GB2429427A

GB2429427A - Universal mitre box

Info

Publication number: GB2429427A
Application number: GB0517513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John William Collins; John Raymond Collins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-26
Filing date: 2005-08-26
Publication date: 2007-02-28
Also published as: GB0517513D0

Abstract

The universal mitre box includes a base 101 and a pair of opposing side walls 110, 140. The sidewalls include one or more sawing slots (102-109, fig.2) and an aperture (120, fig.2) extending through from one side wall to the other such that a product 400, 500 to be cut can be placed against either of the two side walls 110, 140 and held in place by a user through the aperture (120, fig.2). The base section 101 may extend higher up the side wall 110 on one side than it does on the other 140 to allow for different sizes of product 400, 500, which may be skirting boards or timber. A sloped portion 801, 802 may be provided on each side of the base portion 101 and a top portion 600 including one or more sawing slots may also be provided for cutting a further product 700. Viewing holes (301, 302, fig.3) and a channel 800 for storage of a saw may also be provided.

Description

UNIVERSAL MITRE BOX

The present invention relates to a universal mitre box.

Conventional mitre boxes comprise a flat rectangular base having two upstanding opposing sidewalls. The sidewalls typically include one or more slots that act as a guide for a saw when it is used to cut through an article such as a section of coving, skirting boards, dado rails and the like (referred to as a "product" from hereon in) placed in the mitre box. The slots typically include one for making straight or butt-joint cuts, as well as two 45 degree slots for meeting internal and external corners.

Existing mitre boxes are produced in a range of standard sizes that correspond to the widths of commercially available products. If the mitre box is too large for the width of the product being cut then there is a risk that the product will slip as it is being sawn. This means that if product of several different sizes is to be cut then more than one mitre box needs to be purchased.

Further, the way in which the product is positioned for cutting in conventional mitre boxes is felt to be counterintuitive by many users. This is because the product is held in an upside down' orientation (i.e. with part of the product lying along the bottom of the mitre box) compared with the in- situ position of the product (i.e. with a portion of the product extending along an overhead ceiling on the wall etc). This means that there is a risk that a user will not notice until it is too late if he is accidentally making a cut in the wrong position on the product.

The present invention relates to a mitre box and more particularly to a mitre box that can receive different sizes of product and the product can be held steady in place whilst being cut.

Embodiments of the present invention are intended to provide a mitre box that addresses the problems discussed above and produces a device that allows for the cutting of a range of products in one convenient apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a universal mitre box including: a base, a pair of opposing side walls, the sidewalls including one or more sawing slots, and an aperture extending through from one side wall to the other, such that a product to be cut can be placed against either of the two side walls and held in place by a user through the aperture.

According to another aspect of the invention the universal mitre box also comprises a top portion including one or more sawing slots.

According to another aspect of the invention the base and the top portion protrudes beyond the side walls on either side of the mitre box.

According to another aspect of the invention the distance between the top portion and the base on one side of the mitre box and the distance between the top portion and the base on the other side of the mitre box is greater to accommodate different sizes of product that are to be cut.

According to another aspect of the invention the base section is sloped on either side in a direction towards the side walls such that when a product sits against one of the side walls the slope acts to stop the product moving in a horizontal direction.

According to another aspect of the invention viewing slots are provided in the top section of the mitre box.

According to another aspect of the invention the viewing slots are located such that when a product to be cut is located in the mitre box the user can see the saw cutting through part of the surface of the product that will be visible when it is installed.

According to another aspect of the invention a slot is provided against one side wall and extending into the base of the device to allow storage of a saw when the mitre box is not in use or is being transported.

According to another aspect of the invention the aperture is located at a substantially central point on the sidewall.

According to another aspect of the invention one pair of saw slots may be used for cutting a left-hand cut and another pair of slots may be used for cutting a right-hand cut.

According to another aspect of the invention the box can include one or more markers / indicators for assisting a user in using the mitre box.

According to another aspect of the invention the top portion includes a channel for receiving a piece or architrave, quadrant, small beading or the like.

The box may be formed of one or more piece of material such as wood, metal or plastic or may be formed of several sections which are then combined together.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways, and, by way of example only, embodiments thereof will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of the universal mitre box of the present invention; Figure 2 is another side view of the universal mitre box of the present invention; Figure 3 is a top view of the universal mitre box of the present invention, and Figure 4 is an end view of the universal mitre box of the present invention.

