Title of Invention

A CONNECTING ELEMENT FOR MOUNTING BETWEEN TWO EXTREMITIES OF A DIAMOND CHARGED CABLE SAW

Abstract

(57) Abstract connecting element: (l) destined for being mounted between two extremities {2A) of a diamond charged cable saw (2) used for cutting blocks in particular of natural stone, the diamond charged cable saw (2) being used in particular in the form of an endless loop, the connecting element (1) comprises at least one transmit¬ter (6) suited for emitting at least one signal and consisting of at least two transmitter parts which can be separated from one another and which produce, com¬bined with one another, a signal indicating a particular direction (8) and optionally at least one auxiliary-signal and diamond charged cable saw (2) equipped with such a connecting element (1). PRICE: THIRTY RUPEES

Full Text

The present invention relates to a connecting element for mounting between two extreme- ties of a diamond charged cable saw used for cutting blocks, in particular of natural stone the diamond charged cable saw comprising diamond charged cutter sleeves spread and fixed along its longitudinal axis, the diamond charged cable saw being used in particular in the form of an endless loop. Connecting elements for this type of cable are known. However, these connecting elements have no other function than connecting the two extremities of a diamond charged cable saw to form the loop, for example either when manufacturing said cable saw or when repair¬ing such cable saw, including an adjustment of the length thereof. Diamond charged cable saws which are equipped with a signal transmitter in the form of a magnet are also known. This magnet shows a magnetic field, the spatial distribution of which is known and determines a particular fixed direction and sense transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the diamond charged cable saw. These particular directions and senses can be used for example for detecting a rotation of the diamond charged cable saw on itself around its own longitudinal axis. It has appeared that mounting such a magnet onto the actual diamond charged cable saw poses prob¬lems. When the signal transmitter is for example broken or works badly, the section carrying this transmitter has to be replaced by a new section. For such a repla¬cement, use has to be made of two connecting elements which, due their rigidity differing from that of the diamond charged cable saw, induce vibrations and concen¬trated fatigue phenomena therein and thus risks of breaking the cable, of abnormal wear of the diamond charged sleeve, etc. Moreover, since the sleeves of the new section do not show the same wear as those of the remaining portion of the cable, their presence induces in the latter an irregular working of the sleeves : those which' are worn off the least, are the most stressed at this moment, vibrations are produced at each passage from a more worn sleeve to a less worn sleeve and inversely on the stone block, on the guiding pulleys of the diamond charged cable saw, etc. Moreover, it appeared necessary to arrange on or within the endless loop shaped diamond charged cable saw, or in an element which is definitively fixed thereto, cable recognition means, these means giving for example a particular signal according to the material fit for sawing with this cable (marble, granite, etc), according to the running direction which is to be respected for this cable, etc. In order to avoid the above-mentioned problems and others relating thereto but not cited hereabove, the applicant has conceived and elaborated a connecting element comprising at least one transmitter suited for emitting at least one signal and consisting of at least two transmitter parts which can be separated from one another and which produce, combined with one another, a signal indicating a particular direction, and optionally at least one auxiliary signal. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one of the transmitter parts is constructed so as to be interchangeable with a corre- spending part having signal characteristics different from those of the aforementioned part. The present invention also relates to a diamond charged cable saw equipped with a connecting element of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention provide to a connecting element for mounting between two extremities (2A) of a diamond charged cable saw (2) used for cutting blocks such as natural stones, the said diamond charged cable saw (2) being in the form of an endless loop, the said connecting element comprising at least one transmitter (6) for emitting at least one signal and consisting of at least two transmitter parts which are separable from one another and which produce, combined with one another, a signal indicating a particular direction (8) and optionally at least one auxiliary signal. other details and particularities of the invention will become apparent from the secondary claims and from the description of the drawings which are annexed to the present text and which