AU2014227526B2 - A tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for cutting a non-circular hole in a substrate such 5 as in a dry wall board or similar for receiving a non circular fitting therein includes a base plate having a connector for interchangeably or releasably connecting the tool to a hand held power tool such as a vibratory or oscillating handheld multitool to vibrate the tool in use 10 to cut the hole. The tool is provided with one or more saw blades having saw teeth extending from the base plate in which the saw blades are arranged with respect to each other, typically perpendicularly arranged to one another corresponding to the size and shape of the hole to be 15 formed in the substrate. The advantage of the tool is that the correct size non-circular hole can be quickly and easlily formed using the tool. 5750461 ISHMahlers) P94685 AUI.) .MC FIG. I 22b 22a 14

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tool for forming a noncircular hole in a substrate and to methods of using such tools .

In one form, the present invention relates to a tool in 10 the form of a saw for forming a substantially rectilinear hole.

In one form, the present invention relates to a tool in the form of an attachment for a motorised device such as a power tool, and to a method of using the attachment when connected to the power tool to form a substantially rectangular hole.

In one form, the tool of the present invention is for forming a rectangular hole in a sheet material, such as in a wall board sheet or similar.

The present invention finds particular application as a hole saw for, and to a method of, forming a rectangular hole in a wall board sheet for mounting a fitting therein, typically an electrical fitting, in the rectangular hole.

Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to one form of the tool or tool attachment for forming one form of rectangular hole for receiving a fitting therein, it is to be noted that the scope of the invention is not restricted to the described form or forms of the tool or attachment, but that the

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- 2 scope of the invention is more extensive so as to include other forms and arrangements of the tool, the tool attachment and of components of the tool and to methods of using such tools and attachments for purposes other than described.

BACKGROUND

On many occasions during constructions and/or renovation of a building, particularly in the internal walls of a building, it is necessary to form a non-circular hole in the wall material. Typically, the material from which the wall is made is a wallboard such as a dry sheet material or soft sheet material, typically made from plasterboard or similar. Often fittings, typically electrical fittings are required to be installed in and/or behind the surface of the wall. It is usual to form a hole or cavity in the wall for receiving the fitting particularly when the fitting is to be recessed within the hole or cavity. Hole saws are often used to form the hole, or at least part of the hole.

Until now, hole saws could only be used to form a circular hole. However, many of the fittings which are required to be installed are non-circular, typically being either square or rectangular in profile. However, fittings having other shapes are also required to be installed from time to time, particularly with the advent of increasingly more complex electronic equipment, such as communication equipment. Circular hole saws cannot be used to form readily such non circular holes.

Therefore, there is a need for an innovative solution for

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- 3 forming non circular holes, particularly forming non circular holes in sheet materials, and more particularly holes for mounting non-circular fittings or the like, such as electrical fittings or components.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a tool which is capable of forming a non-circular hole in a sheet material.

It would further be desirable to provide a method of using a tool to form a non-circular hole in a sheet material for receiving a non-circular fitting.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In broad terms, the present invention provides an attachment for a motorised device, such as a power tool or other hand held device, wherein the attachment can be attached to the power tool for forming a non-circular hole.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a tool for forming a non-circular hole in a substrate, the tool comprising a base plate having at least one inspection aperture for assisting location of the tool with respect to the substrate for positioning the tool in alignment with the proposed location of the non-circular hole to be formed in the substrate, a universal connector configured to cooperate with a

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- 4 plurality of mechanical driving members for for interchangeably connecting the tool to a selected mechanical driving member for driving the tool in use, the connector having a raised portion for assisting releasable connection of the tool to the driving member, at least a first tool member located at or along a first side of the base plate, the first tool member having a first set of work elements, and a second tool member located at or along a second side of the base plate, the second tool member having a second set of work elements, the first side of the base plate and the second side of the base plate being angularly inclined to each other corresponding to the angular inclination of corresponding sides of the hole to each other wherein when the connector of the tool is connected to the driving member in use, and the tool is in contact with the substrate, the part of the substrate visible through the at least one inspection aperture provided in the base plate provides an

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- 5 indication of the proposed location of where the noncircular hole is to be formed in the substrate, and the first set of work elements and the second set of work 5 elements are moveable in unison with respect to each other in response to corresponding movement of the drive member to penetrate the substrate to form at least part of an outline of the non-circular hole, or to form the noncircular hole having at least a part of the perimeter corresponding to the angular inclination of the first tool member and second tool member.

