# US 5,347,900 A · Foam block bore cutting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,347,900 A - Document ID: US5347900A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/015,593 - Filed: 1993-02-10 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-02-10 - Inventors: Philip N. Ceaser; Norman G. Ceaser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5347900A ## CPC - B26D 3/006: {specially adapted for cutting blocs of plastic material} - B26F 3/08: with heated members - Y10T 83/293: Of tool - Y10T 83/6588: Tools mounted on common tool support - Y10T 83/9493: Stationary cutter - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A bore cutting apparatus for polystyrene blocks. Using a plurality of bore forming tubular members, each with its own resistive heating element, a foam block can be bored with a plurality of uniformly sized and shape openings, even openings having a square cross-sectional shape. The foam blocks can then be utilized in a building construction that enables walls to be quickly, inexpensively produced, having structural strengths greater than conventional wood framing methods. The apparatus can also be used for the packaging industry to produce large foam packing materials on a custom basis. The apparatus is fabricated from low cost, easily available materials and is light enough and sufficiently portable to be taken to the job site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bore making apparatus for a foam block comprising: a frame; a plurality of tubular, hollow bore forming members, each bore forming member having an open top end and an open bottom end and having a predetermined wall thickness, each said bore forming member having a defined cross-sectional shape, which is substantially uniform from the top end to the bottom end, said bore forming members being aligned in an array and attached to said frame, with each member spaced a pre-determined distance from an adjacent one of said members; each bore forming member further comprising a resistive heating element having a predetermined heat output, attached to the bottom end, wherein said resistive heating element corresponds in cross-sectional shape and wall thickness to said bore forming member for forming a channel within said foam block corresponding to the cross-sectional shape and wall thickness of said tubular bore forming member; foam supporting means for rigidly holding said foam block, slidably mounted within said frame; means for sliding said foam supporting means into said array of bore forming members at a predetermined rate corresponding to said predetermined heat output, such that a plurality of bores of uniform thickness and cross-section are substantially simultaneously formed within said foam block with cores of said bores being enclosed within said tubular bore forming members. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame further comprises a metal frame of angle iron. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said foam supporting means further comprises a metal frame of angle iron. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for sliding further comprises a cable mechanism attached to said foam supporting means and an electric motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said bore member and its attached resistive heating element is substantially a square. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said bore member and its attached resistive heating element is substantially a circle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said bore member and its attached resistive heating element is substantially a rectangle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said bore member and its attached resistive heating element is a polygon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each said bore member and its attached resistive heating element in the array is substantially identical. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said array of said bore members and their attached resistive heating elements have at least two bore members and their respective attached resistive heating elements which differ from each other in cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said resistive heating elements are attached to their respective bore members using copper straps and rivets.