Cutlery – Cutting tools – Saw
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-09
2001-04-03
Ashley, Boyer (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Cutting tools
Saw
C030S338000, C030S337000, C030S339000, C030S342000, C271S081000, C271S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209208
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to reciprocating saws and more specifically to a keyless blade clamp for quickly and easily replacing and securing a saw blade to a spindle of a reciprocating saw.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hand held reciprocating tools, such as electric reciprocating saws, include removable blades, which permits the use of different cutting edges as may be necessary for cutting different materials and for the replacement of worn or damaged blades. This requires a blade mounting system that allows rapid blade replacement while accurately and firmly coupling the blade to the tool. Typically, blade mounting systems require a tool, such as an allen wrench or a special key, in order to replace and secure the blade. This is a slow and often difficult process.
Recently, blade clamps that do not require a tool have been developed. These clamps are commonly called keyless blade clamps. While many existing keyless blade clamps are a vast improvement over standard blade clamps that require tools, there is still a need for keyless blade clamps that are easy to manufacture, simple to use, and long-lasting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a reciprocating tool (e.g., a reciprocating saw) comprising a housing, a spindle mounted for reciprocating movement within the housing and having an end adapted to receive a saw blade, and a blade clamp mechanism connected to the spindle and adapted to attach a saw blade to the spindle. The blade clamp mechanism includes an actuating member mounted on the end of the spindle and capable of moving relative to the spindle between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and a locking member operatively associated with the actuating member and moveable relative to the spindle between a locked position that locks a saw blade to the spindle and an unlocked position that releases the saw blade. Movement of the actuating member from the disengaged position to the engaged position results in forced movement of the locking member from the unlocked position to the locked position, and movement of the actuating member from the engaged position to the disengaged position results in forced movement of the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position. By virtue of the forced movement of the locking member to the unlocked position, the locking member is moved at least partially out of the way of the saw blade to thereby reduce interference between the locking member and the saw blade.
In one embodiment, the actuating member includes an outer cam surface and an inner cam surface, and the locking member includes and outer follower surface adapted to be driven by the outer cam surface and an inner follower surface (e.g., a shoulder portion) adapted to be driven by the inner cam surface. Preferably, the inner cam surface includes a front portion and a rear portion axially spaced from the front portion. In this situation, the locking member can be positioned between the front portion and the rear portion.
The present invention also provides a method of inserting a saw blade into a reciprocating saw having a spindle and a blade clamp mechanism connected to the spindle, the blade clamp mechanism including an actuating member movably mounted on an end of the spindle and a locking member operatively associated with the actuating member. The method comprises the steps of providing the saw with the actuating member in an engaged position and with the locking member in a locked position, moving (e.g,, rotating) the actuating member to a disengaged position, contacting the actuating member with the locking member during the moving step to thereby force the locking member to move to an unlocked position, inserting a saw blade into the spindle, returning the actuating member back to the engaged position, and forcing the actuating member to contact and move the locking member into the locked position and into engagement with the saw blade.
In one embodiment, the actuating member includes a cam surface, and the contacting step includes engaging the cam surface with the locking member. Preferably, the locking member includes a body portion and a head portion larger than the body portion, and the engaging step includes engaging the cam surface with the head portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 36269 (1999-08-01), Wright
patent: 3583716 (1971-06-01), Daniel, Jr.
patent: 3750283 (1973-08-01), Hoffman
patent: 3823473 (1974-07-01), Hoffman
patent: 3964163 (1976-06-01), Russo
patent: 4020555 (1977-05-01), Hedrick
patent: 4083112 (1978-04-01), Palm
patent: 4106181 (1978-08-01), Mattchen
patent: 4204692 (1980-05-01), Hoffman
patent: 4285129 (1981-08-01), Hoffman
patent: 4294013 (1981-10-01), Krieg
patent: 4299402 (1981-11-01), Hoffman
patent: 4351112 (1982-09-01), Nalley
patent: 4441225 (1984-04-01), Hoffman
patent: 4470196 (1984-09-01), Hoffman
patent: 4528753 (1985-07-01), Kuhlmann et al.
patent: 4550500 (1985-11-01), Kuhlmann et al.
patent: 4594781 (1986-06-01), Hoffman
patent: 4601477 (1986-07-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 4648182 (1987-03-01), Hoffman
patent: 4691929 (1987-09-01), Neumaier et al.
patent: 4708548 (1987-11-01), Taylor et al.
patent: 5058280 (1991-10-01), Pollak et al.
patent: 5103565 (1992-04-01), Holzer, Jr.
patent: 5165173 (1992-11-01), Miller
patent: 5233892 (1993-08-01), Roberts
patent: 5272948 (1993-12-01), Theising
patent: 5306025 (1994-04-01), Langhoff
patent: 5322302 (1994-06-01), Quirijnen
patent: 5324052 (1994-06-01), Ortmann
patent: 5340129 (1994-08-01), Wright
patent: 5351590 (1994-10-01), Everts et al.
patent: 5363733 (1994-11-01), Baird et al.
patent: 5402580 (1995-04-01), Seto et al.
patent: 5421232 (1995-06-01), Laverick
patent: 5433457 (1995-07-01), Wright
patent: 5439472 (1995-08-01), Evans et al.
patent: 5443276 (1995-08-01), Nasser et al.
patent: 5458346 (1995-10-01), Briggs
patent: 5487221 (1996-01-01), Oda et al.
patent: 5575071 (1996-11-01), Phillips et al.
patent: 5903983 (1999-05-01), Jungmann et al.
patent: 5934846 (1999-08-01), Ishii
patent: 5946810 (1999-09-01), Hoelderlin et al.
patent: 5954347 (1999-09-01), Buck et al.
patent: 5971403 (1999-10-01), Yahagi et al.
patent: 5984596 (1999-11-01), Fehrle et al.
patent: 5987758 (1999-11-01), McCurry et al.
patent: 5988034 (1999-11-01), Okuba et al.
patent: 5988957 (1999-11-01), Wheeler
patent: 5989257 (1999-11-01), Tidwell et al.
patent: 5996452 (1999-12-01), Chiang
patent: 3713208 (1988-11-01), None
patent: 0544129 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 0623413 (1994-11-01), None
patent: 2296888 (1996-07-01), None
patent: WO89/08524 (1989-09-01), None
patent: WO95/27583 (1995-10-01), None
Marinkovich Dragomir C.
Neitzell Roger Dean
Ashley Boyer
Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporarion
LandOfFree
Keyless blade clamp mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Keyless blade clamp mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Keyless blade clamp mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2485168