In one embodiment the tool may further comprise a stop to limit penetration of the work elements through the thickness of the substrate in which the non-circular hole is being formed.

According to one form of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a non-circular hole in a substrate comprising the steps of locating a tool at a preselected location on the substrate where the noncircular hole is to be formed, the tool comprising a base plate having at least one aperture for providing access of the tool to the substrate and a connector for connecting the tool to a driving member, at least a first tool member located at or along a first side of the tool having a first set of work elements, and a second tool member located along a second side of the tool having a second set of work elements, the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements being angularly inclined with respect to each other such that when the connector of the tool is connected to the driving member in use such that at least a part of the substrate is visible through

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- 6 the aperture, and the driving member operated with the tool in contact with the substrate, the first and second sets of work elements move with respect to the substrate in response to corresponding movement of the driving member to penetrate the substrate to form at least the outline of the non-circular hole, or to form the noncircular hole having angular boundaries corresponding to the angular inclination of the at least first and second sets of work elements to one another, and operating the drive member so that the first and second sets of work elements move in unison with each other in response to corresponding movement of the drive member to form the non-circular hole in the substrate or at least to form at least part of the outline of the non-circular hole in the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In one form, the non-circular hole is a rectilinear hole, typically, a square hole or a rectangular hole. However, it is to be noted that the non-circular hole can have any suitable or desired shape, such as for example, any polygonal shape, elliptical shape, or the like, preferably the shape has at least one straight edge, more preferably, at least two straight edges. However, at least one edge of the hole can be curved. In one form, one or more edges of the hole can be curved such as for example, the hole can have two short sides of a four sided figure in which one or both short sides are in the form of a curve or are actuate. In one form the non-circular hole has a first pair of opposed sides which are straight and a second pair of opposed sides which are straight.

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- 7 In one form, the non-circular hole is a four sided shape, such as a quadrilateral shape, a parallelogram shape, a trapezium shape, a rhombus shape, a rectangular shape or a square shape. In one form, one pair of sides are linear whereas another pair of sides are curved, typically concavely curved or convexly curved.

Typically, the tool is provided with a drive means for driving the drive member in operation of the tool. In one form, the driving means is an oscillating device or vibrating device such as for example, the type of tool referred to as a multitool or multifunctional tool, typically of the type capable of oscillating or vibrating at, at least 20,000hz, over a small distance of movement.

In one form, the oscillating or vibrating device is a reciprocating device or multitool capable of up to 20,000 cycles of movement per minute having an amount of travel measured in millimetres such as up to about 5mm.

In one form the drive member is provided with a longitudinal axis in which the direction of vibration of the device is in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the drive member or is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drive member, preferably substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis so that the direction of vibration of the device is from side to side or backwards and forwards, or a combination thereof, such as for example, an orbital motion. In one form, the pathway defined by movement of the drive member, is arcuate, curved or similar, in a generally reciprocating movement. However, in other forms, the movement is linear or substantially linear.

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- 8 Typically, the driving member is vibrated by the driving means, more typically, vibrated by the output shaft of the vibrating device or is the output shaft of the driving means. Typically, the output shaft is provided with a connecting portion that is complementary to the connector of the tool so that the tool can be securely connected to the vibrating device. In one form, the output shaft is provided with a standard or universal connector for connecting a variety of other working tools to the vibrating or oscillating device in which the connector of the tool is complementary to the connector of the vibrating device to allow the tool to be releasably securable to the vibrating device and to be interchangeably mounted to the drive member along with the other working tools which are also interchangeable.

