Apparatus for clamping a workpiece-blocking plate of a table saw

A clamping apparatus adapted to clamp a workpiece-blocking plate of a table saw, the table saw including a machine base, on which the workpiece-blocking plate is mounted removably, the blocking plate having a bottom surface and two opposite side surfaces and being capable of being removed from the machine base when not in use, said clamping apparatus comprising:

• a mounting member adapted to be attached to the machine base and having a storage notch and a generally horizontal first clamp-supporting surface, said notch including a first L-shaped notch portion, which has a clamp-storing portion and a support-storing portion, said clamp-storing portion of said notch having a lower end that is defined by said first clamp-supporting surface;
• and
• a retaining plate having a first L-shaped plate portion, which includes a generally horizontal supporting portion that is disposed pivotally on said mounting member and that is adapted to permit abutment of the bottom surface of the workpiece-blocking plate thereon, and a generally vertical clamping portion that is adapted to be biased to press against one of the side surfaces of the workpiece-blocking plate, thereby clamping the workpiece-blocking plate between said mounting member and said clamping portion of said first L-shaped plate portion of said retaining plate, said retaining plate being rotatable relative to said mounting member to a storage position, where said retaining plate is disposed within said notch, where said supporting portion of said first L-shaped plate portion of said retaining plate is disposed within said support-storing portion of said first L-shaped notch portion of said notch in said mounting member, and where said clamping portion of said first L-shaped plate portion is disposed within said clamp-storing portion of said first L-shaped notch portion and is supported on said first clamp-supporting surface of said mounting member, thereby positioning said retaining plate on said mounting member.