Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
373
I`ll`lE OF TIIE ~NV~N'I`I()N:
PORTAB~E SAW TAslE
BAOKGROllND OF THE INVEN ION:
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to an elongated saw table
supporting an undercarriage rotatably mounted about a vertical axis
perpendicular to the surface of said table. A saw supporting carriage
is supported by a frame of the undercarriage which extends outside
and above the table. The carriage slides above and across the table.
The movement of the carriage relative to the table is provided by the
rotation of the undercarriage which is transversally fixed, relative
to the table. The translation movement of the carriage across the ta-
ble is obtained by a sliding mechanism relative to the undercarriage.
Prior art:
Known saw table usually have a complex structure to pro-
vide the desired rotation and translation movements to the saw. In
U.S. patent No 3,730,042, the bedplate needs to be stiffened by chan-
nels and bars. The extensible table needs also to be supported by
angle bars. The channels are equipped with a plurality of pairs of id-
lers providing support for the angle bars which form rails across the
full length of the bed plate. In U.S. patent No 3,955,456, at least
one upper deck is telescopically mounted in the main deck through a
complex combination of flanges. The boom is pivotally mounted on a
boom support or post and maintaiDed in its correct position with ribs
and flanges. The saw is mounted on rails laterally fixed on the boom
which is pivotally supported by the post extending through the main
deck.
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S~ MARY ()F r iE IN~ENTION.
The saw table according Lo the invention comprises a
work table ullder which ;s pivotal~y mounted, an undercarriage abouyt
a vertical a~is. The undercarriage is provided with a frame structure
which projects outside the contour oE the table and upwardly above
the surface of the table. A saw supporting carriage is slidingly moun-
ted on the frame structure to move above and across the table along a
horizontal plane in an angularly adjustable position. A handle is con-
nected to the undercarriage to pivot the carriage over the table. The
handle projects outside the contour of the table on the side opposite
the frame structure. The carriage includes a plate having a perfora-
tion for allowing the saw blade to extend through the surface of the
plate and to cut a board on the table.
In preferred embodiments, the frame structure is provid-
ed with idling wheels rotatably engaging rails on the sides the carri-
age. The undercarriage is held to the table by an axle located about
the axis of rotation of the undercarriage and by a bracket through
which a bar of the undercarriage is adapted to slide.
The side of the table opposite the frame structure has
the shape of a protractor around which, the handle can lockingly
slide. The axle is located adjacent one side of the table opposite
the handle and at about the center of curvature of the protractor.
In order to provide an abutment for a board to be cut
at an angle on the table, an arm is preferably mounted on the table
and adapted to rotate about a vertical axis located in a plane perpen-
dicular to the table and passing through the pivoting axis of the un-
dercarriage.
7;~
RRII~`~` D.S(`RIPTION OF I`_ A DR~WING:
Figure I is a perspective view o~ Lhe foldable table ac-
cording to the invention wiLh the frame structure extending outside
the surface of the table,
Figure 2 is a side view of one end of the table illus-
trating an extension adapted to lengthen the table,
Figure 3 is a plan bottom view of the table illustra-
ting the undercarriage perpendi.cularly oriented relative to the
table,
Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3 with the under-
carriage oriented at 45 relative to the table,
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the frame
structure and the carriage adapted to slide in the frame structure,
and the circular saw adapted to be fixed to the carriage,
Figure 6 is an exploded view of the frame structure,
and
Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of part of the
table with the protractor and the abutting arm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The saw table illustrated in figure 1 is of the por-
table type and accordingly has foldable legs 10 which are actuated
about the pivot axes 12 and adapted to fold and overlap under the sur-
face of the table 14. The legs are maintained in then erect position
by blocking links 16. The legs 10 preferably have an inversed ~-shape
base 18, wider than the table, eac'n supported by adjusting screws 20
for levelling the table.
lX!~j'3~7~ ~
As !.hOWIl in i igure 2, an extensivll t.lble 22 is foreseen
whell the sul-iacl? of tile table 14 is too short to support a long piece
of hoard to be cut. A ilook member 24 is provided at the end of table
14 which engages into a corresponding hook 26 provided at the end of
the extension table 22 which is also supported by a leg 28 of the ty-
pe described above. The surface of the table 14 is flat and provided
with a guiding wall 30 along one longitudinal side. The wall 30 car-
ries a scale and is used to abut a piece of board lying on the surfa-
ce 14 and to guide it when the board is moved longitudinally relative
to the length of the table along the wall 30. A stopper 31 which ad-
justably grips the wall 30 is foreseen for abutting the board at the
desired distance from the saw.
