PARALLEL ARM SCROLL SAW AND DRIVE MECHANISM WITH VISUAL SPEED INDICATOR APPARATUS

• US 20010037714A1
• Filed: 03/16/1999
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chang Type Industrial Company, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delta International Machinery Corp. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: LEI, XUN
• Granted Patent: US 6,363,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/783
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 49/007 Jig saws, i.e. machine saws with a vertically reciprocating narrow saw blade chucked at both ends for contour cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/001 Measuring or control devices, e.g. for automatic control of work feed pressure on band saw blade measuring in general G01; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/01 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/081 With randomly actuated stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/705 With means to support tool at opposite ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8798 With simple oscillating motion only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/937 Tool mounted by and between spaced arms

Abstract

An arm configuration used in a scroll saw that allows the two arms to move substantially independently of one another and having a retaining mechanism which isolates one of the arms if one arm becomes disengaged from the saw blade or the saw blade breaks. A speed indicator that allows the user to easily determine the speed of the saw visually. A drive assembly including a pulley system that provides for increased torque and the saw to have a wide range of speeds.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a saw, said apparatus comprising:

a first arm having a first end and a second end;

a second arm having a first end and a second end; and

a link member having a first end pivotally attached to said first end of said first arm and a second end slideably attached to said first end of said second arm.

2. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 1

, wherein said first arm and said second arm are substantially parallel to one another.

3. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 1

, further comprising a saw blade attached to said second ends of said first arm and said second arm.

4. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 2

, further comprising a member for selectively retaining said first arm relative to a portion of a saw housing.

5. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 1

, wherein said link member comprises a shaft with a rod at one end and a stop member at the other end, and wherein said rod is pivotally connected to said first end of said first arm and said other end of said rod is slidably affixed to said first end of said second arm by a stop member attached to said first end of said second arm.

6. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 4

, wherein said retaining member is a hook-shaped member pivotally attached to said saw housing.

7. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 1

, wherein said first and second arms are fabricated from a composite material.

8. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 7

, wherein said composite material comprises a composite fiber cloth material impregnated with polymer material.

9. The apparatus for a saw according to

claim 8

, wherein said fiber cloth comprises carbon fibers.

10. A scroll saw, comprising:

a first arm having a first end and a second end;

a second arm having a first end and a second end;

a link member having a first end and a second end, wherein said link member first end is pivotally attached to said first arm first end and said link member second end is slideably attached to said second arm first end;

a blade extending between and connected to said first arm second end and said second arm second end;

a drive mechanism;

a first drive pulley attached to said drive mechanism;

a second drive pulley attached to said second arm; and

a drive belt extending around said first drive pulley and said second drive pulley.

11. The scroll saw according to

claim 10

, wherein said first arm and said second arm are substantially parallel to one another.

12. The scroll saw according to

claim 10

, further comprising a drive mechanism speed indicator.

13. The scroll saw according to

claim 12

, wherein said drive mechanism speed indicator comprises a transparent cover positioned over said first and second drive pulleys and having a label with indicia thereon.

14. The scroll saw according to

claim 10

, wherein said first and second arms are made of composite material.

15. The scroll saw according to

claim 10

, further comprising a housing member and a retaining mechanism attached to said housing member for retaining said first arm adjacent a portion of said housing member when said blade breaks or becomes detached from said first arm.

16. The scroll saw according to

claim 15

, wherein said retaining mechanism comprises a spring-biased hook-shaped member that is pivotally mounted to said housing member adjacent said first arm.

17. The scroll saw according to

claim 10

, wherein said drive belt is a highly visible color.

18. The scroll saw according to

claim 17

, wherein said highly visible color is selected from the group consisting essentially of red, florescent green and yellow.

19. A scroll saw comprising:

a housing member;

a first arm having first and second ends, said first arm being pivotally supported relative to said housing member;

a second arm having first and second ends, said second arm being pivotally supported relative to said housing member;

a linkage assembly attached to said first end of said first arm and said first end of said second arm such that said first ends of said first and second arms are slidably interconnected to form a parallel arm assembly;

a cutting member attached to said second ends of said first and second arms and extending therebetween; and

a motor assembly operably attached to said parallel arm assembly for imparting a reciprocating motion thereto relative to said housing member.

20. The scroll saw of

claim 19

, wherein said linkage assembly comprises a shaft member having a first end pivotally affixed to said first end of said first arm and a second end slidably affixed to said first end of said second arm.

21. The scroll saw of

claim 19

, wherein said motor assembly comprises:

a first drive pulley attached to a motor;

a second drive pulley attached to one of said first arm and said second arm; and

a drive belt received on said first and second drive pulleys and extending therebetween.

22. The scroll saw of

claim 21

, wherein said first drive pulley has a plurality of belt-receiving grooves therein and wherein said second drive pulley has a plurality of belt-receiving grooves therein.

23. The scroll saw of

claim 22

, further comprising a cover attached to said housing member for substantially covering said first and second pulleys and said drive belt.

24. The scroll saw of

claim 23

, wherein at least a portion of said cover permits viewing of said drive belt on said first and second drive pulleys while said cover is attached to said housing member.

