Guide for band saws
OwnerHoward L. Snodgrass, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A band saw blade guide for use with band saw blades, the band saw blade guide including a base, a wheel having a high-speed bearing and a circumferential groove, and a shaft movable with respect to the base. The groove receives a non-cutting edge of a band saw blade. The band saw blade guide is biased to be in constant contact with the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade.
Claims18
In a band saw having a band saw blade guide for use with a band saw blade, the band saw blade defining a cutting edge and a non-cutting edge, the improvement comprising:
- a shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a wheel having a high-speed bearing, the wheel positioned adjacent to the first end of the shaft and defining a circumferential groove on an outer surface thereof;
- and
- a base connected to the second end of the shaft, the shaft being fixed against rotation with respect to the base,
- wherein the wheel is positioned to be in continuous, rotational contact with the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade, the wheel exerts a continuous biasing force on the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade, and the cutting edge of the band saw blade can pivot with respect to the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade.
A method of equipping a band saw having a band saw blade with a band saw blade guide, the band saw blade defining a cutting edge and an opposite non-cutting edge, and the band saw blade guide having a high-speed bearing and a wheel defining a circumferential groove, comprising the steps of:
- a. positioning the band saw blade guide adjacent to the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade;
- b. aligning the circumferential groove defined by the wheel with the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade;
- c. moving the wheel toward the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade until the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade is in continuous, rotational contact with the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade guide;
- d. further moving the wheel an appropriate amount toward the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade so that the wheel exerts a continuous biasing force against the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade;
- and
- e. fixing the location of the wheel.
A band saw, comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of pulleys connected to the frame;
- a mounting arm defining a cavity, the mounting arm connected to the frame;
- a band saw blade connected to the pulleys so that rotation of the pulleys rotates the band saw blade, the band saw blade defining a cutting edge and a non-cutting edge;
- a motor for rotating the pair of pulleys;
- and
- a band saw blade guide adjustably connected to the cavity defined by the mounting arm, the band saw blade guide having:
- a shaft with a first end and a second end;
- a wheel positioned adjacent to the first end of the shaft, the wheel having a high-speed bearing therein and defining a circumferential groove on an outer surface thereof;
- a base forming a screw receiving cavity and a shaft receiving cavity, the shaft receiving cavity receiving the second end of the shaft and the screw receiving cavity receiving a set screw that selectively restricts movement of the shaft with respect to the base;
- and
- the groove on the wheel receiving the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade, wherein the wheel is in continuous, rotational contact with the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade when the band saw blade is in operation, the wheel exerts a continuous biasing force against the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade, and the cutting edge of the band saw blade is allowed to pivot with respect to the non-cutting edge of the band saw blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.