Adjustable fence for compound miter saw

A compound miter saw having a base and a saw blade selectively movable to any of a number of selected cutting positions, including miter, bevel, and compound cutting positions, comprising:

• an adjustable, laterally-extending, workpiece-supporting fence assembly, said fence assembly including a fixed fence portion fixedly interconnected with the base and disposed on one side of the saw blade, and a movable fence portion selectively laterally movable and interconnected with the base and disposed on an opposite side of the saw blade laterally spaced from said fixed fence portion, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means fixedly interconnected with said base for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions relative to the saw blade and the base, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the saw blade at any of said number of selected cutting positions, said movable clamping means including a clamping plate pivotally interconnected with said movable fence portion, said clamping plate having an abutment portion selectively movable into and out of clamping engagement with the base in order to respectively secure and release said movable fence at selectively adjustable lateral positions relative to said fixed fence portion.

A compound miter saw having a base and a saw blade selectively movable to any of a number of selected cutting positions, including miter, bevel, and compound cutting positions, comprising:

• an adjustable, laterally-extending, workpiece-supporting fence assembly, said fence assembly including a fixed fence portion fixedly interconnected with the base and disposed on one side of the saw blade, and a movable fence portion selectively laterally movable and interconnected with the base and disposed on an opposite side of the saw blade laterally spaced from said fixed fence portion, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means fixedly interconnected with said base for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions relative to the saw blade and the base, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the saw blade at any of said number of selected cutting positions, the base including a fence-supporting portion fixedly disposed on said opposite side of the saw blade with a laterally-extending slot formed therein, said slot having opposite internal walls therein, said movable fence portion having a laterally-extending tongue portion slidably received within said slot for selective lateral movement therein toward and away from said fixed fence portion, said fixed clamping means being interconnected with said fence-supporting base portion for selectively and clampingly urging said tongue portion against a first internal wall of said slot corresponding to any of a number of selected positions of said movable fence portion relative to the base, said movable clamping means being adapted for selectively and clampingly urging said tongue portion against a second portion of said first internal wall corresponding to said number of selected positions of said movable fence portion relative to the base.

A compound miter saw having a base, a saw blade and a blade guard selectively movable to any of a number of selected cutting positions, including miter, bevel, and compound cutting positions wherein the saw blade and the blade guard are further movable relative to a workpiece into and out of cutting engagement with the workpiece, and a workpiece-supporting fence assembly, wherein said fence assembly includes a fixed fence portion on one side of the saw blade, and a movable fence portion on the other side of the saw blade, said movable fence portion being selectively and adjustably movable toward and away from said fixed fence portion in order to allow clearance between said fixed and movable fence portions for cutting the workpiece when the saw blade and the blade guard are in any of said miter, bevel, and compound cutting positions, said movable fence portion having a raised portion thereof configured for interferingly engaging the blade guard if the saw blade and the blade guard are moved toward cutting engagement with the workpiece without said movable fence portion first being adjustably moved to a position relative to said fixed fence portion so as to allow sufficient clearance between said fixed and movable fence portions for cutting the workpiece when the saw blade is in any of a number of said miter, bevel, and compound cutting positions, thereby minimizing the possibility of cutting said movable fence portion, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions relative to the saw blade and the base, said fixed clamping means being fixedly interconnected with the base, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith relative to the base for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of selected cutting positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the saw blade at any of said number of selected cutting positions.

A device adapted for performing working operations on a workpiece, the device having a base and a working tool selectively movable into a number of different preselected configurations, comprising:

• an adjustable, laterally-extending, workpiece-supporting fence assembly, said fence assembly including a fixed fence portion fixedly interconnected with the base and disposed on one side of the working tool, and a movable fence portion selectively laterally movable and interconnected with the base and disposed on an opposite side of the working tool laterally spaced from said fixed fence portion, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means fixedly interconnected with said base for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion at any of a number of selected positions relative to the saw blade and the base, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion at any of said selected positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the working tool in any of the selected configurations thereof, said movable clamping means including a clamping plate pivotally interconnected with said movable fence portion, said clamping plate having an abutment portion selectively movable into and out of clamping engagement with the base in order to respectively secure and release said movable fence at selectively adjustable lateral positions relative to said fixed fence portion.

