# US 8,464,768 B2 · Method of forming locking groove in groove flank > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,768 B2 - Document ID: US8464768B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/921,839 - Filed: 2006-06-03 - Published: 2010-06-24 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-06-06 - Applicants: Dirk Dammers - Inventors: Dirk Dammers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464768B2 ## CPC - B27F 1/02: Making tongues or grooves, of indefinite length - B27G 13/00: Cutter blocks; Other rotary cutting tools (B27G15/00, B27G17/00 take precedence) - B27M 3/04: of flooring elements, e.g. parqueting blocks (assembling wooden elements on backings of other substances B32B, {e.g. B32B21/042, E04F15/16; furniture joints F16B12/00}) - E04F 15/02038: {characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements} - E04F 2201/0153: by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement - Y10T 409/308232: and angular adjustment - B27F: DOVETAILED WORK; TENONS; SLOTTING MACHINES FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES (hand-held nailing or stapling tools B25C; manufacture of cases, trunks or boxes from wood B27M3/34; connections for building structures in general, e.g. dowels for use in building constructions E04B1/38; jointing elements in general, e.g. dowels in general, F16B {; manufacture of long strips or planks by bonding together pieces of wood, e.g. by glueing, B27M3/0013}) - B27G: ACCESSORY MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIALS; TOOLS FOR WORKING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIALS (tools for grinding B24D; sawing tools B27B33/00; tools for slotting or mortising machines B27F5/02; tools for the manufacture of wood shavings, chips, powder or the like B27L11/00); SAFETY DEVICES FOR WOOD WORKING MACHINES OR TOOLS - B27M: WORKING OF WOOD NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B27B - B27L; MANUFACTURE OF SPECIFIC WOODEN ARTICLES - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for machining a locking groove (9) into a groove flank (5, 6) of a panel comprising an upper and a lower side, whereby the locking groove is provided in the part of the joint groove (4) surrounded by the groove flanks, whereby the locking groove is machined by means of a rotating milling tool (12), comprising a drive (14), a milling head (13), a transmission device (11) for the rotational movement and a mounting for the milling head. The milling has a free radius (r) at least on the mounting side due to the mounting and, during the machining of the locking groove, the milling head (13) has at least a significant proportion of the free radius (r) thereof, in particular, the entirety thereof located in the part of the joint groove surrounded by groove flanks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a locking groove of a joint groove in a panel, that is part of a tongue-and-groove joint for connecting neighboring panels; the method comprising the steps of: providing the panel having a first face and a second face; forming the locking groove being provided in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by groove flanks; the locking groove being formed by a rotating milling tool having a drive, a milling head and a support that transmits rotation from the drive to the milling head as well as a holder for the milling head; the milling head having a free radius at least on an end closer to the holder such that the free radius of the milling head being located entirely in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 2 A method of forming a locking groove of a joint groove in a panel, that is part of a tongue-and-groove joint for connecting neighboring panels; the method comprising the steps of: providing the panel having a first face and a second face; forming the locking groove being provided in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by groove flanks; the groove flanks having different lengths relative to a bottom of the joint groove so that one of the groove flanks is a short groove flank and another is a long groove flank; the locking groove being formed by a rotating milling tool having a drive, a milling head and a support that transmits rotation from the drive to the milling head as well as a holder for the milling head; the milling head having a free radius at least on an end closer to the holder such that the free radius being located entirely between the long groove flank and the short groove flank that extended by a projection P in the direction parallel to the long groove flank so that at least a significant portion of the free radius being surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 3 A method of forming a locking groove in a groove flank of a joint groove provided in a panel, that is part of a tongue-and-groove joint for connecting neighboring panels; the method comprising the steps of: providing the panel having a first face and a second face; forming the locking groove being provided in the part of the joint groove that is a surrounded on both sides by groove flanks; the groove flanks having different lengths relative to a bottom of the groove so that one of the groove flanks being a short groove flank and another being a long groove flank; the locking groove being formed by a rotating milling tool having a drive, a milling head, and a support transmitting rotation from the drive to the milling head as well as a holder for the milling head; the milling head having a free radius at least on an end closer to the holder such that the free radius being located entirely between the long groove flank and the short groove flank extended by a projection P in the direction parallel to the long groove flank during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the milling head and the drive are essentially coaxial. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one angle drive, in particular an angle gear and/or a flexible shaft, is provided between the milling head and the support. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein, during formation of the locking groove, the angle drive is located at least significantly in the joint groove that is surrounded by both of the groove flanks. ### Claim 7 A method for using of a rotating milling tool for machining a locking groove in one of two groove flanks of a joint groove in a panel; the method comprising the steps of: providing the rotating milling tool having a drive, a milling head, and a support that transmits rotation from the drive to the milling head as well as a holder; providing the panel having a first face and a second face, with the locking groove being formed in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks; an end of the milling head closer to the support having a free radius such that at least a significant portion of the free radius of the milling head being located in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein a rotational axis of the milling head and the drive are essentially coaxial. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one angle drive, in particular an angle gear and/or a flexible shaft, is provided between the milling head and the support. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein, during formation of the locking groove, the angle drive is located at least significantly in the joint groove that is surrounded by both groove flanks. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the milling head is located entirely in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the milling head is located entirely between the long groove flank and the short groove flank extended by the projection P in the direction parallel to the long groove flank. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the milling head is located entirely between the long groove flank and the short groove flank extended by the projection P in the direction parallel to the long groove flank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the milling head is located entirely in the part of the joint groove surrounded on both sides by the groove flanks during formation of the locking groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein a rotational axis of the milling head and the drive are essentially coaxial. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one angle drive, in particular an angle gear and/or a flexible shaft, is provided between the milling head and the support. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein, during formation of the locking groove, the angle drive is located at least significantly in the joint groove that is surrounded by both of the groove flanks. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein a rotational axis of the milling head and the drive are essentially coaxial. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one angle drive, in particular an angle gear and/or a flexible shaft, is provided between the milling head and the support. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein, during formation of the locking groove, the angle drive is located at least significantly in the joint groove that is surrounded by both of the groove flanks.