Hacksaw with improved blade tension mechanism

A hacksaw having a blade, the hacksaw comprising:

• a frame,
• a handle having a lower portion and an upper portion and further having a detent means within the lower portion thereof, and
• a blade tensioning means removably attached to the lower portion of the handle and connected to the blade at one end thereof;
• wherein the blade tensioning means includes:
• a blade holder having a forward end connected to the blade, an adjusting screw threadably engaging a rearward end of the blade holder, and a crank handle having open and folded positions, respectively, and having means for disengaging the crank handle from the adjusting screw;
• wherein, for adjusting the tension of the blade, the crank handle, in its open position, is rotated in one direction thereby causing an increase of the blade tension, while the rotation of the crank handle in a direction opposite to said one direction causes a reduction of the blade tension;
• and
• wherein, when the blade tension adjustment has been accomplished, the crank handle is mechanically disconnected from the adjusting screw, and, in its closed position, is held within the lower portion of the handle by the detent means.

A hacksaw having a blade, comprising:

• a handle having a lower portion and an upper portion,
• a blade tensioning means removably attached to the lower portion of the handle and connected to the blade at one end thereof, and
• a tension indicator window at the lower portion of the handle having at least one tension indicia adjacent thereto;
• wherein the blade tensioning means includes:
• a blade holder connected by its forward end to the blade, an adjusting screw threadingly engaging a rearward end of the blade holder, and a crank handle having open and folded positions, and having means for disengaging the crank handle from the adjusting screw;
• wherein, for adjusting the blade tension, the crank handle, in its open position, is rotated in one direction, thereby increasing the blade tension, while the rotation of the crank handle in the opposite to said one direction causes reduction of the blade tension;
• wherein said rearward end of the blade holder is observed through the tension indicator window for being aligned with said at least one tension indicia predetermined for a required type of blade;
• and
• wherein, when the blade tension adjustment has been accomplished, the crank handle is mechanically disconnected from the adjusting screw.

The method of tensioning a hacksaw blade, comprising the steps of providing a hacksaw including a portion having a window formed therein and further having graduations adjacent to the window, providing a tensioning means for the blade including a member having a portion visible through the window, moving the tensioning means so that the slack in the blade is taken up, and such that the portion of the member is aligned with one of the graduations, and further moving the tensioning means so that the portion of the member is moved by a predetermined number of graduations, thereby providing the proper blade tensioning and wherein the hacksaw is arranged along a longitudinal plane, wherein said window is provided in a handle of the hacksaw, and a rotatable crank is provided having a drive connection attached to the tensioning means for increasing or decreasing the blade tension, respectively, and wherein means for disconnecting the drive connection between the crank and the tensioning means is provided, such that to allow free movement of the crank, the method further comprising the steps of eliminating the free movement of the crank prior to tensioning the blade and disconnecting the crank from the tensioning means once proper blade tensioning has been reached, aligning the crank with said longitudinal place of the hacksaw without changing the blade tension and storing the crank within the handle subsequent to the alignment thereof.