Miter gauge

A miter gauge for establishing a miter angle between a workpiece and a tool, said miter gauge comprising

• a. a guide bar adapted to slide within a groove, in a direction parallel to the bar's longitudinal axis;
• b. a reference frame pivotably mounted on said guide bar, and including a planar surface forming an adjustable angle with said axis of the guide bar, the planar surface being adapted to support the workpiece as it is pushed across the tool;
• c. an angle index dial attached to a shaft rotatably mounted on the miter gauge, said dial being marked to indicate the miter angle;
• and
• d. fixed ratio gear means connecting the reference frame and the guide bar, said gear means being operative to rotate the angle index dial through an angle proportionately greater than the change in the miter angle as the reference frame is pivoted about its mount, according to the fixed ratio of the gear means, whereby the resolution of the miter angle setting is substantially improved.

A miter gauge for establishing a miter angle between a workpiece and a tool said miter gauge comprising

• a. a guide bar adapted to slide within a groove in the tool in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide bar;
• b. a reference frame comprising a generally flat semi-circular portion connected to a crosspiece having a planar surface that is substantially perpendicular relative to the semi-circular portion, and adapted to support the workpiece as it is pushed across the tool, said reference frame being pivotably mounted on the guide bar so that the angle between the planar surface and the longitudinal axis of the guide bar is adjustable;
• c. an angle index dial, with graduated index marks around its circumference to denote the miter angle of the gauge, said index dial being attached to a shaft rotatably mounted within a slotted block and disposed on the same side of the crosspiece as the semi-circular portion;
• d. fixed ratio gear means operative to rotate the angle index dial as the reference frame is pivoted on its mount relative to the guide bar, said gear means including a first gear and a second gear in intermeshed relationship, the first gear being at least a segment of a ring gear disposed in a plane generally parallel to the shaft, and the second gear being a pinion gear attached to the shaft, the fixed ratio of the first and second gears being selected so that the angle index dial is rotated through a substantially greater angle than the change in the miter angle as the reference frame is pivoted on its mount, thereby increasing the angle setting resolution of the miter gauge.