Abstract:
Embodiments are disclosed for a power table saw that comprises a base, a table top with a opening through which a rotating blade can extend, the table top assembly extending outwardly beyond the base assembly on at least one side thereof, front and rear rails extending across the width of the table top, a fence having a clamping handle configured to be selectively moved between clamping and releasing positions, thereby enabling the fence to be adjustably mounted to the front and rear rails for selectively positioning the same at different operating locations relative to the blade, the fence being removable from the front and rear rails when the clamping handle is released, the front and rear rails being configured to retain the fence in the operating locations and to also clamp the fence in a stored location wherein the fence is underneath the table top surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to power table saws, and particularly portable power table saws. 
         [0002]    Artisans that use portable table saws often bring their table saws on site to make cuts that are necessary as a part of their construction work. Many of the cuts that are made require the use of a rip fence that is almost universally supplied with such portable table saws. In prior commercial products, the rip fence, when not in use, has been stored on the base or lower saw frame below the table top assembly which is locked into place by the user. Because the storage capability is often an afterthought, the structure for storing the rip fence when not in use often only comprises plastic clips or the like which are not particularly easy to use or have a long useful life given the kind of treatment and exposure to damage conditions that exist on a construction site. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments are disclosed for a power table saw assembly that comprises a base assembly configured to retain a motor assembly for driving a rotatable blade, a table top assembly having a top surface with a opening through which a rotating blade can extend, front and rear edge portions generally perpendicular to the top surface, the table top assembly extending outwardly beyond the base assembly on at least one side thereof, a front rail extending across and operatively connected to the front edge of the table top assembly, a rear rail extending across and operatively connected to the rear edge of the table top assembly, a fence having a clamping handle configured to be selectively moved between clamping and releasing positions, thereby enabling the fence to be adjustably mounted to the front and rear rails for selectively positioning the same at different operating locations relative to the blade, the fence being removable from the front and rear rails when the clamping handle is released, the front and rear rails being configured to retain the fence in the operating locations and to also clamp the fence in a stored location wherein the fence is underneath the table top surface. 
         [0004]    Another embodiment of the present invention has front and rear rails respectively mounted to the front and rear faces of the table top assembly, wherein both rails have the same identical rail cross sectional configuration to accommodate both front and rear ends of the fence. This embodiment merely requires that the front and rear rails be rotated 180° relative to one another. Storing the fence under the table top requires reversing the ends of the fence, i.e., the end having the clamping handle would be attached to the rear rail. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view from an upper right front perspective of a power table saw assembly having a rip fence attached to the table saw in operating position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the table saw shown in  FIG. 1 , and illustrating the fence embodying the present invention shown in a stored fence position; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 , with the fence being shown in the stored position as in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged version of the table saw shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , with portions removed and enlarged to show details of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a portion of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , and particularly illustrating the front and rear rails of the embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a side view, partially in section and with portions removed, illustrating a rip fence installed and locked on a table saw in an upright operating position; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , illustrating an alternative embodiment of the front and rear rails. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, with a first preferred embodiment being shown in  FIGS. 1-6  wherein a power table saw assembly, indicated generally at  10 , is illustrated and has a base  12 , a frame structure  14 , a top indicated generally at  15 , which includes a top extension indicated generally at  16  that is slidable relative to the top  15 . The top  15  and top extension  16  have top surfaces  18   a  and  18   b,  respectively. The saw assembly also includes a rip fence, indicated generally at  20  and a blade  22 . The saw  10  is a portable table saw that has a bevel and blade height adjust mechanism, indicated generally at  26 . 
         [0013]    These general components are typical of such portable table saws that can be easily transported to a jobsite where they can be used in conjunction with construction, remodeling and similar projects. While it is important that they be relatively lightweight so that a craftsman can carry them from their vehicles to the location where they will be used on a jobsite without difficulty, it is also important that they be designed and constructed so that they can withstand the inevitable wear and tear that they are subjected to at a construction or similar jobsite. 
         [0014]    It is also highly desirable, if not essential, that such saws  10  have a rip fence  20  so that accurate cuts can be made. Because the surface area of the top surfaces  18   a  and  18   b  is generally not as large as is often present with larger table saws that are used at a work shop, it is important that the rip fence  20  can be removed, so that the saws are capable of cutting relatively large sheets of plywood and the like. The rip fence  20  should also be capable of being easily and conveniently transported with the saw without being separated from it. It is also desirable to store the fence  20  somewhere on the saw  10  when it has been removed for the purpose of cutting plywood or the like. 