More typically, the connector of the tool is provided with a multitude of shaped apertures for cooperatively engaging with corresponding parts of the complementary connector of the output shaft of the vibrating device. Even more typically, the connector of the tool is provided with a raised portion, such as for example, a circular rim, ridge, rib, crater, or similar for engaging with the complementary connector of the vibrator device.

In one form, the connector of the tool allows the tool to be releasably secured to the output shaft of the vibrating device so that the tool is releasably connectable to the vibrating device so as to be removable from the driving member as required. In one form, the cutting tool for forming the non-circular hole is another attachment for the vibrating device in the form of a hand held power tool or multitool.

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- 9 In one form, the tool is a saw and the first and second tool members are saw members. In one form, the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements are saw elements, typically saw teeth. In one form, the tool is a saw, typically a saw head having a body, typically the body is in the form of a base plate, plate, or similar. The tool further includes a multitude of saw members arranged in the form of cutting blades or cutting edges. As used herein, the term cutting edge includes one or more rows of saw elements, typically in the form of teeth, as well as one or more rows of cutting implements or materials. Preferably the cutting edge has cutting teeth. The cutting teeth may be cross-ground teeth, saw teeth, hardened teeth, diamonds, abrasive materials, metal cutting teeth, or the like.

It is to be noted that the saw member can be a curved member, such as having multitude of saw elements arranged to extend in one or more curves. Typically, the end or ends of the curved array of saw elements are inclined at an angle to linear rows of saw elements to cut a hole having a combination of straight edges and curved edges.

In one form, there are at least two sets of saw elements, more typically four sets of saw elements arranged with respect to each other in accordance with the shape of the hole which is to be formed in the sheet material by movement of the tool. In one form, the sets of saw elements form a continuous periphery of the tool or tool head for forming the non-circular hole entirely, or the saw elements are discontinuous, being arranged in segments, sectors or sections, having gaps or spaces where

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- 10 two sets of saw elements meet one another, such as at the corners of the tool.

In one form, the saw member is a saw blade and the first 5 set of saw elements comprise saw teeth arranged to extend outwardly from the plate or body of the saw or saw head along the edge of the tool to form one cutting blade of the tool.

In other forms, the saw elements are an abrasive edge, a serrated edge, a toothed edge, a sharpened knife edge, an edge comprising diamond material, tungsten carbide material, aluminium oxide material or the like, particularly containing hardened material.

Typically, if the saw is for cutting a rectangular hole, there are four saw blades arranged to define a continuous rectangle by each blade being oriented 90° to adjacent blades at either side. In one form, there is a single blade along one or each edge, or a pair of spaced apart blades along one or each edge. In one form, there are two or more blades along each edge for forming the hole, typically arranged in spaced apart parallel relationship to each other, such as in pairs of cutting elements arranged in rows to improve the efficiency of cutting, such that the inner linear array of teeth is coarser and the outer linear array of teeth is finer to produce a cutout or hole having a smoother edge or to facilitate cutting of the edge firstly by the inner row of teeth, and then by the outer row of teeth.

In one form, the saw blade along one or more edges is in the form of segments or sections which are arranged to

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- 11 extend collinearly with respect to each other.

In one form, the substrate in which the hole is to be formed is a sheet material such as a wall board. Examples of wall board include plasterboard, gypsum, magnesium board, fire resistant board, boards made from or containing plaster of Paris, composite board, MDF, timber boards, chipboard, laminated board, plywood or boards or similar. It is to be noted that the sheet material can be of any suitable type or composition.

In one form, the hole saw is for forming a cut-out in plasterboard of a size, shape and profile suitable for mounting an electrical fitting, such as an electrical power fitting, such as for example a general purpose outlet or a general power outlet in the form of a power socket of the type conventionally provided in buildings to provide electrical power to operate electrical devices, appliances, equipment or similar. However, other fittings requiring a non-circular hole for installation include electrical sockets, switches, outlets for telecommunication lines, computer and data networks, audio and video systems, aerial and antenna connections, security devices, or communication devices generally or the like.