A device adapted for performing working operations on a workpiece, the device having a base and a working tool selectively movable into a number of different preselected configurations, comprising:

• an adjustable, laterally-extending, workpiece-supporting fence assembly, said fence assembly including a fixed fence portion fixedly interconnected with the base and disposed on one side of the working tool, and a movable fence portion selectively laterally movable and interconnected with the base and disposed on an opposite side of the working tool laterally spaced from said fixed fence portion, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means fixedly interconnected with said base for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion at any of a number of selected positions relative to the working tool and the base, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion at any of said selected positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the working tool in any of the preselected configurations thereof, the base including a fence-supporting portion fixedly disposed on said opposite side of the working tool with a laterally-extending slot formed therein, said slot having opposite internal walls therein, said movable fence portion having laterally-extending tongue portion slidably received within said slot for selective lateral movement therein toward and away from said fixed fence portion, said fixed clamping means being interconnected with said fence-supporting base portion for selectively and clampingly urging said tongue portion against a first portion of a first internal wall of said slot corresponding to any of a number of selected positions of said movable fence portion relative to the base, said movable clamping means being adapted for selectively and clampingly urging said tongue portion against a second portion of said first internal wall corresponding to said number of selected positions of said movable fence portion relative to the base.

A device adapted for performing working operations on a workpiece, the device having a frame, a working tool and a guard thereon capable of any of a number of different preselected configurations wherein the working tool and the guard are further movable relative to a workpiece into and out of engagement with the workpiece, and a workpiece-supporting fence assembly, wherein said fence assembly includes a fixed fence portion on one side of the working tool, and a movable fence portion on the other side of the working tool, said movable fence portion being selectively and adjustably movable toward and away from said fixed fence portion in order to allow clearance between said fixed and movable fence portions for performing an operation on the workpiece when the working tool and the guard are in any of said preselected configurations, said movable fence portion having a raised portion thereof configured for interferingly engaging the guard if the working tool and the guard are moved toward working engagement with the workpiece without said movable fence portion first being adjustably moved to a position relative to said fixed fence portion so as to allow sufficient clearance between said fixed and movable fence portions for performing an operation on the workpiece when the working tool is in any of a number of said preselected configurations, said fence assembly further including a fixed clamping means for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of preselected configurations, said fixed clamping means being fixedly interconnected with the frame, and a movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with said movable fence portion for selective movement therewith relative to the frame for selectively and clampingly securing said movable fence portion in cooperation with any of said number of preselected configurations, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said fixed and movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the working tool at any of said number of preselected configurations.

A device adapted for performing working operations on a workpiece, the device having a base and working tool selectively movable into a number of different preselected configurations, the improvement comprising:

• an adjustable, laterally-extending, workpiece-supporting fence assembly, said fence assembly including a first movable fence portion selectively laterally movable toward and away from the working tool and interconnected with the base on one lateral side of the working tool, and a second movable fence portion selectively laterally movable toward and away from the working tool and interconnected with the base on an opposite lateral side of the working tool, said fence assembly further including fixed clamping means for selectively and clampingly securing each of said movable fence portions respectively and independently at any of a number of respective selected positions relative to the working tool and the base, said fixed clamping means being fixedly interconnected with the base, and movable clamping means fixedly interconnected with each of said movable fence portions for selective respective movement therewith relative to the base for selectively and clampingly securing each of said movable fence portions respectively and independently at any of said respective selected positions, said fence assembly thereby being selectively adjustable to vary the lateral spacing between said first and second movable fence portions in order to provide clearance for the working tool at any of the preselected configurations on either lateral side of the device.