Patent ID: 8438740

Claim:
An orientation adjustment device for a circular saw having a base plate and a saw blade assembly movably mounted on the base plate, comprising: an adjustment assembly operable to adjust an orientation of the saw blade assembly relative to the base plate, the assembly including an axle movably supported on the base plate to adjust the orientation of the saw blade assembly; and a release mechanism, including; at least one torsion spring wound around said axle, said torsion spring including a coil portion having a free inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of said axle, and an anchor leg and release leg projecting outward from said coil portion, said release leg including an extending portion terminating at a terminal end, said extending portion including a contact surface disposed between said terminal end and said coil portion, said anchor leg held in a substantially fixed position relative to said axle and said release leg arranged to move relative to said axle in a direction to uncoil said coil portion; and a manually operable release element supported relative to said axle so that movement of said release element moves said release leg from a first state in which said coil portion is engaged about said axle and a second state in which said coil portion is unwound to a diameter greater than the diameter of said axle, said manually operable release element including an elongated bar supported for movement relative to the base plate, said elongated bar having an arm at one end configured to engage said contact surface, wherein said elongated bar is slidably supported on the base plate.