Router table joint making machine

Abstract

A machine for use with a table-mounted router to form a wide variety of woodworking joints by manipulating a workpiece to engage the router cutter in predetermined locations, in some instances by reference to a joint element template, and in other instances by reference to predetermined lateral locations, to form joint elements with predetermined shapes and spacing.

1 . An apparatus for use with a router to cut woodworking joints, comprising: 
 (a) an elongated center guide for positioning relative to the router,    (b) a lower fence for sliding along the center guide while positioned transverse to the direction of such sliding motion,    (c) an upper fence for sliding or fixed attachment to the lower fence,    (d) a clamp for securing a workpiece to the upper fence,    (e) a spacer tray for holding spacers and for attachment to one of the upper fence or the lower fence,    (f) a control block for selectively fixing the position of the upper fence relative to the lower fence by reference to the spacers.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a tracer pin for fixed positioning relative to the router, and at least one template for alternative positioning relative to the upper fence for controlling movement of the upper fence relative to the router by moving the upper fence while maintaining contact between the template and the tracer pin.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tracer pin has a template contact surface, the contact surface is conical, and a pin jack for adjusting the height of the tracer pin relative to the template so that different portions of the conical contact surface can be made to contact the tracer.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer tray comprises an elongated channel within which multiple spacers, each containing at least one index pin hole, may be locked.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the spacer tray comprises structure having a plurality of locator holes.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer tray may be locked within the upper fence.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an indexing pin attached to the control block for contact with selected spacers.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking pin for engagement between the control block and the upper fence to selectively secure the control block to the upper fence.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock for selectively securing the control block to the upper fence.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary fence attachable to project at a right angle to the upper fence.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a stop secured to the center guide to limit travel of the lower fence.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable stop secured to the center guide to limit travel of the lower fence.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for use with a mounted router and router cutter to cut woodworking joints, comprising: 
 (a) a joint element template, and    (b) a workpiece holder for securing a workpiece and moving the workpiece to engage the router cutter and sequencially form at least two joint components on the workpiece, each by reference to the template.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a spacing apparatus for sequentially positioning the template in multiple positions relative to the workpiece.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for use with a router to cut woodworking joints, comprising: 
 (a) a guide for positioning relative to the router,    (b) a first structure for sliding along the guide along a first axis,    (c) a workpiece holder for attachment to the first structure alternatively fixed or for sliding along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the workpiece holder comprises a clamp.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a spacer apparatus for positioning the workpiece holder relative to the first structure.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spacer apparatus comprises: 
 (a) a spacer tray for holding spacers and for attachment to one of the workpiece holder or the first structure, and    (b) a control block for selectively fixing the position of the workpiece holder relative to the first structure by reference to the spacers.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the spacer tray comprises an elongated channel within which multiple spacers, each containing at least one index pin hole, may be locked.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising an indexing pin attached to the control block for contact with selected spacers.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the spacer apparatas may be locked within the workpiece holder.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a tracer pin and at least one template, one of which pin and template may be fixed in position relative to the router, and the other of which pin and template may be fixed in position relative to the workpiece holder for controlling movement of the workpiece holder relative to the router by moving the workpiece holder while maintaining contact between the template and the pin.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the tracer pin has a template contact surface, the contact surface is conical, and further comprising a pin jack for adjusting the position of the tracer pin relative to the template so that different portions of the conical contact surface can be made to contact the tracer.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a locking pin for engagement between the control block and the first structure to selectively secure the control block to the first structure.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a lock for selectively securing the control block to the workpiece holder.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an auxiliary fence attachable to project from the workpiece holder parallel to the guide.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus for use with a router cutter for shaping a wood workpiece comprising: 
 (a) a tapered pin for fixing relative to one of the cutter or the workpiece; and    (b) a fixture for securing a pattern relative to the other of the workpiece or the cutter for contact between the pattern and the pin during use of the apparatus.    
     
     
         28 . Apparatus for use in cutting wood using a rotating cutter, comprising a workpiece holding structure movable so that the workpiece can move laterially and longitudinally relative to the cutter but cannot rotate.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus for use in cutting wood, comprising a workpiece holding structure for permitting movement of a first workpiece only longitudinally at a plurality of predetermined lateral positions.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus for use in cutting wood of  claim 29 , further comprising structure for permitting movement of a second workpiece in a predetermined pattern at each of the plurality of predetermined lateral positions.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for cutting wood with a router bit, comprising structure for permitting movement of a workpiece along two orthogonal axes while preveinting movement along or rotation about any axis orthogonal to the first and second axes.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising engagement structure for constraining the first workpiece to move only longitudinally at a plurality of predetermined lateral positions.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising pattern and follower structure for constraining a second workpiece to move outside a predetermined shape at each of the plurality of predetermined lateral positions and thereby remove material from the second workpiece to leave workpiece material having at least a portion of the predetermined shape.  
     
     
         34 . A method for cutting workpieces using a router and router cutter in order to form a woodworking joint joining the workpieces, comprising: 
 (a) securing an elongated guide relative to the router,    (b) securing a first workpiece to a first component,    (c) positioning the first component laterally relative to the guide by reference to a first spacer,    (d) sliding the first component and workpiece along the guide to engage the router cutter at a first position on the workpiece,    (e) repositioning the first component laterally relative to the guide by reference to a second spacer, and    (f) sliding the first component and workpiece along the guide to engage the router cutter at a second location on the workpiece.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 (a) securing a tracing pin in a fixed position relative to the router,    (b) securing a template to the first component by reference to one of the spacers,    (c) securing a second workpiece to the first component and moving the first component and workpiece to engage the router cutter while maintaining contact between the tracing pin and the template, and    (d) repositioning the template relative to the first component by reference to another of the spacers and moving the first component and workpiece to engage the router cutter while maintaining contact between the tracing pin and the template.