A fence assembly configured to guide a workpiece with respect to a blade of a saw device includes a fence that is supported by rails for sliding movement relative to a work surface. Opposed ends of the fence are supported on the rails via rail engagement members. The fence assembly includes a fence angle adjustment mechanism associated with a housing of one of the rail engagement members. The fence angle adjustment mechanism includes biasing elements working in conjunction with an adjustment screw to adjust the position of the fence with respect to parallelism to the blade.

A table saw has a base assembly, a table assembly supported by the base assembly, and a saw assembly supported by at least one of the table assembly and the base assembly. The saw assembly includes a saw blade extending through the table assembly. The base assembly has at least one tube connected to the table assembly.

Fences for use in table saws are disclosed. One embodiment may include an actuator, handle or lever to lock and unlock the fence from the table, where the actuator, handle or lever is positioned substantially above the tabletop and substantially within the perimeter of the table (including any rail associated with the table). Another embodiment may include an actuator, handle or lever to lock and unlock the fence from the table, where the actuator, handle or lever is positioned along a top surface of the fence and configured so that the fence unclamps from the saw when the actuator, handle or lever is pressed.

A scale assembly of a table saw includes front and rear outer slide members at front and rear ends of a slide mechanism respectively; front and rear inner slide members at front and rear ends of a table assembly respectively in which the front inner slide member slides in the front outer slide member and the rear inner slide member slides in the rear outer slide member; a block member secured to a front end of a rip fence assembly and including a channel and a spring biased member; and a lever in the channel and including a trigger, a projection, and first and second recesses in which in a locked position, the spring biased member is biased by a spring to enter the first recess and the projection enters a lengthwise cavity on an outer surface of the front outer slide member.

A fence assembly configured to guide a workpiece with respect to a blade of a saw device includes a fence that is supported by rails for sliding movement relative to a work surface. Opposed ends of the fence are supported on the rails via rail engagement members. The fence assembly includes a fence angle adjustment mechanism associated with a housing of one of the rail engagement members. The fence angle adjustment mechanism includes biasing elements working in conjunction with an adjustment screw to adjust the position of the fence with respect to parallelism to the blade.

A scale assembly of a table saw includes front and rear outer slide members disposed at front and rear ends of a slide mechanism respectively; front and rear inner slide members disposed at front and rear ends of a table assembly respectively wherein the front inner slide member slides in the front outer slide member, and the rear inner slide member slides in the rear outer slide member; a block member secured to a front end of a rip fence assembly and including a channel and a spring biased member; and a lever in the channel and including an exposed trigger, a projection, and first and second recesses. In a locked position, the spring biased member has one end entered the first recess and the projection enters a lengthwise cavity on an outer surface of the front outer slide member.

A post 22D may be disposed between holders 22H. Post 22D preferably does not extend from panel 22 as much as holders 22H. Post 22D may have a protrusion 22DD. Pushstick 70 may also have a detent or protrusion 70D extending therefrom. Preferably protrusion 70D moves past protrusion 22DD as pushstick 70 is moved along posts 22HP. Protrusions 70D and 22DD may contact, preventing pushstick 70 from moving along panel 22.

Persons skilled in the art will recognize that protrusions 70D and/or 22DD may engage notches in panel 22 and/or pushstick 70, respectively. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the interaction of protrusions 70D and/or 22DD can be used instead or in conjunction with the friction-based retaining arrangement, i.e., where friction is created between narrow area 71N and post 22HH, discussed above.

Holders 22H and/or post 22D are preferably integrally molded with panel 22. Accordingly, pushstick 70 may be held unto the panel 22 without requiring any additional parts.

Persons skilled in the art may recognize other additions or alternatives to the means disclosed herein. However, all these additions and/or alterations are considered to be equivalents of the present invention.

A table saw has a base assembly, a table assembly supported by the base assembly, and a saw assembly supported by at least one of the table assembly and the base assembly. The saw assembly includes a saw blade extending through the table assembly. The base assembly has at least one tube connected to the table assembly.

There is disclosed a cutting mechanism for severing elongate fibre reinforcement material in composite material lay-up equipment, the cutting mechanism comprising a cutting element and a counteracting element which cooperate to sever fibre reinforcement material extending through the nip between them, the cutting element being mounted on an elongate arm which is pivotable about a pivot axis A spaced from the nip, to displace the cutting element relatively to the counteracting element to perform a cutting stroke, the mechanism further comprising guide means arranged to guide the fibre reinforcement material through the nip in a feed direction transverse to the pivot axis A, and an actuation device for driving the elongate arm in a cutting stroke, the actuation device acting on the elongate arm at a position away from the cutting element. There is also provided composite material lay-up equipment comprising the cutting mechanism.

Extension rails for table saws are disclosed. Some of the disclosed extension rails can be attached to a table saw without a user having to manipulate a lever or knob. Extension rails particularly relevant to portable table saws such as jobsite and bench-top table saws are disclosed, including extension rails that can provide 48 or more of cutting capacity on jobsite and/or bench-top table saws. A method of attaching extension rails to a table saw is disclosed that does not require the use of a tool or the manipulation of a knob or clamp.