A saw guide device

Abstract

A saw guide 99 comprises an elongate body 21, 22 with a longitudinal slot 3 for receiving and guiding a saw when sawing a workpiece, and one or more clamps 1, wherein the clamps extend orthogonally fr

Description

Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a saw guide device, in particular a device for guiding a saw; more particularly but not exclusively a device for guiding a saw during cutting of insulation board or similar. Background 10 Many societies across the world increasingly stipulate use of insulation material in building codes and the like. There are two main types of insulation, insulation boards and rolls of insulation 15 material, and both need to be cut to size and inserted into an area requiring insulation. CO Insulation boards are typically a rigid lightweight foam sandwiched between two C\j          covers. In order to provide an effective insulation barrier the boards are generally at 20 least 220mm deep. Cutting insulation boards in particular can therefore be problematic, given such boards are typically unwieldy, being large and deep and needing cutting into smaller or awkward or precise shapes. 25 It can be difficult to cut through a deep board and ensure that the cut is in the right location on the opposing side of the board and / or in a straight line. 30 Prior Art US 2003 0 051 592 (MOLBURG) discloses a portable guide for use with portable power tools such as saws and routers to assist in making straight cuts or grooves precisely located in panels or sheets by moving the tool along a planar side surface 35 of a guide bar. Clamp assemblies secure the guide bar to the workpiece and support the workpiece by clamping the workpiece on both sides of the line of cut via a tightening clamp screw and planar clamp plate that forcefully urge the workpiece into contact with an angle portion of the frame of the clamp assemblies. EP 1 284 844 (KALLWEIT) discloses a device for cutting insulating material, in 5 particular webs and / or panels made from mineral fiber insulating material, said device being comprised of a supporting body and a clamping element movably arranged on said supporting body, between which and said damping element said insulating material is disposed in a clamping fashion, wherein said supporting body and clamping element have a cuboid configuration with a very small thickness at 10 least with respect to their lengths, characterized in that said supporting body comprises at least one straight cutting edge, and said damping element is movable in parallel alignment with respect to said supporting body along guide members. US 5 964 041 (DANIEL) discloses a guide tool for performing a work function step 15 such as cutting or drawing a line along a workpiece including a guide plate having planar opposite sides, a longitudinal slot, a first straight guide edge substantially CO          parallel with the slot, guide flanges along opposite sides of the slot defining a guide channel on a first side of the guide plate, and two clamps adapted for assembly with C\j         guide plate, the clamps having a first jaw including a guide member slidable along 20 the guide plate channel and a second jaw extendable through the guide plate slot and a pressure plate for securing the clamps to a workpiece along opposite sides of the workpiece, and clamp handles formed integral with the jaws and spring biased apart to urge the jaws together for clamping the guide plate to the workpiece. 25 The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices. Summary of the Invention 30 According to the present invention there is provided a saw guide device comprising an elongate coaxially telescopic body with a longitudinal slot for receiving and guiding a saw when sawing a workpiece; at least two clamps for securing ends of the workpiece, wherein the at least two clamps are arranged to extend orthogonally from the coaxially telescopic body, and the clamps are arranged to displace from a first 35 proximate position to a second distal position to receive the workpiece. In this way it may be envisaged that the device may be used to provide a straight-line guide when sawing a workpiece, in particular a workpiece such as insulation board, where the saw is cutting from one side of the workpiece and the device is the opposing side of the workpiece, guiding the saw blade where it exits the workpiece. 5 The workpiece can be a plurality of widths or lengths and the device may still be used, whereby the clamps hold the workpiece on the device or vice-versa. The clamps hold the guide on the workpiece in place during sawing. It may be 10 envisaged that a stud may be put in a standard hole in the saw end, so as to prevent the sawblade returning through the slot. The device comprises a coaxially telescopic body, allowing easy adjustment to suit length or width of the workpiece. 15 In some such embodiments of the device the device comprises a bipartite body, for CO example wherein one part slides in another part. CM CM         In some such embodiments of the device the device comprises a locking means for 20 telescoping of the body, such that the clamps may be clamped in place and the telescopic body does not compromise the clamp. In some embodiments of the device the body comprises a lacuna in one part adapted to allow passage of a clamp in the second position, such that the retracted body may 25 be minimised without compromise of the clamp or clamp position. In some embodiments of the device the body is formed of flat panels, allowing the device to be fit underneath a workpiece without significant distortion or displacement of the workpiece. 30 In some embodiments of the device the body is aluminium, being lightweight, rigid and inelastic. In some embodiments of the device the clamps comprise a displaceable attachment 35 means to the body, so as to allow the clamp or clamps to be displaced, removed, replaced or otherwise customisable in positioning or style. It may be envisaged that in some embodiments one the clamps may be permanently attached to the body, for example comprising a fixed brace or orthogonally extending member, against which the workpiece may be placed. 5 In some embodiments of the device the attachment means comprises a plurality of locations for attachment of the clamps on the body, so as to allow for adjustment of positioning between clamps to be accomplished via the clamps themselves. For example the clamps may be located in slider rails. 10 In some embodiments of the device the attachment means comprises threaded fixing, so as to allow tightening and loosening of the attachment with minimal difficulty and with more precision. 15 In some embodiments of the device the device comprises lateral extensions, for example of or from the body. Such extensions may be envisaged to provide a wider CO         contact with and / or support of the workpiece than the narrow width of the elongate body, so as to allow larger workpieces and / or prevent tipping of the workpiece during C\j cutting. T” 20 In some such embodiments of the device the extensions are pivoted to the body, so as to allow them to be retracted or stored when not in use. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a system of 25 cutting insulation boards using a device according to any of the preceding claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: 30 Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in the second position; 35 Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1, 5 in the first position; Figure 4 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 3; 10 Figure 5 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; and 15 Figure 6 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description of Figures 20 With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment of a saw guide device 99 generally comprising an elongate body 21,22 with a longitudinal slot 3 for sawing a workpiece, and one or more clamps 1, wherein the clamps are arranged to extend orthogonally from the body, wherein the clamps are displaceable from a first proximate position to a second distal position, and wherein the clamps are adapted to 25 clamp the workpiece ends. In the pictured embodiment the clamps are displaceable through repositioning of the length of the body. 30 In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises a bipartite body, formed of two elongate planar parts 21,22, wherein an upper part 21 slides on a lower part 22, the upper part an inverted II shaped tray having a small flange parallel the upper face of the body, wherein the lower part of the body is thereby held in place whilst sliding. 35 The body has plastic caps 15,18 at either end to prevent dislocation of the sliding parts. The upper part includes a locking means provided by gaps 5 for temporary receipt of 5 resilient tabs 6. The resilient tabs 6 are sprung with a living hinge, so as to extend upwards from the top face of the lower part of the body 22, such that the tabs 6 fit into the gaps 5 as the upper part of the body 21 is slid over the lower part of the body 22. 10 The clamps 1 are attached to each of the parts of the body, using bolts 17 passing through fixing holes 7 near the distal ends of the slot, fixing into nuts 16. The slot continues past the clamps, so as to allow sawing through the ends of the 15 workpiece or board. CO         The upper part of the body has a lacuna 10 adapted to allow passage of a clamp 1 in CM the second position, as shown in Figure 3. CM 20 The longitudinal slot extends along the whole body, passing through the upper part and the lower part. The slot 3 finishes before the ends of the body, and is located offset the central line of the body. The clamp fixing holes 7 are located to the wider section of the body 25 aside the slot. Two extensions 4 are located on the wider section of the body, each pivoted at a pivot 8 to the body. These pivots are located, as can be seen in the retracted body of the embodiment in the second position, as shown in Figure 3, proximate the clamp 30 fixing holes and intermediate the two clamps. The extensions comprise elongated flat members with radiused ends. The upper part of the body and the lower part of the body are joined together at a 35 sliding joint 9, which is formed with two slider collars 12, extending inwards from the side edges of the body, bonded to the upper part of the body. The collars are formed in self-lubricating Nylon (RTM). The lower part 22 has end spacers 13,14, also formed in self-lubricating Nylon 5 (RTM), such that the lower part remains a fixed distance from the underside of the top face of the upper part of the body. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing 10 from the scope of protection as defined by the claims. 04 12 23

