Circular saw

A circular saw comprising:

• a shoe including an upper surface and an opposite, lower surface;
• a saw unit including a circular saw blade, a depth scale including a channel, and a blade change cam coupled to a lever, the saw unit pivotably coupled to the shoe between a first position in which the saw blade does not protrude beyond the lower surface of the shoe, and a second position in which the saw blade protrudes beyond the lower surface of the shoe;
• a trigger which controls operation of the saw unit;
• and
• a plunge lockout mechanism coupled to the saw unit for movement therewith between the first position and the second position, the plunge lockout mechanism including:
• an actuator linearly translatable between a released position and a depressed position,
• a trigger lockout movable in response to movement of the actuator between a trigger lockout position and a retracted position, and
• a latch engaged by the actuator in response to linear translating movement of the actuator, the latch rotatable about a pivot between a locked position and an unlocked position;
• wherein in the released position of the actuator,
• the latch is in the locked position to prevent movement of the saw unit from the first position to the second position, and
• the trigger lockout is in the trigger lockout position to prevent engagement of the trigger, and
• wherein in the depressed position of the actuator,
• the latch is in the unlocked position to allow movement of the saw unit from the first position to the second position, and
• the trigger lockout is in the retracted position to allow the engagement of the trigger;
• wherein the channel is configured to receive the latch when in the unlocked position to permit movement of the saw unit from the first position to the second position;
• and
• wherein the lever is operable to move the blade change cam between a blade change position in which the blade change cam prohibits translation of the actuator, and an operation position in which the saw unit can be moved from the first position to the second position.