Cutting guide with integral clamping and alignment

Abstract

A portable guide for use with portable power tools such as saws and routers to assist in making straight cuts or grooves precisely located in panels or sheets by moving the tool along a planar side surface 64 of a guide bar 10. Clamp assemblies 20 R and 20 L secure the guide bar 10 to the workpiece and support the workpiece by clamping the workpiece on both sides of the line of cut via a tightening clamp screw 26 and planar clamp plate 28 that forcefully urge the workpiece into contact with an angle portion 66 of the frame 21 of the clamp assemblies 20 R and 20 L. The clamp assemblies 20 R and 20 L are designed to avoid interference between the clamp assemblies and the cutter portion of the power tool. A template 40 precisely locates the clamp assemblies relative to the line of cut. A lateral guide 30 may be attached to the tool without tool modification. The lateral guide 30 interacts slidably with the guide bar 10 and maintains engagement between the side surface 64 of the guide bar 10 and the power tool.

1 . A portable guide device for severing a portion of a workpiece comprising: 
 a guide bar having a longitudinal dimension relatively longer than the preselected portion of the workpiece to be severed;    a first clamp assembly secured to a first end of the workpiece;    a second clamp assembly secured to an opposing second end of the workpiece;    means for aligning said first and second clamp assemblies;    means for securing said guide bar to said first and second clamp assemblies;    means for continuously engaging a severing tool with a longitudinal side surface of said guide bar beyond the first and second ends of the workpiece; and    means for maintaining the relative position of the workpiece and the severed portion upon completing the severing operation.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar further includes a plurality of planar surfaces that provide a rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar further includes a slot centered along the longitudinal axis of a bottom surface of said guide bar.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar further includes a plurality of slots centered along the longitudinal axis of a bottom surface of said guide bar.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said first and second clamp assemblies further include a protection wall to prevent the workpiece from engaging nuts affixed to a clamp frame and clamp plates riveted to a top portion of a clamp screw.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said aligning means further includes a template dimensioned to position T-bolts of said first and second clamp assemblies a predetermined distance from a line of cut.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said predetermined distance corresponds to the distance between said T-bolts and the severing tool when said guide bar is secured to said first and second clamp assemblies and the severing tool engages a side surface of said guide bar.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said template further includes a notch configured to removably and snugly receive said T-bolts.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar securing means further includes a rectangular top portion of said T-bolts positioned to insert through said slot in said bottom surface of said guide bar, said top portion subsequently being rotated inside said guide bar and urged into forcible engagement with an inner portion of said bottom surface via an eccentric tensioning lever thereby securing said guide bar to said first and second clamp assemblies.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar further includes means for securing the severing tool to said guide bar.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein said severing tool securing means further includes a lateral guide having a first portion removably positioned upon said guide bar, and a second portion removably joined to a receptacle portion of the severing tool.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said continuous engaging means further includes a notch portion in a frame portion of said first and second clamp assemblies, said notch portions being substantially centered in said frame portions, said notch portions being dimensioned to allow the severing tool to pass through said notches without engaging said first and second clamp assemblies.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said continuous engaging means further includes positioning said longitudinal side surface of said guide bar proximate to said notches to direct the severing tool through said notches when the severing tool is urged across the workpiece while continuously engaging said side surface of said guide bar.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said position maintaining means further includes opposing clamp screws inserted through frame portions of said first and second clamp assemblies on either side of notch portions in said frame portions, and angle portions of said frame portions dimensioned to engage corresponding edge portions of the workpiece when said clamp screws are tightened.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said guide bar securing means further includes a T-bolt having a threaded end portion with opposing sides machined flat to fit snugly in a slot of a wedge and a correspondingly configured washer, said threaded end receiving a nut to secure the relative position of said T-bolt in relation to said first and second clamp assemblies, said wedge, washer and nut cooperating to allow said T-bolt to secure said guide bar to said clamp assemblies when said wedge is moved in a predetermined direction.  
     
     
         16 . A guide device for a machining tool operating upon a workpiece comprising: 
 a guide bar extending beyond corresponding edges of a preselected portion of the workpiece;    means for securing said guide bar to the workpiece;    means for positioning said guide bar upon the workpiece to direct the machine tool along a predetermined excursion;    means for continuously engaging the machine tool with said guide bar beyond the corresponding edges of the preselected portion of the workpiece; and    means for holding at least two separated portions of the workpiece during operation of the machine tool.    
     
     
         17 . A device for routing a machine tool upon a workpiece comprising: 
 a guide bar;    means for securing said guide bar to the workpiece;    means for calibrating the position of the guide bar upon the workpiece;    means for enabling the machine tool to separate the workpiece into at least two distinct portions; and    means for securing the relative positions of the two distinct portions.    
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein said guide bar includes means for securing the machine tool to said guide bar to maintain a predetermined engagement route of the machine tool upon the workpiece.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said securing further includes a lateral guide having a first portion removably positioned upon said guide bar, and a second portion removably joined to a receptacle portion of the severing tool.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17  wherein said guide bar securing means further includes first and second clamp assemblies removably joined to preselected portions of the workpiece corresponding to a predetermined engagement route of the machine tool upon the workpiece.