This invention relates generally to power tools for use in wood working for example and more particularly to rip guides.
Power tool guides of various types are common, particularly with respect to working applications. One type of guide is a rip guide which allows for straight cuts, and repetitive cuts of a piece of material.
Typical rip guides have an extension arm that connects to the power tool, such as for example, a circular saw. The free end of the extension has some type of straight edge that guides the saw at a spaced distance from the edge of the material. In this way, the saw can cut or rip sheet goods, like plywood down to a desired size.
One type of rip guide is a single rod bent at one end with a plate welded to the bent portion. The rod is attached to the power tool at a desired position from the plate. The plate slides along the edge of the sheet material to make a straight cut for example.
Another type uses a plate to which the power tool is attached, a straight edge to which the plate is attached, and a rip handle attached at the end of the straight edge. These operate like the simple bent rod type, but also allow the straight edge to be used for other purposes, other than as a rip guide.
A problem with both above rip guides is the potential for misalignment and racking. Also, set up can be time consuming, particularly attaching the rod to the saw or the plate to the saw. Adjusting the width of the cut can also be difficult since it typically requires using a tape measure to set the desired positioned on the rod or straight edge and then clamping the saw in place on the rod or straight edge.
What is needed is a rip guide that makes it quick and easy to accurately rip sheet goods down to size. Whether you need to make one, or multiple cuts, the rip guide needs to prevent racking and misalignment and have an ergonomic handle that provides ultimate control. The rip guide also needs to have a quick system for attaching the power tool. It would also be desirable to fit both left and right-handed circular saws and be compact and portable for easy set up. The rip guide should also have a easy adjustment to set the position of the power tool with respect to the edge of the material that requires ripping.
The present invention solves the problems of known tool guides. The present invention has a tool plate adapted to receive a power tool. The plate has a power tool engagement clamp to engage a power tool and connect the power tool to said tool plate without the use of tools. The tool plate has opposed channels and a control lock.
A support base has opposed guide rails, each of the guide rails has first and second ends. The tool plate has opposed channels that are removably mounted upon the support base opposed guide rails between the first and second ends. The channels allow the tool plate to slide upon opposed guide rails and to be easily removed from the rails.
The control lock locks the tool plate with respect to the support base at a desired position along the opposed guide rails a spaced distance from the first and second ends. The support base has an edge extending from at least one of the guide rails adjacent one of the first and second ends. The edge engages a side of the workpiece to slide along the side of the workpiece to be moved along the workpiece with the tool positioned a spaced distance from the side of the workpiece.
The tool guide includes a tool engagement clamp having a housing that moves with respect to said tool plate. A shoe pad is reciprocally mounted within the housing adapted to engage the tool and a locking pad engages the tool plate to lock the tool engagement clamp with respect to the tool plate.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description are described below.
The rip guide of the present invention is generally shown at 10. The rip guide 10 of the present invention is used with power tools, such as circular saws, jigsaws etc. The illustrations and description refer to a circular saw, but it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The rip guide 10 includes a rip guide base 12, oppose guide rails 14 and 16, a cross number 18 and a tool plate 20. Tool plate 20 sets on top of and slides along guide rails 14 and 16. It should be appreciated that one rail 14 could be used if desired, however opposed rails 14 and 16 are more stable and provide more flexibility in use of the guide rail 10.
In use, a power tool such as a circular saw is mounted on the plate 20. The rip guide base 12 is positioned against the edge of the material to be cut. Plate 20 is positioned over the rails 14 and 16, can be slid along the rails 14 and 16 and then locked in place at the desired width of the rip cut. The plate control and lock 30 can be used to incrementally adjust the plate 20 along the rails 14 and 16 and lock the plate 20 with respect to the rails 14 and 16. In this way, precise rip cuts can be achieved. The rip guide base 12 is then slid along the edge of the material with a circular saw making the desired cut.
With respect to
In the disclosed embodiment, the plate 20 has opposed raised outer edges 32 and 34. The raised outer edges 32 and 34 allow the shoe 41 of the saw to abut one or other of the edges 32 and 34 to properly align the saw on the plate 20. A middle support 36 extends down the center of the plate 20 creating two blade openings 46 and 48 to receive the blade and guard of the saw. The pair of openings 46 and 48 allow the saw to be mounted to the plate 20 for right-handed and left-handed use.
The middle support 36 has a serrated surface 38 on one end and is undercut at 40 and 42 on that same end. A tool engagement clamp 44 is mounted within the undercuts 40 and 42 and slides along the undercuts 40 and 42. The clamp 44 engages the shoe 41 of the saw to clamp it to the plate 20. A slot 45 is formed opposite the clamp 44. The opposite side of the shoe is inserted into slot 45 and held in the slot 45 by clamp 44. As illustrated, clamp 44 has a locking or clamping handle 64 that locks the clamp 44 in place when the desired position is established.