Claims

1. A saw guide device comprising an elongate coaxially telescopic body with a longitudinal slot for receiving and guiding a saw when sawing a workpiece; at least two clamps for securing ends of the workpiece, wherein the at least two clamps are arranged to extend orthogonally from the coaxially telescopic body, and the clamps are arranged to displace from a first proximate position to a second distal position to receive the workpiece.

2. A saw guide device according to claim 1 wherein the telescoping action of the coaxially telescopic body displaces to displace the at least two clamps.

3. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim wherein the coaxially telescopic body is a bipartite body.

4. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim comprising a locking means for telescoping of the coaxially telescopic body.

5. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim comprising a lacuna in one part of the coaxially telescopic body adapted to allow passage of at least one of the clamps into another part of the coaxially telescopic body when in the first proximal position.

6. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim wherein the coaxially telescopic body is formed of flat panels.

7. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim wherein the coaxially telescopic body is formed of aluminium.

8. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim wherein the at least two clamps comprise a displaceable attachment means to the coaxially telescopic body.

9. A saw guide device according to claim 8 wherein the attachment means comprises a plurality of locations for attachment of the clamps on the body.

10. A saw guide device according to claim 9 wherein the attachment means comprises threaded fixing.

11. A saw guide device according to any preceding claim comprising lateral extensions from the coaxially telescopic body.

12. A saw guide device according to claim 11 wherein the extensions are pivotable in relation to the coaxially telescopic body.

13. A system of cutting insulation boards using a device according to any of the preceding claims.

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