The front longitudinal side of the table 14 is provided
with a protractor 32 which exceeds outside the lateral side and
extends in the plane of the surface 14. The surface of the table 14
covers the area inscribed in the protractor 32.
A frame structure 34 which will be explained later ex-
tends on the side of the table opposite the protractor and is pivoted
about an axis 36 by a handle 38. The frame structure 34 is connected
to the handle by an undercarriage 38 illustrated in figures 3 and 4.
The undercarriage 38 is made of a pair of a longitudin-
al bars 40 and 42 and a pair of transversal bars 44 and 46. The under-
carriage 38 extends outside the surface of the table 14 to support
the frame structure 34. A connecting bar 48 is secured at the end of
the two longitudinal bars 40 and 42 and holds the handle 38 which is
used to pivot the undercarriage 38 around the axle 45. The undercar-
riage 38 and the frame structure 34 are supported under the table 14
by an axle 45 and a bracket 50 in which slides the radial bar 52.
... 5
!,
I'hc hrackel ~0 is ma(le sllf~icienlly long Lo aLIow Lht' lateral sli(ling
.f Lhe ra(li.ll bal 51. Tl~e r~ldial bar 1113y also be sllape(l as ,I par~ of
circumfel-Pnce whose centel- is tile axle 45. The undercarriage 3~ moves
from a position illustraLed in figule 3 to a posi~ion illustrated in
figure 4, tllat is, by an angle of approximately 45. The undercar-
riage 38 is prevented from moving in a clockwise direction (as seen
in figure 3) by a stopper 54 and in a counterclockwise direction (as
seen in figure 4) by a stopper 56. The stoppers 54 and 56 are secured
to the table and abut on the longitudinal bars 40 and 42 respective-
10 ly. A scale 58 is mounted on the lateral side of the protractor 32 to
indicate the angle of rotation of the undercarriage 38. The handle 38
which pivotally moves the undercarriage 38 is threadedly engaged
through the connecting bar 48 and the protractor 32 so that the nut
60 can tighten the protractor 32 and the connecting bar 43 by twist-
ing the handle 38. This action prevents the pivoting of the undercar-
riage around the axle 45.
The frame structure 34 is mounted on the longitudinal
bars 40 and 42 as illustrated in figures 3, 4, 5 and 6. A pair of U-
shaped rods 62 and 64 are adjustably fixed on the longitudinal bars
40 and 42 by means of bolts 66. These adjustable bolts 66 are intend-
ed to level the frame structure 34 over the longitudinal bars 40 and
42. Plates 68 and 70 are secured to the top of the U-shaped rods 62
and 64 and are intended to support idle wheels 72, 74, 76 and 78. The
wheels 76 and 78 are mounted through holes 80 and 82 by bolts and
nuts so as to allow the wheels to rotate freely. The wheels 72 and 74
are fixed on plate 68 through grooves 84 and 86 by means of a combina-
tion of bolts and nuts which can adjustably slide in the grooves 84
and 86. The lateral adjustment of the wheels 72 and 74 is intended to
correspond to the width of the carriage 90 illustrated in figure 5.
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-- 6 --
The wheelq are locate(l at Ihe corners o~ a rectangle and are ad;~ptr-~d
to engAge rails cn the side o~ the carriage 90 to allow the later Lo
slide and be maintained in a horizontal plane. A locking bracket 71
(shown in figure 6~ is also mounted on plate 71 to releasably secure
the carriage 90 in a fixed position in its sliding movement. The
bracket 71 is held to the plate 70 by a wing nut 73 and the spring 75
is intended to release the pressure of the bracket 71 on the carriage
90 when the wing nut 73 is unscrewed.
The carriage 90 is intended to releasably support a cir-
cular saw 93. The carriage 90 is made of a plate 92 having guiding
rails 94 and 96 on each side of the plate 92. The rails 94 and 96 are
provided with a longitudinal groove adapted to fit and slide tightly
between the wheels 74-78. At one end of the rails, stoppers 97 and 98
extend laterally to prevent the carriage 90 to slide pass the wheels
of the frame structure 34. Another stopper 100 of the pivoting type
is located at the other end of the carriage 90 for the same purpose.