         [0015]    Embodiments of the present invention have the desirable result of being able to store the fence  20  underneath the table top in a manner whereby the very same structure to which the fence attaches during use is employed to store the fence when it is not being used. In this regard, and referring to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the fence is mounted on the table top in its upright operating position where the fence is located above the surfaces  18   a  and  18   b  of the table top  15  and top extension  16 . The fence is shown in its stored “upside down” position where the top of the fence is directed downwardly in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . 
         [0016]    More particularly, the fence is attached to a front rail, indicated generally at  30 , as well as a rear rail, indicated generally at  32 . The rails  30  and  32  are preferably metal extrusions that are configured to interact with locking mechanisms of the fence  20  so that they can be locked in the upright operating position as well as upside down to the same rails in the stored position. The rails are preferably made of aluminum which is strong and lightweight which lessens the weight of the saw and still enables the fence  20  to be locked in either its operating or stored positions. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the rails  30  and  32  preferably extend along the front and rear vertical surfaces of the table top  15  and top extension  16  to thereby enable the rip fence to be removed and placed on either side of the blade  22 . As will be also explained in detail, the rails  30  and  32  may be mounted in a manner whereby they are securely attached to the top extension  16  so that the rails as well as the top extension are slidable relative to the tabletop  15  so that when the extension  16  is moved to its extended or separated position, the range of the fence is extended well beyond the right edge of the table top  15 . This greatly contributes to the use of a fence to cut larger work pieces such as plywood sheets or the like. 
         [0017]    The configuration of the front rail  30  best shown in the enlarged drawing of  FIG. 5  and has a top wall  34  in which a recess  36  is located, with the recess being defined by an angled front wall  38 , a bottom wall  40 , and a rear wall  42 , with the front and rear walls  38  and  42  being inclined at an angle that is preferably the same and is approximately 40° relative to vertical, but can be any acute angle compatible with receiving and retaining the locking mechanism of the fence  20 . A bottom wall  44  has a similar recess  46  with front, bottom and rear walls  48 ,  50  and  52  that are symmetrical with the recess  36  and the walls  38 ,  40  and  42  in the top surface  34 . The rear walls  42  and  52  merge with a connecting wall  54 . The top and bottom walls  44  and  34  have respective inwardly extending wall portions  56  and  58 , respectively, which define a mounting portion with a large recess  60 . An interior structural wall  62  merges with right angled wall portions  64  and  66  that extend to the respective top and bottom walls  34  and  44 . 
         [0018]    With regard to the rear rail  32 , also best shown in  FIG. 5 , it has a generally V-shaped recess  70  defined by walls  72  and  74  which merge with outer end wall portions  76  and  78  that in turn merge with a top wall  80  and bottom wall  82 . These two walls also have inwardly directed front wall portions  84  and  86  which together with angled central wall portions  88  and  90  form a mounting portion recess  92  that is very similar to the configuration of the mounting portion of the front rail  30 . 
         [0019]    From the description of both of the front and rear rails  30  and  32 , and noting how they are installed on the tabletop  15  and extension  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 , it should be appreciated that the top walls  34  and  80 , respectively, are more exposed to being struck by objects or work pieces and the like and are more susceptible to being damaged through use. The symmetrical configuration is such that the rails can be removed from the tabletop and reversed so that the bottom walls become the top walls after being mounted again and can thereby lengthen their useful life in certain circumstances. 
