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US 2014/0191459 A1Published application
Copper-Tipped Slats for Laser Cutting
AssigneeFedtech, Inc.
InventorsDave J. Fox, Brent A. Erickson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved slats for cutting tables are provided by forming from steel elongate receiver plates having a plurality of receiver slats and forming from copper a plurality of insert members. The insert members each have an interlocking section and a tip section. The interlocking sections of the insert members are mated and pressed into the receiver slots so the tip sections extend above the top of the receiver plates and are able to support a work piece above and away from the receiver plates during a cutting operation.
Claims17
A slat for supporting a work piece comprising:
- (a) An elongate receiver plate made of a first material and having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first front surface, a first back surface and a plurality of receiver slots spaced along the receiver plate, each of the receiver slots extending between the first front surface and the first back surface from the top edge toward the bottom edge and defined by an inner engagement surface having a plurality of first locking sections and extending between the first front surface and the first back surface at first draft angle;
- (b) A plurality of insert members, each insert member made of copper and comprising a tip section and an interlocking section, the interlocking section comprising a second front surface, a second back surface, and an outer engagement surface extending between the second front surface and the second hack surface at a second draft angle and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner engagement surface and including second locking sections, wherein the insert members are coupled to the receiver plate by mating the interlocking sections of the insert members to a receiver slots and when so mated the tip sections of the insert members extend beyond the top edge of the receiver plate such that the tip sections can support a work piece above the top edge of the elongate receive plate.
A method of constructing a slat for supporting a work piece comprising:
- a. From a carbon steel sheet forming by laser cutting an elongate receiver plate having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first front surface, a first back surface and a plurality of receiver slots spaced along the receiver plate, each of the receiver slots extending between the first front surface and the first back surface from the top edge toward the bottom edge and defined by an inner engagement surface having a plurality of first locking sections and extending between the first front surface and the first back surface at first draft angle;
- b. From a copper sheet forming by waterjet cutting a plurality of insert members, each insert member comprising a tip section and an interlocking section, the interlocking section comprising a second front surface, a second back surface, and an outer engagement surface extending between the second front surface and the second back surface at a second draft angle and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner engagement surface and including second locking sections;
- c. aligning at least one of the plurality of insert members with at least one of the receiver slots so the interlocking sections of the at least one insert member and the at least one receiver slots are aligned and the tip sections of the at least one insert member extends beyond the top edge of the receiver plate;
- and
- d. using a press to force the at least one insert member into the aligned receiver slot to join the at least one insert member to the elongate receiver plate such that the tip section can support a work piece above the top edge of the elongate receive plate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.