Adjustable straddle block

A straddle block is used with a table saw having a rip fence, and consists of a body having a substantially vertically extending fixed leg, a bridge extending from the fixed leg, an adjustable leg attached to and vertically displaceable relative to the bridge. The vertically adjustable leg may be reversed for right or left-handed use, and has opposing, substantially horizontal, rectilinear edges for engaging an upper surface of a piece of stock to be cut on the table saw, and opposing outwardly extending step portions adjacent an end of each rectilinear edge for engaging the trailing end of the stock as it is pushed across the saw table. The bridge spaces the fixed leg from the adjustable leg sufficiently to receive a rip fence therebetween such that the straddle block may slidably engage the rip fence without skewing relative thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to table saw accessories and, more 
particularly, to accessories for feeding stock across a saw blade. 
2. Prior Art 
A table saw typically consists of a substantially flat, horizontally 
oriented saw table having a centrally located blade slot through which a 
circular, motor-driven saw blade protrudes. For ripping operations; that 
is, cutting wood stock along the grain which typically requires cutting 
the stock along a longitudinal dimension, a rip fence is used to guide the 
stock parallel to the saw blade. 
A rip fence typically consists of an elongated metal bar having a 
substantially flat guide face which is oriented vertically with respect to 
the surface of the saw table and faces the saw blade. The rip fence also 
includes means such as clamps for securing the fence to the saw table so 
that the guide surface may be maintained parallel to the saw blade and 
blade slot in the saw table. 
To perform a ripping operation, the rip fence is first aligned parallel to 
the saw blade and clamped to the table at the desired distance. The motor 
is actuated to rotate the saw blade, and the stock is fed across the table 
so that the longitudinal edge slides against the guide face of the rip 
fence and the desired cut is made. During this operation, it is necessary 
for the operator to lightly urge the stock against the guide face of the 
fence to prevent the stock from drifting away from the guide face. 
If the distance between the guide face of the rip fence and the saw blade 
is on the order of four inches or less, the use of a push stick or other 
stock feeding mechanism is recommended. A push stick is an oblong length 
of wood or other material having a handle at one end and having a notched 
cutout at an opposite end. The stick is held by the operator and the 
notched end is positioned to engage the squared trailing end of the stock. 
During the aforementioned ripping operation, the stick is pushed forward 
by the operator, and the notched end urges the stock across the blade. The 
operator must use his other hand to urge the stock against the guide face. 
Another type of push stick is known as a "pusher-hold-down" and comprises a 
length of wood or other material having a substantially flat lower surface 
and a pair of handles projecting upwardly from an upper surface. At the 
rear of the lower surface, a block is mounted to extend downwardly so that 
the block forms a corner with the flat lower surface and provides a 
vertical surface for engaging a trailing end of stock. The 
pusher-hold-down has an advantage over the previously described push stick 
in that it provides both a long surface which overlays the upper surface 
of the stock and a surface for engaging a trailing end of the stock so 
that the stock may be held down and urged forward during the ripping 
operation. The pusher-hold-down is also useful in grooving and in some 
edge-rabbeting, jointing and shaping operations which require the stock to 
be held down during the cutting operation. 
A third type of stock feeding mechanism is known as a "fence straddler" and 
consists of a body having a pair of opposing, substantially vertical legs, 
one of which has its leading edge sloped downwardly and rearwardly, and a 
bridge joining the vertical legs to form a channel shape. A handle 
projects upwardly from the bridge and is inclined rearwardly from it. The 
vertical legs are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the straddler to 
"straddle" the rip fence with the bridge resting upon an upper surface of 
the rip fence. 
During the ripping operation, the straddler is positioned rearwardly of the 
stock so that the sloped leading edge of the vertical leg adjacent the 
guide face abuts the trailing end of the stock and pushes the stock ahead 
of it across the blade as the straddler is urged forwardly. An advantage 
of the fence straddler is that the hand of the operator pushing the 
straddler is kept at a lateral distance from the rotating saw blade 
greater than with the previously mentioned push sticks. 