         [0020]    Turning now to the fence  20 , it is shown in detail in  FIG. 6  and has a construction that is similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,641, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0021]    The fence  20  has a front clamping mechanism, indicating generally at  100 , and a rear clamping mechanism, indicated generally at  102 , which engage opposite ends of the fence  20  to the front and rear rails  30  and  32 . The front and rear clamping mechanisms  100  and  102  interact with one another by virtue of a rod  104  that extends between them. The fence  20  includes a handle  106  that is rotatable about a pivot  108  that is anchored in a front casting  109 . The handle is in turn connected to a link  110  which is connected to a cam member  112 . A locking tab  114  is also attached to the casting  109  by a screw  115 . The locking tab  114  extends downwardly and is configured to engage the recess  36  of the front rail  30  when the fence is placed on the rail  30  and the handle lowered into locking engagement, as shown. The cam  112  engages an activation plate  116  that pivots around pivot point  118 , the upper end of which engages the rod  104 . When the handle is in the position shown in  FIG. 6 , the fence  20  is locked in both the front end and the back end and securely holds the fence to both of the rails. When the handle  106  is rotated upwardly, i.e., clockwise about the pivot  108 , the cam will be rotated in a clockwise manner around its pivot  120  which results in the rear clamping mechanism  102  being released. This enables the handle end portion of the fence to be lifted and the locking tab  114  being drawn out of the recess  36  of the front rail  30 . 
         [0022]    With regard to the rear clamping mechanism, an adjustment screw  122  is screwed into a threaded hole in the upper end of a rear activating plate  122  and contacts the left end portion of the rod  104 . The rear activating plate  122  is rotatable around pivot  124  and has a triangular tab  126  at its lower portion which engages the recess  70  of the rear rail  32 . Thus, when the handle  106  is in its locked or clamping position, the triangular tab  126  fully engages the rear rail and the locking tab  114  engages the recess  36  in the front rail  30 . 
         [0023]    The fence has a block  128  with an aperture  136  through which the left end of the rod  104  passes to contact the screw  120 . A spring  132  has one end that bears against the block  128  and its opposite end against an annular washer that is attached to the rod so that the spring biases the rod toward the right and moves the rod in that direction when the handle  106  is lifted to disengage the locking mechanism. Another spring (not shown) may be provided to rotate the activating plate  122  in the clockwise direction to disengage the locking mechanism  102  when the handle  106  is lifted. 
         [0024]    As previously mentioned, the rails  30  and  32  may be mounted in a manner whereby they and extension  16  can slide relative to the front and rear surfaces of the table top  15  and in this regard, and referring to  FIG. 4 , such a mounting configuration is shown to include a mounting plate  130  that has a base portion having a width that is slightly less than the distance between the inside surfaces of the top and bottom walls  34  and  44  for the front rail  30  and the inside surfaces of the top and bottom walls  80  and  82  of the rear rail  32 . The base portion of the mounting plate  130  abuts the front or rear vertical surfaces of the table top  15  and the extension  16 . The mounting plate  130  has wider top and bottom portions that engage the inside surfaces of the wall portions  56  and  58  of the front rail  30  and wall portions  85  and  86  of the rear rail  32 . At least two screws  132  are used to attach the mounting plate  130  to each of the front and rear walls of the table top extension  16  so securely attach the rails to the extension  16 . While not shown, it may be desirable to place slider plates or a spacer mounting plate instead of the plates  130  on the front and rear walls of the main table  15  to enable sliding movement of the rails  30  and  32  relative to the main table top  15 . It is also desirable to have a locking lever  134  which controls a locking mechanism which is not shown, but is known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The locking lever  134  can lock the extension  16  at any position in which it is placed. It should be understood that other mounting mechanisms can be used to accomplish such desirable sliding without introducing unwanted movement that could interfere with the accuracy and effectiveness of the use of the fence on the saw. 
         [0025]    An alternative embodiment is shown in  FIG. 7  where a front rail is indicated generally at  150  and the rear rail  150 ′. The front rail has an upper recess  152  that is formed by a front wall  154 , bottom wall  156  and a rear wall  158  which is also the outer end wall of the extrusion. The front wall includes a V-shaped recess  160  which is formed by angled walls  162  and  164 . The opposite end portion has a top wall portion  166  and a bottom wall portion  168 , with inwardly directed end portions  170  and  172  which together with a structural wall  174  define a mounting recess  176  that is similar to the mounting portion  60  and  92  of the front and rear rails  30  and  32 , respectively. An advantage of this embodiment is that it can be simply turned upside down and be mounted to the rear edge of the table as is shown in  FIG. 7 . This enables a single extrusion to be used for both the front and rear rails. While the fence  20  may require some modification, it should be understood that if the fence  20  were to be modified to operate with the alternative embodiment in the upright position, it could be turned upside down, have its ends reversed (whereby the handle portion would be placed on the rear end of the saw) and be attached in its upside down position. 
         [0026]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims. 
         [0027]    Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.