illustrate, by way of non limiting examples, particular embodir,ents of the connecting element and the diamond charged cable saw according to the invention. Figure 1 shows schematically a connecting element of the invention fixed to two extremities of the diamond charged cable save; so as to connect them. Figure 2 shows schematically a diamond charged cable saw to which the connecting element of the inven¬tion can be applied. Figure 3 shows schematically another connect¬ing element of the invention. Figure 4 in a demountable embodiment, a connecting element of the invention made in two pieces. Figure 5 shows schematically an embodiment of a connecting element of the invention showing a peri¬pheral surface similar to that of a diamond charged sleeve of a diamond charged cable saw to which the connecting element can be fixed. Figure 6 shows schematically, in a demountable embodiment, a connecting element of the invention made in three pieces. In the different figures, the same reference numerals indicate identical or analogous elements. The connecting element 1 (figure 1) of the invention is destined for being mounted between tv.-o extremities 2A of a diamond charged cable saw 2 (figures cutting blocs (not shown) for example from natural stone. Spread over and fixed to a carrying cable 3, the diamond charged cable saw 2 may comprise along the longitudinal axis 3A of the carrying cable, sleeves 4 which are charged with diamonds on their periphery in order to be able to cut blocks. The sleeves 4 can be maintained at a mutual distance from one another by an injection molded synthetic material 5 known to the skilled person. The connecting element 1 can for example be formed by an element which is to be crimped onto the extremities 2A of the carrying cable 3 or which is to be welded or glued thereto. The diamond charged cable saw 2 is in particu¬lar used in the form of an endless loop (not shown) tightened by pulleys (not shown), which impart the juicing and cutting movements thereto. In order to detect rotation of the diamond ::hared cable saw 2 on itself around its longitudinal axis 3A according to either sense of the double arrow 5A, wobble imparted to the diamond charged cable saw 2 3y the pulleys vibrations of the diamond charged cable ;aw 2, slip of this saw onto the pulleys, etc., In case of a failure of the signal transmitter, the connecting element which is for example required for making the loop, has only to be replaced in this way by a new connecting element equipped with a new signal transmitter. The transmitter may be a bar magnet 7 (figure 1), the signal of which is the magnetic field generated thereby and the particular direction 8 of which is the magnetic axis of this field, the determined sense may be given by the North-South direction on this magnetic axis.■ According to an embodiment of the invention, the particular direction S (figure 1) may be transverse to the longitudinal axis 3A, advantageously perpen¬dicular thereto, and may intersect this axis. According to another embodiment of the inven¬tion (figure 3) , the particular direction 8 may be parallel to the longitudinal axis 3A and located at a distance therefrom. It appears that a control of the rotation of the diamond charged cable saw 2 around its longitudinal axis 3A is in this case also possible as well. For controlling this rotation, the connecting element 1 according to the invention is advantageously arranged in such a manner that, when it is mounted in the diamond charged cable saw 2 (figures 1 and 3), the transmitter 6 is connected to at least one of the two extremities 2A of the diamond charged cable saw 2 so as to rotate around the longitudinal axis 3A according to a rotational angle and direction identical to those performed by the extremity 2A around the same axis 3A. Concerning the rotation of the diamond charged cable saw 2 on itself around the longitudinal axis 3A, the connecting element 1 can fix the two extremities thereof one with respect to the other as shown in figures 1 and 3. The transmitter 6 (figure 1) can be disposed within the connecting element 1 at the location of the longitudinal axis 3A, for example between the two extremities 2A when the connecting element 1 is mounted in the diamond charged cable saw 2. However, (figure 3) the transmitter 6 can be disposed at a distance from the longitudinal axis 3A, towards the outside of the connecting element 1. The transmitter 6 can be composed (figure 4) of several emitting portions 9, for example of several magnets, the combined magnetic fields of which give the aforementioned particular direction 8, The transmitter 6 can also be composed of an integrated circuit (not shown) which is arranged to emit an electromagnetic signal according to a particular direction 8. This integrated circuit can be excited from the outside of the diamond charged cable saw 2 in order to deliver said signal. The same integrated circuit can for example be arranged for emitting at least another signal which can be used amongst others as warning signal that