GB2606720A - A machining system - Google Patents

Abstract

The machining system includes a base 100 with mounts 120, 125 onto which a rail 110 is mounted and in turn onto which a headstock arrangement 200 is fixed. A rotatable headstock chuck 230 is driven by an easily attachable and detachable motor handle 250. A machining head arrangement 400 is also fitted to the rail 110 and includes a rotatable chuck 430 driven by a second easily attachable and detachable motor handle 450. The arrangement slides easily along and in alignment with the rail propelled by the hand (700, Figure 2) of an operator to facilitate machining operations such as drilling, boring, grinding, and sanding when fitted with appropriate tools 480, 481. The chuck may be replaced with a rotatable blade or a cutting disc mount. A second rail (115, Figure 1) may be mounted parallel to the first rail. The motor handles may be remotely controlled via a wireless or a wired system. The base may include folding legs (190, 191, 192, 193, Figure 5) and the rails may include quick-release fastenings, for transportation and storage.

Description

A machining system [1] The present invention relates generally to a machining system and finds particular, although not necessarily exclusive, utility in versatile, portable, powered machining centre systems.

[2] Machining centres are known whereby a variety of different types of cutting tools and cutter systems can be employed in the machining of work-pieces. These machining centres can operate, for example as, lathes, mills and grinding machines with one or more rotational axes.

[3] By their nature these machines are generally cumbersome to move, as they are usually very heavily constructed and normally require complex setting up procedures. Consequently they do not lend themselves to being easily transported or to easy use at multiple sites.

[4] Accordingly, for many machining applications, especially, for example, where it is desirable to machine work-pieces of a variety of sizes at a number of locations or sites or in the field, for instance in the case of modifications, maintenance or repairs, it is advantageous to be able to provide a machining centre system that is easily transportable and can be used to conduct multiple machining operations without the need for complex setting up procedures.

[5] The invention facilitates machining of work-pieces of a variety of sizes made from a multiplicity of materials using rotating cutting tools, for example of the abrasive or saw blade or drill types, and hand held static cutting tools, for example of the hand file, rasp or abrasive cloth, board or paper types, to achieve multiple light cuts at low feed pressures and high speeds as compared to machining with non-rotating fixed type cutting tools which require high feed pressures in many instances.

[6] Because the feed pressures are relatively low, the need for substantial, solidly built, heavy, non-portable structures is essentially eliminated.

[7] The invention utilises easily interchangeable and demountable power tool motor handles, of a type such as EP3062969B1 describes, to drive the rotating parts, the chucks and tools and so on, in combination with manually propelled tool carriers sliding on, and a headstock and tailstock fixed to, light weight rails and a base structure which can be constructed to be rigid and adequately strong without being too heavy to carry.

[8] Further, the invention may be arranged to have folding legs, if fitted, for easy carrying and to utilise easily separable and removable parts so that the machining centre system can be easily split into a number of easily carried portable sections to facilitate easy transportation and easy setting up.

[9] Torque limiting can also be incorporated as a safety feature to prevent overly fierce feeding of the tool causing damage to the cutting tools and the work piece and to protect the structure and other parts of the machining centre.

[10] In a first aspect, the invention may provide a machining centre system comprising of: a base; one or more rails mounted to the base; a headstock piece which may include a work-piece holder and a gearbox unit; a tailstock piece; one or more easily slideable tool carriers; one or more cutting tools; one or more motor handles; one or more stops.

[11] The base may take the form of a bench, table or platform and may desirably, for portability, include folding legs.

[12] A minimum of one rail is required, although at least two rails are desirable, more are contemplated to suit different machining operations.

[13] The rails may be attached to the base via mounting pieces so that one or more rails can be easily removed and repositioned by the operator.

[14] The rails may be arranged in parallel to one another or at adjustable angles which may be between 0 and 180 degrees apart.

[15] For operations requiring cross-sliding a rail or rails may be positioned orthogonally to the axis of rotation of the work-piece.

[16] One or more rails may be positioned adjustably.

[17] One or more rails may be positioned releasably.

[18] The headstock piece may be fixed or locked to or attached to one rail and may be releasable so as to be removable or slideable along the rail.

[19] The headstock may include a means to mount a work-piece such as, for instance, a chuck or a collet.

[20] The headstock may include a gearbox unit which may comprise of a reduction gearbox, a rotation locking mechanism, a chuck attachment means and a drive attachment and motor handle mounting means.

[21] The gearbox unit may be removably mounted to the headstock.