25. The scroll saw of

claim 24

, further comprising a pulley speed chart on said cover.

26. The scroll saw of

claim 25

, wherein said pulley speed chart comprises a reference pulley indicia having a plurality of reference grooves therein and motor speeds corresponding to each of said plurality of reference grooves, said reference pulley indicia disposed on said cover such that the speed of said motor assembly can be ascertained by determining the drive belt location with respect to the receiving grooves of one of said first and second drive pulleys and comparing the drive belt location to the reference grooves and the corresponding motor speed.

27. The scroll saw of

claim 26

, wherein said drive belt is fabricated from a material having a color selected from the group consisting essentially of red, florescent green and yellow.

28. The scroll saw of

claim 19

, further comprising a retainer member affixed to said housing member to retain said first arm relative to said housing when said cutting member breaks or becomes detached from said first arm.

29. The scroll saw of

claim 28

, wherein said retainer member comprises a hook-shaped member pivotally affixed to said housing member adjacent said first arm for hooking said first arm therein.

30. The scroll saw of

claim 29

, wherein said retainer member is spring biased relative to said housing member.

31. A scroll saw, comprising:

a housing member;

a first arm having a first end and a second end, said first arm pivotally supported relative to said housing member;

a second arm having a first end and a second end, said second arm pivotally supported relative to said housing member;

a blade attached to said second ends of said first and second arms and extending therebetween;

means for slidably interconnecting said first end of said first arm to said first end of said second arm to form a parallel arm assembly; and

means for imparting a reciprocating motion relative to said parallel arm assembly.

32. The scroll saw of

claim 31

, further comprising means for preventing said first arm from reciprocating relative to said housing when said blade breaks or becomes detached from one of said first arm and said second arm.

33. A linkage assembly for slidably attaching a first end of a first arm of a scroll saw to a second arm of a scroll saw, said linkage assembly comprising:

a bracket affixed to an end of said second arm; and

a shaft having a first end attached to the first end of said first arm and a second end slidably affixed to said bracket.

34. The linkage assembly of

claim 33

, wherein said second end of said shaft slidably protrudes through an aperture in said bracket and wherein said second end of said shaft has a stop member affixed thereto to prevent said second end of said shaft from sliding out of said aperture.

35. The linkage assembly of

claim 33

, further comprising an attachment rod attached to said first end of said shaft transverse thereto, said attachment rod having ends rotatably received in a second bracket attached to said end of said first arm.

36. A speed indicator for ascertaining the speed of a device powered by a motor assembly that includes at least one drive pulley that has a plurality of drive-belt receiving grooves therein that each impart a different speed to a belt when the belt is received therein, said speed indicator comprising:

a reference symbol juxtapositionly mounted relative to the at least one drive pulley, said reference symbol having speed indicating indicia thereon that corresponds to each drive-belt receiving groove in the drive pulley such that the speed imparted by the drive pulley is ascertainable by identifying the drive belt receiving groove in which the belt is received and identifying said speed indicating indicia that corresponds to that drive belt-receiving groove in which said belt is received.

37. The speed indicator of

claim 36

, wherein said reference symbol is mounted to a cover attached to the device and covering the at least one drive pulley.

38. A speed indicator for indicating the speed imparted to an apparatus by a drive arrangement that includes a motor, a first pulley attached to the motor and having a plurality of belt-receiving grooves therein, a second pulley having a plurality of belt-receiving grooves therein and an endless belt received in one of the grooves in the first pulley and in one of the grooves in the second pulley, said speed indicator comprising:

a pulley reference chart juxtapositioned relative to the first and second pulleys, said reference chart having reference pulley indicia thereon, said reference pulley indicia having a plurality of reference grooves therein and motor speed indicia corresponding to each the reference groove, such that the speed imparted to the apparatus by the drive arrangement is ascertained by identifying the reference groove that corresponds to the groove of one of the first and second pulleys in which the endless belt is received in and identifying said motor speed indicia corresponding to the reference groove.

39. The speed indicator of

claim 38

, wherein said reference chart is affixed to a cover that is located adjacent at least one of the first and second pulleys and wherein at least a portion of said cover is transparent.

40. The speed indicator of

claim 39

, wherein said cover substantially encloses the first and second pulleys and is transparent.

41. The speed indicator of

claim 38

, wherein the belt is fabricated from material having a color selected from the group consisting essentially of red, orange, green and yellow.

42. A method for ascertaining the speed of a motor assembly having at least one drive pulley with a plurality of drive belt receiving grooves therein, said method comprising:

enclosing the at least one drive pulley having the plurality of drive belt receiving grooves therein in a cover having at least a transparent portion to permit viewing of the at least one drive pulley therein and wherein the cover has a drive pulley speed chart thereon;

viewing a drive belt through the transparent portion;

comparing the location of the drive belt on the at least one drive pulley to a referenced pulley on the drive pulley speed chart which has a plurality of reference grooves therein corresponding to motor speeds; and

reading the belt speed corresponding to one of the plurality of reference grooves which corresponds to the location of the drive belt.