In one form, the saw elements, typically in the form of teeth of the saw blade have a length so as to be arranged to extend entirely through the thickness of the wall board or similar, whereas in other forms, the teeth of the blade are arranged so as to cut partially through the thickness of the wall board so that the cut-out can be removed from the hole by hand or similar rather than falling through to

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- 12 the other side of the wall, particularly if a smooth sided hole is required for greater accuracy, such as to produce a better quality finish.

In one form, the tool is provided with a stop, typically an adjustable stop, to limit the penetration of the saw elements through the thickness of the wall or to form a partial cut for the hole to a restricted depth or similar.

In one form, the tool is provided with a guide, typically in the form of a guide member, for assisting in locating the tool with respect to the substrate, or more particularly for assisting in locating the teeth of the tool in the exact location required to accurately form the hole at the correct location. In one form, the guide is located centrally of the tool, such as for example, centrally of the base plate either longitudinally centrally or transversely centrally or both. In one form, the guide is a solid or hollow elongate member, such as for example, a cylindrical rod, bar, tube, or the like.

In one form, the guide is a cylindrical member, such as a pin, shaft, drill bit or similar. In one form, the lengthwise extending axis, typically the central longitudinal axis of the guide member, extends in line with the longitudinal axis of the drive member to which the tool is connected. In one form, the guide is provided with a cutting tip. In one form, the guide is a retractable guide member. In one form, the location of the guide is visible through one or both apertures in the baseplate to assist in aligning the tool correctly on the substrate at the desired location for cutting the noncircular hole.

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- 13 In one form, the guide is one or more markers located on the outer surface of the tool, typically marker lines aligned along one or more central axes, such as along the longitudinal central axis, the transverse central axis, or along axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive member to assist in accurately aligning the tool in the correct position.

The tool can include a set or kit of tools, such as a 10 number of interchangeable cutting heads of different sizes, and or shapes or having different profiles, for cutting holes of different sizes, or having cutting heads of the same size but different sized blades or saw members for making holes of various sizes. Alternatively, the head of the tool can be arranged to receive interchangeable non-circular hole saws, of a variety of different types, sizes, profiles, or shapes, having a range of different edges at the same or different angles so that the blades or saw members are interchangeable to form a range of non-circular holes.

In one form, the tool comprises a tool head and a multitude of different hole saws of different sizes which can be interchangeably connected to the head whilst the head remains attached to the output shaft of the vibrating device to allow quick changeover of cutting blades or hole saws for cutting different size holes in sequence, such as for example, commencing the formation of the hole by cutting a smaller size hole with one set of saw blades, ³⁰ typically saw blades of a coarse cut, and progressively enlarging the hole by using increasingly greater sized saw blades which are finer in size, until the hole of the required size is formed using a saw blade with very fine

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- 14 size teeth.

Although the tool and parts of the tool, such as the saw blades and/or teeth, can be made from any suitable material, one form of the tool and/or one form of the saw elements or saw teeth, are made from M2 high speed steel, typically having a thickness of about 0.030 inches or about 0.762mm. In another form, the tool is constructed from a steel identified as SS 304 2B 0.9mm and the marker line is engraved to a depth of 2mm on the surface of the tool. However, other variations are possible.

In one form, the aperture is an inspection aperture for viewing the wall through the tool.

One form of the aperture or apertures provided in the body or base plate of the tool is a circular opening. It is to be noted that the aperture can have any suitable shape, such as, elliptical, square, rectangular or the like, and be of any suitable size. In one form, there is a single aperture, whereas in other forms, there are two or more apertures in which case, the two apertures are located at or towards either side of the base plate or body, such as equidistant from the connector on either side of the base plate and to maintain the cables, wires, safely out of the way.

In one form, the aperture is a clearance aperture for allowing access of the tool to the surface of the substrate, typically, to allow pre-existing electrical cables, wires or other conductors previously installed behind the wall substrate to be inserted through the apertures to provide clearance for the saw elements to

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- 15 contact the substrate without hindrance to form the required hole.

