US3757617A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Foam cutting apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-16
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1992-03-16
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and a method for cutting rigidized foam material which comprises one or more electrically heated, stretched wires between at least a pair of fixed points, the foam material being directed into the heated wires at a uniform rate by a foam block retaining mechanism, the wires being directed by at least a pair of templates adjacent the mechanism at opposite ends of the foam material, thus guiding the wires through the foam, thereby cutting it to the shape of the templates.
Inventors
- 👤 J Fabbri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:02
CPC Classifications
B; B26; B26F; B26F3/00; B26F3/06; B26F3/08; B26F3/12; B26D; B26D3/00; B26D3/006; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/02; Y10T83/283; Y10T83/293; Y10T83/647; Y10T83/654; Y10T83/6545; Y10T83/6547; Y10T83/6548; Y10T83/6667; Y10T83/869; Y10T83/875; Y10T83/929; Y10T83/9292
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
An apparatus for cutting rigidized foam material comprising: a base portion; at least one resistively heatable wire suspended between at least a pair of fixed anchor posts mounted to said base portion; wire tensioning means at one end of said resistively heatable wire; a foam material-retaining means movably mounted to said base portion positioned between said wire anchor posts; a block of rigidized foam material shaped tO fit within said foam material-retaining means; at least a pair of templates at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means; template following means at opposite ends of said foam materialretaining means connected to said heatable wire to direct said wire through said rigidized foam material as the material traverses past said resistively heatable wire; and a source of electrical power to resistance-heat at least one resistively heatable wire suspended between at least a pair of fixed anchor posts to cut said block of rigidized foam material as said movable foam material-retaining means moves said block into said heated wire.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
166 words
An apparatus for cutting rigidized foam material comprising: a base portion; at least one resistively heatable wire suspended between at least a pair of fixed anchor posts mounted to said base portion; wire tensioning means at one end of said resistively heatable wire; a foam material-retaining means movably mounted to said base portion positioned between said wire anchor posts; a block of rigidized foam material shaped tO fit within said foam material-retaining means; at least a pair of templates at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means; template following means at opposite ends of said foam materialretaining means connected to said heatable wire to direct said wire through said rigidized foam material as the material traverses past said resistively heatable wire; and a source of electrical power to resistance-heat at least one resistively heatable wire suspended between at least a pair of fixed anchor posts to cut said block of rigidized foam material as said movable foam material-retaining means moves said block into said heated wire.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foam material-retaining means is pivoted at one end to said base portion so that said foam material-retaining means swings through an arc through at least one of said resistively heatable wires suspended between said at least one pair of fixed anchor posts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wire tensioning means comprises a spring attached to one end of said at least one resistively heatable wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein there are at least a pair of resistively heatable wires, said wire tensioning means being a whiffle-tree mechanism comprising a bar having attached at either end said pair of resistively heatable wires, said bar having centrally attached thereto a spring means, said spring means being anchored to one of said fixed anchor posts mounted to said base portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one resistively heatable wire is nichrome wire having a diameter of between 0.0073 and 0.020.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rigidized foam is a low density, expanded bead type of cellular polystyrene foam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said templates at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means are shaped to an airfoil cross section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said template following means is comprised of a shoe means having a recess portion therein and a wire retaining slot on an opposite side of said shoe means, said recess in said shoe means being adapted to slide over the peripheral edge of said templates, thus guiding the at least one resistively heatable wire retained in said wire retaining slot over said templates at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
159 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said template following means at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means is further comprised of a cam-roller following arm having a cam-roller following means at one end thereof, the other end being pivotably anchored to a support tower attached to said base portion, said cam-roller following means being in direct contact with the peripheral edge of said pair of templates at opposite ends of said foam material-retaining means, said cam-roller following arm being interconnected with at least one wire retaining arm substantially parallel to said cam-roller following arm and pivotably connected to said support tower at one end, the other end being adapted to retain said resistively heatable wire, said wire retaining arm exactly following the trace of the cam-roller following arm as the cam-roller following means moves over said peripheral edge of said pair of templates to direct said wire unimpeded through said block of rigidized foam material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
100 words
The invention as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a second wire retaining arm pivotably anchored to said support tower, said arm being connected through image gears at one end pivotably mounted in said support tower, said image gears meshing with a pair of image gears connected to the base of said first wire retaining arm connected to said cam-roller following arm, thus guiding at least one more resistively heatable wire unimpeded through said rigidized foam block retained in said movable foam block retaining means, thereby cutting a pair of forms from said foam block in a single pass.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
319 words
An apparatus for cutting rigidized foam material to form separate model aircraft wing panels in the same block of material comprising: a base portion; at least a pair of resistively heatable wires suspended between a pair of fixed anchor posts mounted to said base portion; wire tensioning means at one end of said heatable wires; a foam material-retaining mechanism pivotably mounted to said base portion positioned between said fixed wire anchor posts; a block of rigidized foam material shaped to fit within said foam material-retaining mechanism; at least a pair of templates at opposite ends of said pivotable foam material-retaining mechanism; template following means at each end of said foam material-retaining mechanism, including at least one cam-follower means connected to a cam-following arm pivotably attached to a support tower anchored to said base portion; a first wire guide means including at least one wire guide arm pivotably attached to said support tower, said wire guide arm being substantially parallel with said cam-following arm through a mechanical link connected between said cam-following arm and said wire guide arm, thereby exactly following the trace of said cam follower means as it traverses the peripheral edge of said templates; a second wire guide means including at least one additional wire guide arm pivotably attached to said support tower, said first and second wire guide means being connected through their pivots by a pair of image gears, enmeshed one with the other so that as the first wire guide means moves up following said cam-follower means, said second wire guide means moves down an equal distance, thereby directing said resistively heatable wires unimpeded through said block of rigidized foam material as the pivotable foam material-retaining mechanism is moved through an arc into said wires; and a source of electrical power to resistance-heat said wires suspended between said anchor posts to cut said block of rigidized foam material retained within said foam material-retaining mechanism.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
319 words
An apparatus for cutting rigidized foam material to form separate model aircraft wing panels in the same block of material comprising: a base portion; at least a pair of resistively heatable wires suspended between a pair of fixed anchor posts mounted to said base portion; wire tensioning means at one end of said heatable wires; a foam material-retaining mechanism pivotably mounted to said base portion positioned between said fixed wire anchor posts; a block of rigidized foam material shaped to fit within said foam material-retaining mechanism; at least a pair of templates at opposite ends of said pivotable foam material-retaining mechanism; template following means at each end of said foam material-retaining mechanism, including at least one cam-follower means connected to a cam-following arm pivotably attached to a support tower anchored to said base portion; a first wire guide means including at least one wire guide arm pivotably attached to said support tower, said wire guide arm being substantially parallel with said cam-following arm through a mechanical link connected between said cam-following arm and said wire guide arm, thereby exactly following the trace of said cam follower means as it traverses the peripheral edge of said templates; a second wire guide means including at least one additional wire guide arm pivotably attached to said support tower, said first and second wire guide means being connected through their pivots by a pair of image gears, enmeshed one with the other so that as the first wire guide means moves up following said cam-follower means, said second wire guide means moves down an equal distance, thereby directing said resistively heatable wires unimpeded through said block of rigidized foam material as the pivotable foam material-retaining mechanism is moved through an arc into said wires; and a source of electrical power to resistance-heat said wires suspended between said anchor posts to cut said block of rigidized foam material retained within said foam material-retaining mechanism.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |