Mechanism for pivoting a limit plate to top of a rip fence

Abstract

A table saw includes a base assembly; a table assembly mounted on the base assembly and including a table; a slide mechanism mounted on the table assembly; and a rip fence assembly mounted on one side of the table assembly. The rip fence assembly includes a receptacle in a lower portion of one end; an elongated limit plate including two 90-degree bent arms at two ends respectively, each bent arm including a slot having a first end and a second end; a limit seat facing the receptacle; a spring-biased detent anchored in the receptacle and urging against an inner surface of the limit seat by passing through the second end of the slot; and a pivot disposed on an upper portion of one end of the rip fence assembly and disposed through the first end of the slot.

Claims

1. A table saw comprising: a base assembly; a table assembly mounted on the base assembly and including a table; a slide mechanism mounted on the table assembly; and a rip fence assembly mounted on one side of the table assembly and including first and second pivots each disposed on an upper portion of either end of the rip fence assembly; a receptacle disposed in a lower portion of one end of the rip fence assembly and below the first pivot, the receptacle including a compression spring and a steel ball both disposed therein; a limit seat disposed on a lower portion of the rip fence assembly, the limit seat being shaped as an L and including first and second boards adjacent to the receptacle, the second board having one end attached to the rip fence assembly, and a sliding groove disposed between the first board and the receptacle, wherein the steel ball is elastically disposed in the sliding groove and urges against an inner surface of the first board; and an elongated limit plate including first and second 90-degree bent arms at two ends respectively, the first 90-degree bent arm including a first straight slot having a first end and a second end, and the second 90-degree bent arm including a second straight slot having a first end and a second end, wherein the first pivot is further disposed through the first straight slot and the second pivot is further disposed through the second straight slot; wherein in a cutting operation, the first pivot is pivotably connected to the first end of the first straight slot and the second pivot is pivotably connected to the first end of the second straight slot; the steel ball is pivotably connected to the second end of the first straight slot and elastically urges against the inner surface of the first board; and a bottom of the first 90-degree bent arm is slidably disposed on the sliding groove and urges against an inner surface of the second board; and wherein in a folding operation, the first pivot is pivotably connected to the second end of the first straight slot and the second pivot is pivotably connected to the second end of the second straight slot; and the steel ball is pivotably connected to the first end of the first straight slot and elastically urges against the inner surface of the first board.

2. The table saw of claim 1, further comprising a first fastener for positioning the first pivot in the first straight slot of the first 90-degree bent arm, and a second fastener for positioning the second pivot in the second straight slot of the second 90-degree bent arm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table saw incorporating a slide mechanism, a rip fence assembly and a pivot mechanism according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rip fence assembly;

(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pivot mechanism and a portion of the rip fence assembly;

(5) FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 5A is a side elevation of FIG. 2 showing the limit plate in a ready to use position;

(7) FIG. 5B is a view similar to FIG. 5A showing the limit plate pivoted to a top of the rip fence assembly to be inoperative;

(8) FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5B showing the steel ball and a first end of a slot of the limit plate in phantom;

(9) FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the lifting limit plate;

(10) FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the clockwise pivoting limit plate; and

(11) FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the fully pivoted limit plate disposed above the table in a ready to use position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9, a table saw 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a base assembly 10, a table assembly 20 mounted on the base assembly 10 and including a table 21, a slide mechanism 30 mounted on the table assembly 20, and a rip fence assembly 40 mounted on the left side of the table assembly 20.

(13) The rip fence assembly 40 incorporating a pivot mechanism as the subject of the invention is discussed in detail below.

(14) An elongated limit plate 50 includes two 90-degree bent arms 51 at two ends respectively, and two opposite sides 501 and 502 for urging against a workpiece (not shown) on the table 21 and configured to be pressed by the hand respectively in operation. Each arm 51 includes a slot 52 having a first end 521 and a second end 522 adjacent to the horizontal part thereof. Two limit seats 70 each is disposed on a lower portion of either end of the rip fence assembly 40. Each limit seat 70 has a sliding groove 701 and a limit end 702. A receptacle 41 is formed in the lower portion of the rip fence assembly 40 adjacent to the limit seat 70. A compression spring 81 is anchored in the receptacle 41. In a ready to use position, a steel ball 80 is disposed in the receptacle 41, the second end 522, and the sliding groove 701 to urge against an inner surface of the limit seat 70 due to the expansion of the compression spring 81. Two pivots 60 each is disposed on an upper portion of either end of the rip fence assembly 40 by disposing through the first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50. A plurality of washers 61 are provided on two opposite surfaces of the first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 respectively for increasing stability of a pivotal operation of the limit plate 50 on either pivot 60. Further, two nuts 62 each is provided to position the washers 61 and the pivot 60.

(15) As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 9 specifically, the limit plate 50 is disposed above the table 21 by a distance of 0.5 mm in a ready to use position.

(16) As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6 specifically, an individual may lift the limit plate 50 to disengage the steel ball 80 from the second end 522 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 by compressing the compression spring 81 and continue the lifting until the second end 522 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 contacts and is stopped by the pivot 60. The compression spring 81 expands immediately to urge the steel ball 80 against the limit seat 70 after disengaging the second end 522 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 from the steel ball 80. Next, the individual may counterclockwise rotate the limit plate 50 about 180 degrees on each pivot 60 until each first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 pushes the steel ball 80 away from the limit seat 70 with the compression spring 81 being compressed. Finally, the compression spring 81 pushes the steel ball 80 through the first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 to urge against the limit seat 70, i.e., locked. This is an inoperative position of the limit plate 50 (FIG. 6).

(17) As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 specifically, the individual may lift the limit plate 50 to disengage the steel ball 80 from the first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 by compressing the compression spring 81 and continue the lifting until each first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 contacts and is stopped by the pivot 60. The compression spring 81 expands immediately to urge the steel ball 80 against the limit seat 70 after disengaging each first end 521 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 from the steel ball 80. Next, the individual may clockwise rotate the limit plate 50 about 180 degrees on the pivot 60 until each second end 522 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 pushes the steel ball 80 away from the limit seat 70 with the compression spring 81 being compressed. Finally, the compression spring 81 pushes the steel ball 80 through the second end 522 of the slot 52 of the limit plate 50 to urge against the limit seat 70, i.e., locked. This is a ready to use position of the limit plate 50 (FIG. 9). At this time, each second end 522 of the slot 52 of the arm 51 is disposed at the sliding groove 701 of each limit seat 70 and urged against the limit end 702. The individual may urge one side 501 of the elongated limit plate 50 to against a workpiece (not shown).

(18) While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.