the transmitter 6 approaches a measuring zone and that a measuring device (not shown) has to be ready to detect the signal of the particular direction 8. The other signal may however originate from an auxiliary transmitter (not shown) which may be situated for example on the same connecting element 1, at a distance from the previous transmitter, and which can also be an integrated circuit. The transmitter 6 can not only be the afore¬mentioned bar magnet 7 or the emitting portions 9, but also a unitary magnetic mass 7A or a magnetic mass cut up into small pieces which either produces a magnetic field or modifies a magnetic field which it crosses for example in a not shown measuring location such as to indicate indirectly by this modified field a particular direction 8. The aforementioned auxiliary transmitter may in its turn also be of the same "magnetic" type as the transmitter 6. The transmitter 6 and/or the auxiliary trans¬mitter may consist of optical means (not shown) for emitting an optical radiation, which means may be excited by a (not shown) source external to the diamond charged cable saw 2. Use can be made of visible or invisible light, laser beams, etc. The transmitter 6 and the auxiliary transmit¬ter may be of different types to avoid interference of their signals. One may for example be of the magnetic type whilst the other of the optical type. Advantageously, in order to avoid an improper reuse of an old transmitter 6 and/or auxiliary transmit¬ter onto a new diamond charged cable saw 2, the connect¬ing element 1 may be of the type to be crimped onto at least one of the extremities 2A and the aforementioned magnetic mass 7A may form in the connecting element 1 a magnetic block when it is mounted therein for the first time. This magnetic mass 7A can for example be magnet¬ized after being mounted into the connecting element 1. At least as from the crimping operation, because the magnetic mass 7A is for example broken thereby or because this latter mass was composed of juxtaposed elements from the beginning, when it is removed from the connecting element 1 which has been crimped, the magnet¬ic mass 7A is in a disaggregated form which cannot or no longer be reused directly in a new connecting element 1. Figures 1 to 3 show connecting elements 1 in one piece. Figure 5 shows a variant of a connecting element 1 in one piece having provided thereon a diamond charged sleeve 4 of the same external dimensions and shapes as the sleeves 4 of the diamond charged cable saw 2 to which this connecting element 1 can be fixed. Figure 4 shows a first example of a demountable connecting element 1, a first section 11 comprises for example a tenon 12 and a second section 13 comprising for example a mortise 14 which can cooperate with tenon 12 to fix the sections 11 and 13 to one another in such a way that they mutually impart the rotation of the extremity 2A of the diamond charged cable saw which is fixed thereto at 15 for imparting this rotation to the other extremity 2A. In figure 4, however, the tenon 12 may be spherical and the mortise 14 may be arranged for retain¬ing the tenon 12 while allowing it to turn on itself around the longitudinal axis 3A so that each extremity 2A of the diamond charged cable saw 2 can turn, rela¬tively independently from the other, on itself around the longitudinal axis 3A when the tenon 12 and the mortise 14 are inserted into one another, for example in order to close the loop of the diamond charged cable saw 2. Figure 6 shows a connecting element 1 in three pieces wherein two similar sections 20 are each to be fixed to an extremity 2A of the diamond charged cable saw 2 and are to be screwed in (according to figure 6) or onto an intermediary section 21 which may comprise a transmitter 6 having for example a tonic shape at the outside of this intermediary section 21. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting element 1 comprises at least one trans¬mitter 6 suited for emitting at least one signal and consisting of at least two transmitter parts which can be separated from one another and which produce, com¬bined with one another, a signal indicating a particular direction 8, and optionally at least one auxiliary signal. It may be opportune to modify the characteris¬tics of the transmitter 6, for example in order to particularize one or more auxiliary signals for example according to the type of material to be cut with the diamond charged cable saw 2 or according to the type of machines this cable saw 2 can be used with or still according to parameters which relate to or which may influence the cutting operation. To this end, it is advantageous for at least one of the transmitter parts 6 to be constructed so as to be interchangeable with a corresponding part having signal characteristics different from those of the aforementioned part. If the diamond charged cable saw 2 shows for example signs of vocalization according to a certain plane, and when it is used in machines equipped for causing it to turn automatically around its longitudinal