Abstract:
A saw blade sharpening assembly includes a sharpening disk, a blade support panel disposed generally adjacent to the sharpening disk and a generally sloped blade support base carried by the blade support panel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to apparatus for sharpening saw blades. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a saw blade sharpening assembly which is suitable for sharpening circular or table saw blades. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Circular saws typically include a circular blade having multiple carbide-tipped saw teeth. As it is rotated typically by an electric motor, the blade is used to cut wood or other materials. After prolonged use, the teeth of the blade may become dull. This may require replacement of the blade to maintain the cutting efficiency of the saw. 
     Therefore, a saw blade sharpening assembly is needed which can be used to sharpen the saw teeth of a circular or table saw. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to a saw blade sharpening assembly. An illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly includes a sharpening disk, a blade support panel disposed generally adjacent to the sharpening disk and a generally sloped blade support base carried by the blade support panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly in the sharpening of a circular saw blade; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly, illustrating exemplary attachment of a circular saw blade to the assembly preparatory to sharpening of the circular saw blade; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly; and 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Referring to the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the saw blade sharpening assembly, hereinafter assembly, is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . The assembly  1  may be used in conjunction with a table or circular saw  2  which may be conventional. The table/circular saw  2  may include a cutting surface  3 . A pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart miter gauge slots  4  may extend through the cutting surface  3 . A blade slot  5  extends through the cutting surface  3  between the miter gauge slots  4 . A sharpening disk  6  is attached to a saw motor (not illustrated) of the table saw  2  and extends through the blade slot  5  for purposes which will be hereinafter described. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the assembly  1  may include a generally elongated, flat, rectangular blade support panel  10 . A pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart guide rails  11  may be provided on a lower surface of the blade support panel  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the guide rails  11  may be adapted for insertion into the respective miter gauge slots  4  in the cutting surface  3  of the table saw  2 . At least one stop  34  may be inserted and secured in at least one of the miter gauge slots  4  to limit the distance between the front edge of the blade support panel  10  and the edge of the sharpening disk  6 . 
     In some embodiments, the blade support panel  10  may be laterally adjustable on the guide rails  11 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 3 , multiple, generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart panel adjustment slots  13  may extend through the blade support panel  10 . A pair of knob openings  15  may be provided in each guide rail  11  in registering relationship with respect to a corresponding pair of panel adjustment slots  13 . A panel adjustment knob extends through each panel adjustment slot  13  and is threaded into the corresponding knob opening  15 . A washer  14  may be interposed between each panel adjustment knob  12  and the blade support panel  10 . Accordingly, each panel adjustment knob  12  may be partially unthreaded from the corresponding knob opening  15  to disengage an upper surface of the blade support panel  10  and facilitate selective lateral adjustment of the blade support panel  10  with respect to the guide rails  11 . The panel adjustment knobs  12  may be threaded into the respective knob openings  15  and tightened against the blade support panel  10  to secure the blade support panel  10  with respect to the guide rails  11 . 
     A blade support base  16  is provided on the blade support panel  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the blade support base  16  may include a pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart, triangular base side panels  17 . A generally sloped base front panel  18 , which may have a generally elongated, rectangular configuration, is attached to and extends between the base side panels  17 . The base front panel  18  may be attached to the base side panels  17  using multiple panel fasteners  19  and/or other suitable fastening technique. Multiple blade attachment openings  20  may extend through the base front panel  18  in a selected pattern for purposes which will be hereinafter described. 
     In typical application, the assembly  1  may be used to sharpen carbide-tipped blade teeth  31  on a circular saw blade  30 . Accordingly, the guide rails  11  are placed in the respective miter gauge slots  4  in the cutting surface  3  of the table saw  2 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The sharpening disk  6  is attached to the saw motor (not shown) of the table saw  2 . The lateral position of the blade support base  16  with respect to the sharpening disk  6  may be selectively adjusted using the panel adjustment knobs  12 , as was heretofore described. At least one stop  34  may be inserted and secured in one or both of the miter gauge slots  4  to limit the distance between the front edge of the blade support panel  10  and the edge of the sharpening disk  6 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the blade  30  having the blade teeth  31  which are to be sharpened is attached to the blade support base  16 . Attachment of the blade  30  to the blade support base  16  may be accomplished by, for example, placing a blade support disk  24  against the sloped surface of the base front panel  18 ; aligning a central blade fastener opening  25  in the blade support disk  24  with a selected one of the blade attachment openings  20 ; and extending a threaded blade fastener  26  through a central blade opening  32  in the blade  30  and through the blade fastener opening  25  in the blade support disk  24 , and threading the blade fastener  26  through the selected one of the blade attachment openings  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lateral position of the blade support panel  10  with respect to the sharpening disk  6  may be adjusted using the panel adjustment knobs  12 , and the proximity of the blade teeth  31  of the blade  30  with respect to the sharpening disk  6  may be adjusted by sliding the guide rails  11  in the respective miter gauge slots  4 , to facilitate contact of the blade teeth  31  with the sharpening disk  6 . Accordingly, by operation of the saw motor (not shown) of the table saw  2 , the sharpening disk  6  may be individually and sequentially rotated against each blade tooth  31  to sharpen each blade tooth  31 . Sequential advancement of the individual blade teeth  31  against the rotating sharpening disk  6  may be facilitated by manual rotation of the blade  30  with respect to the blade fastener  26 . After the blade teeth  31  on the blade  30  are sharpened, the blade  30  may be removed from the blade support base  16  by unthreading of the blade fastener  26  from the blade attachment opening  20  ( FIG. 2 ) and removal of the blade fastener  26  from the blade fastening opening  25  of the blade support disk  24  and the blade opening  32  of the blade  30 . 
     While the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.