In one form, the apertures allow the substrate to be 5 viewed through the body or plate of the saw, such as to assist in aligning the saw at the correct location on the substrate, such as by viewing an indicator, marking, or similar previously placed on the surface of the substrate to identify the correct position for the hole to be formed.

In one form, one or more marker lines are aligned with one or more apertures to assist in accurately locating the tool to form the hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the tool will now be described to illustrate non limiting examples of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of a saw,

Figure 2 is a side elevation view from one side of the 25 tool of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side elevation view from another side of the tool of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of an alternate form of the tool,

Figure 5 is a side elevation view from one side of the

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- 16 tool of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a side elevation view from another side of the tool of Figure 4, and

Figure 7 is an underneath perspective view of the tool of Figure 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One form of the tool which is shown in Figures 1 to 3, will now be described in detail with reference to these drawings .

One form of the tool, is a hole saw generally denoted as 10, for forming a non-circular hole. Saw 10, is provided with a planar main body in the form of a plate 12, such as a base plate or similar, of a generally rectangular shape or profile. Plate 12 forms the tool head. Tool 10 can be of a unitary construction in which the cutting edges of the saw blades are permanently fixed to the head of the cutting edges or the saw blades can be removable or interchangeable. A connector, generally denoted as 14, is provided centrally on the top surface of plate 12 of tool

10. In one form, connector 14 is of the type for connection to the output shaft of a vibrating or oscillating tool, commonly known as a hand held multitool of the type provided with a plurality of interchangeable work elements which are coupled to the output shaft of such tools, such as by a suitable fastening arrangement including a chuck or a bolt or similar, which rigidly and securely connects the tool to the vibrating device. Saw 10 is one of the interchangeable attachments that can be

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- 17 connected to the multitool.

In one form, the multitool or vibrating device is the type of device that is capable of oscillatory movement involving a back and forth movement through up to about 5, typically about 2, angular degrees at a frequency of about 20,000 oscillations per minute or greater in either a linear or arcuate pathway. Suitable oscillating tools are often referred to by the more common name, multi-tool because of the many functions that the tool can perform with a range of different interchangeable attachments, including attachments to sand, grind, scrape, polish, cut and similar.

Connector 14 includes a multitude of specifically shaped apertures 18 arranged in a set pattern inside a raised rim 20 allowing connection of tool 10 to the oscillating device or multitool. The combination of specifically shaped apertures 18, and rim 20, ensure secure attachment of hole saw 10 to the oscillating multitool. It is to be noted that connector 14 can have any suitable or convenient complementary form to match individual multitools. It is to be noted that in forms of the tool, rim 20 optionally may be deleted.

A first aperture, in the form of an orifice 22a, is provided at one side of tool 10 in plate 12, and a second aperture, in the form of a second orifice 22b, is provided at the other side of plate 12 of tool 10. In one form, the orifices 22a, 22b are circular, such as having a diameter of 20mm, 25mm or similar. The purpose of the two 20mm orifices 22a, 22b are for initially positioning the tool with respect to the wall in instances where cables or

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- 18 similar may protrude out from the substrate, such as for example, protrude outwardly through a smaller hole in the substrate to indicate the location of the cable. Often the point of exposure of the existing cable is where an electrical fitting is required and hence indicates the location where the non-circular hole is to be formed. By providing orifices 22a, 22b, the cables can pass through either or both orifices 22a, 22b to be clear of the tool so that the cutting tool can achieve a good connection directly with the surface of the wall in which the hole is to be formed. Orifices 20a, 20b also provide a means of extracting any debris caught within the saw or between late 12 and the wall as the hole is being formed, such as for example, poking the debris with a suitable extraction implement, such as a screwdriver or similar through either orifice to remove the debris. Although orifices 22a, 22b are about 20mm in diameter, it is to be noted that orifices 22a, 22b can be of any suitable or convenient size, shape or type. Although in one form, orifices 22a,

22b are located symmetrically on plate 12 equidistant from connector 16 on either side thereof, orifices 22a, 22b can be located at any suitable location on plate 12. Also, orifices 22a, 22b provide inspection ports allowing the inside of the hole saw to be observed during operation to ensure the tool is operating correctly and in the required location to form the hole.