[22] The reduction gearbox may include one or a selection of gear ratios to facilitate different torque outputs and cutting speeds.

[23] Alternatively, the gearbox unit may for some applications, for example where it is advantageous for the tool to rotate at the motor speed, exclude the reduction gears and drive may be straight through without any gears.

[24] The gearbox unit may incorporate a clutch arrangement, which may be adjustable, to act as a torque limiter.

[25] The rotation locking mechanism may be automatic or operator configured.

[26] The tailstock piece may be slideably and removably mounted to the rail and may include a chuck which may be configured to revolve or not as may be required, and to hold various tools and centring devices.

[27] Alternatively the tailstock piece may take a similar form to the before mentioned headstock except that it may include a manually configurable rotation locking mechanism or it may not have a rotation locking mechanism.

[28] An easily slideable tool carrier may take a similar form to the headstock but may include rollers and bearings, which may be the same or combined units, to facilitate easy sliding of the tool carrier along a rail particularly when it is combined with a motor handle and propelled by an operator's hand. The rollers and bearings may be attached to the tool carrier typically on axels so as to roll on all outer surfaces of the rail, which may typically be three or four but could be more, and be adjustable to take up any slack so that there is no unwanted movement at the tool head. The rollers and bearings may be located at or towards each end of the tool carrier.

[29] There may be more than one tool carrier and these may be arranged to slide along the same or a number of different repositionable rails.

[30] The tool carrier may include a locking mechanism to prevent it from moving along the rail when it is required to be used in one position.

[31] The tool carrier may be used in conjunction with, in addition to, instead of, or without either the tailstock or headstock pieces according to the type of machining work to be undertaken.

[32] The tool carriers may be configured in various ways in order to accommodate different types of cutting tool movement and adjustment relative to the base and the axis of rotation of the work-piece including but not limited to: horizontal angular rotation, orthogonal vertical angular rotation, horizontal cross-sliding, orthogonal vertical sliding, and combinations of movements and adjustments thereof.

[33] One or more cutting tools may be used according to the number of motor handles being operated.

[34] The cutting tools may be of the rotating abrasive or cutter types.

[35] The headstock, tailstock and tool carriers may be configured to facilitate concentricity adjustment.

[36] The motor handles may slide onto the headstock and the tool carriers interchangeably and automatically connect drive to the gearbox units thereon.

[37] A motor handle may include a motor and a connection means and take the form, for example, although not exclusively, of the arrangement described in EP3062969B1.

[38] A motor handle may be, although need not be exclusively, of the cordless battery type.

[39] A motor handle may include a variable speed control which may be, although need not be exclusively, a finger trigger type.

[40] Two motor handles can provide an optimum arrangement for ease of use and portability as well as for affordability considerations. One motor handle can drive the headstock and the second motor handle can interchangeably drive any number of alternative tools on alternative tool carriers which may slide on the same or alternative rails according to operator requirements.

[41] When more than one motor handle is required, for example, to drive both a tool on a tool carrier and a headstock chuck, it may be feasible for a skilled user to operate and control both motor handles simultaneously with two hands but it is envisaged that for much greater ease of use and versatility one motor handle may be operated and controlled directly by the user and this motor handle may control another remotely by wireless or wired control. For instance, the user may directly operate and control the motor handle driving the cutting tool and simultaneously remotely operate and control the motor handle driving the headstock.

[42] The means by which one motor handle may control another may comprise more than one speed controlling device such as potentiometers, rheostats, resistor arrays, sensor arrangements, switches, other alternatives or combinations, and may, for instance, be remotely, wherein the control trigger and switch of one motor handle may be arranged to be controlled by a user and to simultaneously control all other motor handles attached to the machining centre system with the rest of the control triggers and switches bypassed by employing, for example, mode selector switches and control and connection arrangements such as those fully detailed in patent application number GB1819367.2.

[43] Alternatively, their controls may, for instance, be connected via wiring embedded in each applicable gearbox unit, along with suitable connector arrangements incorporated in each side of the attachment mechanisms, which may be of a type that engage automatically as each motor handle is attached to the gearbox unit, such that the controls of all attached motor handles can be linked together electrically with the control trigger and switch of one motor handle arranged to control all motor handles attached to the tool, with the rest of the control triggers and switches bypassed by employing, for example, similar throttle and switch and mode selector switches and control and connection arrangements to the remote arrangement above such as those also detailed in patent application number GB1819367.2.

