Anti-kickback device
View Patent ↗An anti-kickback device is disclosed where the device includes a plurality of flexible members, and at least a compliant contact surface in contact with a moving workpiece, where the flexible members provide a biasing force against the workpiece and also resist or prevent kickback of the workpiece as it engages a tool such as a shaper, saw blade, etc. The configuration of the flexible members assures an opposing force to resist kickback.
1. A compliant anti-kickback system for biasing a workpiece, comprising:
a support frame removably attachable to a machine work surface, said support frame including at least one feature for securing a flexible and compliant attachment thereto;
said attachment including a body and a plurality of elongated flexible members extending from the body, wherein each of said plurality of flexible members includes a generally planar surface extending from a first radiused recess adjacent the body, an arcuate surface terminating at one end thereof in a line intersecting the planar surface, a second radiused recess at an opposite end of the arcuate surface, the second radiused recess having a slot extending therefrom, and a living hinge portion, connecting the flexible member to the body, the living hinge being located between an end of the slot and the first radiused recess.
2. The compliant anti-kickback system of claim 1 wherein each of the elongated flexible members is angled away from a direction of feed of the workpiece.
3. The compliant anti-kickback system of claim 1 wherein said hinge is a living hinge.
4. The compliant anti-kickback system according to claim 1 , wherein said body and flexible members are made from a flexible ethylene vinyl acetate material.
5. The compliant anti-kickback system according to claim 1 , and where said living hinge further comprises, for each flexible member, a reduced cross-section of the same material from which the body and teeth are comprised of.
6. The compliant anti-kickback system of claim 1 , wherein said living hinge includes a limiter formed into the profile to restrict the angular motion of the flexible member.
7. A compliant anti-kickback system for biasing a workpiece, comprising:
a support frame removably attachable to a machine work surface, said support frame including at least one feature for securing a flexible and compliant attachment thereto;
said attachment including a body and a plurality of elongated flexible members extending from the wherein said body and said flexible members are made from a foam material, and where each flexible member is attached to the body at a reduced cross-sectional area from a cross section of the flexible member.
8. A compliant anti-kickback system for biasing a workpiece, comprising:
a support frame removably attachable to a machine work surface, said support frame including at least one feature for securing a flexible and compliant attachment thereto;
said attachment including a body and a plurality of elongated flexible members extending from the body, wherein said body includes mating features that interlock with contrasting features on said support frame.
9. The anti-kickback device according to claim 1 , wherein upon contact with a workpiece a space between adjacent flexible members is created by the second radiused recess and slot, which is opened by a flexure of the living hinge, and the space is in the general shape of a keyhole.
10. An anti-kickback device, comprising:
a body and a plurality of flexible members extending from at least one side of the body wherein the outer shape of each of the plurality of flexible members includes a generally planar surface extending from a first radiused recess adjacent the body, an arcuate surface, terminating at one end thereof in a line intersecting the planar surface, a second radiused recess at an opposite end of the arcuate surface, the second radiused recess having a slot extending therefrom, and a living hinge portion, connecting each flexible member to the body, the living hinge being located between an end of the slot and the first radiused recess; and
an attachment mechanism operatively associated with the body for releasably attaching the anti-kickback device in relation to a work surface.
11. The compliant anti-kickback system of claim 1 wherein said body and said flexible members are made from a foam material, and where each flexible member is attached to the body at a reduced cross-sectional area from a cross-section of the flexible member.
12. The anti-kickback device according to claim 1 , wherein said body includes mating features that interlock with contrasting features on said support frame.