Abstract:
Supports for a table saw blade assembly are provided and each support includes an elongated L-shaped bracket releasably secured to the upper cutting surface and including a curved slot; a pivotal plate including a projection slidable in the curved slot, and two holes through the projection and the pivotal plate; a first clamping plate; and a second clamping plate. The first clamping plate, the bracket, the pivotal plate, and the second clamping plate are fastened together with the pivotal plate being capable of sliding along the curved slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to table saws and more particularly to two supports for providing a sufficient support to a tilted blade assembly of a table saw. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Table saw is a woodworking tool consisting of a circular saw blade, mounted on an arbor which is driven by an electric motor. The blade protrudes through the surface of a table, which provides support for the material (e.g., wood) being cut. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,317 discloses a support structure for a table saw blade assembly which includes a cast aluminum bracket member with a rectangular opening upon which is movably supported the saw blade assembly. The bracket member is formed with a cavity for containing the saw blade and a discharge chute communicating with the cavity. A cover plate encloses the cavity. On the other side of the bracket member there are stiffening ribs for reducing the vibration of the bracket member. The density of the stiffening ribs increases as the distance from the opening decreases. 
     Notwithstanding the prior art, the invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a table saw comprising a base including an upper cutting surface; a front rail and a rear rail disposed on a front edge and a rear edge of the upper cutting surface respectively; a moveable rip fence disposed on one side of the upper cutting surface; a blade assembly including a circular saw blade extending upward from the upper cutting surface, and front and rear mounting members spaced by the saw blade; an adjustment wheel mounted on the base under the rear rail and being operative to tilt the blade assembly; and a rear support assembly and a front support assembly releasably secured to the mounting members respectively; wherein each of the rear and front support assemblies includes an elongated L-shaped bracket releasably secured to the upper cutting surface and including a curved slot; a pivotal plate including a projection slidable in the curved slot, and two holes through the projection and the pivotal plate; a first clamping plate; and a second clamping plate; wherein the first clamping plate, the bracket, the pivotal plate, and the second clamping plate are fastened together with the pivotal plate being capable of sliding along the curved slot. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a table saw incorporating supports for a blade assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the blade assembly and the upper cutting surface; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the blade assembly and the upper cutting surface; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the front support assembly; 
         FIGS. 5 and 5   a  are two perspective views of the front support assembly viewed from the pivotal plate in different pivotal angles respectively; 
         FIG. 5   b  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5   a  showing the front support assembly not being fastened by the rivets; 
         FIG. 5   c  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 5   b;    
         FIG. 5   d  is a top view of the first clamping plate showing an unevenness of the intermediate member and the side members; 
         FIG. 5   e  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5   a  showing the front support assembly being fastened by the rivets; 
         FIG. 5   f  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 5   e;    
         FIG. 6  is a longitudinal sectional view of the front support assembly shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the table saw of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rear support assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the rear support assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of the table saw; 
         FIG. 10   a  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the table saw of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 11  a front view of the table saw with the saw blade being tilted after rotating the adjustment wheel; and 
         FIG. 11   a  is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the table saw of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 11   a , a table saw  1  in accordance with the invention is shown and comprises a base  10 , an upper cutting surface  11  mounted on the base  10 , two parallel rails  12  mounted on front and rear edges of the upper cutting surface  11  respectively, a rip fence  20  disposed on the right side of the upper cutting surface  11  in a locked position and slidably mounted on the rails  12 , and an adjustment wheel  13  moveably mounted on curved slot  14  on a front surface of the base  10 . 
     The table saw  1  further comprises a blade assembly  30  including a circular saw blade  31  extending upward from the upper cutting surface  11  to be adapted to cut a substance, e.g., wood. The blade assembly  30  further comprises front and rear mounting members  32 ,  33  spaced by the saw blade  31 . 
     The table saw  1  further comprises a front support assembly  40  threadedly secured to the front mounting member  32 , and a rear support assembly  50  threadedly secured to the rear mounting member  33 . The rear support assembly  50  is a mirror image of the front support assembly  40 . 
