Water jet cutting machine

Abstract

A machine for cutting the border of a workpiece using one or more water jet cutting tools. The tools may be carried by one or more monorail track mounted carriage assemblies. The machine can also include an aperture forming apparatus for forming circular openings and/or elongated slots in the workpiece prior to/or simultaneously with the border trimming operation, all while the workpiece occupies a single work station in the machine. In one embodiment, the aperture forming apparatus features a cutting tool mounted on an elongate arm affixed to and extending from a plate which is fixedly oriented in a horizontal plane. In another embodiment of the apparatus, a motor rotates a cam carried on a free end of a stationary arm, the cam containing an eccentrically mounted cutting tool.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A cutting machine, comprising: 
 a frame;    a table for supporting a workpiece material having a border to be cut;    an endless track extending along a course substantially following said border to be cut;    a first carriage assembly mounted on said track for movement of said first carriage assembly along at least a portion of said track; and    a first cutting tool mounted on said first carriage assembly for cutting at least a portion of the workpiece as said first carriage assembly moves along said track, wherein said cutting tool does not directly contact the workpiece during cutting.    
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said table is removably disposed in said frame for permitting said table to be moved from an operative position in said frame under said track to a material handling position out of a cutting line of said first tool for removal from said table of a cut workpiece and for placement on said table of another workpiece material to be cut.  
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said table is mounted on guide blocks which are slidably attached to a pair of spaced apart linear rails for movement of said table between an operative position in said frame under said track and a material handling position out of a cutting line of said first tool for safe removal from said table of a cut workpiece and for safe placement on said table of another workpiece material to be cut.  
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cutting tools, each one of said plurality of cutting tools being operable for cutting separate portions of said workpiece disposed on said table.  
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said track comprises 
 an elongated strip of material;    a first elongate, cylindrically shaped rod attached to and extending along an upper edge of said strip; and    a second elongate cylindrically shaped rod attached to and extending along a lower edge of said strip, said first rod and said second rod having essentially equal diameters which are greater than a thickness of said strip, said first rod and said second rod forming upper and lower bearing surfaces, respectively, for said first carriage assembly.    
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive motor operatively associated with said first carriage assembly for moving said first carriage assembly along a portion of said track.  
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized belt drive system operatively connected to said first carriage assembly for moving said first carriage assembly in a directions along a portion of said track when activated.  
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of additional carriage assemblies, each of said additional assemblies carrying a separate cutting tool and containing rollers mounted on said track for movement of said additional assemblies in unison with movement of said first carriage assembly, said first carriage assembly and said additional assemblies each being movable in unison in a directions along different portions of said track, said first tool and each said separate cutting tools being operable in unison for cutting separate portions of said workpiece disposed on said table.  
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongated gear belt attached to and along a side of said track; and a motorized rotary gear attached to said first carriage assembly and engaging said gear belt for driving said first carriage assembly in a directions along at least a portion of said track.  
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said track is vertically adjustable in height over said table.  
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said track is horizontally adjustable in longitudinal position along and over said table.  
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said first cutting tool is adjustable on said first carriage assembly in horizontal position along a line segment extending transversely across and under said track.  
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said track includes an upper roller bearing surface and a lower roller bearing surface spaced below said upper roller bearing surface, said first carriage assembly comprising an upper carriage member disposed over said upper bearing surface and including two first pairs of rollers rotatably attached to said upper carriage member such that both of said first pairs rollably bear downwardly upon said upper bearing surface and are diagonally inclined to form a v-shaped angle between them as viewed along said upper bearing surface; and a lower carriage member disposed under said lower bearing surface and including two second pairs of rollers rotatably attached to said lower carriage member such that both said second pairs rollably bear upwardly upon said lower bearing surface and are diagonally inclined to form an inverted V-shaped angle between them as viewed along said lower bearing surface, said first tool being mounted on said lower carriage member.  
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a water jet cutting apparatus mounted in said frame over said table for cutting openings through the workpiece material supported on said table.  
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said machine further comprises a water jet cutting apparatus positioned within said closed area for cutting openings through the workpiece material supported on said table prior to cutting with said first tool.  
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said machine further comprises a plurality of additional carriage assemblies, each of said assemblies containing rollers mounted on said track for movement of each of said carriage assemblies along separate portions of said track, said first carriage assembly being mounted for movement along a first portion of said track which is different from said separate track portions; a motorized belt drive system mounted within said course and being operatively connected to said first carriage assembly for alternate back and forth movement of said first carriage on said first track portion when activated; a cable surrounding said course along an outside of said track and connecting said first carriage assembly and said additional carriage assemblies together in successively spaced apart relationship for movement of said additional carriage assemblies in unison in a direction along said separate track portions in response to movement of said first carriage assembly by said belt drive system in said similar direction; and a like plurality of additional cutting tools separately mounted on said additional carriage assemblies such that said first tool and said additional tools can cut a complete border of the workpiece material supported on said table as said first carriage assembly and additional carriage assemblies move in unison in the similar direction along said first and separate portions, respectively.  
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 1 , said machine further comprises a plate attached at its edges to an inside rim of said track so as to cover at least a portion of said area, said plate defining an opening therein over said table; and a water jet aperture cutting apparatus mounted on said plate over said opening and being adapted to cut at least one aperture in the workpiece material supported on said table prior to cutting a border of said workpiece with said first tool.  
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus mounted in said frame over said table for cutting at least one opening in the workpiece material supported on said table and including: 
 a motorized rotary cam drive assembly;    a pair of flat plates having broad surfaces disposed parallel to one another and to said table, each of said plates defining a pair of spaced apart, circular openings therein having rims lined by annularly extending ball bearing races;    a first pair of circular rotary cams eccentrically mounted on said assembly for rotation therewith, said first pair of cams being disposed in the openings in one of said plates for rotation in a corresponding pair of races;    a second pair of circular rotary cams eccentrically mounted on said assembly below said first pair of cams for rotation with said assembly, said second pair of cams being disposed in the openings of the other and lower one of said plates for rotation in a corresponding pair of races, said first pair of cams being rotatable in alignment with each other and 180 degrees out of phase with the equal alignment of said second pair of cams such that, upon activation of said assembly the lower one of said plates wobbles in a circular pattern with constant orientation 180 out of phase with a similar circular wobbling motion of said one of said plates wherein said plates counter balance one another; and at least one water jet aperture cutting tool responsively attached to said lower one of said plates for cutting at least one aperture in the workpiece material supported on said table when said assembly is activated.    
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus for cutting openings in the workpiece material disposed on said table, said apparatus being mounted in said frame above said table and including 
 a housing;    a motorized rotary cam drive assembly disposed in said housing;    a first flat plate having broad surfaces disposed parallel to said table and containing a first pair of spaced apart circular openings therein lined by a first pair of annularly extending ball bearing races;    a first pair of circular rotary cams eccentrically mounted on said assembly and being disposed in said first pair of openings for rotation in said first pair of races;    a second flat plate having broad surfaces disposed parallel to said table and containing second pair of spaced apart circular openings therein lined by a second pair of annularly extending ball bearing races;    a second pair of circular rotary cams eccentrically mounted on said assembly such that a long radius of each of said first pair of cams always extends in the same direction which is always opposite the direction of extension of the long radii of said second pair of cams, said second pair of cams being spaced below said first pair of cams and being disposed in said second pair of openings for rotation in said second pair of races, such that, upon activation of said drive assembly, said first plate and said second plate maintain a permanent cutting tool attached to said second plate for cutting at least one aperture through the workpiece material supported on said table when said gear drive assembly is activated.    
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 13 , wherein said lower carriage member is slidably mounted on a lower end portion of at least one bolt which extends slidably upwardly through and above said upper carriage member, said at least one bolt containing a biasing spring thereabout which is disposed in compression between an upper end of said at least one bolt and an upper surface of said upper carriage member such that said spring urges said first carriage member toward said second carriage member to maintain said first pairs bearing downwardly against said upper bearing surface and said second pairs bearing upwardly against said lower bearing surface, said spring being flexible for permitting said upper carriage member and said lower carriage member to travel around curves in said track.  
     
