AU771223B2 - Portable-steel cut-off bench - Google Patents

Description

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT PORTABLE STEEL CUT-OFF BENCH The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: This invention relates to improving the workability of the "cut-off machine".

The steel cut-off machine is manufactured by many companies, with little variation in the machines. The perform the task of cutting steel to the desired length, the operator requires 900 through to 450.

These machines to my knowledge are mostly used on concrete floors, where the operator has to be in a squatting position to operate the machine, and if a long length of steel is needed to be cut in half, each end of the length of the steel has to be supported by wooden blocks or some other form of height adjustment, so the steel sits level on the cut-off machine base-stand. If the length of steel is 6 to 8 metres long it is necessary to support the length of steel in several places. This is a drawn-out experience, requiring the operator to be in a bent-over position through out the whole procedure causing back strain, time consuming and frustrating.

As stated earlier steel is purchased from steel merchants in lengths ranging from 6 to 8 metres. If a short section of steel is required to be cust from a full length the same packing up of the length has t be performed all over again.

Some cut-off machines are mounted on permanently fixed benches that take up a lot of space and can not swivel to cut angles pareallel to the bench.

This invention relates to improving the workability of the cut-off machine. As the whole operation will be performed in a standing upright position and all components are adjustable resulting in less chance of injury through no back strain, time saved, and no frustration.

Also the machine is portable, and foldable.

The invention is a portable bench which stands 760mm high with a work table of 545 mm square. It has in-feed and out-feed fold-up roller frames, incorporating two rollers in each frame. The in and out feed frames measure 875 mm x 240 mm. The rollers are 225 mm long. The extended length of the work bench is 2,400 mm. When folded for storage it is 920 mm wide.

The machine is portable. Two retractable handles are incorporated in the frame. Two 125 mm steel wheeled rubber tyres are mounted on to the two rear legs of the bench.

The cut-off machine is mounted on a turn-table 480 x 280 x 40 mm, this enables the machine to cut in the 90* angle, and by loosening the lock ing arm the machine can be swivelled to cut any angle up to 450 and locked in place by tighting the locking arm.

By swivelling the machine on the turn-table it enables the steel being cut to travel through the in and out-feed rollers on the same plane as if one was cutting a 90' cut.

The cut-off bench also incorporates an adjustable gauge, should one require to cut a quantity of steel the same length.

The gauge consists of two box steel brackets 115 x 25 mm welded to a piece of steel 75 x 50 mm. This bracket is attached to either side of the out-feed roller frame 450 mm from the bench end of the frame with 2" bolt and a 3/8" pin to prevent any movement. The bottom of the bracket rises 15 mm above the top of the roller frame side rail. The actual face of the gauge is a piece of 50 x 5 mm flat steel 450 mm long. This steel is bent at right angles 112 mm from each end and bent the same way. On the 112 mm sides of the guage are welded two 85 x 25 mm brackets that correspond with the two 115 x 25 mm box steel brackets that are welded to the sides of the side rail of the out-feed roller. Two 20 mm box steel rods 920 mm long slide through the four brackets (two brackets on each side) on top and in the centre of each bracket a 7/16" hol6is drilled where a 3/8" nut is welded directly over the top of the holE enabling a 3/8" wing bolt 1" long to be screwed into each bracket. The two 920 mm x 20 mm box steel rods are inserted into both brackets on the out-feed roller side rails and those on each side of the actual gauge face. This enabling a length of steel to be placed in the vice of the cut-off machine, with the desired length established, the four wing studs can be screwed down and as many lengths of steel as required can be cut.

When cutting steel in ultiples with the gauge in place. It is most important to fix a "kick-back" stop. For if the steel between the face of the adjustable gauge and the cutting disc is angled slightly the speeding disc can grab the steel and hurl it backwards and in some cases fracture or smash the cutting disc. To avoid this and possible injury a stop bracket or kick-back stop is most important.

The kick-back stop consists of a piece of 40 x 40 x 3 mm angle iron 40 mm long. Then a piece of flat steel 45 x 45 x 3mm is welded to the 40 mm long angle-iron. The 40 mm long angle-iron is placed on top of the cut-off machine base stand.

The actual bracket is 40 x 40 x 3 x 35 mm angle-iron. This angle-iron sits parallel with the back jaw of the cut-off machine vice. To secure this angle-iron to the cut-off machine base stand a 45 x 45 x 3 mm piece of steel is welded to the under side of the angle iron. While the angle-iron is held parallel to the vice jaw and is flush with the grove in the base stand for the cut-off disc. It is then secured to the base stand by drilling a 3/8" hole in the centre of the 45 x 45 x 3 mm steel and in the base stand at the desired location. To secure the kick-back bracket a 3/8" x heg bolt and washer is inserted from the inside of the base stand and fastened with a 3/8" nut.