axis, it may be desirable to force this cable saw 2 to position itself such as to compensate for such a "prefe¬rential" wear in order to thus increase the life there¬of. To this end, it is advantageous for at least one of the transmitter parts 6 to be disposed in the connecting element 1 in a manner such as to be able to be positioned in different ways with respect to the other parts of the transmitter 6 and/or with respect to the connecting element 1 and/or with respect to the diamond charged cable saw 2. This is allowed by an embodiment of the connecting element according to that of figure 6. It may be desirable that the diamond charged cable saw 2 emits signals which characterize it and which are memorized in a support fixed to the cable saw, these signals being for example manufacturing characte¬ristics, characteristics of the origin of the actual cable 2, etc. Other cutting data or signals (rotation of the cable saw 2 around its longitudinal axis, the period of use of the cable saw 2, etc) may be memorized in different parts of said transmitter 6. All of these aforementioned signals and data combined together can increase the reliability of the information to be furnished to an apparatus for controlling the cable saw 2, without requiring a constant presence of a technician for registering them therein and may for example help to determine the performances of the diamond charged cable saw 2, To this end, at least one of said parts of the transmitter 6 may be fixed unseparately to the diamond charged cable saw 2, so that separating the cable saw 2 from the said transmitter part renders this part defini¬tively inoperative, said transmitter part may possibly be fixed unseparately to the cable through the inter¬mediary of a section of the connecting element. The skilled person may furnish such an arrangement so that, in case attempts are made to separate said unseparately fixed part, at least a portion of said data or signals should for example be lost or the working of the transmitter 6 should be stopped entirely. As it has already been explained in the case of for example figure 4, the connecting element 1 can consist of at least two connecting sections 11, 13, each provided with corresponding means 12, 14 arranged for fixing one section to the other and with means for fixing two corresponding extremities 2A of the diamond charged cable saw 2 thereto so as to form the endless loop, at least one connecting section 11, 13 comprising at least one part of said transmitter. As shown in figure 6 which has already been explained hereinabove, a connecting section 21 can be provided detachably with respect to the other sections 2 0 and to the diamond charged cable saw 2 and may comprise at least one interchangeable part of the transmitter 6 and/or at least one auxiliary transmitter. /" Preferably, the signal of at least one trans¬mitter 6 and/or auxiliary transmitter consists of radiation. In the embodiment of figure 1, it appears that at least one of the transmitters 6 is arranged therein such as to radiate its signal starting from the longi¬tudinal axis 3A of the connecting element 1, the trans¬mitter 6 and/or at least one of the transmitter parts being possibly disposed in the connecting element 1 at the location of its longitudinal axis 3A. In the embodiment of figure 3, it appears however that at least one of the emitters 6 is also arranged therein such as to radiate its signal shifted with respect to the longitudinal axis 3A of the con¬necting element 1, the transmitter 6 and/or at least one of the transmitter parts being possibly disposed at a distance from this longitudinal axis 3A. As already indicated hereinabove, at least one transmitter part is formed by a magnet. According to a variant which the skilled person may apply in view of the preceding part of the description, at least one transmitter, possibly an auxiliary transmitter, consists of an integrated circuit memorizing said data and/or signals to be emitted. Further, at least one transmitter part can consist of means for emitting an optical beam. The invention also relates to a diamond charged cable saw 2 for cutting blocks, especially of natural stone, the cable saw 2 comprising diamond charged cutter sleeves 4 spread and fixed along its longitudinal axis 3A, the diamond charged cable saw 2 being in particular used in the form of an endless loop, a connecting element 1 being provided between two extremities 2A of the diamond charged cable saw 2 so as to connect them, the connecting element 1 comprising at least one signal transmitter 6 consisting of at least two parts, and optionally at least one auxiliary trans¬mitter, in accordance with any one of the claimed characteristics. It has to be understood that the invention is in now way limited to the described embodiments and that many modifications can be applied to these embodiments without leaving the scope of the present invention. The diamond charged cable saw 2 may for example not be used in a loop shape but the connecting element 1 can instead be used to join