Abstract:
A toe-kick saw including a rear or front toe-kick wall guide. The toe-kick saw includes a motor contained within said housing, a spindle on the motor, a spindle extension linked to the spindle, a blade mount secured to the spindle extension and a fixed blade guard secured at the end of the spindle extension. The fixed blade guard includes features to enhance safety during tool misuse, such as a rear toe space bumper, a front toe space bumper, primary and secondary blade guards, and a rearward leaning spike. The larger fixed blade guard allows use of a dust port on this tool.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/826,349, filed Sep. 20, 2006. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present device relates generally to flooring installation tools and more specifically to an improved toe-kick saw having enhanced safety features.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     A toe-kick saw is a specialty circular saw used in residential floor remodeling. When a finished floor is to be replaced, this often means that the underlayment beneath the finished floor must also be replaced. The “finished floor” is the topmost, exposed layer of flooring selected for decor and utility in the room (typically vinyl, ceramic tile, carpet, hardwood or laminate plank). Beneath the finished floor is underlayment, which is an especially flat, finely finished material. The use of underlayment ensures the finished floor will be installed on a flat surface with no bumps which might poke through the finished floor or create irregularities. Beneath the underlayment is the rough subfloor (normally plywood) which is laid over the joists.  
         [0004]     When a finished floor is to be replaced, it is often necessary to replace the underlayment as well. When new vinyl, ceramic tile, or hardwood floors are installed, adhesive is used to adhere the finished floor to the underlayment. In such cases, the finished floor cannot be removed from the underlayment without damaging it.  
         [0005]     In many finished floor installations, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, cabinetry is encountered which may have toe-kicks. Toe-kicks are relieved areas at the bottom of the cabinet which allow a person to step closely to the cabinet without stubbing a toe. Often times the cabinetry is installed first before the finished floor is installed, and the cabinetry is installed on top of the underlayment. In the case of a hardwood finished floor, the cabinetry may even be installed on top of the finished floor as well.  
         [0006]     Whenever cabinets with toe-kicks are installed on top of the underlayment or finished floor, removing only old underlayment and/or finished floor under the toe-kick can be very difficult. Using conventional hand tools, such as a hammer and chisel, the floor installer would have to chisel out the floor along the entire length of the toe-kick. This chiseling is difficult because the chisel can only be pointed into the corner at a 45 degree angle, not straight downward as required to effectively chisel the material. There is a clear danger of the hammer or chisel striking and damaging the cabinet face. Conventional power saws will not fit underneath the toe space. A specialized power saw is needed which can extend underneath and cut flush up against the inner wall of a toe space.  
         [0007]     Toe-kick saws are available for this purpose. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a typical prior art toe-kick saw  100  consisted of a circular saw motor  120  having a rotating armature (not shown), a primary spindle  140  operatively coupled to the armature, and a means to extend the spindle  150 . With respect to the means to extend the spindle, and in regard to both prior art toe-kick saws as well as those of this invention, the preferred means to extend the spindle has included a separate assembly, which will be referred to herein as a “spindle extension assembly” or as a “spindle extension.” However, a separate assembly need not be used. For example, the spindle itself may be elongated. For this reason, the terms elongate spindle, a spindle extension assembly, or a spindle extension shall all be defined and used herein as a means to extend the spindle.  
         [0008]     The spindle extension assembly  150  of prior art toe-kick saw  100  includes spindle coupler  160 , secondary spindle  200 , and set screw  180  which connects spindle coupler  160  and secondary spindle  200 . Other means to extend the spindle may be created by persons skilled in the art. For example, a spindle extension may be inserted into a hole in the spindle gear itself and keyed to a slot in the spindle gear. All such will be defined herein as a spindle extension assembly or spindle extension.  
