Blade and motor carrier with height/angle adjustment mechanism

• US 6,453,786 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Puzio, Daniel, Parks, James R., Bean, Frederick R., Ceroll, Warren A., Gehret, Robert S., Kenyon, Maria I., Porter, David A., OʼBanion, Michael L., Brewer, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dexter, Clark F.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 834/73, 834/771, 834/772, 834/713, 836/66, 834/72, 834/77, 834/81, 834/90, 834/91, 835/81, 838/59, 144/286.1, 144/286.5
• US Class Current: 83/473
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/062 the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/067 the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/068 the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut B23D45/061, B23D45/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 47/02 of frames; of guiding arrangements for work-table or saw-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 5/243 the saw blade being arranged underneath the work-table the circular saw blade arranged underneath a stationary work-table for sawing material in general B23D45/06
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 5/38 Devices for braking the circular saw blade or the saw spindle; Devices for damping vibrations of the circular saw blade, e.g. silencing vibration-damping of sawing machines or devices working with circular saw blades B23D47/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/01 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/954 Knife changing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/05 With reorientation of tool between cuts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7705 Adjustable angular relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7726 By movement of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/773 Work-support includes passageway for tool [e.g., slotted table]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7747 With means to permit replacement of tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7793 Means to rotate or oscillate tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8776 Constantly urged tool or tool support [e.g., spring biased]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9377 Mounting of tool about rod-type shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9379 At end of shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9461 Resiliently biased connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9469 Adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9471 : Rectilinearly

Abstract

A machine tool has a work table which defines a working surface and has a cutting tool which is attached to and movable with respect to the work table. The position of the cutting tool with respect to the working surface is controlled by a mechanism which elevates the cutting tool with respect to the working surface and angulates the cutting tool with respect to the working surface. The cutting tool is mounted to a support plate which is pivotably attached to the work table. The elevating mechanism includes a threaded rod and a nut which engages a pivoting link. The pivoting link also engages the cutting tool. Rotation of the threaded rod pivots the link which in turn raises and lowers the cutting tool. A spring biases the cutting tool towards its lower position to remove play between the components. The angulating mechanism includes a lever, two cams and a locking rod. Rotation of the lever moves the locking rod longitudinally due to the action between the two cams. The longitudinal movement of the rod compresses the support plate between the work table and a bracket to maintain the position of the support plate with respect to the work table. Also included is an integral arbor wrench which is accessible when the throat plate is removed to lock the arbor to facilitate tool changing. The wrench is designed to not allow reassembling of the throat plate when the wrench is in engagement with the arbor shaft.

Claims

1. A saw comprising:

a work table for supporting a workpiece, the work table having a substantially horizontal surface defining a slot;

a base supporting the work table, the base and the work table defining an internal cavity;

a support plate disposed below the work table within the internal cavity, the support plate being pivotally attached to the work table and being disposed along a plate plane intersecting the horizontal surface, the support plate being movable along a motion range having first and second limits;

a motor supported by the support plate;

a cutting tool rotatably supported by the support plate and driven by the motor, the cutting tool extending from the internal cavity through the slot in the work table and being disposed along a tool plane substantially parallel to the plate plane of the support plate;

a bearing block connected to the support plate; and

a first bevel stop cam rotatably supported by the base, the first bevel stop cam being rotatable about a first axis generally parallel to the horizontal surface;

wherein the first limit of the motion range is defined by contact between the first bevel stop cam and the bearing block.

2. The saw of claim 1, further comprising a second bevel stop cam rotatably attached to the base.

3. The saw of claim 2, wherein the second bevel stop cam is rotatable about a second axis substantially parallel to the plate plane and the horizontal surface.

4. The saw of claim 3, wherein the second limit of the motion range is defined by contact between the second bevel stop cam and the bearing block.

5. The saw of claim 2, wherein the base has a front panel,and the first and second bevel stop cams are rotatably attached to the front panel.

6. The saw of claim 1, wherein the bearing block extends generally perpendicular to the plate plane of the support plate.

