Improvements in Guards for Circular Saws.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Guards for Circular Saws.
EDWARD CORY and FREDERICK WILLIAM REYNOLDS, Engineers, of Acorn Works,
Edward Street, Blackfriars Road, London, S.E., do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows: :-
The object of this invention is the construction of guards for circular saws of a
form calculated to secure the greatest amount of safety to the workman and the
least amount of hindrance to him in sawing. With this purpose in view we cover
the saw with a flat or nearly flat guard carried in a horizontal or nearly horizontal
plane and supported by preference at one end by a horizontal rod carried by a vertical
pillar at the back of the bench, and in such a way that this vertical pillar will not
interfere with the use of the bench when the workman is engaged in either ordinary
ripping or cross cutting. The flat guard is carried as near to the top of the circular
saw as possible, the length of it being longer than the diameter of the saw, and the
width, especially towards the front side of the saw bench, being sufficient to give
protection to the workman. The guard should be made solid at the part covering
the back of the saw so as to prevent chips or pieces of wood &c. being thrown up by
the back of the saw, but the part covering the front of the saw should be made with
bars, grids or wire netting so that the workman can see the saw to judge of the work
he is doing. The guard may also be made hinged so that it will turn over out of
the way when the saw has to be changed &c., and it may also be so supported
that it can be easily adjusted to fit the bench to which it is applied. The
chief improvements in this guard are that it does not require to be continually
raised & lowered to suit each different size of work but may be a permanent fixture
over the saw; that it gives a greater amount of safety to the workman than
those previously designed; and that the cut that the saw is making can at all times
be distinctly seen through the bars or grids.
Dated this 27th day of June 1898
EDWARD CORY and FREDERICK WILLIAM REYNOLDS, Acorn Works, Edward
Street, Blackfriars Road, London, S.E., Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the construction of guards for circular saws, in

page_text: order to protect the workman from accident. We therefore erect a flat horizontal
plate, (or framework carrying a horizontal plate) over the saw, and as near to the
top of the saw as convenient, as a shield or canopy, the length being considerably
longer than the diameter of the saw and the breadth sufficiently wide to give
protection. The guard should be so fixed that the greater part of the breadth of the
plate should be to the working side of the bench, thereby giving more protection
on that side. The horizontal plate may be constructed of any suitable material
but we prefer a wrought iron frame covered with sheet iron over the back of the saw
and iron bars or grids over the front or cutting side of the saw to enable the
workman to see the saw through the bars right up to the top of the highest tooth,
wire netting or any strong transparent substance may also be used for this purpose.
The back part of the saw guard is covered with solid sheet iron or other strong
substance to prevent pieces of wood or material sawn from being thrown by the
back of the saw against the workman.
By preference the guard is supported by an upright column or post at the back
of the bench, in such a way that it does not interfere with either ripping or cross
cutting, and by a horizontal bar supported on the post and carrying one end of
the guard. The guard can also be made to turn ever on this horizontal bar or rod
for convenience in removing the saw &c. Large guards may in addition be sup-
ported at the other end by a chain, rod or sling from the roof or any overhead
structure.
A riving knife may if preferred be used with the guard and fixed to the table
of the sawbench.
The annexed drawing shows a means we adopt for carrying out this invention
but we do not bind ourselves to the particular form of appliance there shown.
Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2, a plan of a circular saw bench showing our
guard for the saw in position.
With reference to the details-A is the sawbench, B the fence, C the circular
saw, the horizontal guard over the top of the saw and so placed
that the greater part of its width is to the front of the bench,
thereby giving greater protection on the working side. The part of this guard
covering the cutting side of the saw is formed with bars E so that the workman can
see how the saw is cutting, and the back part is a solid plate 1 which prevents any
pieces sawn from being thrown up by the back or rising portion of the saw.
G is a
horizontal rod carrying the guard and upon which it can turn over for facility in
removing the saw &c. This rod G is again carried on the vertical rod H which
has a footstep bolted to the bench and in such a position that it does not interfere
either with ripping or cross cutting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
In guarding circular saws, a horizontal or flat plate carried in a plane above the
level and near to the top of the saw, and of sufficient size to guard the saw by its
breadth and length only, the front part of the plate being sometimes perforated or
formed as a grid so that the saw may be seen whilst working.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1899.
EDWARD CORY.
FREDERICK WILLIAM REYNOLDS.