Disadvantages of the existing fence straddler are that it lacks a surface 
to engage the top surface of the stock and hold it down against the 
surface of the saw table, and it is not adapted for either right handed or 
only left-handed use. 
Accordingly, there is a need for a stock feeding device of the fence 
straddler-type which provides positive engagement with both the upper 
surface and trailing edge of the stock being cut within a range of stock 
thicknesses, and which is adaptable for both right and left-handed use. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention consists of an adjustable straddle block which is 
used with a a rip fence and includes a vertically adjustable leg which is 
shaped to engage the upper surface of the stock as well as the trailing 
edge of the stock being ripped for a wide range of stock thicknesses. The 
adjustable straddle block of the present invention is adjustable without 
tools to either right-handed or left-handed use; that is, the same 
straddle block may be used whether the rip fence is on the right or left 
side of the saw blade on the saw table. 
Additionally, the straddle block is relatively easy to fabricate and is 
simple to adjust, yet provides means for both feeding stock across a 
rotating saw blade and for holding the stock downwardly against the 
surface of the saw table; an advantage useful not only in ripping 
operations but for other operations such as grooving, edge-rabbeting, 
jointing and shaping. 
The adjustable straddle block of the present invention is used with a saw 
table having a rip fence and includes a body having a substantially 
vertically extending fixed leg, a bridge extending from said fixed leg for 
slidably engaging a top surface of said rip fence, and an adjustable leg 
attached to and vertically displaceable relative to said bridge; the 
adjustable leg having a lower surface including a substantially 
rectilinear edge and a step portion extending downwardly below the edge 
adjacent an end. The rectilinear edge of the adjustable leg serves to hold 
the stock down against the saw table, while the step portion has a 
vertical contact edge to engage the trailing end of the stock. The 
adjustable leg can be displaced relative to the bridge so that the bridge 
rests upon and slidably engages the rip fence, while the edge of the 
adjustable leg rests upon the upper surface of the stock, for a wide range 
of stock thicknesses. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustable leg of the body 
includes at least one vertically extending slot, and the body includes an 
adjusting bolt which engages the slot so that the bolt may be tightened to 
fix the adjustable leg relative to the bridge and the fixed leg, or 
loosened to permit slidable displacement of the adjustable leg relative to 
the bridge and the fixed leg. The bolt preferably includes a shank 
extending through the slot and the bridge and has a threaded end 
protruding from the bridge and a head opposite the threaded end which 
slidably engages the slot. A knob is threaded onto the threaded end of the 
shank and, when tightened down against the bridge, draws the head toward 
the bridge and fixed leg, thereby clamping the adjustable leg to the 
bridge and preventing relative movement therebetween. 
The straddle block also includes a handle which preferably extends upwardly 
from the bridge and is elongate in shape, extending the length of the 
body. It is also preferable to have the handle offset with respect to the 
center of the bridge away from the adjustable leg so that the hand of the 
operator grasping the handle is positioned over the side of the fence 
facing away from the saw blade. 
In order to prevent the skewing of the adjustable leg relative to the body, 
the preferred embodiment of the straddle block includes raised guides 
which extend vertically along an inboard surface of the adjustable leg and 
are oriented parallel to the vertical slot. The bridge of the body defines 
notches which are spaced and sized to receive slidably the guides so that 
vertical displacement of the adjustable leg causes the guides to slide 
within the notches. 