         [0009]     With reference to the prior art toe-kick saw  100  of  FIG. 1 , housing  400  functions to cover the rotating spindle extension assembly  150  and connect saw blade  300  to secondary spindle  200 . Housing  400  includes face plate  220 , tube  240 , fixed guard  260 , movable guard  280 , a blade driver  320  (behind the blade  300 ), a small circular saw blade  300 , and a countersunk pan head blade screw  340 . Housing  400  is screwed onto saw motor  120  using four screws  350 . When motor  120  and primary spindle  140  turn, spindle extension assembly  150  turns, thereby turning blade driver  320  and blade  300 . Toe-kick saw  100  can thus enter a toe-kick and cut flush up to its inner wall. The saw is guided along the inner wall of the toe-kick by the edges  360  of fixed guard  260 . Edges  360  extend approximately 1/16″ past the vertical plane defined by blade  300  to prevent blade  300  and countersunk screw  340  from rubbing against the inner wall of the toe-kick. Edges  360  thus place blade  300  as close as possible to the inner wall of the toe-kick, thus cutting off as much of the old flooring material as possible.  
         [0010]     The prior art toe-kick saw  100  has a fixed guard  260  which is as small as possible in order to fit in as wide a range of toe-spaces as possible. A small blade guard  260 ,  280  also enables toe-kick saw  100  to come as close as possible to a wall surface of the room which may abut the toe-kick (such as, an inside corner area). However, users commonly misuse toe-kick saws. Despite instructions for proper usage and warnings to use the saw underneath toe-spaces only, and to cut forward and straight along the inner wall of the toe-space only, users misuse the tool by cutting outside the toe-space, by cutting sharp curves, or even by running the saw backwards by pulling it towards themselves. Such abuse may create the dangerous and well-known hazard common in the use of all circular saws called saw kickback. Saw kickback is caused when a saw blade may catch or become wedged on the edges of a saw kerf. The sudden stoppage of the blade may cause the saw to launch itself backward towards the user, creating a laceration hazard.  
         [0011]     The fixed guard  260  does little to prevent saw misuse. While its small size is preferred, edges  360  are thin (0.160 inch or thinner) and do little to guide the saw straight forward or prevent it from being turned sharply. For this reason, fixed guard  260  will be defined herein as primarily a structure which “defines a blade housing.” 
         [0012]     To prevent saw misuse, and provide additional safety in the case of saw misuse, features may be added to the fixed guard  260 . Forward or rearward horizontal projections from the fixed guard  260  having wider flat surfaces could provide better guidance. Such wider flat surfaces might also prevent the saw from being turned sharply when they are flush against the inner wall of a toe-kick as prescribed for safe usage. Such wider flat surfaces may be designed so that they do not extend past the handles of the saw. Thus, they would not hinder the saw when it is started (or approaches) a wall abutting the toe-kick. Such a rearward or forward projection will be referred to herein as a rear toe-kick wall guide or a front toe-kick wall guide, respectively.  
         [0013]     Other additional safety mechanisms may be mounted on a rear toe-kick wall guide or a front toe-kick wall guide, which were not possible before on prior art saws. Gripping devices may also be added to the movable guarding mechanisms to make it more difficult to pull the saw backwards towards the user.  
         [0014]     It is an object of one or more embodiments to provide an improved blade guard for a toe-kick saw which provides improved guidance for the saw for straight cutting and prevents sharp turns when the saw is used as prescribed under a toe-kick.  
         [0015]     It is an object of one or more embodiments to provide an improved blade guard for a toe-kick saw which may provide additional guarding in the event of saw kickback.  
         [0016]     It is an object of one or more embodiments to provide an improved blade guard with a means of covering the circular saw blade, where said blade in previous saws was completely exposed.  
         [0017]     It is an object of one or more embodiments to provide a means on the guarding mechanism to ensure that the saw is always pushed by a user in a direction which is forward or against the rotation of the circular saw blade.  
         [0018]     It is an object of one or more embodiment to provide an improved blade guard for a toe-kick saw which allows the mounting of additional safety features, including an extended bumper surface, a secondary blade guard, and a dust control port.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0019]     The above objects have been achieved with an improved blade guard for a toe-kick saw having a fixed blade guard with either or both a rear toe-kick wall guide or a front toe-kick wall guide. Such a rear toe-kick wall guide or front toe-kick wall guide may also include an elongate flat surface which contacts flush against the inner wall of the toe space. Such a flat surface may assist in straight cutting and prevent the saw from making sharp turns. The rear toe-kick wall guide may also include a second surface which aids to deflect the saw away from a user in the event the saw kicks back and contacts the user, thus providing greater protection in the event of saw kickback.  
