Miter assembly for miter saws

Abstract

A miter saw having a base assembly, a rotatable table rotatably disposed on the base assembly, and a saw assembly rotatably supported by the table. The miter saw also has a miter lock assembly for locking the rotational position of the saw of the table relative to the base assembly.

1 . A miter saw comprising: 
 a base assembly;    a rotatable table rotatably disposed on the base assembly;    a saw assembly rotatably supported by the table; and    a miter lock assembly for locking the rotational position of the saw of the table relative to the base assembly, the miter lock assembly comprising a clamp block movably connected to the table, and a handle rotatably attached to the table, wherein the clamp block is movable between a first position contacting the base assembly and a second position not contacting the base assembly, the handle moving the clamp block between the second and first positions.    
   
   
       2 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein a rod is disposed between the handle and the clamp block.  
   
   
       3 . The miter saw of  claim 2 , wherein the rod pushes the clamp block towards the first position when the handle is rotated.  
   
   
       4 . The miter saw of  claim 3 , wherein the handle has a cam surface that contacts the rod when the handle is rotated.  
   
   
       5 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein the miter lock assembly further comprises a spring mounted on the table for biasing the clamp block towards the second position.  
   
   
       6 . A miter saw comprising: 
 a base assembly;    a rotatable table rotatably disposed on the base assembly;    a saw assembly rotatably supported by the table;    a miter detent assembly for fixing the rotational position of the saw of the table relative to the base assembly, the miter detent assembly comprising a detent plate attached to the base assembly having at least one detent notch, a detent body pivotably attached to the table and being movable between a first position engaging the at least one detent notch and a second position not engaging the at least one detent notch;    a handle for moving the detent body from the first position towards the second position; and    a detent bypass assembly disposed on the table for moving and maintaining the handle and the detent body in the second position.    
   
   
       7 . The miter saw of  claim 6 , wherein the detent body has at least one axle.  
   
   
       8 . The miter saw of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one axle is disposed within at least one bearing.  
   
   
       9 . The miter saw of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one bearing is trapped between the table and a plate.  
   
   
       10 . The miter saw of  claim 6 , wherein the miter detent assembly further comprises a spring disposed between the table and the detent body for biasing the detent body towards the first position.  
   
   
       11 . The miter saw of  claim 6 , wherein the handle is pivotably attached to the table.  
   
   
       12 . The miter saw of  claim 11 , wherein the handle contacts the detent body.  
   
   
       13 . The miter saw of  claim 11 , wherein the detent bypass assembly comprises a cam surface disposed adjacent to the handle, the cam surface being movable between a neutral position and a displaced position which moves the handle and the detent body towards the second position.  
   
   
       14 . The miter saw of  claim 13 , wherein the cam surface is rotated between the neutral and displaced positions.  
   
   
       15 . The miter saw of  claim 13 , wherein the cam surface is linearly moved between the neutral and displaced positions.  
   
   
       16 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein the detent bypass assembly comprises a screw threadingly engaged to the table and disposed adjacent to the handle, the screw being movable between a neutral position and a displaced position which moves the handle and the detent body towards the second position.  
   
   
       17 . A miter saw comprising: 
 a base assembly having an upwardly-extending substantially annular wall;    a rotatable table rotatably disposed on the base assembly, the table having a downwardly-extending substantially annular wall disposed adjacent to the wall of the base assembly;    a saw assembly rotatably supported by the table;    a bolt extending through the base assembly and table, the bolt being surrounded by at least one of the wall of the base assembly and the wall of the table; and    an O-ring disposed between the wall of the base assembly and the wall of the table.    
   
   
       18 . The miter saw of  claim 17 , further comprising a washer disposed between the bolt and the table.