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US 2016/0158959 A9Published application
Table saws with safety systems and systems to mount and index attachments
AssigneeSawStop Holding LLC
InventorsStephen F. Gass, J. David Fulmer, David A. Fanning
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Table saws and table saws designed to implement safety systems that detect contact between a person and a dangerous portion of the saw are disclosed. Table saw components, mounting systems for table saws, and table saw attachments are also disclosed. One embodiment may include a first clamp surface, a second clamp surface spaced apart from the first clamp surface so that a base portion of a riving knife or splitter can be placed between the clamp surfaces with the opposing sides of the base portion generally parallel to the first and second clamp surfaces.
Claims20
A table saw comprising:
- a table defining a work surface, where the table includes an opening;
- a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface through the opening;
- a motor to drive the blade;
- a riving knife or splitter having a base portion with opposing sides;
- an elevation carriage supporting the blade and configured to move to change the elevation of the blade relative to the work surface with the blade at a specific angular orientation relative to the work surface;
- and
- a mounting system configured to hold the riving knife or splitter adjacent the blade with the opposing sides of the base portion substantially parallel to the plane of the blade;
- where the mounting system is supported to move with the elevation carriage;
- where the mounting system includes a clamping structure;
- where the clamping structure includes a first clamp surface and a second clamp surface, where the clamping structure is configured to accommodate the base portion between the first and second clamp surfaces with the opposing sides of the base portion generally adjacent the first and second clamp surfaces, respectively, where the clamping structure further includes a handle adapted to pivot around an axis below the work surface between a first position where the clamping structure does not clamp the base portion and a second position where the clamping structure clamps the base portion, and where the clamping structure includes a cam system configured to convert at least some pivotal motion of the handle into generally linear motion of at least one clamp surface toward the other clamp surface;
- where the cam system includes a first cam surface at a first pitch and a second cam surface at a second pitch different than the first pitch;
- where the handle can be pivoted by hand from one of the first position and second position to the other without using tools and without having to pivot the handle more than one full revolution;
- where the first and second clamp surfaces are below the work surface;
- and
- where the handle and opening in the table are configured so that a user can access the handle by reaching a hand through the opening.
12 more elements
A table saw comprising:
- a table defining a work surface, where the table includes an opening;
- a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface through the opening;
- a motor to drive the blade;
- a riving knife or splitter having a base portion with opposing sides;
- an elevation carriage supporting the blade and configured to move to change the elevation of the blade relative to the work surface with the blade at a specific angular orientation relative to the work surface;
- and
- a mounting system configured to hold the riving knife or splitter adjacent the blade with the opposing sides of the base portion substantially parallel to the plane of the blade;
- where the mounting system is supported to move with the elevation carriage;
- where the mounting system includes a clamping structure;
- where the clamping structure includes a first clamp surface and a second clamp surface, where the clamping structure is configured to accommodate the base portion between the first and second clamp surfaces with the opposing sides of the base portion generally adjacent the first and second clamp surfaces, respectively, where the clamping structure further includes a handle adapted to pivot around an axis below the work surface between a first position where the clamping structure does not clamp the base portion and a second position where the clamping structure clamps the base portion, and where the clamping structure includes a cam system configured to convert at least some pivotal motion of the handle into generally linear motion of at least one clamp surface toward the other clamp surface;
- where the cam system includes a cam surface having a non-uniform pitch and a component adapted to move along the cam surface;
- where the handle can be pivoted by hand from one of the first position and second position to the other without using tools and without having to pivot the handle more than one full revolution;
- where the first and second clamp surfaces are below the work surface;
- and
- where the handle and opening in the table are configured so that a user can access the handle by reaching a hand through the opening.
12 more elements
A method of installing a riving knife or splitter in a table saw, where the table saw comprises a table defining a work surface, an opening in the table, and a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface through the opening, and where the riving knife or splitter has a base portion with opposing sides, and where the table saw also has a clamping structure adapted to clamp the opposing sides of the base portion, and where the clamping structure includes first and second clamping surfaces, a handle adapted to pivot around an axis below the work surface between a first position where the clamping structure is open and a second position where the clamping structure is closed, a cam system configured to convert at least some pivotal motion of the handle into generally linear motion of at least one clamp surface toward the other clamp surface, where the cam system includes a cam surface having a non-uniform pitch and a component adapted to move along the cam surface, the method comprising:
- providing a riving knife or splitter having a base portion with opposing sides;
- positioning the handle in the first position where the clamping structure is open;
- positioning the base portion of the riving knife or splitter between the first and second clamping surfaces with the opposing sides of the base portion substantially parallel the plane of the blade;
- grasping the handle by reaching through the opening in the table;
- and
- pivoting the handle by hand through less than 360-degrees to the second position where the clamping structure is closed and where the clamping structure is stable with little to no force tending to open the clamping structure due at least in part to the non-uniform pitch of the cam surface.
3 more elements
A table saw comprising:
- a table defining a work surface, where the table includes an opening;
- a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface through the opening;
- a motor to drive the blade;
- a riving knife or splitter having a base portion with opposing sides;
- an elevation carriage supporting the blade and configured to move to change the elevation of the blade relative to the work surface with the blade at a specific angular orientation relative to the work surface;
- and
- a mounting system configured to hold the riving knife or splitter adjacent the blade with the opposing sides of the base portion substantially parallel to the plane of the blade;
- where the mounting system is supported to move with the elevation carriage;
- where the mounting system includes a clamping structure;
- where the clamping structure includes a first clamp surface and a second clamp surface, where the clamping structure is configured to accommodate the base portion between the first and second clamp surfaces with the opposing sides of the base portion generally adjacent the first and second clamp surfaces, respectively, where the clamping structure further includes a handle adapted to pivot around an axis below the work surface between a first position where the clamping structure does not clamp the base portion and a second position where the clamping structure clamps the base portion, and where the clamping structure includes a cam system configured to convert at least some pivotal motion of the handle into generally linear motion of at least one clamp surface toward the other clamp surface;
- where the clamping structure further includes a bolt and a spring positioned around at least a portion of the bolt, where each of the first and second clamp surfaces includes an aperture through which the bolt passes, where the first clamp surface is part of a first plate, where the second clamp surface is part of a second plate, where the spring contacts at least one of the first and second plates, and where the bolt is positioned generally along the axis around which the handle is adapted to pivot;
- where the handle can be pivoted by hand from one of the first position and second position to the other without using tools and without having to pivot the handle more than one full revolution;
- where the first and second clamp surfaces are below the work surface;
- and
- where the handle and opening in the table are configured so that a user can access the handle by reaching a hand through the opening.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.