         [0020]     On the fixed blade guard, a secondary retractable blade guard may be mounted. Such a secondary retractable blade guard may provide greater protection in the event of saw kickback by extending below the bottom edge of the fixed guard. Such a secondary retractable blade guard may also extend beyond the radius of the primary retractable blade guard to ensure that the primary retractable blade guard always has ample clearance to fully extend.  
         [0021]     Onto either of the primary or secondary retractable blade guards, a gripping mechanism (e.g., such as rearward leaning spikes) may be mounted, which may prevent the saw from being moved backward (in a direction that is not against the rotation of the circular saw blade). Such spikes may dig into a floor surface to prevent the saw from being moved backward. The fixed blade guard may also include a dust port.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded view of prior art toe-kick saws.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a detailed exploded view of a toe-kick saw with improved blade guard.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a second detailed exploded view of the saw of  FIG. 2  as viewed from the opposite direction to show additional features of an improved blade guard.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of a toe-kick saw with an improved blade guard.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a toe-kick saw which, in addition to having a rear toe-kick wall guide with an elongate flat area, also has a front toe-kick wall guide with a forward elongate flat area.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the toe-kick saw having alternative embodiment of the rear toe-kick wall guide with a wider extended bumper surface.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a toe-kick saw which includes a face plate covering the saw blade.  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a toe-kick saw which, in addition to having a rear toe-kick wall guide, also includes a dust control port.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a toe-kick saw in which the primary movable guard has a spike which prevents the saw from being moved in a reverse direction, when the primary movable guard is in extended position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows the primary movable guard of  FIG. 9  in a retracted position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]     With reference to  FIG. 2 , toe-kick saw  1000  consists of a circular saw motor  1020  having an internal rotating armature (not shown) operatively coupled to a rotating spindle  1040 . The housing of motor  1020  has an opening  1060  which accepts tube  1080 . Tube  1080  is inserted and fastened into opening  1060  with three screws  1100  which run through three holes  1120 .  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , tube  1080  serves to house spindle extension assembly  1140 . Spindle extension assembly  1140  includes screw  1160 , spindle coupler  1180 , spacer  1185 , snap ring  1200 , ball bearing  1220 , and secondary spindle  1240 . The assembly of these components goes as follows: Ball bearing  1220  is slipped onto secondary spindle  1240  and rests on shoulder  1260 . Snap ring  1200  is seated in groove  1280 . Spacer  1185  is then slipped onto secondary spindle  1240 .  
         [0034]     Next in the assembly is the mounting of spindle coupler  1180 . Spindle coupler  1180  has a slot  1320  which accepts flats  1300  on secondary spindle  1240 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , spindle coupler  1180  has a slot  1340  on the opposite end and a hole  1330  through its centerline. Screw  1160  goes through this centerline hole  1330  and fastens into a tapped centerline hole  1290  on the inside end of secondary spindle  1240 .  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , once spindle coupler  1180  is fixed onto secondary spindle  1240 , it may form a coupling for spindle extension assembly  1140  when slot  1340  is coupled to spindle  1040  (of motor  1020 ). When connected in this manner, spindle extension assembly  1140  is capable of transmitting rotational force from saw motor  1020  to a blade driver at an extended distance.  
         [0036]     Spindle extension assembly  1140  is housed within tube  1080 . As previously explained, tube  1080  is inserted and fastened into opening  1060  of saw motor  1020 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , on the opposite end, tube  1080  is press fit onto boss  1380  on the back side of fixed guard  1400  and fastened with three screws  1420  through three holes  1440 .  
