Claims
- 1. A method to adjust the tension of a cutting blade installed on a band saw, the band saw having a frame, a manual tensioner positioned adjacent to the frame, a first pulley rotatably connected to the manual tensioner, a second pulley spaced away from the first pulley, and a cutting blade strung between the first pulley and the second pulley comprising the steps of:
a) operationally tensioning the cutting blade by manipulating the manual tensioner; b) moving an adjustable body positioned adjacent to the manual tensioner in a direction to completely detension the cutting blade without further manipulation of the manual tensioner; and c) moving the adjustable body in a second direction to completely retension the cutting blade without further manipulation of the manual tensioner.
- 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable body is a rack, and the manual tensioner comprises a manually rotatable shaft having opposing ends, further comprising the step of positioning the rack adjacent to an opposing end of the manually rotatable shaft.
- 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of extending the rack in a direction away from the second pulley to tension the cutting blade.
- 4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of withdrawing the rack in a direction toward the second pulley to detension the cutting blade.
- 5-14. (canceled)
- 15. A pull-type tensioner according to the present invention comprising:
a mount defining a pivot shaft receiving orifice; a pivot shaft received in the pivot shaft receiving orifice defined by the mount, the pivot shaft having a first end and a second opposite end; a pinion gear positioned adjacent to the first end of the shaft; a handle positioned adjacent to the second opposite end of the shaft; and a rack connected by an intermeshed tooth relationship with the pinion gear, wherein when the handle is rotated in a first direction with respect to the mount, the pinion gear acts to extend the rack in a direction away from the mount and when the handle is rotated in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, the pinion gear acts to withdraw the rack in a direction toward the mount.
- 16. A band saw comprising:
a frame; a motor connected to the frame; a first pulley and a second pulley, with the first pulley rotatably connected to a manually rotatable tensioner and the second pulley rotatably connected to the motor; a pull-type tensioner positioned between the manually rotatable tensioner and the second pulley; and a cutting blade strung between the first pulley and the second pulley.
- 17. The band saw as claimed in claim 16, wherein the manually rotatable tensioner is a screw-type tensioner.
- 18. The band saw as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pull-type tensioner comprises a mount defining a pivot shaft receiving orifice;
a pivot shaft received in the pivot shaft receiving orifice defined by the mount, the pivot shaft having a first end and a second opposite end; a pinion gear positioned adjacent to the first end of the shaft; a handle positioned adjacent to the second opposite end of the shaft; and a rack connected by an intermeshed tooth relationship with the pinion gear.
- 19. The band saw as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the handle is rotated in a first direction with respect to the mount, the pinion gear acts to extend the rack in a direction away from the mount and when the handle is rotated in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, the pinion gear acts to withdraw the rack in a direction toward the mount.
- 20. The method of claim 1, including the further step of providing a visual indicator that the cutting blade is fully detensioned.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the visual indicator is provided by a handle which lays on a work platform in front of the cutting blade when the blade is fully detensioned.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the adjustable body in the first direction displaces the manual tensioner and the first pulley in the first direction.
- 23. A method to indicate the tension status of a cutting blade installed on a band saw, the band saw having a frame, a manual tensioner positioned adjacent to the frame, a work surface, a first pulley rotatably attached to the manual tensioner, a second pulley spaced away from the first pulley, and a cutting blade strung between the first pulley and the second pulley comprising the steps of:
a) positioning a tension adjustment device on the band saw, wherein the device has a handle attached thereto; and b) obscuring the work surface with at least a portion of the handle when the cutting blade is fully detensioned.
- 24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the handle has a generally L-shaped profile.
- 25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of obscuring the work surface when the cutting blade is detensioned is provided by the handle positioned adjacent a work platform of the band saw and in front of an operational cutting surface of the cutting blade.
- 26. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of moving the handle so that the work surface is no longer obstructed and the cutting blade is fully tensioned.