[44] Alternatively, a further option may be to connect their controls electrically by arranging simple flexible wiring links with connectors at each end which may plug into or connect together with the connectors on each motor handle. Again, similar throttle and switch and mode selector switches and control and connection arrangements to the remote arrangement above, such as those also detailed in patent application number GB1819367.2, may be utilised.

[45] Stops may be provided to restrict the movement of a tool carrier between two points.

[46] In a second aspect, the invention provides a machining centre system according to the first aspect with the headstock alternatively operated as a fixed rotating tool holder, holding a tool such as a drill bit or abrasive disc to which a moveable work-piece may be introduced. The work-piece may be mounted in a chuck attached to the tool carrier and may be static of rotated by a motor handle.

[47] In a third aspect, the invention provides a machining centre system according to the first aspect, in a minimal set up state, whereby one motor handle can drive a tool carrier unit and the work-piece can be statically held by the headstock chuck, without the need for a second motor handle, for example for machining operations such as drilling internal bores.

[48] In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a machining centre system according to the first aspect, in an alternative minimal set up state, whereby one motor handle can drive the headstock and a hand held tool on a rest can be introduced under low pressure for some light machining operations, without the need for a second motor handle.

[49] In a further embodiment of the invention the working length of the work-piece which can be accommodated can be extended by either extending the rail or rails or by installing a longer rail or rails. The extended or longer rail or rails can be supported on a further base or bases linked to the original base, with the provision of height adjustability included.

[50] Further embodiments are contemplated.

[51] Principle of operation of the invention [52] When attached together the combined motor handle tool carrier assembly including a motor handle, a tool carrier and a tool piece, may be configured to slide easily along a rail so that the operator can propel and control the tool piece manually, which may be a rotating abrasive disc or cutter, when moving the assembly along a straight course along the rail into contact with and whilst cutting the work-piece.

[53] According to the type of tool carrier selected by the operator, the tool piece may also be moved, by hand propulsion, into contact with and may cut the work-piece in a direction which is at an angle to the work-piece and the rail on which the motor handle tool carrier slides in order to increase the depth of cut or to facilitate shaping of the work-piece.

[54] The angle of movement of the tool piece relative to the tool carrier may be parallel or may be between 0 and 180 degrees and may in some instances typically be orthogonally arranged about a horizontal axis in relation to the sliding path along the rail or in other instances it may typically be orthogonally arranged about a vertical axis in relation to the sliding path along the rail, for example, to facilitate increasing the depth of cut.

[55] The attachment of the rails may be configured in such a way as to enable the motor handle tool carrier assembly to slide along a rail at a non-parallel angle to both the work-piece axis of rotation and the rail onto which the headstock is mounted.

[56] The angle between the rails or the angle between the rail on which the motor handle tool carrier slides and the work-piece axis of rotation or the rail onto which the headstock is mounted may typically be between 0 and 180 degrees to facilitate angular shaping of the work-piece.

[57] Where a flat or a groove is required to be machined onto a work-piece, the headstock can be utilised in the braked condition without the need for the motor handle to be operated and it can be detached from the headstock if required.

[58] Where localised cutting of a work-piece is required, for example when machining a slot, reduced diameter or localised tapering, the adjustable stops can be locked onto the rail to facilitate suitable limited movement of the motor handle tool carrier assembly.

[59] Whilst the tool carriers can be slid on and off the rails as and when needed, the invention enables the alternative option, which may be easier or quicker in some instances, of interchanging or swapping a rail fitted with one type of tool carrier for another rail of the same specification fitted with another type of tool carrier by simply unfastening one rail fitted with one tool carrier and substituting it with another rail fitted with another tool carrier.

[60] The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

[61] Figure 1 is a schematic view from above of the machining system arranged with a base, two rails in parallel, a headstock with a detachable motor handle, a work-piece, a tailstock and a tool carrier with a second detachable motor handle and a cutting tool.

[62] Figure 2 is the same schematic diagram as Figure 1 but with the addition of a user's hand.

[63] Figure 3 is a schematic view from above of the machining system arranged with a base, one rail, a headstock with a detachable motor handle, a work-piece, a tailstock, a second rail located orthogonally to the first rail and a tool carrier with a second detachable motor handle and a cutting tool.

[64] Figure 4 is a schematic view from above of the machining system arranged with a base, a single rail, a headstock, a detached motor handle, a work-piece, a tailstock and a tool carrier with a second detachable motor handle attached and a cutting tool.

[65] Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the machining system arranged similarly to Figure 1 but also showing a set of folding legs attached to the base.