         [0037]     Internal support for spindle extension assembly  1140  is provided within fixed guard  1400  by ball bearing  1220  and bushing  1460 . Bushing  1460  is press fit into a reamed counterbored hole  1480 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , hole  1480  runs all the way through to the opposite side of fixed guard  1400 , where counterbore  1490  is located. Spindle extension assembly  1140  is then inserted though this back side of hole  1480  and bushing  1460  until ball bearing  1220  seats in counterbore  1490 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , plate  1355  is placed on top of ball bearing  1220 . Two screws  1360  are fastened into fixed guard  1400  through two holes  1365  in plate  1355 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , this fastens ball bearing  1220  into counterbore  1490  and secures spindle extension assembly  1140  into fixed guard  1400 .  
         [0038]     When ball bearing  1220  is seated and fastened into counterbore  1490 , the secondary spindle is prevented from sliding out by snap ring  1200 . Spacer  1185  provides additional safety should snap ring  1200  fail. Spacer  1185  is larger in outside diameter than the center hole in ball bearing  1220 , and thus also prevents spindle extension assembly  1140  from sliding out.  
         [0039]     Practical problems of imprecise bearing alignment, runout, and motor vibration make manufacturing a circular saw with an extended spindle difficult. As shown in  FIG. 2 , connecting a separate secondary spindle (such as secondary spindle  1240  to the motor by way of spindle coupler  1180  is preferred because a controllable amount of play is allowed in the juncture between slot  1340  and primary spindle  1040 . Without such play, even slight misalignment will result in runout or wobbling forces being transferred to ball bearing  1220  and bushing  1460 . This reduces the life of the saw.  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , fixed guard  1400  has a blade housing  1500  which contains cylindrical guard mount  1520 . As with prior art toe-kick saws, a torsion spring  1580  and movable guard (hereinafter, the “primary movable guard”  1560 ) is placed onto cylindrical guard mount  1520 . Torsion spring  1580  hooks on end  1620  into a hole inside blade housing  1500  (not shown) and on hook  1600  to a hole  1640  on primary movable guard  1560 . When primary movable guard  1560  is retracted (as during a cutting operation), tension builds in torsion spring  1580  which urges primary movable guard  1560  to re-extend back to a forward guarding position. Cylindrical guard mount  1520  has snap ring groove  1540 . Snap ring  1660  is seated into snap ring groove  1540  to hold primary movable guard  1560  and torsion spring  1580  in place.  
         [0041]     The distal end of secondary spindle  1240  projects a sufficient distance into blade housing  1500  to expose flats  1680 . Flats  1680  engage blade driver  1700  which has a pair of cylindrical projections  1720 . Cylindrical projections  1720  engage drive holes  1740  of small circular saw blade  1760 . Small circular saw blade  1760  has an arbor hole  1780  which is precision countersunk on its outside surface to seat the pan-shaped head of blade screw  1800 . Because blade screw  1800  is fully recessed into countersunk arbor  1780 , the small circular saw blade  1760  has a flush face, and is able to cut as closely as possible to the inner wall of a toe-kick.  
         [0042]     Fixed guard  1400  shows a new element, rear toe-kick wall guide  1820 , which has an elongate flat area  1840 . Elongate flat area  1840  serves as an improved guidance surface compared to edges  360  ( FIG. 1 ) of the prior art toe-kick saw. As shown in  FIG. 2 , elongate flat area  1840  guides toe-kick saw  1000  when elongate flat area  1840  contacts flush against the inside wall surface of a toe-kick. Such a large flat surface is far superior than the thin edges  360  ( FIG. 1 ) for this purpose. Elongate flat area  1840  will also contact the inner wall of the toe space if the saw is turned too rapidly in an attempt to steer the saw out of the toe space while cutting. Thus, elongate flat area  1840  makes rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  preferred for two important safety reasons.  