7. The saw of claim 1, wherein the first axis is substantially parallel to the plate plane.

8. The saw of claim 1, further comprising:

a cutting tool angulating mechanism mounted to said support plate, said angulating mechanism being operable to pivot said support plate with respect to said work table such that said cutting tool angulates with respect to said horizontal surface; and

a bracket attached to said work table and positioned adjacent to a rear side of said support plate, wherein said cutting tool angulating mechanism includes

a locking rod attached to said support plate and extending through said work table and between a front side and said rear side of said support plate, said locking rod extending through said bracket and including an adjustment device disposed adjacent said bracket;

a locking arm attached to said locking rod and movable between a first position and a second position;

a bearing block cam attached to said support plate; and

a locking arm cam attached to said support plate, said locking arm cam being in sliding contact with said bearing block cam and cooperating with said bearing block cam to compress said support plate between said locking arm and said adjustment device and to frictionally engage said support plate with said bracket when said locking arm is in said second position to lock said support plate and said cutting tool in a desired angular position.

9. The cutting machine according to claim 8, wherein the cutting tool angulating mechanism further comprises a biasing member disposed between said support plate and said locking arm, said biasing member urging said locking arm in a direction to create a clearance between said bracket and said adjustment device.

10. The cutting machine tool according to claim 1, wherein said support plate pivots about an axis which is located on the horizontal surface defined by said work table.

11. The cutting machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising at least one pivot quadrant pivotably securing said support plate to said work table.

12. The cutting machine according to claim 11, wherein said pivot quadrant comprises:

a support bracket attached to said work table;

a pivot bracket pivotably attached to said support bracket and fixably attached to said support plate; and

a retaining strap attached to said support bracket, said retaining strap engaging said pivot bracket to maintain attachment of said pivot bracket to said support bracket.

13. The saw of claim 1, wherein said cutting tool is movably mounted to said support plate to move between a first position where said cutting tool extends through said slot in said work table and above said horizontal surface and a second position where said cutting tool is positioned below said horizontal surface and wherein said saw further comprises:

a cutting tool elevating mechanism attached to said support plate and in engagement with said cutting tool, said elevating mechanism being operable to move said cutting tool between said first and said second positions.

14. The cutting machine tool according to claim 13, wherein said elevating mechanism comprises:

an adjustment screw rotatably secured to said support plate;

an adjustment nut threadably engaging said adjustment screw such that rotation of said adjustment screw operates to move said adjustment nut longitudinally along said adjustment screw; and

a pivot link pivotably secured to said support plate, said pivot link extending between and connected to each of said adjustment nut and said cutting tool such that rotation of said adjustment screw operates to pivot said pivot link to move said cutting tool between said first and said second positions.

15. The cutting machine according to claim 14, further comprising means for resisting rotation of said adjustment screw.

16. The cutting machine tool according to claim 15, wherein said means for resisting rotation comprises a washer attached to said adjustment screw, and a biasing means for urging said washer against said support plate to provide frictional resistance to rotation of said adjustment screw.

17. The cutting machine according to claim 13, further comprising biasing means for urging said cutting tool into one of said first and second positions.

18. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein said cutting tool is part of a cutting assembly, and the cutting assembly comprises:

a gear case mounted to said support plate, said motor being attached to one end of said gear case;

an arbor shaft rotatably secured to a second end of said gear case; and

the cutting tool attached to said arbor shaft.

19. The cutting machine according to claim 18, further comprising means for biasing said gear case against a face of said support plate.

20. The cutting machine according to claim 18, further comprising:

a lever pivotably attached to said gear case and movable between a first position and a second position; and

a wrench pivotably attached to said lever, said wrench engaging said arbor shaft to prevent its rotation with respect to said gear case when said lever is in said first position, said arbor shaft being free to rotate when said lever is in said second position.

21. The cutting machine according to claim 20, wherein said work table includes a throat plate disposed within a throat plate cavity defined by said horizontal table and extending through said work surface, said throat plate defining said slot in said work table, said lever extending into said throat plate cavity when said lever is in said first position so that said throat plate is prevented from being properly disposed within said throat plate cavity when said lever is in said first position.

22. The cutting machine according to claim 1, further comprising means to bias said cutting tool towards a face of said support plate.