Hacksaw with a reciprocating blade

A hacksaw with a reciprocating blade for minimizing the amount of manual action needed to operate said hacksaw, said hacksaw comprising:

• a U-shaped housing having an interior, said housing having a first end and a second end, said housing comprising a first portion, a second portion, and a middle portion, said first, second, and middle portions defining a gap for receiving material to be cut, wherein said first portion is positioned adjacent to said first end and said second portion is positioned adjacent to said second end, said middle portion being coupled to and extending between said first portion and said second portion, said middle portion being positioned adjacent to a top side of said housing, said first portion of said housing having a slot extending therethrough, said slot being positioned adjacent to said first end and being oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said housing such that said slot forms a handle for grasping onto by the user, said housing having a front wall, a back wall, and a peripheral wall attached to and extending between said front wall and said back wall to define said interior;
• a hacksaw blade for cutting the materials positioned in said gap, said hacksaw blade extending between said first portion and said second portion of said housing, said hacksaw blade being spaced from said middle portion of said housing, said hacksaw blade having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end being positioned in said interior of said first portion, said outer end being positioned in said interior of said second portion, said hacksaw blade being oriented substantially parallel to a plane of said front wall and said back wall of said housing;
• an inner cam member for converting rotational motion into linear motion, said inner cam member being rotatably coupled to said housing and positioned in said first portion, said inner cam member being coupled to said inner end of said hacksaw blade such that said hacksaw blade moves in a reciprocal manner in a longitudinal direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said housing when said inner cam member rotates;
• an outer cam member for converting rotational motion into linear motion, said outer cam member being rotatably coupled to said housing and positioned in said second portion, said outer cam member being coupled to said outer end of said hacksaw blade such that said hacksaw blade moves in a reciprocal manner along said longitudinal axis of said housing when said outer cam member rotates;
• a motor assembly being positioned in said interior of said housing, said motor assembly including a motor and a first drive pulley mounted on said motor for rotating said first drive pulley;
• a first linkage member being coupled to and extending between said first drive pulley and said inner cam member, ends of said first linkage member being pivotally mounted on said first drive pulley and said inner cam member such that rotation of said first drive pulley causes said inner cam member to rotate;
• a second drive pulley being positioned in said interior of housing;
• a second linkage member being coupled to and extending between said second drive pulley and said outer cam member, ends of said second linkage member being pivotally mounted on said second drive pulley and said outer cam member such that rotation of said second drive pulley causes said outer cam member to rotate;
• a plurality of idler pulleys being positioned in said interior of said housing, a first pair of said idler pulleys being located in an upper section of said first portion of said housing, a second pair of idler pulleys being located in an upper section of said second portion of said housing;
• a continuous loop drive belt for linking said first drive pulley and said second drive pulley, said continuous loop drive belt being wrapped about said first drive pulley and said second drive pulley, a middle section of said continuous loop drive belt engaging each of said idler pulleys, wherein rotation of said first drive pulley causes rotation of said second drive pulley such that said hacksaw blade moves in a reciprocating manner upon activation of said motor;
• a power source for powering said motor, said power source being positioned in said interior of said housing, said power source being electrically coupled to said motor, said power source comprising a battery;
• an actuator for selectively providing power from said power source to said motor, said actuator being positioned on said housing adjacent to said slot, said actuator being electrically coupled to said power source and said motor, said actuator comprising a variable position switch;
• and
• a holding mechanism for selectively holding said hacksaw blade stationary, said holding mechanism being attached to and extending into said housing, said holding mechanism being selectively positionable such that the user may move said holding mechanism inward into said housing until said mechanism abuts said inner cam member such that movement of said hacksaw blade is further restricted in conjunction with resistance from said motor assembly.