- 27. A method to adjust the tension applied by a pair of spaced pulleys of a band saw to a cutting blade to be installed on the band saw, the band saw having a frame, a manual tensioner positioned adjacent to the frame, one of the pair of spaced pulleys is a first pulley rotatably connected to the manual tensioner and moveable along a reciprocating path and the other one of the spaced pulleys is a second pulley spaced away from the first pulley, wherein moving the first pulley in a first direction along the reciprocating path moves the first pulley away from the second pulley to place the cutting blade to be installed on the band saw under tension and moving the first pulley in a second direction along the reciprocating path moves the first pulley toward the second pulley to detension the cutting blade installed on the band saw, comprising the steps of:
a) manipulating an adjustable body positioned adjacent the manual tensioner to simultaneously move the adjustable body, manual tensioner, and first pulley in the first direction to a first position along the reciprocating path to place the cutting blade under tension; and b) manipulating the adjustable body to simultaneously move the adjustable body, the manual tensioner, and the first pulley in the second direction along the reciprocating path to a second position to detension the cutting blade.
- 28. A saw of the type having a first saw engaging member spaced from a second saw engaging member and a blade tensioner operationally connected to the first saw engaging member, wherein movement of the tensioner alters the spaced distance between the first and second saw engaging members, the improvement comprising:
an elevator arrangement having an engaging member, the engaging member acting on the tensioner, wherein movement of the engaging member moves the blade tensioner and the first saw engaging member to increase the spaced distance between the first and second saw engaging members.
- 29. The saw as claimed in claim 28, wherein the blade tensioner moves along a linear path in a first direction to move the first saw engaging member in the first direction to increase the spaced distance between the first and second saw engaging members and in a second opposite direction along the linear path to move the first saw engaging member in the second direction to decrease the spaced distance between the first and second saw engaging members, and wherein the elevator arrangement moves the engaging member in the first and second direction.
- 30. The saw as claimed in claim 29, wherein the saw is a band saw, the first saw engaging member is a first pulley, the second saw engaging member is a second pulley, and the blade tensioner comprises a manually rotatable shaft, wherein rotating the manually rotatable shaft in a first rotational direction moves the blade tensioner and the first pulley in the first direction and rotating the manually rotatable shaft in a second opposite rotational direction moves the tensioner and the first pulley in the second direction.
- 31. The band saw according to claim 30, wherein the elevator arrangement comprises a rack and pinion arrangement and the engaging member is the rack of the rack and pinion arrangement.
- 32. The band saw according to claim 31, further comprising a pivot shaft having one end portion connected to the pinion of the rack and pinion arrangement and the shaft passing through a stationary plate having a plurality of holes with the other end of the shaft connected to a handle attachment member having a pin orifice, and a handle having one end connected to the handle attachment member, wherein moving the handle moves the pivot shaft and the handle attachment to align the pin orifice with a selected one of the plurality of holes of the stationary plate.
- 33. The band saw according to claim 32, wherein the manually rotatable shaft is a threaded shaft and the band saw comprises a frame having the second pulley rotatably mounted on the frame and a guideway mounted on the frame in spaced relation to the second pulley with the guideway defining the linear path and the blade tensioner comprising a plate mounted in the guideway and the plate having a threaded passageway to receive the threaded shaft and the first pulley rotatably mounted on the plate, wherein rotating the threaded shaft in a first direction moves the plate and the first pulley in the first direction and rotating the threaded shaft in the opposite direction moves the plate and pulley in the second direction.
- 34. The band saw according to claim 33, wherein the rack and pinion arrangement are mounted on the frame between the plate and the second pulley.
- 35. The band saw according to claim 33, further comprising a motor mounted on the frame and acting on the second pulley and an endless cutting blade mounted on portions of the periphery of the first and second pulleys.
- 36. The band saw according to claim 33, wherein the elevator arrangement comprises the rack and pinion arrangement mounted on the frame and positioned for the rack of the rack and pinion arrangement to move the rotatable shaft of the blade tensioner in the first direction.
- 37. The saw according to claim 29, wherein the elevator arrangement further comprises a shaft having one end operatively connected to the rack and pinion arrangement and the other end connected to a handle, and wherein rotating the handle in a first direction moves the engagement member in the first direction.