         [0043]     A “front/rear toe-kick wall guide” or “rear toe-kick wall guide” will be further defined as a portion of a fixed blade guard that is short enough to fit within a toe-kick and extends horizontally left or right more than ¼″ inch from either inside wall of the blade housing located within the fixed blade guard. Such a feature performs an additional function of providing guidance for the saw (i.e. it does not merely “define a blade housing” which is the primary function of the fixed guard). Such a front or rear toe-kick wall guide has an elongate wall engaging side face, allowing it to act as a guide against the inside wall of the toe-kick. It is preferred that said wall engaging side face be parallel with plane defined by the outer, vertical face of the circular saw blade. However, said wall engaging side face may also be at an angle in relation to the plane defined by the blade and be equally effective at preventing sharp turns, forming an extended bumper surface, or enabling the mounting of a secondary blade guard. The additional functions of the rear toe-kick wall guide will be more fully explained in the following.  
         [0044]     Rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  also forms an extended bumper surface  1860  which is at a distance from blade housing  1500 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , extended bumper surface  1860  will help keep small circular saw blade  1760  away from the user in the event of saw kickback. This makes rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  preferred for a third safety reason.  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  has on its opposite side a second, cylindrical guard mount  1880  with a snap ring groove  1900 . This is for rotatably mounting a secondary movable guard  1980  in a similar manner to primary movable guard  1560 . Torsion spring  1920  is placed on second cylindrical guard mount  1880  and arm  1960  is hooked into slot  1990  in rear toe-kick wall guide  1820 . Torsion spring  1920  is connected to secondary movable guard  1980  by inserting hook  1940  into spring hole  2000 . Secondary movable guard  1980  is then mounted on second cylindrical guard mount  1880  through mounting hole  2020 . When secondary movable guard  1980  is retracted (as during a cutting operation), tension builds in torsion spring  1920  which urges secondary movable guard  1980  to re-extend back to a forward guarding position. Secondary movable guard  1980  is fastened onto rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  by washer  2040  and screw  2060  which is screwed into tapped hole  2080  of rear toe-kick wall guide  1820 .  
         [0046]     Secondary movable guard  1980  has a bumper surface  2100  which is retracted into slot  2120  of rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  during a cutting operation. If toe-kick saw  1000  should kick back, secondary movable guard  1980  will extend automatically, and bumper surface  2100  will provide additional protection for the user. As shown in  FIG. 4 , bumper surface  2100  of secondary movable guard  1980  extends below bottom edge  2140  of the bumper surface  1860  of rear toe-kick wall guide  1820 . If toe-kick saw  1000  kicks back, it rises out of the cut and off of the floor. Secondary movable guard  2100  would then automatically extend down into a guarding position. Therefore, rear toe-kick wall guide  1820  is preferred for a third safety reason: It enables the addition of a new element, secondary movable blade guard  1980 .  
         [0047]     An improved blade guard for a toe-kick saw having a front toe-kick wall guide or a rear toe-kick wall guide may have alternative embodiments. As previously explained, as shown in  FIG. 2 , elongate flat area  1840 , serves as an improved guidance surface compared to edges  360  ( FIG. 1 ) of the prior art toe-kick saw. Elongate flat area  1840  guides against the flat inner wall of the toe-kick, and also prevents the saw from being turned rapidly should the user attempt to make a tight radius cut in order to remove the saw from the toe-kick.  
         [0048]     In one alternative, as shown in  FIG. 5 , toe-kick saw  3000  has an additional front toe-kick wall guide  3120  and forward elongate flat area  3140 . Forward elongate flat area  3140  may interact with elongate flat area  3060  on rear toe-kick wall guide  3040  to create an improved guidance surface. When toe-kick saw  3000  is used against the inner wall of a toe-kick, both elongate flat surfaces  3060 ,  3140  will interact to guide the saw along the wall and prevent the saw from pivoting either forward or backward in relation to the spindle axis (centered at clamp  3160 ). This reduces the possibility that toe-kick saw  3000  can be turned sharply in either direction when used against the inner wall of a toe-kick. A front toe-kick wall guide and forward elongate flat area may be added to any of the embodiments.  
         [0049]     In another embodiment, the front toe-kick wall guide and rear toe-kick wall guide are shorter in their horizontal extension (as measured by their horizontal extension from the centerline of the spindle extension assembly) than the horizontal extension of the saw&#39;s handles. Such would be preferred so that the saw can cut as far as possible into a corner area where a wall may abut the toe-kick. Such a feature may be adapted to become a part of any of the embodiments.  
