Saw blade adjusting device for table saw

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6546835
  • Patent Number
    6,546,835
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, January 25, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 15, 2003
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Shoap; Allan N.
    • Hamilton; Isaac
    Agents
    • Baxley; Charles E.
Abstract
A table saw includes a table disposed on a housing, a plate supported in the housing, a follower rotatably secured to the plate with a pivot axle, a saw blade rotatably secured to the follower with a pole and rotated in concert wit.h the follower relative to the plate. A motor is coupled to the pole, with a pulley-and-belt coupling or the like, for driving the saw blade via the pole. A threaded shaft is engaged with a gear sector of the follower for rotating the follower relative to the plate and for moving the saw blade upward and downward relative to the table.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a table saw, and more particularly to a table saw having a saw blade adjusting device for adjusting or moving the saw blade inward and outward of the table or the platform of the table saw.




2. Description of the Prior Art




Typical table saws comprise a housing disposed above a base and having a table or a platform provided on top thereof. A saw blade is rotatably received in the housing and slightly extended upward through the table for cutting the work pieces supported or moved along the table. The saw blade may not be adjusted or moved upward and downward relative to the table.




The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional table saws.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a table saw including a saw blade adjusting device for adjusting or moving the saw blade inward and outward of the table or the platform of the table saw.




In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a table saw comprising a housing including a table provided on top thereof, a plate supported in the housing, a follower rotatably secured to the plate with a pivot axle, a saw blade rotatably secured to the follower with a pole and rotated in concert with the follower relative to the plate, means for driving the pole to rotate and to drive the saw blade, and means for rotating the follower relative to the plate about the pivot axle to move the saw blade upward and downward relative to the table.




The pole driving means includes a motor secured to the follower and having a spindle, and means for coupling the spindle to the pole. The motor is secured to the follower and rotated in concert with the follower relative to the plate about the pivot axle, such that the driven of the saw blade by the motor will not be affected when the follower and thus the motor are rotated and adjusted relative to the plate.




The coupling means includes a first pulley secured on the pole and rotated in concert with the pole, a second pulley secured on the spindle and rotated in concert with the spindle, and a belt engaged around the first and the second pulleys. The coupling means may also be a sprocket-and-chain coupling device, or a gear coupling device, or the like.




The motor includes a panel extended therefrom and having a curved groove formed therein, a fastener engaged through the curved groove of the panel and secured to the follower for adjustably securing the motor to the follower at a selected angular position after the fastener belt is tightened and solidly engaged on the pulleys.




The follower includes a channel formed therein for receiving the spindle of the motor. The plate includes a cavity formed therein for receiving the spindle of the motor.




The follower rotating means includes a sector gear formed in the follower, a shaft rotatably secured to the plate and having a threaded portion engaged with the sector gear of the follower in order to rotate the follower relative to the plate when the shaft is rotated relative to the plate.











Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front perspective view of a table saw having a saw blade adjusting device in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a partial rear perspective view of the table saw;





FIG. 3

is a partial exploded view viewing from the front portion of the table saw, for illustrating the saw blade adjusting device;





FIG. 4

is a partial exploded view viewing from the direction opposite to that shown in

FIG. 3

, for illustrating the saw blade adjusting device;





FIG. 5

is a partial perspective view of a follower;





FIG. 6

is a perspective view of an adjusting rod;





FIG. 7

is a partial perspective view of the saw blade adjusting device; and





FIGS. 8 and 9

are partial perspective views similar to

FIG. 7

, illustrating the operation of the saw blade adjusting device for the table saw.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to the drawings, and initially to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a table saw in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing


11


disposed on a base


10


, and a table


12


disposed above the housing


11


. The housing


11


includes a port


13


formed in the bottom thereof and coupled to a vacuum device for drawing the dirt and dust out of the housing


11


. The housing


11


includes a curved slot


14


formed in one of the side portions of the housing


11


.




Referring next to

FIGS. 3-7

and again to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a plate


20


is supported in the housing


11


and includes two ears


21


,


22


extended therefrom. A shaft


23


is rotatably secured in the ears


21


,


22


and slidably received in the curved slot


14


of the housing


10


, and includes an outer thread or a worm or a threaded portion


24


formed thereon and includes a handle


25


attached thereto for rotating the shaft


23


. A rod


26


is rotatably secured in the ear


22


and includes a screw hole


27


formed therein. Another shaft


28


includes an outer thread


29


formed thereon for threading with the screw hole


27


of the rod


26


and includes a handle


30


attached thereto for rotating the shaft


28


and for adjusting the plate


20


relative to the housing


11


. The support and the adjusting of the plate


20


relative to the housing


11


is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details.




