Patent ID: 6948412

Claim:
A band saw comprising: a frame; spaced apart first and second wheels pivotally mounted on the frame about spaced apart axes; a motor which drives at least one of the first and second wheels; a flexible saw blade forming a loop extending about the first and second wheels, the saw blade having a straight cutting segment in a region spanning between the wheels; a first and second housing portion attached to the frame and generally enclosing the first and second wheels, at least one of the first housing portions including a baffle which generally surrounds the outer periphery of the one of the first and second wheels located downstream of the saw blade cutting zone, the baffle and the first and second housing portions collectively defining a fan chamber substantially enclosing said wheel, the fan chamber having an inlet adjacent the enclosed wheel axis and an outlet extending from an outer peripheral region of the chamber; a centrifugal fan having a plurality of blades for rotation with the enclosed wheel to draw air into the chamber inlet and discharge air through the chamber outlet; and a conduit mounted to one of the first and second housing portions on a side of the enclosed wheel which is opposite a connection between the enclosed wheel and the motor, the conduit having an intake end oriented adjacent the section of the saw blade downstream of the saw blade cutting zone so that when the band saw is in use, the centrifugal fan causes air and entrained cutting debris generated when a workpiece is cut to be drawn into the conduit intake end, passed through the fan chamber and discharged through the chamber outlet.