Sawdust collection hood for table saw

• US 6,796,208 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matthew Roy Jorgensen
• Original Assignee: Matthew Roy Jorgensen
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Matthew Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US09/253,110
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 831/00, 833/97, 838/60, 834/78, 834/772, 831/021, 835/44--46
• US Class Current: 83/100
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/006 for removing or collecting chips
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0046 by sucking
• CPC Class Codes: B27G 19/02 for circular saws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/207 By suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/773 Work-support includes passageway for tool [e.g., slotted table]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7734 With guard for tool

Abstract

A sawdust collection hood for a table saw. The hood has an identical pair of vertical, spaced-apart side panels, an upper cowl mounted between the side panels, a canted nose panel mounted between front portions of the side panels, and a lower cowl that extends rearwardly between the side panels below the upper cowl from a forward edge of the lower cowl disposed over a trailing edge of the nose panel. A pair of side skirts suspended from each of the side panels, extend rearwardly from the nose panel, and are movable between a raised and a lowered position. When placed upon the saw work table, straddling the saw blade, and with side skirts lowered, a work piece moved rearward against the canted nose panel causes the hood to rise. As the work piece progresses rearwardly past the saw blade, the side skirts remain lowered, resting on the work piece, until the work piece just clears the nose panel, whereupon the hood drops down to the work table, raising the skirts relative to the nose panel and closing a gap that would otherwise permit sawdust to escape below the front of the hood. The hood may be pivotally attached to a table saw splitter or, alternatively, may be pivotally attached by a collar joint to an overhead vacuum conduit assembly.

Claims

1. A vacuum system for removing sawdust from a worktable, the system comprising:

a rigid overhead conduit assembly configured for mounting over a worktable having a cutting area around a circular saw blade, the cutting area having a workpiece intake side, and the saw blade having a load cutting edge adjacent the workpiece intake side of the cutting area;

a vacuum source connected to the overhead conduit assembly;

a hood assembly pivotally connected to the conduit assembly, wherein the hood assembly can be lowered to substantially cover the cutting area, and alternately raised out of the way of the cutting area, the hood assembly having an air intake opening in front of the lead cutting edge of the saw blade for drawing air and debris from the cutting areas;

wherein the hood assembly has two side panels each side panel having a side skirt that pivots and slides relative to a single point on the side panel accommodate a workpiece moving through the cutting area, and to minimize air intake from outside the hood assembly, the air intake opening being permitted to drop behind a trailing edge of the workpiece while the side skirts are supported on a top surface of the workpiece while the workpiece moves through the cutting area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum source draws air and debris through the air intake, through the overhead conduit assembly to a debris collection chamber.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each side panel is connected to the respective side skirt by a pivot pin and slot mechanism.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hood assembly is made of a material that is substantially transparent.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the hood assembly has a forwardly inclined nose panel that first contacts a workpiece moving through the cutting area.