Patent ID: 8151680

Claim:
An apparatus for moving a band saw comprising: a plurality of endless, flexible loops having opposite side edges and a smooth body between said edges, at least one of said edges having cutting teeth thereon; and a base supporting a drive wheel mounted on an axle at one location and a stationary curved guide positioned at a distance from said axle, said endless loops extending around a portion of said drive wheel and said curved guide so as to define a closed path of travel for said endless loops, wherein a part of said closed path includes a rectilinear section to allow access by a workpiece to said cutting teeth to accomplish cutting on said workpiece, said endless loops being in said rectilinear section so that the side edges having cutting teeth face a direction the workpiece is fed during operation, said drive wheel comprising a plurality of drive wheel tracks, each endless loop being in a corresponding drive wheel track and contacting a drive wheel track surface, said curved guide having a plurality of guide tracks, each endless loop being disposed in a corresponding guide track and contacting a guide track surface, the guide tracks having different radii measured from a common center so that the endless loops are spaced apart in the rectilinear section, the guide track surfaces comprising friction reducing means to facilitate movement of said endless loop over said guide track surface when said drive wheel is actuated to move said endless loop along said closed path, and wherein said smooth body of said endless loops includes a plurality of openings adjacent said edges and extending along said endless loops, and wherein said drive wheel tracks comprise sprocket lugs for engaging some of said openings in each of said endless loops to effect movement of said endless loops when said drive wheel is rotated.