Skew Roller Stock Guide Assembly for Multi-Directional Force Opposition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional featherboards do not effectively oppose forces generated by cutting implements in both vertical and horizontal directions, limiting their guiding capabilities for stock movement during cutting operations.
Innovation Solution
A stock guide assembly with a body adjustable along x and y axes, featuring a roller assembly mounted at a skew angle to the feed direction, which includes a roller oriented for rotational movement and secured by a one-way bearing to resist kickback, ensuring effective guidance against both upward and lateral forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional featherboard is mounted on the work table, then it can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the stock to be cut, but it does not oppose forces generated by the cutting implement in two directions (vertical and horizontal forces)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second axis of force opposition by mounting the roller assembly at an angle to the body, enabling the featherboard to counteract both vertical kickback forces and horizontal lateral forces simultaneously. This dimensional expansion of force opposition capability directly resolves the limitation of conventional single-direction featherboards
2Force
If a roller assembly is mounted at a skew angle to the body, then it can oppose both vertical and horizontal forces, but the mounting structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly is designed with rotational freedom about the shaft axis, allowing it to dynamically adapt its contact angle with the stock based on the direction and magnitude of applied forces. This dynamic adjustment capability enables effective two-directional force opposition without requiring a complex fixed angular mounting structure
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is divided into distinct functional components: the body for attachment to the work table, the roller mount providing angular orientation, and the roller assembly with rotational freedom. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, simplifying the overall mounting structure while maintaining multi-directional force opposition capability
Data Source
AI summary
A stock guide assembly for use with a work table to guide movement of stock along the work table in a feed direction includes a body. The body includes a portion lying in a plane parallel to the feed direction when used to guide movement of the stock. An adjustment mechanism is associated with the body for attaching the body to the work table and permitting the body to be adjusted on the table along an x-axis and a y-axis. A roller assembly is mounted on the body. The roller assembly includes a roller mounted for rotation relative to the body. The roller is positioned at a skew angle relative to the body portion plane and to the feed direction when used to guide movement of the stock. A second stock guide assembly substantially similar to the first stock guide assembly can be provided for use with the work table.