The stopper 100 is pivoted upwardly to provide access of the rails 94
and 96 to the wheels 72-78 but is lowered to serve as a stopper when
the wheels are located in the rails. The plate 92 is provided with a
pair of large and generally rectangular apertures 102 and 104 which
are intended to receive the blade of the circular saw 93. Apertures
102 and 104 are disposed at 90 one relative to the other so that
the blade of the circular saw may be oriented accordingly. On each
side of the apertures 102 and 104, wing nuts are provided to releas-
ably hold the circular saw. Each wing nut is mounted in a slot so as
to be made laterally adjustable according to the width of the circul-
ar saw used. At each end of the carriage 90 a gard blade is provided
depending on the protection required.
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;97;~
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T`he xal-d blade l()6 is n hill~ed plate which extellds between the
cal-riage 9() an(l the Lable alld protecLs the operaLor from saw dust
expelled hy the circulal^ saw fixed over the aperture 104. At the
other end, an other gard blade 108 is pivotally mounted along the
lateral slide of the carriage 90 and serves as a protection for the
operator when the circular saw is fixed over the aperture 102. It is
pointed out that the carriage 90 is oriented in a position opposite
the one shown in figure 5 when the power saw 93 is mounted over the
aperture 102.
When an elongated rectangular piece of board is laid on
the surface of the table 14, abutted against the wall 30 and longitu-
dinally adjusted as desired, the circular saw mounted on the carriage
90 with its blade through the aperture 104 will be able to cut the
board transversally by sliding the carriage in the frame structure
34. If the board needs to be cut at an angle relative to the longitu-
dinal axis, the handle 38 can be adjusted by rotating the undercar-
riage 38. If one wants to cut the board along the longitudinal axis,
that is, corresponding to the length of the table, the circular saw
is mounted over the aperture 102. For such a purpose, the aperture
102 is located over the surface of the table 14 which means that the
carriage needs to be supported by its end corresponding to the late-
ral sides facing the aperture 104. When the circular saw is mounted
over the aperture 102 and the blade is adjusted over the board at the
right distance from the guiding wall 30, the locking bracket 71 (fig.
6) is tightened to maintain the power saw 93 stationary and the board
is pushed sideways along the guiding wall 30.
Considering that most circular saws can be tiltingly
adjusted on their base 95, it is accordingly possible to provide a
... 8
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cu~ throuxll ~he boal(l at an angle relcl~: iVI~ to the plane o~ Lhe table
l4.
The Lable is also provided with an abutting arrn llO
which is intented Lo abut a board having an obtuse leading edge. The
abutting arm l10 is rotatably mounted around an axle constituted by a
bolt 112 connected through the table to a nut 114. The bolt 112 has
preferably a w;ng head. The table has a transversal slot 116 adapted
to retain the nut 114 and allowing the bolt 112 and the nut 114 to
slide therein for allowing the abutting arm 110 to rotate about the
axle 112 which can slide into the slot 116. Such an arrn will provide
an abutment to various types of leading edge of the board to be cut.
The translation movement of the abutting arm llO in the slot 116 can
be stopped by tightening the wing bolt 113 and its rotation can be
prevented by twisting the handle 118 which tightens the protractor 32
between the arm 110 and a plate 120. The plate 120 and pin 121 are
adapted to slide longitudinally relative to the abutting arm 110, the
latter being provided by a channel for receiving the pin 121. The
sliding movement of the handle 118 and the plate 120 is needed when
the center of the contour of the protractor 32 does not correspond
with the axle 112. The handle 118 threadedly engages plate 120 and
the end of the abutting arm 110 and accordingly than squeeze the pro-
tractor 32 and secure the arm 110 to the table 14. The longitudinal
axis of the slot 116 is in line with the axle 45 and the angle which
is determined by the movement of the abutting arm 110 complements the
angle delimited by the handle 38. The abutting arm 110 is particular-
ly useful when a board needs to be cut at an angle at both ends. In
such a case, the first operation is to cut the board, at one end, at
an angle, by adjusting the handle 38. In a second operation, the pre-
viously cut end is abutted on the abutting arm 110 and the other end
... 9
'373
_ 9 _
ot tlle boar d ;s cnL by adju~ g the handle 38 and accordingly ilf'
carriage roLatioll, As may be realized ~rom the above description, the
construction of the present saw table is relatively simple while it
provides ali the possibilities expected by a carpenter making use of
a saw table. Furthermore, the table is relatively light and portable
and can be folded for transportation in the trunk of a car. The table
is also adapted to be used with any kind of circular saw and can be
used to cut boards having various dimensions along any desired angle.
The easy manipulation of the present saw table accelerate the perfor-
mance of the operator.
