Lift mechanism for routers

A support mechanism for a router having a router axis, comprising a table plate having top and bottom sides and an opening therethrough having an opening axis, a carriage beneath said plate for supporting a router coaxial with said opening axis, said carriage including carriage blocks on opposite sides of said axis and a router mounting plate therebetween and removably attached thereto, guide posts each having a post axis parallel to said opening axis, said guide posts slidably interengaging with said carriage blocks to support said carriage for axial displacement toward and away from said table plate, and a pair of adjusting screws on diametrically opposite sides of said opening, each adjusting screw being rotatable relative to said table plate about a corresponding screw axis parallel to said opening axis, and said adjusting screws interengaging with said carriage blocks for rotation of the screws to displace said carriage relative to said plate;

• wherein said router mounting plate includes a plurality of sets of mounting holes therethrough, each set for attaching a structurally different router to said mounting plate;
• drive means for simultaneously rotating the adjusting screws;
• wherein said drive means includes a sprocket wheel on each adjusting screw for rotation therewith, a pair of sprocket wheels on the bottom side of said table plate for rotation relative thereto, and endless belt means trained about the sprocket wheels on the adjusting screws and said pair of sprocket wheels;
• and
• a brake interengageable with one of said pair of sprocket wheels for selectively precluding rotation of said adjusting screw, said one of said pair of sprocket wheels having an end accessible at said top side of said table plate for operating said brake.

An apparatus comprising

• a table plate having a top and a bottom and defining a through opening extending from the top to the bottom;
• a carriage which is disposed beneath the table plate and adapted to support a router below the opening;
• the through opening of the table plate adapted to receive therethrough a cutter bit of the router;
• at least one adjusting screw which is rotatable to move the carriage toward and away from the table plate;
• a belt for driving rotation of the at least one adjusting screw;
• a first sprocket wheel which engages the belt;
• a brake for selectively engaging the first sprocket wheel to selectively preclude rotation of the at least one adjusting screw.

An apparatus comprising

• a table plate having a top and a bottom and defining a through opening extending from the top to the bottom;
• a carriage which is disposed beneath the table plate and adapted to support a router below the opening;
• the through opening of the table plate adapted to receive therethrough a cutter bit of the router;
• at least one adjusting screw which is rotatable to move the carriage toward and away from the table plate;
• a belt for driving rotation of the at least one adjusting screw;
• a first sprocket wheel which engages the belt;
• and
• a cam which engages the first sprocket wheel for adjusting the tension on the belt.