[66] The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Each drawing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

[67] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

[68] Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

[69] It is to be noticed that the terms 'comprise', 'comprises' and comprising', 'include' and 'includes', used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; they do not exclude other elements or steps. They are thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression 'a device comprising means A and B' should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. [70] Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term 'connected', used in the description, should not be interpreted as being restricted to direct connections only. Thus, the scope of the expression 'a device A connected to a device B' should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. 'Connected' may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

[71] Reference throughout this specification to 'an embodiment' or 'an aspect' means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases 'in one embodiment', 'in an embodiment', or 'in an aspect' in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

[72] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[73] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[74] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[75] In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

[76] The use of the term "at least one" may mean only one in certain circumstances.

[77] The principles of the invention will now be described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features of the invention. It is clear that other arrangements can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

[78] Figure 1 shows a base 100, viewed from the top; two rails 110 and 115; two rail mounting pieces 120 and 125 which enable the rails to be attached to the base with removable fasteners 130, 131, 132 and 133 which may be clamping knobs, the rails may be located on the rail mounting pieces in different positions utilising the alternative mounting holes 140 and 141 which may be of any suitable number, spacing, shape or size including circular, slotted or curved.

[79] A headstock assembly 200 is also shown attached adjustably to the rail 110 in such a way as to enable concentricity adjustments to be made, for instance with adjusting screws, not shown. The headstock assembly 200 includes a gearbox unit 210 which may comprise of a set of reduction gears, not shown, a rotation locking mechanism, not shown, and an adjustable torque limiting clutch 220. A motor handle 250 which may, for instance, be of a type described in patent EP3062969B1, although not necessarily exclusively, with connection means and a variable speed control trigger or switch or both and a remote control system which may, for instance, be as described in patent application GB1819367.2, none shown, and a battery 260 are removably attached, for instance by sliding connection, to drive the input side of the headstock gearbox unit 210 and a chuck 230 is attached to the output shaft end; a work-piece 240 is shown clamped in the chuck.

[80] Towards the other end of the rail 110 a tailstock assembly 300 is shown which is attached adjustably to the rail in a similar way to the headstock assembly 200. The tailstock assembly 300 may include a choice of fittings including but not limited to a chuck 310; a centring piece 315; bearings, not shown; a rotation brake, not shown, which may be automatically or manually operated.

[81] A tool carrier assembly 400 is also shown which is attached so that it can slide on the second rail 115 which is located in front of and parallel to rail 110. For ease of sliding the tool carrier assembly may, for instance, include: rollers incorporating or being bearings attached on axels towards each end, none shown, a gearbox unit 410 which may comprise of a set of reduction gears or a direct drive arrangement, neither shown, a rotation locking mechanism, not shown, and an adjustable torque limiting clutch 420. A motor handle 450 which, for instance, may be of the same type as 250 with connection means and a variable speed control trigger or switch, or both, and a remote control system, none shown, and a battery 460 which may be removably attached, for instance by sliding connection, not shown, to drive the input side of the tool carrier gearbox unit 410 and a chuck 430 is attached to the output shaft end; a rotating cutting tool 480 which may be of an abrasive type is shown clamped in the chuck. The tool carrier assembly 400 shown is of the horizontally swivelling type which may be rotated about a vertical axis using knob 470 to bring the rotating cutting tool 420 into contact with the work-piece 240 and to vary the position of the cutting tool along the work-piece as the cutting operation proceeds, according to the propulsive force exerted on the motor handle 450 by the operator's hand. A knob 490 is provided to facilitate locking of the tool carrier assembly 400 by clamping to the rail 115 when required.

[82] It is contemplated that different types of tool carrier assembly may be swapped on and off the rail 115, which may be unfastened and refastened with clamping knobs 132 and 133. For instance, a tool carrier assembly with a horizontal axis or a rest for a static type of tool may be used instead.

[83] It is further contemplated that rail 115 with tool carrier assembly 400 may be unfastened, by removing the clamping knobs 132 and 133, detached and substituted as a combined unit with an alternative rail and tool carrier combination of a different type, neither shown, and fastened in place with clamping knobs 132 and 133.

[84] Two slideable stop pieces 500 and 510, shown attached to rail 120, may be locked in position by clamping, using knob 520 and obscured knob 530, where required to constrain the movement of the tool, carrier assembly and motor handle combination between two limits, for instance where machining only one particular section of the work-piece is required.

[85] Figure 2 shows the same arrangement and layout of the invention as shown in figure 1 and as described above, but also shows the location of a user's hand 700 when propelling and controlling the motor handle on the tool carrier assembly.

