US20070003386A1 - Hole saw assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A hole-saw assembly including a hole-saw having at one end a plurality of cutting teeth and at the other end two shafts. The assembly includes a mandrel coaxially aligned with said hole-saw and including a body having two bores therethrough coaxially aligned with said shafts. An annulus located on top of the body is coaxially aligned with said mandrel and hole-saw and includes two holes, the annulus rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second position. In the first position, the annulus holes are aligned with the bores and shafts allowing the shafts to be freely insertable and removable and in the second position the holes are misaligned to lock the shafts to the annulus. Such an arrangement allows the hole-saw and the mandrel to be easily and quickly mountable and demountable.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to an improved hole-saw assembly or arrangement and in particular to a hole-saw with a base that is easily demountable and mountable from a mandrel engageable by a drill.
• Hole-saws are a very widely used tool for many applications. Typically a hole-saw includes a flat solid base that is locked by a drill, the base providing support for the hole-saw. Some bases include multiple diameter grooves adapted to accommodate hole-saws of different diameters. Yet others are single sized hole-saws.
• A universal problem when using hole-saws is that when a hole has been drilled through a material, the material that has been cut out, commonly referred to as the plug, remains embedded within the hole-saw and needs to be removed. Typically the plug is jammed tightly within the hole-saw and considerable force needs to be used to remove the plug using a sharp instrument, such as a screwdriver. However, some materials, such as plastic, possess material characteristics that make their removal difficult. The ejection of those plugs typically requires the whole hole-saw assembly to be removed from the drill to then try and force the plug out.
• In response to this widely recognized problem, various improved hole-saw assemblies have been proposed that try and provide and improved method of removing the plug. Whilst some of these have been found to work well, they are generally mechanically quite complicated. Further, the hole-saw is a dedicated size being limited to a predetermined diameter and to drill larger size holes requires the use of a whole new hole-saw assembly.
• A still further limitation of existing hole-saw assemblies is that they can at any one time only accommodate one hole-saw and do not enable the simultaneous use of two different sized hole-saws.
• It is an object of the present invention to propose a hole-saw that overcomes at least some of the abovementioned problems or provides the public with a useful alternative.
• It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hole-saw assembly where the hole-saw can be easily removed from the mandrel.
• It is still a further object of the present invention to provide for a hole-saw assembly wherein different sized hole-saws may be easily mounted for use with a drill.
• It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide for a hole-saw assembly wherein at least two different sized hole-saws may be used simultaneously in drilling a larger hole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a connector assembly including:
• a base adapted to rotate around a longitudinal axis and including an attachment means for attaching a device thereto, said base further including a connecting means;
• a co-axial driving means adapted to rotate around said longitudinal axis and adapted for rotational engagement of said base connecting means;
• a co-axial locking ring adapted to rotate around its longitudinal axis and further adapted to rotate between a first and a second position relative to said driving means, said locking ring adapted to engage said base connecting means when in said first position to prevent longitudinal relative motion of said base, driving means and said locking ring.
• In preference when said locking ring is in said second position, said base is free for longitudinal motion from said driving means and locking ring.
• In preference said attachment means extends outwardly in the longitudinal direction and said connecting means extends inwardly in the opposite direction.
• In preference said locking ring is biased to said first position.
• In a further form of the invention there is proposed a connector assembly including:
• a boss having a longitudinal axis said boss including an attachment means extending longitudinally in one direction said boss further including a projection extending in an opposite direction, said projection including a shoulder;
• a driving means coaxially aligned with said boss and including a body having a passage coaxially aligned with said projection;
• a locking ring coaxially aligned with said driving means and boss and including a passage, said locking ring rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second-position, wherein in said first position said locking ring passage is aligned with said driving means passage and said projection allowing said projection to be freely insertable and removable and in said second position said locking ring passage being misaligned thereby locking said projection shoulder to said driving means.
• Preferably there are at least two projections co-axially aligned with two driving means passages and two locking ring passages.
• In a still further form of the invention there is proposed a rotational tool support assembly including:
• a boss adapted at one end to support a tool and at the other end two shafts;
• a driving means coaxially aligned with said boss and including a body having two bores therethrough coaxially aligned with said shafts;
• a locking ring coaxially aligned with said driving means and boss and including two holes, said locking ring rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second position, wherein in said first position said locking ring holes are aligned with said bores and said shafts allowing said shafts to be freely insertable and removable and in said second position said holes being misaligned thereby locking said shafts to said locking ring.
• In a yet further form of the invention there is proposed a hole-saw assembly including:
• a hole-saw having at one end a plurality of cutting teeth and at the other end two shafts;
• a mandrel coaxially aligned with said hole-saw and including a body having two bores therethrough coaxially aligned with said shafts;
• a locking member forming part of said mandrel and including two holes, said locking member moveable from a first to a second position, wherein in said first position said locking member holes are aligned with said bores and said shafts allowing said shafts to be freely insertable and removable and in said second position said holes being misaligned thereby locking said shafts to said annulus.
• Preferably said locking member is biased to said second position.
• Preferably said assembly includes a base from which therein extend the two shafts said base including a mounting means for mounting of a hole-saw thereon.
• Preferably said hole-saw includes a threaded inner bore adapted to engage a threader outer projection extending from said base.