A side skirt 28 depends downwardly from the edge of plate 12 of tool 10 along each of the four sides of the rectangular tool. Skirts 28 are provided to form collectively with plate 12, a cavity defined by the saw members on the underneath surface of body 12 for receiving therein the material removed from the sheet, such as the

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- 19 cut-out, removed from the wall board in which the hole is being formed, after the non-circular hole has been formed in the wall board.

A first saw member in the form of a saw blade 30 is located along the lower surface of skirt 28a downwardly depending from one of the longer sides of plate 12. In one form, saw member 30 is a saw blade having a multitude of saw elements in the form of downwardly depending saw teeth 32. It is to be noted that there can be any number of saw teeth such as for example, ranging from about 6 teeth per inch to about 20 teeth per inch, preferably from about a minimum of 7 TPI for use with standard wall board up to a maximum of 18 TPI for use with other popular materials, such as for example, a composite board, chipboard or the like.

In one form, individual saw teeth 32 can have a regularly spacing or can have an irregular spacing, such as for example, arranged in sections or segments of different size teeth or of different spacing between adjacent teeth, for different purposes, such as to assist in commencing the cut or removing sawdust, swarf, chips, filings or similar of the material being cut by the saw. In one form, gaps or spaces between individual teeth are provided to assist in the removal of material from the sheet material as the hole is being cut.

As well as having any number of spacing of teeth, the profile, shape or arrangement of the teeth or the form of the teeth, can be any suitable or convenient form, such as ground teeth, hollow ground teeth, planar teeth, saw teeth, or the like.

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A second side skirt. 28b is located downwardly depending along one of the short sides of the tool head. A second saw member in the form of a saw blade 30b is located along the lower edge of side skirt 28b. Saw blade 30b is provided with a multitude of saw teeth 32b. Teeth 32b may be the same as or different to teeth 32a of blade 30a.

In one form, tool 10 is a rectangular shape having two saw 10 blades 30a, 30c, located along either long side of the body 12, and two short blades 30b, 30d, located along either short side of the body 12. In this form, all four saw blades 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d are linear, as shown more particularly in Figures 1 to 3, so as to be able to cut a rectangular hole in the wall board. It is to be noted that the size of tool 10 is in accordance with the hole required to install the required fitting, such as for example, a standard size power outlet or similar.

Another form of the tool, as illustrated in Figures 4 to 7, will now be described. Tool 10 is provided with plate 12, similar to the tool of the earlier described embodiment except that instead of all four sides being linear, there is a combination of two linear sides on one pair of opposite sides of plate 12, and two arcuate sides on a second pair of opposite sides of plate 12 so that both short side edges are generally arcuate or curved, and both long sides are linear or straight, so as to form a hole having two straight edges and two curved edges. It is to be noted that the rounded cut-out enables the electrical fitting, such as in the form of a power outlet, AV point, data connector or the like, to easily fit into the cut-out with a good level of tolerance to make minor

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- 21 adjustments in the final position of the fitting, such as for example, maintaining the fitting level when installing the fitting, such as during screwing or fastening the fitting into its final position.

One other shape is that of a rectangle design which is specifically suited for standard metal wall boxes and fire rated wall boxes. These metal wall boxes are commonly used throughout apartment buildings and in other environments where they have been specified. When cutting the hole for receiving the metal wall box, it is very important for the hole cut-out to be accurate, otherwise the box will fall out, which will require replastering and other repairs .

In this form, there are two linear saw blades along the long sides and two curved saw blades along the short sides .

In operation of the tool of the present invention, tool 10 having the required size for forming the required noncircular hole of the required dimensions, typically a rectangular hole, is selected in accordance with the size and shape of the fitting that is to be exposed through the non-circular hole or to be installed behind the wall sheet. The selected tool is securely attached to the oscillating device or multitool using connector 16. When securely attached, tool 10 is located against the wall, typically in the form of a plasterboard sheet or similar at the required location for forming the rectangular hole. The oscillating multitool is activated to vibrate the output shaft and hence tool 10. The back and forth reciprocal motion of tool 10 allows saw teeth 32 to

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- 22 penetrate into the substrate to form the outline of the hole in accordance with the specific shape of the tool.

