Abstract:
A worktable used in a table saw is disclosed to include a main worktable plate made of iron and having a first opening, and a relatively smaller reinforcing plate made of iron and bonded to the bottom side of the main worktable plate to hold the cutting mechanism of the table saw at the bottom side and having a second opening in vertical alignment with the first opening for the passing of the saw blade of the cutting mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to table saws and more specifically to a worktable for table saw. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A regular table saw comprises a base, a worktable mounted on the top side of the base, and a cutting mechanism mounted on the bottom side of the worktable. The cutting mechanism comprises a motor, a saw blade and other related members. The worktable is capable of supporting the total weight of the cutting mechanism. Normally, the worktable is made of aluminum, having a certain thickness for protection against deformation. 
         [0005]    An aluminum worktable can support the total weight of a cutting mechanism for table saw. However, in order to support the total weight of a cutting mechanism for table saw and to protect against deformation, an aluminum worktable for table saw must be made having a great wall thickness, resulting in a heavy weight of the worktable. Further, increasing the wall thickness of an aluminum worktable relatively increases the consumption of aluminum. In consequence, the cost of the worktable is relatively increased. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a worktable for table saw that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a worktable for table saw, which has high strength and low cost characteristics. 
         [0008]    To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a worktable is used in a table saw, comprising a main worktable plate and a reinforcing plate. The main worktable plate is made of iron, having a first opening for the passing of the saw blade of the cutting mechanism of the table saw. The reinforcing plate is made of iron and bonded to the bottom side of the main worktable plate. The area of the reinforcing plate is relatively smaller than the main worktable plate. Further, the reinforcing plate has a second opening set in alignment with the first opening of the main worktable plate for the passing of the saw blade of the cutting mechanism of the table saw. 
         [0009]    By means of the relatively smaller design of the reinforcing plate, the total weight of the worktable can be relatively reduced. Further, by means of reinforcing the main worktable plate with the reinforcing plate, the worktable has a high structural strength, assuring high working stability and operation safety of the table saw. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a table saw constructed according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a worktable according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  corresponds to  FIG. 2  when viewed from the bottom side. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an elevational assembly view of the worktable according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the worktable shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the worktable according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing an adjustment operation of the swinging member of the cutting mechanism of the table saw. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a schematic sectional view of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the suspension arm supporting structure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1˜6 , a worktable  100  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the top side of a base  210  of a table saw  200 . The worktable  100  has its bottom side configured for the mounting of a cutting mechanism  300 , which comprises a saw blade  310 , a motor  320 , a suspension arm  340 , and a swinging member  350 . The worktable  100  comprises a main worktable plate  20 , a reinforcing plate  30 , four rib members  40 , and two braces  50 . 
         [0019]    The main worktable plate  20  is a flat rectangular iron plate worked through stamping and bending processes, having a top surface  20   a,  a bottom surface  20   b,  and a downwardly extending peripheral flange  21  at each of the four sides. Further, the main worktable plate  20  is divided into a work region  22  on the middle, and two extension regions  23  at two opposite sides relative to the work region  22 . The working region  22  has formed therein a first opening  24 , two first punch holes  27 , and four first through holes  28 . Further, an elongated slot  25  extends along the connection area between the work region  22  and each extension region  23 . Further, each extension region  23  has a plurality of recessed portions  26  curved inwards in the top surface  20   a  to enhance the tensile strength of the respective extension region  23 . Further, the four rib members  40  are respectively connected between each two adjacent peripheral flanges  21 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , enhancing the tensile strength of the border area of the main worktable plate  20 . 
         [0020]    The reinforcing plate  30  is a flat rectangular iron plate worked through stamping and bending processes, having a downwardly extending peripheral flange  31  at each of the four sides. The area of the reinforcing plate  30  is smaller than the main worktable plate  20  Further, the reinforcing plate  30  is divided into a middle reinforcing region  32  that has an area approximately equal to the area of the work region  22 , and two lateral wing regions  33  that are disposed at two opposite sides relative to the middle reinforcing region  32  and have an area relatively smaller than the extension regions  23 . The reinforcing plate  30  is bonded to the bottom surface  20   b  of the reinforcing plate  30  by spot welding, thereby reinforcing the work region  22  with the reinforcing region  32  and the extension regions  23  with the respective wing regions  33 . Therefore, the worktable  100  has a high structural strength, facilitating cutting operation. Further, the reinforcing region  32  has formed therein a second opening  34  corresponding to the first opening  24  for enabling the saw blade  310  to pass through the first and second openings  24  and  34 , two second punch holes  38  corresponding to the first punch holes  27 , and four second through holes  39  corresponding to the first through holes  28 . 