- 38. The saw according to claim 37, further comprising a frame and the second pulley rotatably mounted on the frame and the blade tensioner mounted on the frame to move along the linear path and a work cutting surface mounted on the frame between the first and second pulleys, wherein the handle in a first position provides a first predetermined distance between the first and second pulleys and in the second position provides a second predetermined distance between the first and second pulleys, and wherein the first predetermined distance is greater than the second predetermined distance and in the second position a portion of the handle overlies the work cutting surface.
- 39. The saw according to claim 38, wherein the elevator arrangement comprises a first handle lock arrangement to lock the handle in the first position and a second handle lock arrangement to lock the handle in the second position.
- 40. The saw according to claim 39, wherein the first locking arrangement includes a first groove and the second locking arrangement includes a second groove with the first and second grooves lying in different directions and the handle is mounted for movement toward and away from the grooves to move the handle out of the first groove toward and into the second groove or out of the second groove toward and into the first groove.
- 41. The saw according to claim 40, wherein the first groove is defined at one side by a wall having a portion of the wall sloping toward the first groove and at the opposite side by a member that has a portion of uniform thickness and a sloping portion that slopes toward and forms one side of the second groove with the other side of the second groove defined by a member having an inwardly sloping surface to extend a portion of the second groove under the member having the inwardly sloping surface.
- 42. The saw according to claim 40, wherein the elevator arrangement is a rack and pinion arrangement and the engaging member is the rack of the rack and pinion member.
- 43. The saw according to claim 40, wherein the rotatable shaft is a threaded shaft and the band saw further comprises a guideway mounted on the frame in spaced relation to the second pulley with the guideway defining the linear path and the blade tensioner comprising a plate mounted in the guideway and having a threaded passageway for receiving the threaded shaft and the first pulley rotatably mounted on the plate, and wherein rotating the threaded shaft in a first direction moves the plate and the first pulley in the first direction and rotating the threaded shaft in the opposite second direction moves the plate and pulley in the second direction.
- 44. The saw according to claim 43, wherein the rack and pinion arrangement are mounted on the frame between the plate and the second pulley.
- 45. The saw according to claim 44, further comprising a motor mounted on the frame and acting on the second pulley and an endless cutting blade mounted on portions of the periphery of the first and second pulleys, the cutting blade passing through the work cutting surface.
- 46. A lock out device for a band saw, wherein the band saw is of the type having a first pulley spaced from a second pulley, a work cutting surface positioned between the first and second pulleys, and a blade tensioner operationally connected to the first pulley and moveable in a first direction to a first position and in a second opposite direction to a second position, and wherein moving the blade tensioner in the first direction increases the spaced distance between the first and second pulleys, the lock out device comprising:
an elevator arrangement acting on the tensioner to move the tensioner into the first position and into the second position, the elevator arrangement comprising a handle, wherein with the handle in a first position the blade tensioner is in the first position and with the handle in a second position the blade tensioner is in the second position and a part of the handle overlays the work cutting surface.
- 47. The lock out device according to claim 46, further comprising a first handle lock arrangement to lock the handle in the first position and a second handle lock arrangement to lock the handle in the second position.
- 48. The lock out device according to claim 47, wherein the first locking arrangement includes a first groove and the second locking arrangement includes a second groove with the first and second grooves lying in different directions and the handle is mounted for movement toward and away from the grooves to move the handle out of the first groove toward and into the second groove or out of the second groove toward and into the first groove.
- 49. The lock out device according to claim 48, wherein the first groove is defined at one side by a wall having a portion of the wall sloping toward the first groove and at the opposite side by a member that has a portion of uniform thickness and a sloping portion that slopes toward and forms one side of the second groove with the other side of the second groove defined by a member having an inwardly sloping surface to extend a portion of the second groove under the member having the inwardly sloping surface.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/213,821, filed Jun. 23, 2000, entitled “Quick Release Device.”
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60213821 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09887286 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
Child |
10842724 |
May 2004 |
US |