On most modern cut-off machines, three selections of vice positions are available. If any of the other positions are required it simply means the base stand would have to be drilled in the appropirate place for the vice position one wished to use.

The kick-back stop can remain attached to the base stand in all 900 cutrwith or without gauge. It's removal is only necessary when angle cuts are to be performed.

The cut-off machine is mounted on a turn-able 480 x 280 x 40 mm. It is constructed from 40 x 40 x 3 mm angle iron. The angle-iron corners are mitre cut and welded, giving a flat top and side surface. Welded across the bottom middle of the turn-table is a piece of steel x 5 mm with a hole directly in the centre. A 1" x 2" heg bolt is welded in this hole with the thread protuding downwards on the underside of the tum-table.at each end and flush with the bottom, two 40 x 5 mm pieces of flat steel are welded.

The workbench top which measures 545 x 545 mm is constructed from 30 x 30 x 2mm box steel, the corners are mitre cut and welded.

Welded across the bench top, and flush with the bench top, and placed in a position that allows the inside measurements to be divided equally, are two 25 x 25 x 2mm box steel bars. These bars and the front and back bars of the bench, support three 75 x 5 mm flat steel plates.'One of the plates is welded directly across the middle of the bench going from front to back. The other two are welded half way between the middle bar and the side end bar of the bench.

A elongated slot is cut running from front to back 135 mm long which allows the cut-off machine and turn-table to move back and forth to allow the machine to operate inline with the rollers, should a different vice setting be chosen. The 1" x heg bolt that is welded to the middle bar of the turn-table, goes in the elongated slot. By welding a nut to 150 mm length of steel 25 x 5 mm and securing a revolving 1/2" wooden or plastic knob the turn-table with the cut-off machine mounted on top is able to be locked into any angle.

To secure the cut-off machine to the turn-table pieces of steel 12 x 3 x 20 mm are curved to the shape of the rubber feet of the cut-off saw and welded to the turntable. This prevents any side or end movement of the cut-off machine. Two steel straps measuring 25 x 3 x 155 mm are bent in a way that 30 mm of the strap sits flat on the front and back top of the cut-off machine base the rest hugs the side of the base stand down almost to the bottom of the end of the turn-table front and back. A 3/8" x 1 elongated slot is cut in each end of the straps. Two 7/16" holes are drilled in the middle of each end of the turn-table and a 3/8" nut is welded directly over the 7/16" hole on the inside of the turn-table. By holding down on the strap and screwing a 3/8" x 3/4" bolt through the elongated slots and into the turn-table the cut-off machine can be firmly anchored to the turn-table.

On the both side rails of the workbench 155 mm from the front and from that point another 240 mm holes are drilled in each side rail to accept the bracket that supports the front roller on the in-feed and out-feed sides. The front rollers are mounted to each side of the bench and are adjustable.

The bracket is a length of unequal angle 80 x 40 x 5 x 305 mm on the 305 x 40 mm top section of the bracket and 50 mm from the front and from this point another 205 mm holes are drilled to accommodate the front roller.

The front rollers are mounted on a length of steel 40 x 5 x 305 mm with two 75 x 12 mm threaded bar welded at centres 50 mm from front and from this point to another centre point 205 mm apart. These threaded rods will fit into the bracket mentioned above. Both bench mounted rollers are adjustable to suit the cut-off machine basestand height.

Welded to the 40 x 5 x 305 mm bar that supports the front rollers are four 40 x 5 x 90 mm flat plate. These plates are welded edge ways each end of both the in-feed and out-feed rollers that are bench mounted. Each bracket is drilled with holes each end. By passing a rod a suitable length through the holes and the roller, then welding each end of the rod so as to prevent rod sliding out. The holes in the other end of 40 x 5 x 90 mm flat plate engage the ends of the foldable in and out-feed roller side rails by inserting two 1" x heg head bolts with lock nuts through the 90mm plate then through each side rail of the in and out-feed rollers.

On both the in and out feed roller frames situated 250 mm from the back and 190 mm from the front are welded steel supports 30 x 5 x 228 mm across and inside the angle iron side rails on their edge.

On the back of the in-feed and out-feed roller frames folding legs are attached. 130 mm from the end and on both sides of the roller frame 25 x 8 x 165 mm flat steel is welded to the frame with 50 mm protruding above the top of the roller frame side rail. At the top of the 25 x 8 x 165 mm flat steel 3/8" holes are drilled.

The leg foot is made of 40 x 40 x 5 angle iron. Welded at right angles to the centre of the foot is 30 x 30 x 2 x 610 mm box steel. This forms the bottom portion of the leg. A length of box steel 25 x 25 x 2 x 555 mm fits inside the bottom portion. On the bottom portion of leg 210 mm from the top and on the front side of the leg a 7/16" hole is drilled to fix a wing bolt. The leg is now adjustable.