         [0021]    Further, the reinforcing plate  30  has a recessed portion  35  at the connection area between the reinforcing region  32  and each wing region  33 . Each recessed portions  35  constitutes with the corresponding elongated slot  25  a sliding track  60  for the mounting of a rib fence  330  for enabling the rib fence  330  to move along the sliding track  60 . 
         [0022]    Further, the two braces  50  are connected between the peripheral flanges  21  of the main worktable plate  20  and the peripheral flanges  31  of the reinforcing plate  30  and respectively arranged perpendicular to the rib members  40 , thereby enhancing the structural strength of the worktable  100 . According to the present preferred embodiment, the two braces  500  are obliquely connected between the two peripheral flanges  21  at the two opposite lateral sides of the main worktable plate  20  and the two peripheral flanges  31  at the two opposite lateral sides of the reinforcing plate  30 . 
         [0023]    Subject to the aforesaid arrangement, the worktable  100  is strong and steady table saw  200 . The bottom wall of the reinforcing plate  30  is provided for the mounting of the cutting mechanism  300  of the table saw  200 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a plunger  101  can be inserted through one first punch hole  27  and the corresponding second punch hole  28 , and a screw bolt  102  is threaded into a screw hole  101   a  in the plunger  101  and stopped against the swinging member  350  of the cutting mechanism  300 . The swinging member  350  is connected with the saw blade  310 . By means of rotating the screw bolt  102  inwards or outwards to adjust the swinging angle  350  (see the imaginary line in  FIG. 7 ), the tilting angle of the saw blade  310  of the cutting mechanism  300  is relatively adjusted. 
         [0024]    Further, two screw bolts  103  are inserted through the first through holes  28  and the second through holes  39  to fix a nonmetallic cushion block  104  and two packing plates  105  to the bottom side of the reinforcing region  32  of the reinforcing plate  30 . The two packing plates  105  define therebetween a receiving hole  106  for the passing of the suspension arm  340  of the cutting mechanism  300 . By means of the flexibly deformable material property of the nonmetallic cushion block  104 , the suspension arm  340  is firmly secured in place. 
         [0025]    Further, except the installation of the suspension arm  340  and the swinging member  350  in the bottom side of the reinforcing plate  30 , the bottom side of the reinforcing plate  30  is provided with one or a number of brackets  36  for the fastening of other component parts of the cutting mechanism  300 . The number of the brackets  36  is determined subject to the number of component parts of the cutting mechanism  300  to be affixed. 
         [0026]    The connection between the base  210  and the worktable  100  is outlined hereinafter. 
         [0027]    The base  210  is a hollow shell defining an accommodation open chamber  211  and having a screw hole  212  in each of the four corners of the top side. 
         [0028]    The reinforcing plate  30  of the worktable  100  has four mounting lugs  37  provided at the bottom side of the wing regions  33  corresponding to the four screw holes  212  of the base  210 . Screws (not shown) are respectively inserted through the mounting lugs  37  and threaded into the screw holes  212  to affix the worktable  100  to the top side of the base  210 . After installation, the cutting mechanism  300  is received in the accommodation open chamber  211  of the base  210 . 
         [0029]    As stated above, the worktable  100  is designed to bond a relatively smaller reinforcing plate  30  of iron to a relatively greater main worktable plate  20  of iron, reducing the total weight and enhancing the structural strength and load-carrying ability. Therefore, the worktable  100  can support the cutting mechanism and the workpiece steadily against deformation. Further, using iron to make the worktable saves much material cost when compared to the use of aluminum. In conclusion, the worktable  100  has low weight and high strength characteristics practical for use in a complicated table saw, assuring high working stability and operation safety of the table saw. 
         [0030]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.