Patent ID: 9403221
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: B23C,B27C,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A plunge base for a router, the plunge base comprising: a base plate including a generally flat bottom surface and defining an opening through which a router bit of a router supported by the plunge base extends to engage a workpiece; a carriage support extending vertically upward from the base plate on one side of the opening; a router carriage slidably retained on the carriage support, the router carriage being slidable toward and away from the base plate between a first position and a second position, the router carriage including a collar portion defining an open-ended passage through which a body of a router is extended when the router is supported by the router carriage, the collar portion being configured to retain the router in the open-ended passage with the router aligned with the opening in the base plate; a plunge lock mechanism configured to retain the router carriage at any position between and including the first position and the second position in relation to the carriage support; and a depth stop mechanism defining a depth limit and configured to prevent movement of the router carriage toward the base plate past the depth limit, wherein the carriage support includes at least one guide post that extends upwardly from the base plate on one side of the opening, wherein the router carriage includes a slide portion that is slidably retained on the guide posts and a router retaining portion that extends from the slide portion over the opening in the base plate, the router retaining portion being configured to releasably secure the router thereto, and wherein the at least one guide post includes a biasing spring located between the slide portion of the router carriage and the base plate for biasing the router carriage toward the first position, and wherein the plunge lock mechanism includes an electromagnet and a switch, the electromagnet incorporated into the slide portion adjacent the at least one guide post, the switch being located on the exterior of the slide portion and configured to control power to the electromagnet, the electromagnet being configured to magnetically attach to the at least one guide post in response to being power on by the switch.