Reciprocating Saw with Reinforced Offset Saw Blade Holder

A reciprocating power saw with an offset saw blade holder with a reinforced saw blade mounting assembly, comprising:

• a reciprocating saw including a front barrel portion, a rear handle portion and a body portion interconnecting the front barrel and rear handle portions together, the front barrel portion including a drive shaft supported therein for reciprocating movement, the drive shaft having a free end with an axial slot disposed therein, the drive shaft slot defining two opposing halves of the drive shaft free end, and said drive shaft slot being aligned with a first axis of said reciprocating saw;
• a mounting assembly for mounting a saw blade to said reciprocating saw along a second axis thereof, offset from the first axis, the mounting assembly including a mounting block having a mounting portion for mounting to said drive shaft and a saw blade support portion for supporting a saw blade, the mounting portion including a bore for receiving said drive shaft free end therein and said the bore being open along a front face of said mounting block, and a shim member disposed in said bore and drive shaft slot, the shim member completely filling said drive shaft slot to prevent said drive shaft halves from deflecting into said drive shaft slot during operation of said reciprocating saw;
• and,
• a guide assembly for guiding said mounting block in reciprocating movement, the guide assembly including a guide baseplate oriented transversely to said mounting block and mounted to said barrel portion, a pair of guide arms extending from the guide baseplate and separated by an intervening space which receives said mounting block, the intervening space and guide arms cooperatively defining a channel in which said mounting block may reciprocate in movement, a handle disposed on said baseplate and extending outwardly away from said barrel portion, said guide assembly further including a guard member supported by said guide arms and extending transversely to said guide baseplate, the guard member having a general U-shape with a backbone portion interconnecting two leg portions to define a passage therebetween, the leg portions being mounted on said guide arms and said backbone portion being spaced apart from said reciprocating saw barrel portion such that said reciprocating saw barrel portion is free to move within the passage.

A kit of parts for converting a power reciprocating saw into an offset saw with a reinforced saw blade mounting assembly, the reciprocating saw including a front barrel portion, a rear handle portion and a body portion interconnecting the front barrel and rear handle portions together, said front barrel portion including a drive shaft supported for reciprocating movement, the drive shaft having a free end with an axial slot disposed therein, the drive shaft slot defining two opposing halves of the drive shaft free end, and said drive shaft being aligned with a first axis of said reciprocating saw, the kit of parts comprising:

• a mounting block having a mounting portion for mounting to said drive shaft and a saw blade support portion for supporting a saw blade for said reciprocating saw, the saw blade support portion being spaced apart from said mounting portion so that said saw blade is mounted along a second axis of said reciprocating saw, different from the first axis, the mounting portion including a bore for receiving said drive shaft free end therein and said the bore being open along a front face of said mounting block and a shim member disposed in said bore and drive shaft slot, the shim member filling said drive shaft slot to an extent sufficient to prevent said drive shaft two halves from deflecting into said drive shaft slot;
• and,
• a guide assembly for guiding said mounting block in reciprocating movement, the guide assembly including a baseplate oriented transversely to said mounting block and fastened to said front barrel portion in a manner that prevents rotation of said guide assembly relative to said saw, and a pair of guide arms extending from the baseplate and separated by an intervening space which accommodates said mounting block, the baseplate further including a handle disposed on a side of said baseplate opposite said guide arms, said baseplate further including an attachment member for attaching said guide assembly to said reciprocating saw in a manner to prevent movement of said guide assembly about said reciprocating saw during operation thereof, said guide assembly further including a guard member supported by said guide arms and extending transversely to said baseplate, the guard member having a general U-shape with a backbone portion interconnecting two leg portions to define a passage therebetween, the leg portions being mounted on said guide arms and said backbone portion being spaced apart from said front barrel portion such that said front barrel portion is free to move within the passage.