With reference to
The plate lock 30 has a locking wheel 50 mounted for rotation in a housing 54. As illustrated, the housing 54 is integrally formed with the end channel 28. The locking wheel 50 has control engagement teeth 52 that engage with the guide engagement teeth 56 on the rails 14 and 16. The mating teeth 52 and 56 allow for precise adjustment of the plate 20 along the guide rails 14 and 16. As disclosed, the wheel 50 is generally conical for easier mating with the guide engagement teeth 56. The mating teeth 52 and 56 also allow for positive locking of the plate 20 with respect to the guide rails 14 and 16.
As illustrated in
With reference to
With reference to
A cam 71 is mounted on the rod 65 for rotation with the rod 65. The cam 71 is mounted within an oblong cavity 73 in the shoe pad 66. When the handle 64 is rotated, the cam 71 engages the walls of cavity 73 to force the shoe pad 66 into and out of block 62.
In operation, the handle 64 is rotated to move the shoe pad 66 against the shoe 41 while simultaneously forcing the locking pad 68 against the serrated surface 38 to clamp the tool to the plate 20.
The block 62 has a pair of wedges 70, see
With reference to
The reciprocating engagement member 84 is illustrated with an opening 86 that receives an alignment protrusion 88, see
A drive key 94 is mounted to a control rod 96. The drive key 94 is illustrated with a semi-circular side surface 98. The drive key 94 mounts within a cavity 100 in the reciprocating engagement member 84. The control rod 96 rotates which causes the key 94 to rotate in cavity 100 to reciprocate the reciprocating engagement member 84 with respect to housing 82.
A position stop or lock plate 102 is mounted to the control rod 96. The plate 102 has teeth or serrations 104 that engage with mating teeth or serrations 38 in the surface 22. The plate 102 has biasing members 106 that bias the serrations 104 on plate 102 into engagement with the serrations 38 in surface 22. As illustrated, the biasing members 106 are small coil springs, but could be any other type of biasing member, such as a leaf spring, rubber insert, etc. When engaged, the mating serrations prevent the power tool clamp 80 from moving with respect to the surface 22.
A handle 108 is pivotally attached to the free end 110 of the control rod 96 by a pin 112. The handle 108 has a cam surface 114 and when the handle 108 is rotated, the cam surface 114 engages that housing 82 to reciprocate the control rod 96 and raise and lower the lock plate 102. When the handle 108 is raised, the control rod 96 reciprocates raising the plate 102 which disengages the serrations 104 from the serrations 38 in the surface 22 allowing the power tool clamp 80 to move with respect to base 29.
In use, the power tool clamp 80 is moved with respect to surface 22 into engagement with the saw shoe 41. The handle 108 is raised to disengage the serrations 104 from the serrations 38. Once the power tool clamp 80 is positioned against the shoe 41, the handle 108 is lowered to reengage the serrations 104 and 38. The handle 108 is then rotated to rotate drive key 94 in the cavity 100 forcing the reciprocating engagement member 84 into positive engagement with the shoe 41 to lock the shoe 41 into the plate 20. At this point the saw shoe 41 is locked into the plate 20. To remove the shoe 41, the steps are reversed.
With reference to
In use, the tool is mounted to the plate 20. The front of the shoe 41 is inserted into slot 45. One side of the shoe 41 is positioned against one of the outer edges 32 or 34. The blade of the saw extends through one of the openings 46 or 48. The shoe engagement clamp 44 is slid into engagement with the shoe 41. The locking handle 64 is then rotated to force locking pad 68 into engagement with serrated surface 38 and shoe pad 66 into engagement with the shoe to lock the saw to the plate 20.
The rip guide base 12 is then positioned against the edge of the material. The plate 20 is then slid along rails 14 and 16 to the desired position. Control knob 58 can be rotated for precise adjustment with the scale appearing through the windows 29. When the desired position is achieved, the lock 60 is engaged. The rip guide 10 can then be moved along the work surface to rip the material.
When the material is ripped, the ripped guide 10 can be repositioned at the same side of the material where the initial rip was started, and another rip cut can be made. Alternatively, the saw and plate 12 can be raised off the rails 14 and 16 rotated and replaced on the rails 14 and 16. When repositioned, another rip cut can be started from the side of the material where the previous cut ended. The locking wheel 50 easily mates with the guide engagement teeth 56. In this way multiple efficient rips can be made from both sides of the material.
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/256,289, filed Oct. 15, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63256289 | Oct 2021 | US |