The plate


20


includes a cavity


201


formed therein and preferably facing upward. A follower


40


and a motor


60


may be rotatably secured to the plate


20


with a pivot axle


17


, such that the follower


40


and the motor


60


may be rotated relative to the plate


20


. The follower


40


includes a channel


41


formed therein, and includes a tube


42


provided thereon and substantially perpendicular to the follower


40


, and includes a sector gear


43


formed or provided on the bottom thereof. The motor


60


includes a spindle


61


, and a panel


62


extended therefrom and having a through hole


63


formed therein. A fastener


68


is secured to the tube


42


and slidably or adjustably engaged in the through hole


63


of the panel


62


for adjustably securing the follower


40


to the motor


60


at the required angular position. The tube


42


includes a bracket


70


extending therefrom and having a circular opening


71


therein. The through hole


63


is connected to the circular opening


71


by fastener


68


.




A pole


44


is rotatably secured in the tube


42


of the follower


40


, a pulley


47


and a saw blade


46


are secured on the pole


44


and rotated in concert with the pole


44


. Another pulley


64


is secured to the spindle


61


of the motor


60


so as to be driven and rotated by the motor


60


. A belt


66


is engaged around the pulleys


64


,


47


for coupling the pole


44


to the motor


60


and for allowing the saw blade


46


to be rotated by the motor


60


. The spindle


61


of the motor


60


may be slidably received in the channel


41


of the follower


40


and the cavity


201


of the plate


20


, such that the driving of the motor


60


to the saw blade


46


will not be affected by the plate


20


. The fastener


68


may be adjusted and secured relative to the panel


62


of the motor


60


after the belt


66


is tightened and solidly engaged on the pulleys


47


,


64


. The pole


44


may also be coupled to the spindle


61


of the motor


60


with sprocket-and-chain coupling device, or with gear coupling device.




As shown in

FIG. 7

, the outer thread


24


of the shaft


23


is threaded or engaged with the sector gear


43


of the follower


40


such that the follower


40


and thus the saw blade


46


may be rotated relative to the plate about the pivot axle


17


, and such that the saw blade


46


may be moved upward and downward relative to the plate


20


and thus relative to the table


12


, best shown in

FIGS. 8 and 9

.




The motor


60


is secured to the follower


40


with the fastener


68


such that the motor


60


may be rotated in concert with the follower


40


relative to the plate


20


when the follower


40


is rotated relative to the plate


20


by the engagement of the shaft


23


with the sector gear


43


, and such that the driving of the motor


60


to the saw blade


46


will not be affected when the follower


40


is rotated relative to the plate


20


. The saw blade


46


may thus be easily moved upward and downward relative to the table


12


by the rotation of the follower


40


relative to the plate


20


.




Accordingly, the table saw in accordance with the present invention includes a saw blade adjusting device for adjusting or moving the saw blade inward and outward of the table or the platform of the table saw.




Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.



Claims
  • 1. A table saw comprising:a) a housing including a table provided on top thereof, b) a plate supported in said housing, c) a follower rotatably secured to said plate with a pivot axle, d) a saw blade rotatably secured to said follower with a pole and rotated in concert with said follower relative to said plate, e) a first pulley secured on said pole and rotated in concert with said pole, f) a motor secured to said follower and including a spindle, and including a panel extended therefrom and having a through hole formed therein, g) a fastener engaged through said through hole of said panel and secured to said follower for adjustably securing said motor to said follower at any selected angular position, h) a second pulley secured on said spindle of said motor and rotated in concert with said spindle of said motor, i) a belt engaged around said first and said second pulleys, and j) means for rotating said follower relative to said plate about said pivot axle to move said saw blade upward and downward relative to said table, k) said follower including a tube with a central longitudinal axis, l) said central longitudinal axis of said tube being co-linear with the axis of rotation of said blade, m) said tube including a bracket extending radially therefrom and having a circular opening, n) said circular opening and said through hole secured together with a fastener, o) the central longitudinal axis of said through hole and said axis of rotation of said blade being parallel.
  • 2. The table saw according to claim 1, wherein said follower includes a channel formed therein for receiving said spindle of said motor.
  • 3. The table saw according to claim 1, wherein said plate includes a cavity formed therein for receiving said spindle of said motor.
  • 4. The table saw according to claim 1, wherein said follower rotating means includes a sector gear formed in said follower, a shaft rotatably secured to said plate and having a threaded portion engaged with said sector gear of said follower in order to rotate said follower relative to said plate when said shaft is rotated relative to said plate.
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Number Name Date Kind
146886 Doane et al. Jan 1874 A
160350 Rice et al. Mar 1875 A
2106288 Tautz Jan 1938 A
2344502 Boice Mar 1944 A
2852047 Odlum et al. Sep 1958 A
2913025 Richards Nov 1959 A
3356111 Mitchell Dec 1967 A
3581784 Warrick et al. Jun 1971 A
4249442 Fittery Feb 1981 A
4276799 Muehling Jul 1981 A
4367665 Terpstra et al. Jan 1983 A
4599927 Eccardt et al. Jul 1986 A