lever arm (11), wherein in particular the two lever arms (11) are connected to one another by means of a crossbar (16, 20) and / or that the guide (3) has two rails running parallel to one another and the lever arms (11) of the lever arrangement extend substantially parallel to the guide (3).

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