Rail stop system for a sliding saw

A power tool having a base defining a work surface for supporting a workpiece, and a power tool assembly supported by a yoke for performing an operation on the workpiece, the power tool further comprising:

• a number of elongated rails engaged to the yoke;
• a support mounted to the base and configured to support said number of elongated rails, wherein the yoke and power tool assembly are movable relative to the base and the support;
• and
• a rail stop movably mounted to one of the support and the yoke, the rail stop including a planar base portion with a first side and an opposite second side, the planar base portion defines a first plane and is movable with respect to the yoke and the support, and a stop surface supported by the base portion, the rail stop movable between a first position in which the stop surface limits the relative position of the support with respect to the yoke to a first distance and a second position in which the stop surface does not limit the relative position of the support with respect to the yoke to the first distance, wherein
• a first side of the planar base portion defines a second plane parallel to the first plane,
• a second side of the planar base portion opposite the first side defines a third plane parallel to the plane,
• the second plane and the third plane define a planar base portion path volume therebetween, and
• the stop surface is configured such that the other of the support and the yoke is abutted by the stop surface at a location spaced apart from the planar base portion path volume when the stop surface abuts the other of the support and the yoke.

In a power tool having a base defining a work surface for supporting a workpiece, a support mounted to the base, a number of elongated rails, a yoke supported by the number of elongated rails for movement of the yoke relative to the work surface, and a power tool assembly supported by a yoke for performing an operation on the workpiece, the improvement comprising:

• a rail stop movably mounted to one of the support and the yoke, the rail stop including a stop surface adapted to abut the other of the support and the yoke when the rail stop is in a first position with the stop surface between the yoke and the support, the rail stop movable to a second position different from said first position, wherein the rail stop includes an elongated plate portion movable, with respect to the yoke and the support, between the first position and the second position in a first plane which is substantially parallel to the number of elongated rails, wherein
• a first side of the elongated plate portion defines a second plane parallel to the first plane,
• a second side of the elongated plate portion opposite the first side defines a third plane parallel to the plane,
• the second plane and the third plane define an elongated plate portion path volume therebetween, and
• the stop surface is configured such that the other of the support and the yoke is abutted by the stop surface at a location spaced apart from the elongated plate portion path volume when the stop surface abuts the other of the support and the yoke.