[86] Figure 3 shows the same base 100 with the same rail 110, clamping knobs 130 and 131, headstock assembly 200, motor handle 250, battery 260, work-piece 230, and tailstock assembly 300 plus a rail in a different position, which may be the same rail 115 or a different shorter rail 600, dependant on space constraints and convenience, attached to the base orthogonally to rail 110 and the axis of rotation of the work-piece. The motor handle 450 and tool carrier assembly 400 is shown attached slideably to rail 600 together with two stops 500 and 510. With rail 600 arranged in this way, attached under the base with fasteners and mounting pieces, not shown, rotating tool 480 can be fed into contact with the work-piece at 90 degrees to facilitate different cutting operations.

[87] Alternatively, it is contemplated that rail 600 can be attached at different angles, between 0 and 180 degrees, to rail 110, and at different locations on the base 100 to facilitate machining operations at different angles and on different parts of the work-piece 240.

[88] Figure 4 shows the invention arranged for concentric machining, such as centre boring, on the same base 100 with the headstock assembly 200 locked onto rail 110 and tool carrier assembly 400 slideably attached on the same rail 110. A work-piece 241 is clamped in the headstock chuck 230 and a cutting tool 481, for instance a drill bit, is clamped in the tool carrier chuck 430. A motor handle 250 connected to battery 260 is shown but not attached to the headstock assembly 200.

[89] The machining operation may proceed with the user's hand 700 controlling and exerting a propulsive force on the motor handle 450 to advance the tool carrier assembly 400 and the rotating cutting tool 481 by sliding it along the rail towards and into contact with the work-piece 231.

[90] The clampable stop pieces 500 and 510 are attached slideably on rail 110 and may be used to limit the depth of drilling.

[91] In some machining applications of this kind rotation of the headstock assembly 200 may not be advantageous or necessary in which case a rotational brake, not shown, may operate automatically or may be applied manually and the motor handle 250 that could be connected to the headstock assembly may be disconnected, as shown, or excluded entirely or may be connected but not operated, according to user requirements.

[92] Further, the roles of the headstock assembly 200 and the tool carrier assembly 400 may be reversed in the sense that the motor handle 250 with battery 260 attached may be connected to the tool carrier assembly 200 and switched on and the work-piece 241 rotated and the cutting tool 481 may be prevented from rotating by a braking arrangement, not shown, and be introduced into contact with the work-piece 241 in the same way as described in the paragraph above.

[93] Alternatively, the motor handle 250 connected to the headstock assembly 200 and the motor handle 450 connected to the tool carrier assembly 400 may both be operated so that both the work-piece 241 and the cutting tool 481 contra-rotate and are brought into contact in the same way as described above.

[94] Figure 5 shows an arrangement of the base 100 with legs 190, 191, 192 and 193 attached to enable the user to operate the invention at a convenient height and to easily separate and rearrange it for easy portability and transportation, for instance, by following the actions described below: [95] The two motor handles 250 and 450 with their respective batteries 260 and 460 may be detached from the headstock assembly 200 and tool carrier assembly 400, respectively, for separate carrying. The rail 115 may be released from the two mounting pieces 120 and 125 by removing the two clamping knobs 132 and 133. The whole tool carrier assembly 400 complete with cutting tool 480, stop pieces 500 and 510 and the rail 115 may then be detached and removed as one portable unit. Rail 110 may then be released by removing the two clamping knobs 130 and 131 and the whole headstock assembly 200 and tailstock assembly 300 complete with the work-piece 240, if fitted and if required, and the rail 110 may be removed as another portable unit. The legs 190, 191, 192 and 193 may be folded up under or against the base 100 forming another portable unit.

[96] If required, the tool carrier assembly 400 and the headstock assembly 200 and tailstock assembly 300 may be further separated from the rails 10 and 15 for more compact portability.

[97] The separated units may then be arranged to be easily transportable utilising suitable carry handles or containers or a combination, neither shown, as required. When a user requires to operate the invention, reassembly can be the reverse of disassembly.

