Patent ID: 6237228
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B27B

Abstract:
A device for enabling adjustment of a chain saw cutting element, comprising:a motor housing for housing a chain saw motor;a motor housing cover formed of a rigid, compressible material;said motor housing cover having an inboard side facing said motor housing;an elongate flat blade having a peripheral edge about which said cutting element extends;said elongate flat blade having an inboard side facing said motor housing and an outboard side facing said motor housing cover;said elongate flat blade having a distal free end used for cutting and a proximal end that is movably secured to said motor housing;an elongate slot formed in said proximal end of said elongate flat blade, said elongate slot extending completely through said flat blade;a pair of longitudinally spaced apart posts mounted to said motor housing that extend through said elongate slot;each of said posts having an externally threaded part and an unthreaded base having a greater diameter than said threaded part;a shoulder means formed at the juncture of said threaded part and said unthreaded base of each of said posts;a blade position adjustment means rotatably mounted to said motor housing;a peg means movably mounted to said motor housing for distal-to-proximal and proximal-to-distal displacement, said peg means being under the control of said blade position adjustment means;said peg means engaging the proximal end of said elongate flat blade for displacing said elongate flat blade in a distal-to-proximal direction to loosen said cutting element and in a proximal-to-distal direction to tighten said cutting element;said elongate slot formed in said elongate flat blade being in registration with said peg means to accommodate said distal-to-proximal and proximal-to-distal displacement of said elongate flat blade;a spacer plate means having apertures formed in its opposite ends for receiving said respective threaded parts of said posts;said spacer plate means having an inboard side facing said motor housing and an outboard side facing said motor housing cover;said spacer plate means being supported at its opposite ends by said respective unthreaded bases of said posts;said spacer plate means having a longitudinal extent sized to fit within said elongate slot;said spacer plate means having a cut-out formed therein to provide access to said blade position adjustment means;said respective bases of said posts being recessed by a predetermined distance with respect to said outboard side of said elongate flat blade;said spacer plate means having a predetermined thickness that positions its outboard side about 0.001 inches above said outboard side of said elongate flat blade;a pair of nuts for respectively screw-threadedly engaging said respective threaded parts of said posts;said pair of nuts, when loosely tightened, urging said inboard side of said motor housing cover into abutting relation to said outboard side of said spacer plate means;said spacer plate means creating an initial clearance space of about 0.001 inches between said outboard side of said elongate flat blade and said outboard side of said spacer plate means when said pair of nuts are respectively loosely screw-threadedly engaged with said posts;said initial clearance space being reduced to no clearance space when said nuts are tightened, said tightening compressing said cover of said motor housing so that said inboard side of said motor housing cover lightly abuts said outboard side of said elongate flat blade to prevent vibration of said elongate flat blade during chainsaw operation;said elongate flat blade being displaceable by said blade position adjustment means to loosen or tighten said cutting element with respect to said peripheral edge of said elongate flat blade when said nuts are tightened because said light abutting contact between said motor housing cover and said elongate flat blade is insufficient to prevent displacement of said elongate cutting blade by said blade position adjustment means.