Splitter and cutting member guard assembly

A cutting device comprising:

• a driven cutting member;
• a table portion;
• a void defined in the table portion, a removable table insert selectively positionable within the void;
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly, the splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising:
• a cutting member guard hood;
• and
• a splitter, said cutting member guard hood movably mounted to a connection portion of said splitter and pivotable between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by said cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood having a retention element that releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion of said splitter when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, and wherein with the table insert positioned within said void, said retention element is prevented from retainingly engaging said corresponding retention portion of said splitter.

A splitter and cutting member guard assembly for mounting on a cutting device having a driven cutting member, the cutting device further including a table portion, a void in the table portion, and a removable table insert removably positioned within the void and including a cutting member slot, the assembly comprising a splitter for passing through a workpiece kerf and a cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood movably connected to a connection portion of said splitter and positionable between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, wherein when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, a retention portion of said cutting member guard hood releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion of said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, another portion of said cutting member guard hood positioned within the void in the table portion when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, wherein when the table insert is positioned within said void, said retention portion of said cutting member guard hood is prevented from retainingly engaging said corresponding retention portion of said splitter.

A splitter and cutting member guard assembly for mounting on a cutting device a driven cutting member, the cutting device further including a table portion with a surface defining a table surface plane, a void in the table portion, and a removable table insert positioned within the void and including a cutting member slot, a surface of the table insert being within the table surface plane when the table insert is positioned within the void, the assembly comprising a splitter and a cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood pivotally connected to a connection portion of said splitter and movable relative to said splitter between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the driven cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the driven cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, and wherein when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, a retention portion of said cutting member guard hood releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion of said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, said cutting member guard hood extending through the table surface plane into the void when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, said retention portion of said cutting member guard hood thereby being prevented from retainingly engaging said corresponding retention portion of said splitter when the table insert is positioned within the void in the table portion.

A cutting device comprising:

• a table portion having a void therethrough and including a workpiece support surface;
• a frame, said table portion mounted on said frame;
• a table insert removably supported within said void and including a slot through which a driven cutting member extends;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted to the cutting device, said splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising a cutting member guard hood and a splitter said cutting member guard hood pivotally connected to said splitter and pivotable between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is exposed, said cutting member guard hood having a first retention element that releasably retainingly engages a second retention element on said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, said first retention element prevented from retainingly engaging said second retention element to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position when said table insert is positioned within said void in said table portion.

A cutting device comprising:

• a table portion having a void therethrough and including a workpiece support surface;
• a frame, said table portion mounted on said frame;
• a table insert removably supported within said void and including a slot through which a driven cutting member extends;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted to at least one of said frame and said table portion, said splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising a splitter and a cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood movably connected to a connection portion of said splitter and positionable in a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, and wherein when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position a retention portion of said cutting member guard hood releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion of said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, said retention portion of said cutting member guard hood being prevented from selectively engaging said corresponding retention portion of said splitter to retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position when said table insert is positioned within said void in said table portion.

A cutting device comprising:

• a table portion having a void therethrough and including a workpiece support surface;
• a frame, said table portion mounted on said frame;
• a table insert removably supported within said void and including a slot through which a driven cutting member extends;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted to the cutting device, said splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising:
• a splitter including a first retention structure thereon;
• and
• a cuttting member guard hood movably mounted to said splitter and positionable in at least a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers the operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood including a second retention structure thereon, one of said first retention structure and said second retention structure releasably retainingly engaging the other of said first retention structure and said second retention structure when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, said first retention structure and said second retention structure incapable of retainingly engaging each other when said table insert is positioned within said void in said table portion.

A cutting device comprising:

• a table portion having a void therethrough and including a workpiece support surface;
• a frame, said table portion mounted on said frame;
• a table insert removably supported within said void and including a slot through which a driven cutting member extend;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted on the cutting device, said splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising a splitter and a cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood pivotally connected to a connection portion of said splitter and positionable between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers the operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, and wherein when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, a retention portion of said cutting member guard hood releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion of said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, another portion of said cutting member guard hood being positioned within said void in said table portion when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, said cutting member guard hood thereby being prevented from assuming said second position when said table insert is positioned within said void in said table portion.

A cutting device comprising:

• a table portion having a void therethrough and including a workpiece support surface defining a support surface plane;
• a frame on which said table portion is mounted;
• a table insert selectively positionable within said void and including a slot through which a driven cutting member extends, said table insert including a surface within said support surface plane when said table insert is disposed within said void;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted to the cutting device, said splitter and cutting member guard assembly comprising a splitter and a cutting member guard hood, said cutting member guard hood pivotally connected to said splitter and movable relative to said splitter between a first position, in which said cutting member guard hood covers an operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by the cutting member guard hood, when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position, a retention portion of said cutting member guard hood releasably retainingly engages a corresponding retention portion on said splitter to thereby retain said cutting member guard hood in said second position, another portion of said cutting member guard hood extending through said table surface plane into said void when said cutting member guard hood is in said second position.

A cutting device comprising:

• means for supporting a workpiece, said means for supporting including a first void therethrough;
• means for bracing said means for supporting;
• means for filling said first void removably supported within said first void and including a second void therethrough through which a driven cutting member may extend;
• and
• a splitter and cutting member guard assembly mounted on the cutting device comprising:
• means for covering an operative portion of the driven cutting member rotatably mounted on the cutting device;
• means for passing through a workpiece kerf, said means for passing through a workpiece kerf having a second retention means, said means for covering being mounted to said means for passing through and being pivotable between a first position, in which said means for covering covers the operative portion of the cutting member, and a second position, in which the operative portion of the cutting member is not covered by said means for covering, said means for covering having a first retention means in releasable retaining engagement with said second retention means when said means for covering is in said second position to thereby retain said means for covering in said second position, said first retention means prevented from engaging said second retention means when said means for filling is positioned within said first void in said means for supporting.