US 4,168,730 A · Apparatus and methods for forming dovetail joints

Abstract

Disclosed is a tool set for forming dovetail joints including elongated dovetail and pin template plates and dovetail and pin bits. The dovetail plate has a plurality of laterally-extending slots opening through a long edge of the plate, the slots having opposed parallel edges. The dovetail and pin bits are each provided with a bearing about their respective shanks. The elongated pin template plate has a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings each having opposed edges angled to converge toward one another at the same angle as the angle of the cutter of the dovetail bit. To form a dovetail joint using the kit, the dovetail template is disposed over the end edge of a joint member and the dovetail bit is passed through each slot with its bearing engaging the opposed edges of the slot to guide the bit whereby through dovetails are cut in the end of the joint member. The dovetailed member is then disposed over the end edge of the adjoining member and the pin locations are scribed onto its end edge. The pin template is then located over the scribed edge and the angled edges of its openings are aligned with the scribed lines. The pin template bit is inserted into the opening and the pins are cut, the bearing on the pin bit shank engaging along the edges of the openings to accurately guide the pin bit.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A tool kit for forming a dovetail joint in adjoining members comprising:

a dovetail template including an elongated plate having a plurality of slots spaced longitudinally one from the other along said plate for overlying the end edge of one of the joint members, said slots opening along a long edge of said plate,
a dovetail bit having a shank for securement to a power tool and a dovetail cutter having a predetermined cutting angle,
a bearing rotatably carried by said shank for engaging the edges of the dovetail template slots to guide said dovetail bit upon passing it therealong and the dovetail cutter through the one joint member from one side to the other,
a pin template including an elongated plate having a plurality of openings for overlying the end edge of the other joint member, each of said openings being defined by opposed side edges convergent one toward the other in a transverse direction, each said side edge forming an angle with a transverse plane through said pin template which is substantially equal to said cutting angle of the dovetail cutter,
a pin bit having a shank for securement to a power tool and a pin cutter, and
a bearing rotatably carried by the shank of said pin bit for engaging the edges of the pin template openings to guide said pin bit upon passing it therealong and said pin cutter through the other joint member from one side to the other.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and methods for forming dovetail joints

Life of this patent

Apparatus and methods for forming dovetail joints

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11