a diamond charged cable saw 2 to a pulling or tightening cable of the diamond charged cable saw 2 in a reciprocating cutting system. The skilled person is able to disassemble a transmitter 6 in parts and to distribute these parts such as to correspond to the indications given in the present description. A magnetic field can for example be the resultant of several magnets forming each a part of the transmitter and forming all together the transmitter 6, each part may be housed in a different section of the connecting element 1 and/or in the actual cable saw 2. WE CLAIM; 1. A connecting element for mounting between two extremities (2A) of a diamond charged cable saw (2) used for cutting blocks such as natural stones, the said diamond charged cable saw (2) being in the form of an endless loop, the said connecting element comprising at least one transmitter (6) for emitting at least one signal and consisting of at least two transmitter parts which are separable from one another and which produce, combined with one another a signal indicating a particular direction (8) and optionally at least one auxiliary signal. 2. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitter parts (6) is constructed capable of interchanging with a corresponding part having signal characteristics different from those of the aforementioned part. 3. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitter parts (6) is disposed for positioning in different ways with respect to the other parts of the transmitter (6) and/or with respect to the connecting element (1) and/or with respect to the diamond charged cable saw (2). 4. The connecting element according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the above mentioned transmitter parts is integrally fixed to the diamond charged cable saw (2), in order to make the said transmitter part inoperative when separated from the said cable saw (2); said transmitter part being preferably fixed integrally to the cable through an intermediary of a section of the connecting element. 3. The connecting element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein plurality of transmitters are provided for emitting signals of a different nature and/or function. 6. The connecting element according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein there are at least two connecting sections (11, 13) for the connecting element and each said connecting element is provided with corresponding fixing means (12, 14) to fix one section to the other and with fixing means for fixing two corresponding extremities (2A) of the diamond charged cable saw (2) thereto in order to form the endless loop, and at least one connecting section (11,13) comprises at least one part of the above-mentioned transmitter. 7. The connecting element according to claim 6, wherein a connecting section (21) which is detachable with respect to the other section (20) and to the diamond charged cable saw (2) is provided and it comprises at least one interchangeable part of the transmitter (6) and/or at least one auxiliary transmitter. S. The connecting element according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the signal from at least one transmitter (6) and/or auxiliary transmitter, consists of radiation. 9. The connecting element according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transmitters has means to radiate its signal starting I’m the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, the transmitter (6) and/or at least one of the transmitter parts being disposed in the connecting element, at the location of its longitudinal axis (3A). 10. The connecting element according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the transmitters has means to radiate its signal shifted with respect to the longitudinal axis (3A) of the connecting element, the transmitter (6) and/or at least one of the transmitter parts being possibly disposed at a distance from this longitudinal axis (3A). 11. The connecting element according to any one of the claims 8 to 10, wherein at least one transmitter part is formed by a magnet. 12. The connecting element according to any one of the claims S to 10, wherein at least one transmitter is an auxiliary transmitter, composed of an integrated circuit. 13. The connecting element according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one transmitter part is composed of means for emitting an optical beam. 14. A diamond charged cable saw for cutting blocks such as natural stone with a connecting element in accordance with any one of the claims 1 to 13. 13. A connecting element for mounting between two extremities of a diamond charged cable saw, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Documents:

700-mas-1996 description (complete).pdf

700-mas-1996 abstract.jpg

700-mas-1996 abstract.pdf

700-mas-1996 claims.pdf

700-mas-1996 correspondence others.pdf

700-mas-1996 correspondence po.pdf

700-mas-1996 drawings.pdf

700-mas-1996 form-1.pdf

700-mas-1996 form-26.pdf

700-mas-1996 form-4.pdf

700-mas-1996 petition.pdf