• In preference said shafts include a flute adjacent said outer end and a cap on said outer end, the cap having an inner surface adapted to engage the locking member when said locking member is in said second position to thereby lock the shafts from longitudinal movement from the locking member.
• Preferably said assembly includes a drill-bit mounted on said mandrel, said drill-bit extending through and beyond said hole-saw.
• In preference said locking member is an annulus coaxially aligned with sad mandrel.
• In preference said annulus is rotatable around its longitudinal axis from said first to said second position.
• In a further form of the invention there is proposed a hole-saw assembly including:
• a hole-saw having a longitudinal body with a plurality of cutting teeth at one end and a threaded inner bore at the other end;
• a base including a disk co-axially aligned with said hole-saw body and including a threaded projection extending longitudinally therefrom, said projection adapted to be engaged by said hole-saw threaded bore, said disk including a pair of shafts extending in a. longitudinal direction away from said hole-saw, each said shaft including a column adjacent said base a flute adjacent said shaft outer end and a chamfered cap, the diameter of said cap equal to the diameter of said column;
• a mandrel co-axially aligned with said base and hole-saw and including a body having a drill bit extending therefrom, said drill bit passing through central apertures in the base and said hole-saw, said mandrel further having two bores therethrough co-axially aligned with said base shafts;
• an annulus resting on top of said base and being rotatable between a first and a second position, said annulus further including two holes wherein said holes in the first position are aligned with the bores in said mandrel and the shafts of said base, and in said second position are misaligned, the thickness of the mandrel body and annulus being such that the flute is engaged by said annulus with the cap extending beyond the annulus so that when in said second position the annulus locks said shafts in a relative longitudinal position.
• In preference said assembly includes an inner and an outer hole-saw mounted on said mandrel, said inner hole-saw extending beyond said outer hole-saw.
• In a still further form of the invention there is proposed a hole-saw assembly for use in a drilling machine including a hole-saw and a mandrel assembly characterised in that there is included a biased member which when in a first position, is adapted to engage with and lockingly retain said hole-saw when it is mounted onto said mandrel and upon movement to a second position, said biased member is adapted to unlock and release said hole-saw allowing said mandrel and said hole-saw to be separated.
• Still a further advantage is that by utilising a boss, commonly available hole-saws may be used with the mandrel.
• In a yet further form of the invention there is proposed a connector assembly including:
• a base having a longitudinal axis and including an attachment means for attaching a device thereto, said base further including a connecting means;
• a co-axial mating means adapted engage said base;
• a co-axial locking ring adapted to rotate around its longitudinal axis between a first and a second position relative to said mating means, said locking ring adapted to engage said base connecting means when in said first position to prevent longitudinal relative motion of said base, mating means and said locking ring.
• Such an assembly may be used to connect various objects together, with multiple assemblies being used to connect larger devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings:
• FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a hole-saw assembly embodying the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the hole-saw assembly base mandrel embodying the present invention;
• FIG. 3 is a top view of the mandrel ofFIG. 2;
• FIG. 4 is a side view of the hole-saw assembly as the hole-saw and base is mounted on the mandrel;
• FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the engagement of the hole-saw base with the mandrel;
• FIG. 6 is a detailed partial underside perspective view of the locking mechanism of the mandrel when in a locked or biased position;
• FIG. 7 is the mechanism ofFIG. 6 when in an unlocked position;
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate hole-saw and base embodying the present invention when formed in one piece;
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a large diameter hole-saw and base embodying the present invention;
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hole-saw assembly embodying the present invention and having two hole-saws, one within the other for guiding the larger hole-saw;
• FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a hole-saw assembly according to yet a further embodiment of the invention and where the shafts of the hole-saw base are housed within the mandrel and do not protrude through its upper surface;
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bole-saw and base ofFIG. 11 illustrating the shorter shafts; and
• FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the hole-saw assembly ofFIG. 11 when the hole-saw and base are mounted to the mandrel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.
• Referring to FIGS.1 to5 there is shown a hole-saw assembly10 including a hole-saw12,base14, andmandrel16.
• The hole-saw12 includes acylindrical body18 having cuttingteeth20 at one end thereof. At the opposite end the hole-saw12 includes a threaded bore22 (with inner threads), the outer surface of the hole-saw body18 adjacent thebore22 including circumferentially disposedshoulders24 to enable a tool (not shown) such as a wrench to engage the hole-saw12 for rotational movement thereof.
• Thebase14 includesdisk26. Extending co-axially from thedisk26 is a threaded projection28 (with outer threads), of a size and shape to be engaged by thebore22 thus enabling hole-saw12 to be tightly screwed onto the base. Thedisk26 includesshoulders30 for engagement by a tool. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that by the use of two tools, one on the hole-saw12 and one on thebase14, the hole-saw may also be removed form the base.
• Extending adjacent the edge of thedisk26 and in the opposite direction to theprojection28 are twoidentical shafts32 and34. Since the shafts perform the same function and operate in exactly the same way, only one will be described in the rest of the description. It is however to be understood that the description applies equally well to both.
• Shaft32 includes acolumn36 extending from the disk and attached to the disk using well-known techniques such as threads or press fitting. Adjacent the outer end of thecolumn36 is aflute40, the column then having a chamferedcap42 fixed on its outer end whose outer diameter is equal to the diameter of thecolumn36.
• Themandrel16 includes alongitudinal body44 extending co-axially from and rotationally affixed to which is adrill bit46. Extending in the opposite direction to thedrill bit46 is anarbour48 havingshoulders50 and is insertable into a drill (not shown) as is well known in the art. Thebody44 includes twoholes52 and54 whose location and size is such to allow for the insertion and passage through ofshafts32 and34 therein,shaft32 insertable intohole52 andshaft34 insertable intohole54. Typically, theholes52 and54 are of a diameter to effectively enable the shaft to be mounted to thebody44.
