Circular saw

Claim 2

In a portable, power operated circular saw of the type having a motor driven, blade mounting shaft and a fixed blade guard adapted to enclose the teeth on the upper portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft, the improvement comprising: a. a kerf guide and means mounting the same adjacent said fixed blade guard and positioned so as to enter the kerf formed by a circular blade mounted on said shaft; b. a movable blade guard and other means mounting the same foR swinging movement between open and closed positions about an axis parallel with said shaft and offset from the axis of rotation of the latter in a direction toward said kerf guide; and c. said movable blade guard being shaped such that in the closed position thereof it encloses both said kerf guide and a substantial number of the teeth on the lower portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said movable blade guard has a forward end which is engaged by the work being cut, said movable blade guard, when in the closed position thereof, cooperating with the fixed blade guard to enclose the entire periphery of a circular blade mounted on said shaft except for an approximate 10* sector defined by said forward end and the adjacent portion of the fixed blade guard.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 2 further defined by, a formation in which said shaft is rotatably mounted, said formation having an annular bearing surface defining said first mentioned axis, said movable blade guard having a ring formation rotatably engaging said annular bearing surface.

Claim 5

The improvement according to claim 1 further defined by: a. said saw having a motor housing adjacent one side of said fixed blade guard; b. a manually operable blade guard retracting member pivotally mounted adjacent said one side of said fixed blade guard; and c. connecting means extending between said member and said movable blade guard thereby to swing the latter about said axis upon pivoting movement of the former.

Claim 6

The improvement according to claim 1 further defined by, adjustment means supporting said kerf guide from said fixed blade guard, which adjustment means serves to permit mounting of the kerf guide in a plurality of positions in its own plane.

Claim 7

The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said adjustment means comprises: a. a first element including cam means; b. a second element including cam follower means engaged with said cam means; and c. one of said elements being mounted from said fixed blade guard adjacent the rearwardmost portion thereof, the other of said elements being connected to said kerf guide and mounting the same for movement in its own plane and also for rocking the same in said plane during such movement thereby permitting a predetermined spacing to be maintained between the distal end of the kerf guide and circular blades of different diameters.

Claim 8

The improvement according to claim 6 wherein one of said cam means and cam follower means consists of a pair of slots and the other of said cam means and cam follower means consists of a pair of fasteners slidably received in respective slots, the interengagement between said slots and said fasteners serving to impart said movements to said kerf guide.

Claim 9

The improvement according to claim 7 wherein said slots are contained in a plane parallel to the plane of the blade and extend generally perpendicular to a radius of a circular blade of said shaft, which slots diverge in a generally upward direction.

Claim 10

In a portable, power operated circular saw of the type having a motor driven, blade mounting shaft and a fixed blade guard adapted to enclose the teeth on the upper portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft, and a movable blade guard adapted, in the closed position thereof, to enclose the teeth on the lower portion of such blade, the improvement comprising: a. a first element including cam means; b. a second element including cam follower means engaged with said cam means; c. a kerf guide having a distal end and a leading edge surface adjacent thereto; and d. one of said elements being mounted adjacent the rearwardmost portion of said fixed blade guard, the other of said elements being connected to said kerf guide at the end thereof remote from said distal end and mounting the kerf guide so as to enter the kerf formed by a circular blade mounted on said shaft and with a predeteRmined spacing between said leading edge surface and the periphery of the blade and also with a predetermined distance of said distal end above the lowermost portion of said blade, said cam means and said cam follower means cooperating to permit movement of the kerf guide in its own plane, the interengagement between said cam means and said cam follower means causing said kerf guide to be rocked in its own plane, in response to such movement of the kerf guide, along a prescribed path thereby to maintain said predetermined spacing and said predetermined distance between the kerf guide and circular blades of different diameters.

Claim 11

In a portable, power operated circular saw of the type having a motor driven, blade mounting shaft and a fixed blade guard adapted to enclose the teeth on the upper portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft, and a movable blade guard adapted, in the closed position thereof, to enclose the teeth on the lower portion of such blade, the improvement comprising: a. a first element including cam means; b. a second element including cam follower means engaged with said cam means; c. a kerf guide having a distal end and a leading edge surface adjacent thereto; and d. one of said elements being mounted adjacent the rearwardmost portion of said fixed blade guard, the other of said elements being connected to said kerf guide at the end thereof remote from said distal end and mounting the kerf guide so as to enter the kerf formed by a circular blade mounted on said shaft and with a predeteRmined spacing between said leading edge surface and the periphery of the blade and also with a predetermined distance of said distal end above the lowermost portion of said blade, said cam means and said cam follower means cooperating to permit movement of the kerf guide in its own plane, the interengagement between said cam means and said cam follower means causing said kerf guide to be rocked in its own plane, in response to such movement of the kerf guide, along a prescribed path thereby to maintain said predetermined spacing and said predetermined distance between the kerf guide and circular blades of different diameters.

Claim 12

The improvement according to claim 9 wherein one of said cam means and cam follower means consists of a pair of slots, the other of said cam means and cam follower means consists of a pair of fasteners slidably received in respective slots, said slots being in non-parallel relationship with each other.

Claim 13

In a portable, power operated circular saw of the type having a motor driven, blade mounting shaft and a fixed blade guard adapted to enclose the teeth on the upper portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft, and a movable blade guard adapted, in the closed position thereof, to enclose the teeth on the lower portion of such blade, the improvement comprising: a. a first element including cam means; b. a second element including cam follower means engaged with said cam means; c. a kerf guide; d. one of said elements being mounted from said fixed blade guard adjacent the rearwardmost portion thereof, the other of said elements being connected to said kerf guide and mounting the same so as to enter the kerf formed by a circular blade mounted on said shaft, said cam means and said cam follower means cooperating to permit movement of the kerf guide in its own plane and to rock the same in said plane during such movement thereby permitting a predetermined spacing to be maintained between the distal end of the kerf guide and circular blades of different diameters; and e. said blade guard, in the closed position thereof, enclosing said kerf guide and a substantial number of the teeth on the lower portion of a blade on said shaft.

Claim 14

In a portable, power operated circular saw of the type having a motor driven, blade mounting shaft and a fixed blade guard adapted to enclose the teeth on the upper portion of a circular blade mounted on said shaft, and a movable blade guard adapted, in the closed position thereof, to enclose the teeth on the lower portion of such blade, the improvement comprising: a. a first element including cam means; b. a second element including cam follower means engaged with said cam means; c. a kerf guide; d. one of said elements being mounted from said fixed blade guard adjacent the rearwardmost portion thereof, the other of said elements being connected to said kerf guide and mounting the same so as to enter the kerf formed by a circular blade mounted on said shaft, said cam means and said cam follower means cooperating to permit movement of the kerf guide in its own plane and to rock the same in said plane during such movement thereby permitting a predetermined spacing to be maintained between the distal end of the kerf guide and circular blades of different diameters; and e. said blade guard, in the closed position thereof, enclosing said kerf guide and a substantial number of the teeth on the lower portion of a blade on said shaft.

Claim 15

The improvement according to claim 11 wherein said movable blade guard includes a forward end adapted to be engaged by the work being cut, said fixed blade guard and said movable blade guard, in the closed position of the latter, serving to enclose the entire periphery of a circular blade on said shaft except for an approximate 10* sector defined by said forward end and the adjacent portion of the fixed blade guard.