Table saw

A table saw including a table, an opening in the table through which a saw blade extends, and a throat plate receivable within the opening. The throat plate includes a top surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the table. The table saw further includes an anti-kickback pawl disposed above the throat plate and a wear plate coupled to the throat plate in facing relationship with the anti-kickback pawl, where at least a portion of the wear plate is sub-flush with the top surface of the throat plate.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to power tools, and in particular to improvements for power table saws.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect, the invention provides a table saw including a table, an opening in the table through which a saw blade extends, and a throat plate receivable within the opening. The throat plate includes a top surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the table. The table saw further includes an anti-kickback pawl disposed above the throat plate and a wear plate coupled to the throat plate in facing relationship with the anti-kickback pawl, where at least a portion of the wear plate is sub-flush with the top surface of the throat plate.

In another aspect, the invention provides a throat plate for a table saw. The throat plate includes a front end, an opposite back end, a top surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the table, and a wear plate disposed adjacent to the back end. The throat plate further includes a wear plate pocket in which the wear plate is received such that no portion of the wear plate extends above the top surface of the throat plate. The wear plate pocket defines a bottom surface, a first depth measured at the back end from the top surface to the bottom surface, and a second depth measured at an opposite end of the wear plate pocket from the top surface to the bottom surface. The second depth is greater than the first depth. The wear plate has constant thickness that is substantially equal to the first depth such that the wear plate sits flush with the top surface adjacent the back end. The wear plate sits sub-flush with the top surface at the opposite end of the wear plate pocket.

Other independent aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description, claims and accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIG. 1, a table saw10includes a tubular base12, a table14atop the base12upon which a workpiece is supported, and a saw blade18protruding through an opening22in the table14. The table saw10may include a riving knife26positioned behind the saw blade18and a blade guard assembly30supported by the riving knife26for covering the top and opposite sides of the saw blade18. The riving knife26may also support an anti-kickback pawl assembly32, which prevents “kickback” of the workpiece toward the operator of the table saw10. Specifically, the assembly32includes two serrated pawls34(although only one of which is shown) that are biased toward the table14and slide along the workpiece during a cutting operation to inhibit the workpiece from inadvertently moving upward relative to the table14. Also, a guide rail36is removably coupled to the table14for guiding a workpiece through the saw blade18during the cutting operation.

With continued reference toFIG. 1, the table saw10may additionally include a blade height adjustment mechanism38that is operable to raise and lower the saw blade18relative to the table14. The blade height adjustment mechanism38may include a crank42that is disposed in front of a front panel46of the base12. The crank42is rotatable, for example, in a clockwise direction to raise the saw blade18. In contrast, the crank42is rotatable, for example, in a counter-clockwise direction to lower the saw blade18. Other types of blade height adjustment mechanisms are contemplated.

The table saw10also includes a motor (not shown) for rotationally driving the saw blade18during the cutting operation. The motor, as well as other components disposed underneath the table14, are accessible for maintenance through a side of the tubular base12or through the opening22in the table14after a throat plate50is removed from the table14. Typically, the throat plate50is seated within the opening22during the cutting operation. As shown inFIG. 2, the throat plate50may be removable from the table14by rotating a knob54, which correspondingly rotates a locking arm58that selectively interferes with an underneath portion of the table14(e.g., in a locking position of the locking arm58). When the locking arm58no longer mechanically interferes with the underneath portion of the table14(e.g., in a released position of the locking arm58), the throat plate50is capable of being removed from the table14.

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, the throat plate50may additionally include a top surface62that is co-planar with a top surface66of the table14when the throat plate50is seated within the opening22. The throat plate50also includes a front end68, a back end70, and a wear plate pocket72that is recessed from the top surface62of the throat plate50and disposed adjacent the back end70of the throat plate50. A wear plate74is received within the wear plate pocket72, such that no portion of the wear plate74extends above the top surface62of the throat plate50. In some embodiments, portions of the wear plate74may be flush, or approximately flush, with the top surface62of the throat plate50. The wear plate74may be composed of a metallic material and coupled to the throat plate50in a location generally beneath the vertically projected area of the anti-kickback pawl assembly32. As a result of the pawls34being biased toward the table14, the serrated pawls34rest upon the wear plate74when there is no workpiece being fed through the blade18. The wear plate74inhibits the top surface62of the throat plate50from being marred by the serrated pawls34.

With reference toFIGS. 4-5B, the wear plate pocket72includes a bottom surface78that is not parallel to the top surface62of the throat plate50. Instead, the bottom surface78is acutely angled (or inclined) relative to the top surface62of the throat plate50by an angle A (FIG. 5B). Specifically, the bottom surface78is angled equal to or less than 1.0 degrees relative to the top surface62of the throat plate50. More specifically, the bottom surface78is angled between approximately 0.2 degrees and approximately 1.0 degrees relative to the top surface62of the throat plate50. Even more specifically, the bottom surface78is angled by an angle A of 0.3 degrees (±0.7 degrees) relative to the top surface62of the throat plate50, with the bottom surface78sloping downward in a direction from the back end70toward the front end68(FIG. 5A). Stated another way, the wear plate pocket72has a first depth82adjacent the back end70of the throat plate50and a second depth84on an opposite end of the pocket72, where the second depth84is greater than the first depth82. The first and second depths82,84are measured from the top surface62of the throat plate50to the bottom surface78of the wear plate pocket72. The difference between the first depth82and the second depth84is approximately 0.01 inch to 0.02 inch. More specifically, the difference between the first depth82and the second depth84is approximately 0.012 inch, creating a slope (or incline) of 0.012 inch over a length of the wear plate pocket72, which is approximately 2.25 inches to 2.3 inches.

The wear plate74, in contrast, defines a constant thickness86that is approximately equal to the first depth82. Therefore, the wear plate74may be approximately flush with the top surface62of the throat plate50adjacent the back end70, whereas the opposite end of the wear plate74may be sub-flush with the top surface62of the throat plate50(FIG. 5A). The pocket72, therefore, defines a vertical lip88adjacent the top surface62due to the wear plate74being sub-flush (or sunken) from the top surface62of the throat plate50to avoid wood chips from lodging underneath and lifting the wear plate74.