It is also preferable to form the adjustable leg to include an opposing 
rectilinear edge and step portion on an upper surface thereof. By 
providing opposing edges and step portions, the adjustable straddle block 
may be adjusted for right-handed or left-handed use. To change the 
straddle block from one hand to an opposite hand, the adjusting bolt is 
loosened and the adjustable leg is rotated 180.degree., thereby moving the 
opposing edge and step portion into an operative, downwardly facing 
position, but locating the step portion at an opposite end of the straddle 
block. The bolt is tightened again and the straddle block used with a rip 
fence on an opposite side of the saw blade. To provide for this change in 
orientation, the vertical slot preferably is centrally located along the 
length of the adjustable leg, and the raised guides and notches positioned 
symmetrically with respect to the vertical slot. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to orovide an 
adjustable straddle block which slidably engages a rip fence on a table 
saw and provides both a rectilinear edge which engages the upper surface 
of the stock and a step portion which engages the trailing end of the 
stock so that the stock may be urged downwardly and forwardly during a 
ripping or other cutting operation; which includes a vertically adjustable 
leg so that the straddle block may accommodate stock of varying 
thicknesses; which has a handle inclined away from the cutting area; and 
which may be adjusted without tools to reverse the hand of the straddle 
block to accommodate both right and left-handed use. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the 
following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown in FIG. 1, the adjustable straddle block of the preferred 
embodiment, generally designated 10, is used in combination with a table 
saw 12 having a saw table 14 through which protrudes a motor-driven 
circular saw blade 16. The table saw 12 also includes a rip fence 18 which 
extends along a longitudinal dimension of the saw table 14 and is aligned 
to be parallel to the saw blade 16. The rip fence 18 is generally elongate 
in shape and includes a top surface 20, guide face 22, and outboard face 
24 (best shown in FIG. 3). The rip fence 18 is secured to the saw table 14 
by well-known means such as clamps 26. 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the straddle block 10 includes a body 27 
made up of a generally plate-shaped fixed leg 28, a bridge 30 which 
extends outwardly from an upper end of the fixed leg, and an adjustable 
leg 32. The bridge 30 is plate-shaped, having a substantially flat 
underside and a width substantially equal to that of the top surface 20. 
The adjustable leg 32 has a vertically extending slot 34 located at its 
mid-length. The slot includes a recess 36 having opposing walls 38,39. The 
adjustable leg 32 also includes upper and lower surfaces having opposing 
rectilinear edges 40,42 oriented parallel to each other and extending 
substantially the length of the adjustable leg. Upper and lower opposing 
step portions 44,45 are positioned at a trailing end 48 of the adjustable 
leg. The upper and lower step portions 44,45 include contact edges 46,47 
which intersect the rectilinear edges 40,42, respectively, to form corners 
50,52, respectively. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the inboard face 54 of the adjustable leg 32 is 
provided with vertically extending guide ribs 56,58,60 which slidably 
engage notches 62,64,66 formed in the bridge 30. Guide ribs 56 and 60 are 
symmetric with respect to the slot 34; that is, they are spaced 
equidistant from it. Guide rib 60 is located directly opposite the slot 34 
and also is symmetric with respect to it. 
The adjustable leg 32 is clamped to the bridge 30 by an adjusting bolt 
member 68 which includes a bolt 70 having a shank 72 which terminates in a 
hex head 74 at one end and has a threaded opposite end 76. As shown in 
FIG. 2, the hex head 74 is sized such that it may be positioned within the 
recess 36 of the slot 34 so that opposing faces 78,80 of the hex head 
slidably engage the opposing walls 38,39 of the recess, respectively. 
The bolt 70 passes through a bore 82 extending transversely through the 
bridge 30 and is sufficiently long that the threaded end 76 protrudes 
outwardly from the outboard face 84 of the bridge (FIG. 4). An adjustment 
knob 86 receives the threaded end 76 of the bolt 70 within a threaded 
recess 87. 
Thus, rotation of the knob 86 to tighten the straddle block 10 draws the 
end 76 into the recess 87, and the bridge 30 and adjustable leg 32 are 
clamped together between the hex head 74 and knob. Rotation of the knob 87 
to loosen the block 10 releases the clamping force and permits the 
adjustable leg 32 to slide relative to the bridge 30 and bolt 70. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the adjustable straddle block 10 includes a 
handle 88 having a generally arcuate shape and extending upwardly from the 
bridge 30 and spanning the length of the body 27. The handle is sized to 
be grasped by the hand 90 of an operator (FIG. 1) and, as shown in FIG. 3, 
is offset away from the adjustable leg 32. 
In a ripping operation, first the rip fence 18 is secured to the saw table 
14 the desired distance from the saw blade 16. Wood stock 92 is placed on 
the saw table 14 so that a longitudinal edge 94 abuts the guide face 22 of 
the rip fence 18. 