If the hole is to be formed entirely through the thickness of the wall board, the oscillating multitool is pushed into the substrate to form a clean cut of the hole, typically with relatively smooth sides. During this cutting operation, the cut-out material removed from the wallboard where the hole is being formed is received within the cavity formed in the undersurface of the tool by side skirts 28 and plate 12.

If the outline of the hole only is to be formed, rather than the hole itself, after the initial contact of the saw teeth with the wall board and the outline of the hole formed, the tool is removed, and the formation of the hole completed by the cut-out piece being gently removed from the wall as required, in the event an accurate and smooth sided hole is to be formed.

ADVANTAGES

Advantages of embodiments of the tool of the present invention include the following:

- Cuts a hole for a standard wall plate in around 5 seconds, less than half the time it usually takes.

- The saw does not get caught on insulation unlike a conventional plaster/gyprock hand saw.

- Can easily be used to cut a hole in a hard to reach space with little movement or motion involved to initiate and complete the cut-out.

- Consistently cuts clean and accurate wall plate holes, eliminating repetitive strain injury or cutting errors caused by such.

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- 23 - Decreases the risk of cutting into a hidden live cable or service as commonly done with a conventional plaster/gyprock hand saw which, during the cutting operation extends far beyond the thickness of the wall lining into the wall cavity behind the wall thus creating potential hazardous situations where the hand saw blade can cause damage to other parts of the wall or come into contact with live wires or sever existing cables or wires already installed behind the wall.

- The cutting device is limited to a wall thickness of up to 20mm which will dramatically decrease any potential risks as mentioned and also be sufficient for cutting holes through the thickness of 90% of the wall linings.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

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2014227526 06 Jun2018

Claims (2)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A tool for forming a non-circular hole in a substrate, the tool comprising a base plate having at least one inspection aperture for assisting location of the tool with respect to

10 the substrate for positioning the tool in alignment with the proposed location of the non-circular hole to be formed in the substrate, a universal connector configured to cooperate with a

15 plurality of mechanical driving members for interchangeably connecting the tool to a selected mechanical driving member for driving the tool in use,

20 the connector having a raised portion for assisting releasable connection of the tool to the driving member, at least a first tool member located at or along a

25 first side of the base plate, the first tool member having a first set of work elements, and

30 a second tool member located at or along a second side of the base plate, the second tool member having a second set of work

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2014227526 06 Jun2018

- 25 elements, the first side of the base plate and the second side of the base plate being angularly inclined to each

5 other corresponding to the angular inclination of corresponding sides of the hole to each other wherein

10 when the connector of the tool is connected to the driving member in use, and the tool is in contact with the substrate,

15 the part of the substrate visible through the at least one inspection aperture provided in the base plate provides an indication of the proposed location of where the non-circular hole is to be formed in the substrate, and the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements are moveable in unison with each other in response to corresponding movement of the driving member to penetrate the substrate to form at least

25 part of an outline of the non-circular hole, or to form the non-circular hole having at least a part of the perimeter corresponding to the angular inclination of the first tool member and second tool member.

2. The tool according to claim 1, further comprising a stop to limit penetration of the work elements through the thickness of the substrate in which the

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- 26 non-circular hole is being formed.

3. The tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the non-circular hole is a rectilinear hole, in the

5 form of a four-sided hole including a square hole, a rectangular hole, or other quadrilateral shaped hole in which the non-circular hole has straight or linear sides or a combination of straight or linear sides and curved or arcuate sides.

4. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the driving member comprises an oscillating device or a vibrating device including a multitool or a multifunctional tool.

5. The tool according to claim 4 in which the oscillating device or vibrating device oscillates or vibrates at about 20,000Hz over a small distance of movement.

