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US 7,063,000 B2Granted
Cutting guide with integral clamping and alignment
OwnerJohn C. Molburginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable guide for use with portable power tools such as saws and routers to assist in making straight cuts or grooves precisely located in panels or sheets by moving the tool along a planar side surface 64 of a guide bar 10. Clamp assemblies 20R and 20L secure the guide bar 10 to the workpiece and support the workpiece by clamping the workpiece on both sides of the line of cut via a tightening clamp screw 26 and planar clamp plate 28 that forcefully urge the workpiece into contact with an angle portion 66 of the frame 21 of the clamp assemblies 20R and 20L. The clamp assemblies 20R and 20L are designed to avoid interference between the clamp assemblies and the cutter portion of the power tool. A template 40 precisely locates the clamp assemblies relative to the line of cut.
Claims20
A device for maintaining the horizontal position of a predetermined portion of a workpiece while said device guides a power hand saw across the workpiece comprising:
- a guide bar having a length that facilitates the guiding of a power hand saw beyond corresponding edges of a workpiece;
- a first clamp removably secured to a first end of the workpiece, said first clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said first clamp adjacent to a first edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions for engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portions being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of the workpiece between an upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said angle portions on each side of the line of cut after the workpiece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a first end portion of the workpiece while said guide bar guides a power band saw across the workpiece;
- a second clamp removably secured to a second end of the workpiece, said second clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said second clamp adjacent to a second edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions for engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portion being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of the workpiece between an upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said angle portions on each side of the line of cut after the piece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a second end portion of the workpiece while said guide bar guides the power hand saw across the workpiece;
- means for aligning said first and second clamps relative to the intended line of cut;
- and
- means for securing said guide bar to said first and second clamps.
9 more elements
A device for maintaining the position of a rigid workpiece after being divided into two portions comprising:
- a guide bar having a length that facilitates the guiding of a power hand saw beyond corresponding edges of a workpiece;
- a first clamp removably secured to a first end of the workpiece, said first clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said first damn adjacent to a first edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions for engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portions being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of the workpiece between and upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said single portions on each side of the line of cut after the workpiece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a first end portion of the workpiece while said guide or guides a power hand saw across the workpiece;
- a second clamp removably secured to a second end of the workpiece, said second clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said second clamp adjacent to a second edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions for engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portions being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of workpiece between an upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said angle portions on each side of the line of cut after the workpiece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a second end portion of the workpiece while said guide bar guides a power hand saw across the workpiece;
- means for aligning said first and second clamps relative to the intended line of cut;
- and
- means for securing said side bar to said first and second clamps.
9 more elements
A method for maintaining the position of a rigid workpiece while being divided into two portions, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a guide bar having a length that facilitates the guiding of a power hand saw beyond corresponding edges of a workpiece;
- providing a first clamp removably secured to a first end of the workpiece, said first clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said first clamp adjacent to a first edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions for engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portions being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of the workpiece between an upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said angle portions on each side of the line of cut after the workpiece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a first end portion of the workpiece while said guide bar guides a power hand saw across the workpiece;
- providing a second clamp removably secured to a second end of the workpiece, said second clamp comprising:
- a frame having a notch centrally disposed for allowing a saw blade to pass through said frame, said frame including an engagement wall for positioning said second clamp adjacent to a second edge of the workpiece, a lower wall for disposing a protection wall a predetermined horizontal distance from said engagement wall, and opposing angle portions engaging upper edge portions of the workpiece on each side of a line of cut, said lower wall and opposing angle portions being vertically separated a distance that promotes the insertion of the workpiece between an upper edge of said lower wall and bottom walls of said angle portions;
- and
- first and second clamp screws secured to said lower wall and disposed to engage a corresponding angle portion of said frame, said first and second clamp screws being initially disposed to allow the workpiece to engage said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws ultimately securing the workpiece against said angle portions on each side of the line of cut after the workpiece engages said engagement wall, said first and second clamp screws, engagement wall and angle portions being cooperatively configured for maintaining the horizontal position of a second end portion of the workpiece while said guide bar guides a power hand saw across the workpiece;
- aligning said first and second clamps relative to the intended line of cut;
- and
- securing said guide bar to said first and second clamps.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.