         [0050]     In another embodiment, the secondary movable guard may have a longer radial extension than that of primary movable guard. This would ensure that whenever the secondary movable guard could extend into a fully extended guarding position, the primary movable guard would be unimpeded in its ability to extend. Making the secondary blade guard longer in radial extension would help ensure that the primary blade guard has adequate clearance to fully extend. Such is preferred and may become a part of any of the embodiments.  
         [0051]     In  FIG. 6 , an alternative embodiment of an extended bumper surface is shown. Toe-kick saw  4000  has a rear toe-kick wall guide  4020  and a wider extended bumper surface  4040  which is wider than the blade housing area  4080  in order to create a wider surface to protect the user in the event of saw kickback. A wider extended bumper surface  4040  may increase the probability that the toe-kick saw will be stopped by the contact with the user and that the blade will be kept at a distance from the user&#39;s body, reducing the chances of injury. Such a wider extended bumper surface may be added to any of the embodiments herein to increase its effectiveness.  
         [0052]     In  FIG. 7 , an alternative embodiment of the fixed guard is shown with an additional face plate. As shown in  FIG. 7 , toe-kick saw  5000  has a fixed guard  5020  with a front toe-kick wall guide  5040  and a rear toe-kick wall guide  5060 . A portion of the outer, wall running surface of blade housing, front toe-kick wall guide  5040 , and rear toe-kick wall guide  5060  may be recessed to flush mount face plate  5080 . Fixed guard  5020  may have four tapped countersunk holes for receiving four pan head screws  5070  which may hold face plate  5080  in place. A face plate may be mounted on a toe-kick saw by other means, even on the prior art toe-kick saw ( FIG. 1 ), or any other of the embodiments described herein. However, the flush mounting method of  FIG. 7  is preferred. This is because the front toe-kick wall guide  5040  and rear toe-kick wall guide  5060  provide large, flat surfaces which help prevent bending of face plate  5080  and allow larger holes for screws to mount face plate  5080 . Face plate  5080  reduces the risk that saw blade  5100  will cut or snag unintended items if the saw kicks back.  
         [0053]     In  FIG. 8 , an alternative embodiment of the fixed guard is shown having an alternative rear toe-kick wall guide which includes a dust control port  6060 . Toe-kick saw  6000  has a fixed guard  6020  with a rearward projection  6040  which has dust control port  6060 . Blade housing  6080  may have an opening through its back side  6090 . This opening may be covered by a shroud  6100  which is designed to connect with common shop vacuums. Such a shroud may include a cap (not shown) to cover opening  6060  when a vacuum is not in use. A rear toe-kick wall guide enables the mounting of a shroud such as shroud  6100 . A rear toe-kick wall guide containing a dust control port may be added to any of the embodiments to enable the use of a vacuum for dust control.  
         [0054]     In  FIG. 9 , an alternative embodiment of a primary movable guard is shown with an added spike. Toe-kick saw  7000  has a primary movable guard  7020  with a rearward leaning spike  7040 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , primary movable guard  7020  may retract to a position which enables a rearward leaning spike  7040  to contact the floor below. If the user pulls the toe-kick saw  7000  backwards (i.e., with the blade rotation), rearward leaning spike  7040  will stick in the floor and stop the saw from moving further backward. As previously explained, pulling the saw in reverse can be a cause of saw kickback. Rearward leaning spike  7040  may be added to either a primary movable guard (such as primary movable guard  1560  of  FIG. 2 ) or a secondary movable guard (such as secondary movable guard  1980  of  FIG. 3 ) to reduce this potential kickback hazard.  
         [0055]     Putting the spike on a movable guard is preferred because it does not create a surface which is not flat on base  7060  of the fixed guard. If this base is not a flat surface, the blade is easily turned and wedged during use, promoting saw kickback. Furthermore, the saw would not cut to proper depth.  
         [0056]     Such a spike or other frictional means to prevent the toe-kick saw from being moved backwards may be added to any of the embodiments herein to reduce the kickback hazard.