US 6,955,508 B1Granted

Apparatus and method for separately boring precisely aligned opposing screw holes in individual frame members to be joined at a miter joint

OwnerGregory P. Radcliffeinventor

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for separately boring precisely aligned opposing screw holes in individual frame members to be matingly joined at a miter joint. The apparatus comprises a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the first frame member, a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the second frame member, a carriage assembly on which the boring means are mounted and positioned relative to the miter-cut ends of the frame so that the separately bored first and pilot screw holes share a common centerline; and, a positioning means for supporting and precisely positioning the miter-cut end of the frame member in a repetitively consistent location to ensure that the first and pilot screw holes are identically located and aligned on each of the bored first and second frame members.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An apparatus for separately boring precisely aligned opposing screw holes in individual first and second frame members to be matingly joined at a miter joint, each frame member comprising a front, back, inner edge and outer edge surface, said inner and outer edge surfaces being substantially narrower than said front and back surfaces, and the back surface being substantially flat, each frame member further comprising two ends at least one of which is cut at an angle to form a miter-cut end with a miter-cut surface in acute angle to the outer edge surface at a corner where the two surfaces meet, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member;
(b) a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member;
(c) a carriage assembly on which said first and second boring means are mounted and positioned relative to the miter-cut end of said first or second frame member so that said separately bored first and pilot screw holes share a common centerline to assure a precisely opposing location and a perpendicular alignment of said holes relative to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
and,
(d) positioning means connected to said carriage assembly for supporting and precisely positioning the miter-cut end of said individual first or second frame member in a repetitively consistent location relative to the corner, to the back surface and to the miter-cut surface of the frame member and to the first and second boring means to ensure that the first screw holes are identically located and aligned on each of the bored first frame members and that the pilot screw holes are identically located and aligned on each of the bored second frame members;
whereby said individual first and second frame members may be efficiently prepared with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

3 more elements

(a) a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the outer edge of said first frame member and extending through to the miter-cut surface so that the first screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(b) a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the miter-cut surface to partially penetrate said second frame member so that the pilot screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(c) a carriage assembly comprising:
a linearly moveable platform upon which said first and second boring means are mounted in opposing position and relative to the miter-cut surface of said first or second frame member so that the centerlines of said separately bored first and pilot screw holes are in precisely opposing location and in perpendicular alignment to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
two guide rods;
a plurality of bearing assemblies connecting said platform to said guide rods, said bearings enabling the smooth movement of said platform along the linear path defined by the guide rods;
and,
a control handle for controlling movement of the platform and boring means mounted thereon;
(d) positioning means connected to the guide rods of said carriage assembly for supporting and precisely positioning the miter-cut end of said individual first or second frame member in a repetitively consistent location relative to the first and second boring means so that the corner and the back surface of the first or second frame member is precisely located and the miter-cut surface is at a perpendicular orientation relative to the screw hole trajectory of the first or second boring means;
whereby said individual first and second frame members may be efficiently prepared with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

7 more elements

(a) a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the outer edge of said first frame member and extending through to the miter-cut surface so that the first screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(b) a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the miter-cut surface to partially penetrate said second frame member so that the pilot screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(c) a carriage assembly comprising:
a linearly moveable platform upon which said first and second boring means are mounted in opposing position and relative to the miter-cut surface of said first or second frame member so that the centerlines of said separately bored first and pilot screw holes are in precisely opposing location and in perpendicular alignment to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
two guide rods;
a plurality of bearing assemblies connecting said platform to said guide rods, said bearings enabling the smooth movement of said platform along the linear path defined by the guide rods;
and,
a control handle for controlling movement of the platform and boring means mounted thereon;
and,
(d) positioning means comprising:
a frame support connecting the positioning means to the guide rods of the carriage assembly, and on which the back surface of the first or second frame member is positioned;
clamp means for maintaining the alignment of the frame member during boring, the clamp means being mounted on a clamp plate attached to said frame support;
guide means attached to said frame support and against which the outer edge of the frame member is positioned;
a frame stop means mounted to and extending outwardly from the clamp plate and against which the first or second frame member is abutted once guided into position along the guide means so that the corner and the back surface of the first or second frame member is precisely located and the miter-cut surface is at a perpendicular orientation relative to the screw hole trajectory of the first or second boring means;
whereby said individual first and second frame members may be efficiently prepared with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

12 more elements

A method for separately boring precisely aligned opposing screw holes in individual first and second frame members to be matingly joined at a miter joint, each frame member comprising a front, back, inner edge and outer edge surface, said inner and outer edge surfaces being substantially narrower than said front and back surfaces, and the back surface being substantially flat, each frame member further comprising two ends at least one of which is cut at an angle to form a miter-cut end with a miter-cut surface in acute angle to the outer edge surface at a corner where the two surfaces meet, the method comprising:

(a) providing a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member;
(b) providing a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member;
(c) providing a carriage assembly on which said first and second boring means are mounted and positioned relative to the miter-cut end of said first or second frame member so that said separately bored first and pilot screw holes share a common centerline to assure a precisely opposing location and a perpendicular alignment of said holes relative to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
(d) providing a positioning means connected to said carriage assembly for supporting and precisely positioning the miter-cut end of said individual first or second frame member in a repetitively consistent location relative to the corner, to the back surface and to the miter-cut surface of the frame member and to the first and second boring means to ensure that the first screw holes are identically located and aligned on each of the bored first frame members and that the pilot screw holes are identically located and aligned on each of the bored second frame members;
(e) if a first frame member is to be bored, using the positioning means to locate the miter-cut end of the first frame member relative to the first boring means and moving the carriage assembly so that the first boring means engages the first frame member to bore a first screw hole therein;
and,
(f) if a second frame member is to be bored, using the positioning means to locate and support the miter-cut end of the second frame member relative to the second boring means and moving the carriage assembly so that the second boring means engages the second frame member to bore a pilot screw hole therein;
thereby efficiently preparing said individual first and second frame members with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

5 more elements

(a) providing a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the outer edge of said first frame member and extending through to the miter-cut surface so that the first screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(b) providing a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the miter-cut surface to partially penetrate said second frame member so that the pilot screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(c) providing a carriage assembly comprising:
providing a linearly moveable platform upon which said first and second boring means are mounted in opposing position and relative to the miter-cut surface of said first or second frame member so that the centerlines of said separately bored first and pilot screw holes are in precisely opposing location and in perpendicular alignment to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
providing two guide rods;
providing a plurality of bearing assemblies connecting said platform to said guide rods, said bearings enabling the smooth movement of said platform along the linear path defined by the guide rods;
and,
providing a control handle for controlling movement of the platform and boring means mounted thereon;
(d) providing positioning means connected to the guide rods of said carriage assembly for supporting and precisely positioning the miter-cut end of said individual first or second frame member in a repetitively consistent location relative to the first and second boring means so that the corner and back surface of the first or second frame member is precisely located and the miter-cut surface is at a perpendicular orientation relative to the screw hole trajectory of the first or second boring means;
(e) if a first frame member is to be bored, using the positioning means to locate the miter-cut end of the first frame member relative to the trajectory of the first boring means and moving the carriage assembly by means of the control handle so that the first boring means engages the first frame member to bore the first screw hole therein;
(f) if a second frame member is to be bored, using the positioning means to locate and support the miter-cut end of the second frame member relative to the trajectory of the second boring means and moving the carriage assembly by means of the control handle so that the second boring means engages the second frame member to bore the pilot screw hole therein;
thereby efficiently preparing said individual first and second frame members with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

9 more elements

(a) providing a first boring means for boring a first screw hole in the miter-cut end of said first frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the outer edge of said first frame member and extending through to the miter-cut surface so that the first screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(b) providing a second boring means for boring a pilot screw hole in the miter-cut end of said second frame member along a trajectory inwardly from the miter-cut surface to partially penetrate said second frame member so that the pilot screw hole has a centerline in perpendicular orientation to said miter-cut surface;
(c) providing a carriage assembly comprising:
providing a linearly moveable platform upon which said first and second boring means are mounted in opposing position and relative to the miter-cut surface of said first or second frame member so that the centerlines of said separately bored first and pilot screw holes are in precisely opposing location and in perpendicular alignment to the miter-cut surface when the first and second frame members are matingly joined at the miter joint;
providing two guide rods;
providing a plurality of bearing assemblies connecting said platform to said guide rods, said bearings enabling the smooth movement of said platform along the linear path defined by the guide rods;
and,
providing a control handle for controlling movement of the platform and boring means mounted thereon;
and,
(d) providing positioning means comprising:
providing a frame support connecting the positioning means to the guide rods of the carriage assembly, and on which the back surface of the first or second frame member is positioned;
providing clamp means for maintaining the alignment of the frame member during boring, the clamp means being mounted on a clamp plate attached to said frame support;
providing guide means attached to said frame support and against which the outer edge of the frame member is positioned;
providing a frame stop means mounted to and extending outwardly from the clamp plate and against which the first or second frame member is abutted once guided into position along the guide means so that the corner and back surface of the first or second frame member is precisely located and the miter-cut surface is at a perpendicular orientation relative to the screw hole trajectory of the first or second boring means;
(e) if a first frame member is to be bored,
locating the miter-cut end of the first frame member relative to the trajectory of the first boring means by sliding the outer edge of said frame member along the guide means and abutting the miter-cut surface thereof against the frame stop;
and,
moving the carriage assembly by means of the control handle so that the first boring means engages the first frame member to bore the first screw hole therein;
(f) if a second frame member is to be bored,
locating the miter-cut end of the second frame member relative to the trajectory of the second boring means by sliding the outer edge of said frame member along the guide means and abutting the miter-cut surface thereof against the frame stop;
and,
moving the carriage assembly by means of the control handle so that the second boring means engages the second frame member to bore the pilot screw hole therein;
thereby efficiently preparing said individual first and second frame members with consistently and precisely located and aligned opposing first and pilot screw holes to assure a perfect mating when any first frame member is joined with any second frame member at the miter joint, thus enabling the interchangeability of all first and all second frame members and eliminating the need to custom bore the first and pilot screw holes through two opposing frame members simultaneously.

20 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.