MORTISER

1 . A mortiser comprising:

a double spindle head having an input spindle drivingly connectable to a spindle of a CNC machine, and a pair of output spindles drivingly connected to the input spindle and spaced-apart along a feed axis X of the mortiser;

a pair of mandrels drivingly connected to the pair of output spindles;

router bits mounted at respective distal ends of the mandrels; and

a frame member disposed between the pair of mandrels along the feed axis X, the frame member providing support to the pair of mandrels along the feed axis X.

2 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein the frame member is a hollow frame member defining a dust collection duct having a dust collection opening at a distal end thereof adjacent to the router bits.

3 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , further comprising bearings mounted on opposed longitudinal sides of the frame member, the mandrels rotatably supported by the bearings.

4 . The mortiser defined in claim 3 , wherein the bearings are disposed adjacent to the router bits at the distal ends of the mandrels.

5 . The mortiser defined in claim 2 , wherein the frame member has a dust exhaust port connectable to a dust collection system.

6 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein one or more air nozzles are provided at a distal end portion of the frame member for directing air jets at the router bits.

7 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein the input spindle is perpendicular to the pair of output spindles and drivingly connected thereto via a gearbox.

8 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein the pair of mandrels are detachably drivingly connected to the pair of output spindles via adjustable connectors configurable to accommodate different sizes of mandrels.

9 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein the input spindle, the pair of output spindles and the pair of mandrels extend at right angles to the feed axis X.

10 . The mortiser defined in claim 1 , wherein the router bits are mounted to the distal end of the mandrels 24 via a threaded connection.

11 . The mortiser defined in claim 10 , wherein an axially extending threaded hole is defined in the distal end of each one of the mandrels for threadably receiving a corresponding externally threaded shank portion of an associated one of the router bits.

12 . A double router bit mortising unit comprising:

a CNC tool holder having a machine interface component adapted to be mounted to a CNC machine, an input spindle adapted to be drivingly connected to the main spindle of the CNC machine, and a pair of output spindles drivingly connected to the input spindle via a gearbox, the output spindle being spaced-apart along a feed direction X;

a pair of mandrels drivingly connected to the output spindles;

a frame member bracing the pair of mandrels along the feed direction X;

a pair of bearings carried by the frame member for supporting the pair of mandrels;

router bits detachably mounted to respective distal ends of the mandrels; and

at least one nozzle mounted to the frame member between the router bits for directing air jets towards the router bits.

13 . The double router bit mortising unit according to claim 12 , wherein the input spindle is perpendicular to the a plane containing the pair of mandrels.

14 . The double router bit mortising unit according to claim 12 , wherein adjustable collets are provided to detachably connect the mandrels to the output spindles.

15 . The double router bit mortising unit according to claim 12 , wherein the frame member is hollow and fluidly connected to the at least one nozzle.

16 . The double router bit mortising unit according to claim 12 , wherein the router bits are threadably mounted to the distal ends of the mandrels.