• The length of thebody44 is the same length as that of theshaft column36 from thedisk26 to theflute40 so that when theshaft32 is inserted intobody44 the flute and the cap protrude beyond thebody44.
• Located on top of thebody44 is a co-axial annulus orring56, rotatably movable between a first and a second position. Theannulus56 includes two correspondingly shaped andsized apertures58 and60 that are aligned with theholes52 and54 when the annulus is in the first position and are misaligned when the annulus is in the second position.
• Those skilled in the art will appreciate that theshaft flute40 andcap42 then extend into the annulus when it is aligned with the body. The thickness of theannulus56 is equal to the width of theflute40 so that when fully inserted into the mandrel only thecap42 extends beyond the surface plane of theannulus56.
• When the annulus is in the second position with theshaft32 fully inserted into the mandrel, the upper surface of theannulus62 engages thelip64 of thecap42, effectively preventing theshaft32 from being withdrawn from themandrel16. This effectively therefore locks thebase14 and hence the hole-saw12 to themandrel16 enabling the hole-saw to be used to drill a hole.
• The annulus is biased to the second position, that is, the locked position and a rotational force has to be applied to rotate it to the first position to enable for the withdrawal of theshafts32 and34. The rotation from the biased second position to the first position is generally in the same direction as the rotation of the drill.
• The skilled addressee will now appreciate that the present hole-saw assembly enables for the very quick mounting and unmounting of a hole-saw and a base to a mandrel that is already mounted in a drill. Since the diameter of the hole-saw is independent of the size of the base and hence the mandrel, one may have a number of hole-saws that they simply mount and unmount to and from the mandrel by rotating the annulus between the first and second positions.
• However, to further assist in quick mounting of the hole-saw base14 to themandrel16, thecircular edges66 ofholes58 and60 on theunderside68 of theannulus56, that is in the side that faces thebase44, may be tapered or chamfered. As theshafts32 and34 are inserted into the mandrel through theholes52 and54 andapertures58 and60, the cap forces the annulus to rotate to the first position. As the cap passes beyond the upper surface of the annulus, the biasing means causes it to snap back into its biased position thereby locking the base the hence the hole-saw to the mandrel. This provides the tool operator with an automatic “snap-fit” arrangement.
• Body44 is typically clamped on thedrill bit46 using agrub screw70. However, it may equally well be attached, as would be known by the skilled addressee, using other common techniques.
• The annulus is secured in its position using acirclip72. To prevent rotation of the circlip that may effectively block one of theapertures58 or60, a cusp (not shown) or projection may be used to lock the circlip relative to the annulus.
• Referring now toFIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown in detail theannulus56 and specifically the biasing arrangement. The annulus includes agroove74 within which is located the biasing means, typically aspring73. At one end of the groove is located a channel76 within which slidably moves apin78. The pin engages a correspondingly shaped bore (not shown) in thebody44 whereby it is locked into place when the annulus is placed on top of the body. The length of the channel76 within which the pin can effectively move, the two positions illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, then limits rotation of the annulus as shown inFIG. 3.
• In a preferred embodiment, the hole-saw may be manufactured integrally with the shafts that engage the mandrel. This embodiment is illustrated inFIG. 8 wherein one can see that the hole-saw80 hasintegral shafts82 and84 whose shape and function is the same as discussed earlier. Such a hole-saw may be for example be manufactured using machining or metal casting processes. An advantage of this is in the reduction of parts for manufacture resulting in reduced costs.
• To assist in handling the shafts they may includeshoulders86 that can be engaged by a tool, the shoulder also a feature of the earlier embodiment.
• In the case where the hole-saw is of a significant diameter, as illustrated inFIG. 9, the hole-saw88 may be attached to the base90 not by using threaded engagement members but rather by the use ofscrews92 and94 that pass throughapertures96 and98 in the bottom of the hole-saw and engage the ends ofshafts100 and102 respectively thereby locking the hole-saw to thebase90.
• In an alternate embodiment, theprojection28 of the base14 illustrated inFIGS. 1-5 may be made significantly longer than is currently known. This would then enable two hole-saws to be mounted on the one base. This is a particularly useful feature where the operator may wish to drill a bigger hole over an existing hole wherein the size of the smaller hole-saw is chosen to be the size of the already existing hole. The smaller hole-saw is then used as an effective guide center to be able to cut out the bigger hole in a symmetrical arrangement. As illustrated inFIG. 10 the hole-saw assembly according to this preferred embodiment includes a smaller hole-saw104 that extends beyond a larger hole-saw106 in the longitudinal direction. The diameter of the smaller hole-saw104 is chosen so that its outside surface108 engages the inner surface of hole110 in wall112. The smaller hole-saw104 ensures that when hole-saw106 engages the wall, it does not gyrate ensuring that the larger hole114 to be cut-out in the wall is co-axial with thesmaller hole10.
• Illustrated in FIGS.11 to13 is a hole-saw assembly according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the hole-saw12 andbase26 are of the same type as described above. However the total length of theshafts116 and118 are somewhat shorter, the shafts still havingflutes40 and caps42. The shorter shafts, assuming that the base and the annulus are the same size, results in the shafts not protruding beyond the annulus as was the case in the earlier embodiment. This is clearly illustrated in FIGS.11 and13 where one can see that theshafts116 and118 do not protrude beyond theupper surface120 of theannulus122.
• Since theshafts116 and118 no longer protrude beyond theannulus56, the previously described locking technique of the mandrel to the shafts is no longer available. For that reason, holes124 and126 adjacent theupper surface120 of theannulus56 are partially enlarged to provide aninner shoulder128 that can be engaged by thelip64 of thecap42. Accordingly, the annulus holes124 and126 are of a circular cross-section only for the length of theflute40 from theannulus bottom surface68, and are then enlarged to accommodate for the rotational movement of theannulus56 to lock and unlock theshafts116 and118 to the mandrel.
• This embodiment overcomes the need for a dimple or the like to prevent theclip72 for any rotational movement. It also provides for a more visually pleasing appearance and reduces the risk of the caps catching.
• Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.
• In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprising” is used in the sense of “including”, i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A connector assembly comprising:

