Band saw apparatus

Abstract

A band saw includes a drive wheel and a fixed, curved band saw guide surface having one or more tracks for one or more band saw continuous strips; lubricant openings in the tracks are accessed from a source of lubricant under pressure to reduce frictional resistance of the band saw moving over the guide surface.

1 . An apparatus for moving a band saw having an endless, flexible loop having opposite side edges and a smooth body between said edges, at least one of said edges having cutting teeth thereon, 
 said apparatus including a base supporting a drive wheel mounted on an axle at one location and a curved guide surface positioned at a distance from said axle, said endless loop extending around a portion of said drive wheel and said curved guide surface so as to define a closed path of travel for said endless loop with a part of said path including a rectilinear section to allow access by a workpiece to said cutting teeth to accomplish cutting on said workpiece,    said curved guide surface having friction reducing means to facilitate movement of said endless loop over said curved guide surface when said drive wheel is actuated to move said endless loop along said closed path.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said body of said endless loop includes a plurality of openings adjacent on of said edges and extending along said endless loop and said drive wheel including sprocket lugs for engaging some of said openings of said endless loop to effect movement of said endless loop when said drive wheel is rotated.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said guide surface Is provided with at least one groove extending along said surface substantially in the direction of travel of said endless loop, said groove having a lubricant feed opening for receiving a fluid lubricant under sufficient pressure to fill said groove with lubricant at least during operation of said apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said guide surface is provided with a plurality of said grooves with each said groove having a said lubricant feed opening.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said apparatus includes a lubricant supply source and 
 a pump to move lubricant carried by said supply source to said openings in said grooves.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said guide surface is formed from one of a metal, a metal alloy, a synthetic plastic material.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said endless loop is a metallic band.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  further including a motor for rotating said drive wheel.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  further including a motor for rotating said drive wheel.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a plurality of endless, flexible loops are provided and said curved guide surface includes a conforming number of curved guide platforms each of different radial dimension measured from a common center on said base, each platform having at least one curved side wall to maintain a said endless loop on said respective platform during operation.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein each said curved platform has a curved face and at least one groove formed in said respective face and an opening for receiving a lubricant under pressure supplied from a source.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said drive wheel has a plurality of tracks conforming to the number of said endless loops with a said loop riding in a said track on said drive wheel.