Two-position quick-change saw

A saw frame assembly comprising:

• a generally planar frame including a back member having forward and rearward end portions;
• handle structure adjacent said rearward end portion of said back member and extending downwardly therefrom;
• a single, elongate arm member;
• and means for substantially nonremovably mounting said arm member on said forward end portion of said back member for movement between a first position, extending downwardly from said back member in confronting, coplanar, spaced relationship to said handle structure, and a second position extending generally along said back member, said arm member having a distal end portion, remote from said back member in said first position of said arm member, with a first pair of substantially transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on opposite sides thereof, taken with reference to a medial plane of said frame, and said forward end portion of said back member having a second pair of said transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on the opposite sides thereof;
• and a quick-release blade-tensioning mechanism mounted on said frame and including a movable member having a third pair of said blade-engaging elements transversely aligned on opposite sides thereof and being constructed to effect displacement of said movable member between blade-tensioning and blade-releasing positions, said handle structure of said frame having a cam bearing surface thereon, and said blade-tensioning mechanism comprising an operating member and a turnbuckle arrangement, said operating member having a cam element thereon disposed to engage said cam bearing surface and to cooperate therewith to effect such displacement of said movable member, said turnbuckle arrangement including a tension-adjusting link element that is readily accessible for manual adjustment;
• each of said blade-engaging elements being constructed to engage one end of a removably mounted saw blade, one element of each of said pairs of blade-engaging elements lying substantially in a first lateral plane, disposed to one side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient a mounted blade substantially parallel to said medial plane, and the other element of each of said pairs of elements lying in a second lateral plane, disposed to the opposite side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient the mounted blade at a substantial angle to said medial plane, coplanar elements of said first and second pairs of blade-engaging elements being commonly disposed on an arc circumscribing the coplanar element of said third pair of blade-engaging elements;
• whereby said frame assembly can mount a saw blade, in either of two orientations, between said second and third pairs of blade-engaging elements for cutting within a relatively confined space, and can readily be converted to mount the blade between said first and third blade-engaging elements, with said arm member in said first position thereof, for cutting within a relatively unconfined space.

A saw frame assembly comprising:

• a generally planar frame including a back member having forward and rearward end portions;
• handle structure adjacent said rearward end portion of said back member and extending downwardly therefrom;
• a single, elongate arm member;
• and means for substantially nonremovably mounting said arm member on said forward end portion of said back member for pivotal movement between a first position, extending downwardly from said back member in confronting, coplanar, spaced relationship to said handle structure, and a second position extending generally along said back member, said arm member having a distal end portion, remote from said back member in said first position of said arm member, with a first pair of substantially transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on opposite sides thereof, taken with reference to a medial plane of said frame, and said forward end portion of said back member having a second pair of said transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on the opposite sides thereof;
• and a quick-release blade-tensioning mechanism mounted on said frame and including a movable member having a third pair of said transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on opposite sides thereof and being constructed to effect displacement of said movable member between blade-tensioning and blade-releasing positions, said handle structure of said frame having a cam bearing surface thereon, and said blade-tensioning mechanism comprising an operating member and a turnbuckle arrangement, said operating member having a cam element thereon disposed to engage said cam bearing surface and to cooperate therewith to effect such displacement of said movable member, said turnbuckle arrangement including a tension-adjusting link element that is readily accessible for manual adjustment;
• said handle structure comprising a gripping component having a rearward surface portion, and said blade-tensioning mechanism including an operating lever pivotably mounted at a location spaced from said back member and comprising an arm portion that extends upwardly along and against said rearward surface portion of said gripping component in said blade-tensioning position of said mechanism, said arm portion being configured to cooperate with said gripping component to provide a hand grip for said saw assembly;
• each of said blade-engaging elements being constructed to engage one end of a removably mounted saw blade, one element of each of said pairs of blade-engaging elements lying substantially in a first lateral plane, disposed to one side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient a mounted blade substantially parallel to said medial plane, and the other element of each of said pairs of elements lying in a second lateral plane, disposed to the opposite side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient the mounted blade at a substantial angle to said medial plane, coplanar elements of said first and second pairs of blade-engaging elements in each of said first and second lateral planes being commonly disposed on an arc circumscribing the coplanar element of said third pair of blade-engaging elements;
• whereby said frame assembly can mount a saw blade, in either of two orientations, between said second and third pairs of blade-engaging elements for cutting within a relatively confined space, and can readily be converted to mount the blade between said first and third blade-engaging elements, with said arm member in said first position thereof, for cutting within a relatively unconfined space.

A saw frame assembly comprising:

• a generally planar frame including a back member having forward and rearward end portions;
• handle structure adjacent said rearward end portion of said back member and extending downwardly therefrom;
• a single, elongate arm member;
• and means for substantially nonremovably mounting said arm member on said forward end portion of said back member for movement between a first position, extending downwardly from said back member in confronting, coplanar, spaced relationship to said handle structure, and a second position extending generally along said back member, said arm member having a distal end portion, remote from said back member in said first position of said arm member, with a first pair of substantially transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on opposite sides thereof, taken with reference to a medial plane of said frame, and said forward end portion of said back member having a second pair of said transversely aligned blade-engaging elements on the opposite sides thereof;
• and a quick-release blade-tensioning mechanism mounted on said frame and including a movable member having a third pair of said transversely aligned blade-engaging elements transversely aligned on opposite sides thereof and being constructed to effect displacement of said movable member between blade-tensioning and blade-releasing positions, said handle structure comprising a gripping component having a rearward surface portion, and said blade-tensioning mechanism including an operating lever pivotably mounted at a location spaced from said back member and comprising an arm portion that extends upwardly along and against said rearward surface portion of said gripping component in said blade-tensioning position of said mechanism, said arm portion being configured to cooperate with said gripping component to provide a hand grip for said saw assembly;
• each of said blade-engaging elements being constructed to engage one end of a removably mounted saw blade, one element of each of said pairs of blade-engaging elements lying substantially in a first lateral plane, disposed to one side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient a mounted blade substantially parallel to said medial plane, and the other element of each of said pairs lying in a second lateral plane, disposed to the opposite side of said medial plane, and being constructed to orient the mounted blade at a substantial angle to said medial plane, coplanar elements of said first and second pairs of blade-engaging elements in each of said first and second lateral planes being commonly disposed on an arc circumscribing the coplanar element of said third pair of blade-engaging elements;
• whereby said frame assembly can mount a saw blade, in either of two orientations, between said second and third pairs of blade-engaging elements for cutting within a relatively confined space, and can readily be converted to mount the blade between said first and third blade-engaging elements, with said arm member in said first position thereof, for cutting within a relatively unconfined space.