On top of the top section of leg is mounted the folding mechanism which consists of 25 x 25 x 2.5 x 240 mm box steel welded in the centre and at right angles to the top portion of leg. Welded to this piece of box steel, at right angles and at both ends to form a U shape are two pieces of steel each 25 x 8 x 215 mm with 3/8" holes in the top of each. These holes match with the 3/8" holes in the 25 x 8 x 165 mm flat steel welded to the roller frame end. When 3/8" x 1 bolts are placed to bolt the leg section to the rail section it can be then, by lifting the leg high and letting the roller frame fold down against the bench body and the leg folds against the roller frame. By performing this procedure on both in and out-feed rollers the machine is ready to store.

When the bench is in working position and the legs standing upright. 215 mm up from the bottom on the front side of the U shape part of the leg. Drill a 7/16" hole through both the 25 x 8 mm sections of steel that form the hinge section of leg. A 3/8" nut is welded directly over the hole to afix a 3/8" wing bolt. This prevents the leg from kicking out when the machine is in operating position.

To transport the bench, retractable handles are fitted on each side of the bench 80 mm down from the top.at this point on each side. Two x 2 x 545 mm box steel with the front end open and the back end sealed are welded to the front and back legs of the table. Sliding inside of these two welded sleeves are two lengths of steel 25 x 25 x 2 x 550 mm with a 35 x 25 x 5 mm piece of steel welded on each end to prevent slip-off of the hands. 30 mm in from the front end of each sleeve two 3/8" wing bolts are fitted to lock handles in the transporting or storing position.

The back legs of the bench are fitted with two 150 x 30 mm steel ;..rubber tyred wheels with a 35 x 13 mm centre bore. The wheels are fixed to the 35 mm wide back legs by four 165 x 140 x 5 mm flat bar with 13 mm holes drilled in one end. The bars are welded two to each leg on an angle so as when a 13 mm bolt is placed to hold the wheel in position it leaves a 5 mm gap between the bottom of the wheel and the floor and a 10 mm gap between ttinside of the tyre and the back leg. As an option extra a wooden tool box to house cutting discs, spanners, etc can be fitted. It is mount 200 mm from the floor between the four legs of the bench. The sides and two-piece lid of the box is constructed from 12 mm plywood, the floor is constructed from 75 x 20 mm boards fastened so as to leave a 3 mm gap between each board. The size of the box is: Floor, 545 x 485 mm; sides, 545 x 200 mm; ends, 475 x 200 mm rising to 260 mm at the centre of each end. The two doors are lift-up hinged doors 570 x 195 mm.

The box is mounted on 25 x 25 x 3 mm angle-iron welded to the bench legs.

Claims (6)

1. A portabe steel cut-off bench comprising a portable bench fitted with a lockable turn-table, on which a steel cut-off machine is mounted. The bench is fitted with adjustable and foldable in and out-feed roller frames. Each frame housing three steel rollers. The complete bench is constructed from mild box steel, mild steel angle, and mild steel flat bar.

2. The portable steel cut-off bench of Claim 1 where-in the bench, turn-table, and in and out roller stands are constructed of aluminiumr.

3. The portable steel cut-off bench of Claim I where-in the six rollers used in the in and out feed roller stands are manufactured from heavy duty nylon.

4. A portable steel cut-off bench substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 6'L ABSTRACT A portable, folding steel cut-off bench is disclosed. The device is a box steel constructed main bench, 1. With in-feed folding bench, 2 and out-feed folding bench, 3. Lockable and adjustable folding support stands, 4 and

5. Cutting gauge (can also be rear mounted,

6. Cutting gauge slide bars 7 and 8. Slide bar guides and locks, 9 and 10. Cutting gauge locks, I11 and 12. Height adjustment locks, 13 and 14. In and out feed roller support brackets, 15 and 16. Cut-off machine base plate and hold-down clamps, 17. (This base plate holds the cut-off machine and swivells to 450). It has a locking arm mounted under the bench. In-feed rollers, 18, 19, 20. Out-feed rollers, 21, 22, 23.Folding support stand foo'T in-feed frame, 24. Folding support stand foorout-feed frame, 25. Bench height adjustment brackets, 26 and 27. Trolley wheels, 28 and 29. Folding support stand in- feed locking screw, 30. Folding support stand out-feed locking screw, 31. Out-feed front roller height adjusting bolt, 32. Gt roller height adjusting bolt 33. In-feed front roller height adjusting bolt 34. In-feed front roller height adjusting bolt, 35. Folding support stand stop chock (Out-feed stand), 36. Folding support stand stop chock (in-feed stand), 37.