Hand-operated jig-saw with saw blade guidance system

A power scroll saw (10, 100) with a housing (12, 120) and a saw blade (18, 180) capable of being driven in a reciprocating manner, and with tongs-like guide means (26, 260) that guide the saw blade (18, 180) in a laterally-supported manner, wherein the guide means (26, 260) are capable of being switched by hand selectively into a position having lateral clearance from the saw blade (18, 180) and into a position in which they laterally support the saw blade (18, 180), wharein the guide means (26, 260) attempt to move, with spring preload, into the position in which they laterally support the saw blade (18, 180), wherein a push-button (52, 520) is provided, and when it is actuated, the guide means (26, 260) abruptly move into their position in which they laterally support the saw blade (18, 180), wherein elastically preloaded sliding members (45, 46) guided along a straight line are provided for closing and/or opening the tongs-like guide means (26, 260), wherein the two sliding members (45, 46) are supported such that they are displaceable relative to each other, whereby one sliding member (45) forcibly carries along the other (46) in a direction of travel and is capable of being moved back in the opposite direction of travel, wherein a driving means (48) is situated between the first sliding member (45) and the second (46), whereby, in the “closed” position of the guide tongs (26), an axial clearance of approximately 0.5 mm between the driving means (48) and the second sliding member (46) exists in the direction of displacement toward the “open” position.