In figure 1 the mitre box 100 comprises a base 101, a side wall 110, a top portion 130, an aperture 120 and sawing slots 102- 109. The aperture 120 extends through from the side wall in view to the side wall on the other side of the universal mitre box. This aperture has a dual purpose, firstly as use as a handle when the device is being carried and secondly for holding a piece or skirting board, dado rail or the like in place whilst being cut. A user's hand can pass through the aperture to enable the product to be held.

The top portion 130 is dimensioned to receive architrave, quadrants and small beads and other like products. The sawing slots 104-107 allow these products to be cut in the required manner.

In a particular embodiment the side wall shown in figure 1 is designed to hold skirting boards that are up to 9" (225mm) wide for cutting.

The base portion 101 will be described with regards the later figures.

In figure 2 the opposing side wall to the one in figure 1 is shown. It will be noted that the base 101 extends higher up the side wall 140 than the base does on side wall 110 that is shown in figure 1 as this side wall is dimensioned for smaller products such as dado and picture rails and the like.

Figure 3 shows a view from the top of the universal mitre box. As in previous figures sawing slots are shown at 106 and 107. Products to be cut are shown at reference numerals 400 and 500 and are shown resting against the side walls of the universal mitre box and can be of differing sizes as described above. Viewing holes are also provided at 301 and 302 such that the product being cut can be viewed. A channel 600 runs along the length of the top portion for receiving architrave, quadrants and small beads and the like.

A better understanding of the universal mitre box will be seen from figure 4.

Figure 4 shows an end view of the device showing how a product is accommodated in the top portion of the mitre box and how products sit against the side walls of the universal mitre box. As can be seen from this figure different sizes of product (400 and 500) are designed to be fitted against the two side walls. One side for example being able to receive 5" skirting or 6" (150mm) timber (500) and the other side being able to receive up to 9" (225mm) skirting or timber (400). As can be seen from this figure the base section (101) extends higher up the side wall on one side than it does on the other. It should also be noted that there is a sloped portion (801 and 802) on either side of the base portion. The reason for this is that a product (400 or 500) rests at its base on this slope and depending on the thickness of the product will sit on a different part of the slope and to be held firmly and will stop the bottom of the product being cut, moving when a saw is drawn back.

A channel (800) is provided against one of the side walls for a saw to rest when not in use and when being transported.

The top portion of the universal mitre box has a channel (600) running along it to receive a product (700) for cutting. As previously explained this could be architrave, quadrants and small beads and other like products.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the mitre box can be varied such that the points at which the product contacts (and I or is supported by) the interior of the box can differ to the embodiments shown in the diagrams.

The thickness of a particular type of product can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and so in some cases surfaces of the product may contact parts of the mitre box in a different manner to the examples shown in the figures.

The mitre box in the examples described above is preferably formed of a single piece of moulded plastic. However, it will be appreciated that other materials such as metal or wood, or a combination of materials can be used.

Further, the box may comprise of several pieces that are assembled together.

Markers I indicators may be provided on the mitre box to assist a user in using the device or to show which products fit where.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1 A universal mitre box including: a base, a pair of opposing side

walls, the sidewalls including one or more sawing slots, and an aperture extending through from one side wall to the other such that a product to be cut can be placed against either of the two side walls and held in place by a user through the aperture.
2 A universal mitre box according to claim 1 also comprising a top portion including one or more sawing slots.
3 A universal mitre box according to claim 2 in which the base and the top portion protrudes beyond the side walls on either side of the mitre box.
4 A universal mitre box according to claim 3 in which the distance between the top portion and the base on one side of the mitre box and the distance between the top portion and the base on the other side of the mitre box is greater to accommodate different sizes of product that are to be cut.
A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which the base section is sloped on either side in a direction towards the side walls such that when a product sits against one of the side walls the slope acts to stop the product moving in a horizontal direction.
6 A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which viewing slots are provided in the top section of the mitre box.
7 A universal mitre box according to claim 5 in which the viewing slots are located such that when a product to be cut is located in the mitre box the user can see the saw cutting through part of the surface of the product that will be visible when it is installed.
8 A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which a slot is provided against one side wall and extending into the base of the device to allow storage of a saw when the mitre box is not in use or is being transported.
9 A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which the aperture is located at a substantially central point on the sidewall.
A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which one pair of saw slots may be used for cutting a left-hand cut and another pair of slots may be used for cutting a right-hand cut.
11 A universal mitre box according to any preceding claim in which the box can include one or more markers I indicators for assisting a user in using the mitre box.
12 A universal mitre box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, andlor as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.