     The front support assembly  40  comprises a bracket  41  of being an elongated L-shaped member, the bracket  41  including a curved slot  411  on a vertical portion and two spaced first holes  412  on the horizontal portion; a pivotal plate  42  including a projection  421  proximate one end, the projection  421  having a convex bottom  4211  shaped to be slidable in the slot  411 , two hole members  422  through the projection  421  and the pivotal plate  42 , and two second holes  423 ; a first clamping plate  43  including a flat intermediate member  434 , two through holes  431  through the intermediate member  434 , two washers  432  disposed between the intermediate member  434  and the through holes  431 , two longitudinal grooves  433  on both sides of the intermediate member  434  respectively, and two side members  435  extending out of the grooves  433  in opposite directions, the side members  435  being offset with respect to the intermediate member  434 ; a second clamping plate  44  including two through holes  441 ; two rivets  45  driven through the through holes  431 , the washers  432 , the hole members  422 , and the through holes  441  to assemble the first clamping plate  43 , the bracket  41 , the pivotal plate  42 , and the second clamping plate  44 ; two first threaded fasteners  46  driven through the first holes  412  into the upper cutting surface  11  to fasten the front support assembly  40  and the upper cutting surface  11  together; and two second threaded fasteners  47  driven through the second holes  423  into the front mounting member  32  to fasten the front support assembly  40  and the front mounting member  32  together. The bracket  41  is fastened by frictionally engaging with the side members  435  of the first clamping plate  43 . Further, the curved slot  411  has a concave surface complementary to a convex bottom  4211  of the projection  421 . Thus, the pivotal plate  42  is adapted to slide along the slot  411 . Further, the bracket  41  is threadedly secured to the upper cutting surface  11 . Furthermore, the pivotal plate  42  (i.e., the front support assembly  40 ) is threadedly secured to the front mounting member  32 . 
     The rear support assembly  50  comprises a bracket  51  of being an elongated L-shaped member, the bracket  51  including a curved slot  511  on a vertical portion and two spaced first holes  512  on the horizontal portion; a pivotal plate  52  including a projection  521  proximate one end, the projection  521  having a convex bottom  5211  shaped to be slidable in the slot  511 , two hole members  522  through the projection  521  and the pivotal plate  52 , and two second holes  523 ; a first clamping plate  53  including a flat intermediate member  534 , two through holes  531  through the intermediate member  534 , two washers  532  disposed between the intermediate member  534  and the through holes  531 , two longitudinal grooves  533  on both sides of the intermediate member  534  respectively, and two side members  535  extending out of the grooves  533  in opposite directions, the side members  535  being offset with respect to the intermediate member  534 ; a second clamping plate  54  including two through holes  541 ; two rivets  55  driven through the through holes  531 , the washers  532 , the hole members  522 , and the through holes  541  to assemble the first clamping plate  53 , the bracket  51 , the pivotal plate  52 , and the second clamping plate  54 ; two first threaded fasteners  56  driven through the first holes  512  into the upper cutting surface  11  to fasten the rear support assembly  50  and the upper cutting surface  11  together; and two second threaded fasteners  57  driven through the second holes  523  into the rear mounting member  33  to fasten the rear support assembly  50  and the rear mounting member  32  together. The bracket  51  is fastened by frictionally engaging with the side members  535  of the first clamping plate  53 . Further, the curved slot  511  has a concave surface complementary to a convex bottom  5211  of the projection  521 . Thus, the pivotal plate  52  is adapted to slide along the slot  511 . Further, the bracket  51  is threadedly secured to the upper cutting surface  11 . Furthermore, the pivotal plate  52  (i.e., the rear support assembly  50 ) is threadedly secured to the rear mounting member  33 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  10   a ,  11 , and  11   a , an individual may rotate the adjustment wheel  13  by moving along the slot  14  to tilt the blade assembly  30  and the saw blade  31 . Also, the pivotal plates  42 ,  52  are adapted to slide along the slots  411 ,  511  respectively. It is envisaged by the invention that the weight of the tilted blade assembly  30  is sufficiently supported by both the front support assembly  40  and the rear support assembly  50 . Therefore, a potential drop of the blade assembly  30  is avoided. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.