6. The tool according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the connector of the tool is a multitude of shaped apertures for cooperatively engaging with corresponding parts of the complementary connector of

25 the output shaft of the multitool or multifunctional tool.

7. The tool according to any one of claims 4 to 6 in which the raised portion of the connector includes a

30 circular ring, ridge, rib or crater for engaging with the complementary connector of the multitool.

8. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims

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- 27 2014227526 06 Jun2018 in which the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements are saw elements, having saw teeth.

5

9. The tool according to claim 8 in which the saw teeth are cross ground teeth, toughened saw teeth, hardened teeth, diamonds, diamond tipped teeth, abrasive material or metal cutting teeth.

10 10. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements are arranged to extend substantially continuously around the periphery of the base plate or are located in sectors, sections or

15 segments with gaps intermediate two adjacent saw sectors, sections or segments.

11. The tool according to claim 10 in which the gaps are located at the corners of the base plate where two

20 saw elements are angularly inclined to each other, including being substantially perpendicular to one another.

12. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims 25 in which the work elements are an abrasive edge, a serrated edge, a toothed edge, a sharpened knife edge, an edge comprising diamond material, tungsten carbide material or aluminium oxide material.

30

13. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the base plate comprises four saw blades arranged to define a substantially continuous rectangle by each saw blade being oriented at about

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- 28 90° to adjacent saw blades.

14. The tool according to any one of claims 6 to 13 in which the teeth of the saw blade have a length which

5 is substantially the same as or greater than the thickness of the substrate in which the non-circular hole is to be formed.

15. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims

10 2 to 14, wherein the stop is an adjustable stop.

16. The tool according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a guide for assisting in locating the tool with respect to the substrate at the

15 proposed location of the hole wherein the position of the guide is observable through the inspection aperture.

17. The tool according to claim 16 in which the guide is

20 in the form of a pin, shaft, drill bit, elongate rod, bar or tube and is located centrally of the tool either longitudinally centrally or transversely centrally, or both longitudinally and transversely centrally wherein the guide is provided with a

25 cutting tip or, in which the lengthwise extending axis of the guide extends in line with the longitudinally extending axis of the drive member.

18. The tool according to any one of claims 14 to 17 in

30 which the guide is one or more markers located on an outer surface of the tool in which the one or more markers are aligned along one or more central axes of the tool, including along the longitudinal central

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- 29 axis, the transverse central axis, or along axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive member.

5 19. The tool according to any one of claims 4 to 18 in which the vibratory movement or oscillatory movement of the multitool moves through up to about 5 angular degrees, preferably through about 2 angular degrees.

10 20

A method of forming a non-circular hole in a substrate comprising the steps of locating a tool at a preselected location on the substrate where the non-circular hole is to be formed, the tool comprising a base plate having at least one inspection aperture for providing access of the tool to the substrate and a connector for connecting the tool to a mechanical driving member, at least a first tool member located at or along a first side of the baseplate having a first set of work elements, and a second tool member located along a second side of the baseplate having a second set of work elements, the first set of work elements and the second set of work elements being angularly inclined with respect to each other such that when the connector of the tool is connected to the driving member in use such that at least a part of the substrate is visible through the inspection aperture, and the mechanical driving member operated with the tool in contact with the substrate, the first and second sets of work elements move with respect to the substrate in response to corresponding movement of the driving member to penetrate the substrate to form at least the outline of the non-circular hole, or to form the non-circular

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- 30 hole having angular boundaries corresponding to the angular inclination of the at least first and second sets of work elements to one another, and operating the driving member so that the first and second sets

5 of work elements move in unison with each other in response to corresponding movement of the driving member to form the non-circular hole in the substrate or at least to form at least part of the outline of the non-circular hole in the substrate.

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10345977_1 (GHMatters) P94665.AU.1

2014227526 19 Sep 2014

2014227526 19 Sep 2014

2/4

FIG. 3

2014227526 19 Sep 2014

AG. 5 i

MU, b

2014227526 19 Sep 2014