Patent ID: 6851345

Claim:
A cutting apparatus comprising: a cutting table having a work support surface, and a cutting tool at least proximate to the work support surface for cutting a workpiece on the work support surface; a pair of elongated guide rails mounted to the cutting table; a chain on each guide rail; a pair of sprockets rotatably mounted on each guide rail with each pair of sprockets mounting one of said chains; each chain including sprocket tooth receiving spaces and a working flight extending along the associated guide rail; a shaft interconnecting one of the sprockets on one guide rail with one of the sprockets on the remaining guide rail; an elongated cutting guide extending across the work support surface; and aligning lugs interconnecting the cutting guide and the working flights and oriented substantially normal to the working flights, each of the aligning lugs projecting from one of the cutting guide and the corresponding working flight and being slidably received in the other of the corresponding working flight and the cutting guide, respectively, for connecting the cutting guide to the chains to transmit motion to the cutting guide along the guide rails responsive to movement of the chains along the guide rails, the slidable connection of the aligning lugs permitting disconnection of the cutting guide from the chains by lifting the cutting guide in a direction substantially normal to the working flights.