Miter detent override mechanism

The miter saw comprising:

• a base having a center pivot and a plurality of detents concentrically arranged at spaced angular positions at a generally predetermined distance from said center pivot;
• a table mounted to said base and configured to be rotatable around said center pivot, said table having a front extension with a handle portion configured to enable a user to angularly adjust the position of said table relative to said base;
• a detent system mounted to said table and comprising a moveable lever with a gripping portion located below and adjacent to said handle portion, said lever having an associated detent pin, said detent pin being configured to selectively engage said detents to hold said table at a predetermined angular position when engaged with one of said detents, wherein said moveable lever is elongated and is pivotably connected to said table at a lever pivot connection, said associated detent pin being located on an end opposite said gripping portion, said lever pivot connection to said table being located between said gripping portion and said detent pin;
• a spring configured to bias said moveable lever and associated detent pin toward engagement with said detents;
• a detent override mechanism for retaining said moveable lever and associated detent pin out of engagement with said detents, said override mechanism comprising a moveable button positioned on the top of said handle portion;
• whereby a user can grasp said handle portion and gripping portion and move said lever with one hand and simultaneously move said button with the thumb of the one hand to retain said lever and associated detent pin out of engagement with any of said detents;
• wherein said front extension of said table has a recess in the front top portion thereof defined by opposite side walls, a back wall and a shorter front wall, said detent override mechanism having said moveable button and a hook structure mounted on said moveable button and being pivotably mounted in said recess, said hook structure extending downwardly from said handle portion and configured to pivotably contact and hold said gripping end of said lever, wherein said gripping portion has two detent override pins spaced apart from one another and generally aligned and formed in an upper region of said gripping portion and configured to be contacted and held by said hook structure when a user moves said moveable button while said gripping portion of said lever is moved toward said handle portion a sufficient distance so that said hook structure can contact and hold said two detent override pins, said hook structure having two spaced apart hook portions for contacting an underside of said two detent override pins.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base having a center pivot and a circumferential surface with plurality of detents arranged at spaced angular positions;
• a table mounted to said base and configured to be rotatable around said center pivot, said table having a front handle portion configured to enable a user to angularly adjust the position of said table relative to said base;
• a detent system mounted to said table and comprising an elongated pivotable lever with a gripping portion at one end located adjacent to the underside of said handle portion, said lever having a detent pin located at an opposite end, said detent pin being configured to be selectively inserted into said detents to hold said table at a predetermined angular position, said gripping portion including two detent override pins spaced apart and generally aligned and formed in an upper region of said gripping portion;
• a spring configured to bias said lever and detent pin toward insertion in said detents;
• a detent override mechanism for retaining said pivotable lever and detent pin from being inserted in said detents when engaged, said override mechanism comprising a depressible button positioned on the top of said handle portion, a bias mechanism, and a hook structure mounted on said depressible button and having two spaced apart hook portions, wherein said two spaced apart hook portions are configured to contact an underside of said two detent override pins;
• whereby a user can grasp said handle portion and pull said gripping portion of said lever toward said handle portion with one hand and simultaneously depress said button with the thumb of the one hand to engage said detent override mechanism and retain said lever and detent pin from being inserted into any of said detents, wherein said depressible button is configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to depression of said button and to move from said second position to said first position when the user pulls said gripping portion of said lever toward said handle portion.