The straddle block 10 is placed upon the rip fence 18 so that the 
substantially flat underside of the bridge 30 is above the top surface 20 
of the rip fence. The adjustable leg 32 overlay portion of the guide face 
22 of the rip fence 18 and the fixed leg 28 overlays a portion of the 
outboard face 24 of the rip fence 18. The knob 86 is rotated to loosen the 
adjustable leg 32 from the bridge 30, permitting the adjustable leg to 
slide in a vertical plane with respect to the bridge and fixed leg 28. 
The body 27 is lowered onto the fence 18 so that the adjustable leg 32 is 
displaced relative to the bridge 30 as it contacts the piece of stock 92 
placed beneath it, as shown in FIG. 2. The lower rectilinear edge 42 
engages the upper surface of the stock, and the corner 52 and contact edge 
74 of the lower step portion 46 engage a trailing end 94 of the stock when 
the underside of the bridge 30 contacts the top surface 20. The knob 86 is 
then rotated to clamp the adjustable leg 32 against the bridge 30 to 
prevent movement of the vertical leg relative to the bridge 30 and, in a 
vertical direction, relative to the rip fence 18. Since the bridge 30 is 
substantially the same width as the top surface 20, the block 10 cannot 
skew relative to the fence 18 when mounted thereon. 
The table saw 12 may now be actuated and the wood stock 92 fed to the saw 
blade 16 by movement of the straddle block 10 in the direction of the 
arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2. It should be noted that, as the stock 92 
encounters the blade 16, it is necessary for the operator to use his other 
hand (not shown) to urge the stock lightly against the guide face 22 of 
the rip fence 18 in order to prevent the stock from drifting away from the 
guide face. The stock is held down against the surface of the saw table 14 
by the lower rectilinear edge 42 and is urged forward by the engagement of 
the contact edge 47 with the trailing end 94 of the stock. 
Since the handle 88 is offset away from the vertical leg 32 of the straddle 
block 10, the hand 90 of the operator grasping the handle is maintained at 
a location above the fixed leg 28 of the straddle block and the outboard 
face 24 of the rip fence 18 away from the saw blade 16. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the straddle block 10' may be adjusted for left-handed 
use without use of tools or requiring additional parts. To modify the 
straddle block 10' for left-handed use, the knob 86 is rotated to loosen 
the bolt 70, thereby releasing the adjustable leg 32 from its fixed 
position and interengagement with the bridge 30. The adjustable leg is 
then rotated 180.degree. such that the upper rectilinear edge 40 and upper 
step portion 44 are brought into operative position; that is, the upper 
rectilinear edge and step portion face downwardly to engage the stock 92. 
It is also necessary to ensure that the guide rib 60 properly engages the 
notch 62 and the guide rib 56 engages the notch 66, the opposite of that 
shown in FIG. 2. 
The straddle block 10' is then placed upon the rip fence 18 (which has been 
positioned on a side of the saw blade 16 opposite that shown in FIG. 1) so 
that the bridge 30 is above the top surface 20. As before, the adjustable 
leg 32 will contact the guide face 22 of the rip fence 18 and the fixed 
leg 28 preferably will contact the outboard face 24 (shown in FIG. 3) of 
the rip fence 18. The adjustable leg 32 is displaced upwardly relative to 
the bridge 30 until the bridge rests upon the upper surface 20 and the 
rectilinear edge 40 rests upon the upper surface of the stock 90. The 
block 10' is moved in the direction of the arrow B until the contact edge 
46 and step portion 44 engage the trailing end 94 of the stock 92. The 
cutting procedure then proceeds in the aforementioned manner, except that 
the operator grasps the handle 88 with his left hand. 
It should be noted that the straddle block 10 of the present invention is 
useful not only during ripping operations, but in other operations such as 
grooving (using a dado blade), edge-rabbeting, jointing and shaping. The 
straddle block 10 may also be used in those situations when a rip fence is 
utilized in combination with a jig saw or band saw. 
The adjustable straddle block of the present invention may be made from a 
variety of materials such as wood, metal or plastic. A preferred material 
is polystryene due to its low cost and ease of fabrication. The adjusting 
bolt preferably is made of steel. 
While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred 
embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is 
not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be 
made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.