Patent ID: 7055250

Claim:
Machine for cutting plate-shaped workpieces comprising: (a) a housing ( 4 ); (b) an elongated tool guide ( 7 ) pivotally mounted on the housing ( 4 ) about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the tool guide; (c) a motor-driven cutting tool ( 6 ) extending about the tool guide ( 7 ) along said direction of elongation, said cutting tool defining a cutting plane; (d) a grippable operating handle ( 13 ) pivotably supported in the housing ( 4 ) and operatively connected to the tool guide ( 7 ) to shift the tool guide ( 7 ) with the cutting tool ( 6 ) along said cutting plane from an idle position to an active position, whereby in its idle position, the cutting tool ( 6 ) is disengaged from a workpiece to be cut upon which the machine is placed for cutting the workpiece, and in its active position, the cutting tool is engaged in the workpiece ( 2 ) to be cut and; (e) a variable ratio transmission mechanism ( 14 , 18 ) operably connected to said operating handle ( 13 ) and the tool guide ( 7 ), said variable ratio transmission mechanism having a transmission ratio that varies with the movement of the operating handle ( 13 ) as a function of the position of the tool guide ( 7 ) and cutting tool ( 6 ) as they move between the idle and active positions for cutting said workpiece ( 2 ).