     
         21 . A water jet cutting machine, comprising a frame; 
 a table supporting a workpiece material to be cut, said table being disposed in said frame;    an apparatus for cutting at least one aperture in a workpiece material supported on said table, said apparatus being mounted in said frame over said table and including 
 a motorized rotary cam drive assembly;  
 a first pair of circular cams eccentrically mounted on said drive assembly for rotation therewith;  
 a second pair of circular cams eccentrically mounted on said drive assembly for rotation therewith essentially 180 degrees out of phase with the rotation of said first pair of cams, said second pair of cams being spaced below said first pair of cams;  
   a first flat plate defining a first pair of spaced apart circular openings having rims lined by a first pair of annularly extending ball bearing traces, said first pair of cams being disposed in said first pair of openings for rotations in said first pair of races;    a second flat plate defining a second pair of spaced apart circular openings having rims lined by a second pair of annularly extending ball bearing races, said second pair of cams being disposed in said second pair of openings for rotation in said second pair of races such that, upon activation of said drive assembly, said first plate wobbles in a circular pattern which is essentially 180 degrees out of phase with a circular wobble of said second plate, wherein said second plate counterbalances said first plate; and at least one water jet aperture cutting tool, each said aperture cutting tool being separately mounted on one end portion of an elongate arm, the other end of said arm being attached to said second plate such that said aperture cutting tool cuts a circular opening in a workpiece material supported on said table as said second plate wobbles.    
     
     
         22 . A cutting machine, comprising: 
 a table for supporting a workpiece having a border to be cut;    an endless track extending along a course substantially following said border to be cut; and    a plurality of movable cutting tools mounted on said track, wherein each of said plurality of cutting tools is adapted to cut a different segment of the border to be cut, and said cutting tools do not directly contact the workpiece during cutting.    
     
     
         23 . The machine of  claim 22 , wherein said cutting tools are water jet cutting tools and said workpiece remains static during the cutting of the entire border.  
     
     
         24 . The machine of  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of movable cutting tools are configured to simultaneously cut the different segments of the border to be cut.  
     
     
         25 . The machine of  claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of carriage assemblies movably mounted on said track, wherein each one of said plurality of cutting tools is mounted on a separate carriage assembly.  
     
     
         26 . The machine of  claim 22 , wherein said table is static and said plurality of cutting tools are positioned substantially above said table.