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US 6,263,584 B1Granted
Alignment apparatus and method of using same
OwnerBarry S. Owensinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for configuring the angular alignment of a device or apparatus, such as a table saw blade. Specifically, the present invention includes a housing unit containing a light source for generating an optic marker, preferably a planar beam, a mechanism by which the housing unit is attached to the apparatus to be aligned, and a scaled protractor for calculating the angular relationship in degrees.
Claims8
An alignment system comprising:
- an apparatus having a table and a blade, the table having a substantially planar table surface, the blade being configured to engage and shape a workpiece, the blade being angularly displaceable relative to the table surface such that a workpiece engaging the table surface and caused to engage the blade is shaped by the blade in a manner corresponding to a displacement angle of the blade relative to the table surface;
- and
- a housing unit having:
- a light source for producing a planar beam of light confined therein;
- at least one mounting member configured to mount the housing to the blade of the apparatus;
- at least one indicator member on the housing for indicating a proper axial alignment of the housing relative to the blade of the apparatus upon which it is mounted;
- and
- an angle indicating member having a planar face with degrees of angle marked along the planar face, the angle indicating member being positioned on the table surface of the apparatus and in relation to the housing unit such that the light source projects an elongated optic marker on the planar face for facilitating an angular measurement, the angular measurement corresponding to the displacement angle of the blade relative to the table surface.
5 more elements
A method for aligning an apparatus comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus having a planar surface and a shaping member, the shaping member having a flat surface and being configured to engage and shape a workpiece, the flat surface of the shaping member being angularly displaceable relative to the planar surface such that a workpiece engaging the planar surface and caused to engage the shaping member is shaped by the shaping member in a manner corresponding to a displacement angle of the flat surface of the shaping member relative to the planar surface;
- providing a light source for generating a linear optic marker defining a plane;
- mounting the light source to the flat surface of the shaping member of the apparatus such that the plane of the optic marker is parallel with the flat surface of the shaping member of the apparatus;
- providing a protractor having a semi-circle with degrees of angle marked along the semi-circle;
- and
- positioning the protractor in relation to the light source such that the light source projects the optic marker on the semi-circle thereby facilitating an angular measurement of the angular position of the flat surface of the shaping member relative to the planar surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.