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US 11,458,648 B2Granted
Power tool cutting apparatus
AssigneePower Box AG
InventorRobert Firth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to apparatus for providing for the powered cutting of a workpiece, typically in the form of a planar or sheet material. The apparatus includes a rotatable blade to cut the workpiece and the blade is mountable such as in a first mode of use to be capable of being held in a fixed position in which the workpiece is moved past the blade, and a second mode of use in which the blade is moved with respect to the workpiece to cut the same. The workpiece is mounted on a base and the blade is mounted with respect to the base via one or more slide members.
Claims20
A powered cutting apparatus for the cutting of a thin sheet workpiece with a saw blade, said apparatus comprising:
- a base defining a longitudinal slot and a through hole aligned with and formed as part of said longitudinal slot, said through hole passing from a top side of the base to an underside of the base,
- first and second spaced parallel slide members located one above another on first and second mounting brackets provided at each end of said two spaced parallel slide members and located at or adjacent to a longitudinal edge of said base such that said slide members are substantially parallel with said longitudinal edge of the base and said slide members are fixed to said base,
- a cutting unit including a housing in which is mounted a motor that powers rotation of the saw blade when cutting the workpiece,
- a bearing assembly connecting said housing to said first and second spaced parallel slide members,
- a guard which receives therein a part of the saw blade while a lower portion of the saw blade is located in said longitudinal slot in said base, said longitudinal slot arranged to be substantially parallel to said slide members and said longitudinal edge of said base, said housing located intermediate said bearing assembly and the saw blade, wherein said guard is selectively movable relative to the housing about a pivot axis, between a lowered position where the guard is in contact with said base and a raised position where the guard is in contact with a top surface of the thin sheet workpiece, and
- a fence assembly is provided to be selectively mounted at first and second locations on said base in order to provide a guide for the workpiece positioned on a top surface of said base when the cutting is performed and wherein the saw blade has a central axis which is the same as an axis of rotation of the saw blade when said saw blade is fitted to said apparatus and said axis of rotation is maintained at a fixed height with respect to said base by said bearing assembly and slide members
- wherein said cutting unit is fixed to said first and second spaced parallel slide members so as to be movable therealong with said axis of rotation of the saw blade maintained at said fixed height and said guard and said through hole are constructed and arranged such that, as long as the guard is guarding a portion of the saw blade, the saw blade can be removed by releasing the saw blade from said cutting unit and passing it through said through hole to an underside of said base while a portion of the saw blade is received in said guard and wherein a new blade is attached by passing the new blade from said underside of said base through said through hole with said guard positioned above said through hole to receive the portion of the new saw blade,
- wherein said longitudinal slot has a first fixed width along the length thereof sufficient to receive the lower portion of the saw blade therein as the cutting unit is moved along the length of said slot, wherein said through hole has a second fixed width sufficient to allow the entire saw blade to pass there through while said slide members, said bearing assembly, said cutting unit and said base are in their respective engagement positions, and wherein said pivot axis of the guard is offset from said axis of rotation of the blade and the guard blocks moving the blade out of the slot from the top side of the base.
5 more elements
A powered cutting apparatus for use with replaceable rotatable blades, said apparatus comprising:
- a base onto which a work piece to be cut can be placed, and guide means including at least one slide member fixed to said base, said base defining a slot and a through hole provided as a distinguishable portion of, and aligned with, said slot, said through hole passing from a top side of said base to an underside of said base
- a cutting unit comprising a guard for the rotatable blade fixed thereto, and drive means for rotating the rotatable blade when switched on, said cutting unit mounted on and to one side of said guide means to slide therealong and such that the rotatable blade is spaced from said guide means, wherein said guard is selectively movable relative to the housing about a pivot axis between a lowered position where the guard is in contact with said base and a raised position where the guard is in contact with a top surface of the work piece,
- a locking assembly which allows operation of the apparatus in a first mode in which said cutting unit is movable along said guide means when said locking assembly is released and in a second mode when said locking assembly is locked in which said cutting unit is fixed in position on said guide means and the workpiece is moved past the cutting unit, wherein the rotatable blade is positioned with at least a lower portion of the rotatable blade received within said slot in said base running parallel to at least one slide member and along which slot, wherein the rotatable blade moves when said cutting unit is moved along said at least one slide member, wherein said cutting unit, said guide means, said guard and said drive means are located on a top side of said base,
- wherein said guide means retains an axis of rotation of the rotatable blade at a fixed height relative to said top side of said base,
- wherein said guard blocks moving the blade out of the slot from the top side of the base and said through hole are constructed and arranged to permit the rotatable blade to be removed by releasing the rotatable blade from said cutting unit and passing the rotatable blade through said through hole to an underside of said base while said guide means retains said axis of rotation at said fixed height with a portion of the rotatable blade received in said guard and wherein a new blade is attached by passing the new blade through said through hole with said guide means retaining said axis of rotation at said fixed height and said guard positioned above said through hole to receive the portion of the new rotatable blade to allow the new rotatable blade to be brought into position to be engaged with said cutting unit and said slot provided in a fixed configuration so as, in conjunction with said guard, to allow movement of said new rotatable blade from said underside of said base and through said through hole wherein said pivot axis of the guard is offset from said axis of rotation of the blade.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.