Blade tensioning device for scroll saw

In a scroll saw having upper and lower reciprocable arms terminating in upper and lower ends having a saw blade connected therebetween, releasable blade tensioning means including a blade support member having a central portion pivotally mounted to an end of one of said arms, a first end extending generally along said one arm and a second end connectable to said saw blade, said blade support member being pivotable between a blade tensioning position and a blade tension releasing position, manually operable means mounted on one of said first end and said one arm and engageable with the other, and being constructed and arranged to hold said first end and said one arm apart in one position to move said blade support member to said blade tensioning position, and to permit said blade support member to move to said blade tension releasing position in another position thereof, the improvement comprising manually adjustable means on the other of said first end and said one arm engageable with said manually operable means to permit adjustment of the tension on the saw blade, said manually operable means comprising cam means rotatable between said positions, said manually rotatable means comprising a pin mounted in said first end having a portion offset with respect to an axis of rotation thereof, said manually adjustable means being mounted in said one arm and being engageable with said offset portion.

A scroll saw, comprising:

• (a) a base having a table mounted at one end and a horizontal pivot shaft mounted at an opposite end;
• (b) a C-member having upper and lower arms and a curved bight connecting said arms, said arms terminating in upper and lower ends having a saw blade connected therebetween and extending through said table;
• (c) means mounting said C-member on said pivot shaft at said curved bight, and means for reciprocating said C-member about said pivot shaft to effect movement of said saw blade;
• and
• (d) said saw blade being connected to said end of said upper arm by releasable blade tensioning means including a blade support member having a bifurcated inner end extending over said end of said upper arm and connected thereto by horizontally extending pivot means, an outer end disposed beyond said end of said arm and connectable to said saw blade, a manually rotatable pin mounted in oppositely disposed openings in opposite end portions of said inner end and extending below said arm, said pin having a smaller diameter central portion offset from a central axis of said pin, and means on said upper arm engageable with said central portion of said pin in one rotated position thereof to pivot said blade support member to a blade tensioning position and said pin being rotatable to another position to release tension on said saw blade, said means engageable with said central portion of said pin being adjustable to permit the tension on said saw blade to be changed.