a base adapted to rotate around a longitudinal axis and including an attachment means for attaching a device thereto, said base further including a connecting means;

a co-axial driving means adapted to rotate around said longitudinal axis and adapted for rotational engagement of said base connecting means;

a co-axial locking ring adapted to rotate around its longitudinal axis and further adapted to rotate between a first and a second position relative to said driving means, said locking ring adapted to engage said base connecting means when in said first position to prevent longitudinal relative motion of said base, driving means and said locking ring.

2. The connector assembly as inclaim 1 wherein when said locking ring is in said second position, said base is free for longitudinal motion from said driving means and locking ring.

3. The connector assembly as inclaim 1 wherein said attachment means extends outwardly in the longitudinal direction and said connecting means extends inwardly in the opposite direction.

4. The connector assembly as inclaim 3 wherein said locking ring is biased to said first position.

5. A connector assembly comprising:

a boss having a longitudinal axis, said boss including an attachment means extending longitudinally in one direction, said boss further including a projection extending in an opposite direction, said projection including a shoulder;

a driving means coaxially aligned with said boss and including a body having a passage coaxially aligned with said projection;

a locking ring coaxially aligned with said driving means and boss and including a passage, said locking ring rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second position, wherein in said first position said locking ring passage is aligned with said driving means passage and said projection allowing said projection to be freely insertable and removable and in said second position said locking ring passage being misaligned thereby locking said projection shoulder to said driving means.

6. The connector assembly as inclaim 5 wherein there are at least two projections co-axially aligned with the two driving means passages and the two locking ring passages.

7. A connector assembly comprising:

a base having a longitudinal axis and including an attachment means for attaching a device thereto, said base further including a connecting means;

a co-axial mating means adapted to engage said base;

a co-axial locking ring adapted to rotate around its longitudinal axis between a first and a second position relative to said mating means, said locking ring adapted to engage said base connecting means when in said first position to prevent longitudinal relative motion of said base, mating means and said locking ring.

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