Claims (20)

1. A machining systemCLAIMS1. A machining system comprising of a base (100) with mounts(120) (125) onto which a rail (110) is mounted and in turn onto which a headstock arrangement (200) is fixed, the rotatable headstock chuck (230) of which is driven by an easily attachable and detachable motor handle (250); a machining head arrangement (400) including a rotatable chuck (430), driven by a second easily attachable and detachable motor handle (450), is fitted to the rail (110) and characterised so that it slides easily along and in alignment with the rail (110) propelled by the hand (700) of an operator to facilitate machining operations such as drilling, boring, grinding and sanding when fitted with appropriate tools (480) (481).
2. 2. The machining centre system of claim 1, comprising an alternative machining head arrangement to (400), not shown, which is further characterised so that the rotatable chuck is substituted with a rotatable blade or cutting disc mount, not shown, to facilitate different machining operations.
3. 3. The machining centre system of claim 1, comprising a second alternative machining head arrangement (400) which is further characterised so that the rotating axis of the rotatable chuck (430), in claim 1, is adjustable by an angle of between 0 degrees and up to 180 degrees about a vertical fulcrum to facilitate off-centre and angled machining operations such as off-centre or angled drilling, boring, grinding and sanding.
4. 4. The machining centre system of claim 1, comprising a third alternative machining head arrangement, not shown, which is characterised according to the arrangement in claim 2, not shown, but which is also adjustable by an angle of between 0 degrees and up to 180 degrees about a horizontal hinging point to facilitate further machining operations such as grinding, grooving and cutting off.
5. 5. The machining centre system of claim 1, comprising a fourth alternative machining head arrangement (400) which is characterised according to the arrangement in claim 1, but which is also adjustable by utilizing a cross-sliding arrangement, not shown, to facilitate further machining operations such as grinding, grooving and cutting off.
6. 6. The machining centre system of claim 1, further comprising a second rail (115) mounted parallel to the first rail (110) on which any of the machining head arrangements of the preceding claims, driven by the second easily attachable and detachable motor handle of claim 1 (450), are instead of being attached onto the first rail further attachable and characterised so that they slide easily along the second rail (115) parallel to the first rail (110) propelled by the hand (700) of an operator to facilitate further machining operations such as grinding, sanding and groove making.
7. 7. The machining centre system of claim 1, further comprising an alternative second rail (115) mounted parallel to the first rail (110) on which any one or more of the machining head arrangements of the preceding claims, driveable by the second easily attachable and detachable motor handle of claim 1 (450), are pre-fitted to facilitate quick swapping when different machining operations are required.
8. 8. The machining centre system of claim 1, further comprising an alternative second rail (600), mounted orthogonally or at any angle between 0 and 180 degrees in relation to the first rail (110), on which any one or more of the machining head arrangements of the preceding claims, driven by the second easily attachable and detachable motor CD handle of claim 1 (450), slides easily along and in line with the rail (600) propelled by the hand (700) of an operator to facilitate guided machining operations such as drilling, boring, grinding and sanding when fitted with tools (480) (481).
9. 9. The machining centre system of any preceding claim wherein the mounts (120) (125) for the rails (110) (115) include alternative location points (140) (141) for the rails so that the rails can be mounted in different positions to accommodate different size work pieces (240) and cutting, grinding and sanding tools (480) (481).
10. 10. The machining centre system of any preceding claim wherein the rails (110) (115) are arranged to be easily removable from the mounts (120) (125) on the base (100) to facilitate quick disassembly for easier transportation and storage.
11. 11. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further comprises two motor handles (250) (450) which are remote controllable so that an operator can switch on and control the rotational speed of both motor handles whilst operating the control trigger of one motor handle with one hand.
12. 12. The machining centre system of claim 11 which further comprises a wireless remote control system.
13. 13. The machining centre system of claim 11 which alternatively to claim 12 comprises a wired remote control system where an electrical cable connection, not shown, is made between the two motor handles (250) (450).
14. 14. The machining centre system of claim 13 which includes detachable connectors, not shown, between the electrical cable ends, not shown, and the two motor handles (250) (450).
15. 15. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which includes two motor handles (250) (450), and corresponding slide-on mountings on the machining head arrangements (200) (400), which are of the types described in patent EP3062969.
16. 16. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further comprises folding legs (190) (191) (192) (193) attached to the base 0) (100) for easier transportation and storage.
17. 17. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further comprises quick-release fastenings for the mounting of the rails (110) C\1 (115) to facilitate quick disassembly for easier transportation and storage.
18. 18. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further comprises movable stops (510) (520) which can slide and lock onto any of the rails (110) (115) to limit the extent of the sliding of the machining head (400).
19. 19. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further comprises machining heads (400) which include locking facilities (490) to prevent movement on the rails (110) (115) when a machining operation is required at a chosen position.
20. 20. The machining centre system of any preceding claim which further includes an adjustable tailstock (300).