System for Forming a Miter Joint

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward a system for forming miter joints including a miter saw and an angle gauge. The miter saw includes a platform with a kerf slot and a pair of arcuate slots. Each arcuate slot includes an associated rail located on the underside of the platform. A fence is coupled to each of the rails such that the fence may be pivoted with respect to the platform. The angle measurement tool is a one-handed tool including spring loaded paddles that measure the angle between intersecting surfaces. The angle measurement tool connects to the miter saw to permit the transfer of the measured angle to the fences.

1 . A miter saw comprising:
 a platform including a first surface and a an opposed second surface;   a cutting device coupled to the first surface of the platform;   a kerf slot formed into the platform;   a first generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot;   a first generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform;   a first fence comprising:
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member slidingly connected to the first generally arcuate rail; 
   wherein the first fence is displaceable along the first arcuate rail to reorient the first fence from a first position within the first arcuate slot to a second position within the first arcuate slot, and vice versa.   
   
   
       2 . The miter saw of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot;   a second generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform;   a second fence comprising:
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member that slidingly engages the generally arcuate rail; 
   wherein the second fence is displaceable along the first arcuate rail to reorient the second fence from a first position within the second arcuate slot to a second position within the second arcuate slot.   
   
   
       3 . The miter saw of  claim 2 , wherein the first fence is linked to the second fence such that displacement of the first fence causes a corresponding displacement of the second fence. 
   
   
       4 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein displacement of the first fence from the first fence position to the second fence position pivots the fence to alter the angle of the fence with respect to the kerf slot. 
   
   
       5 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein the platform further comprises a mechanism operable to incrementally adjust the position of the fence on the platform. 
   
   
       6 . The miter saw of  claim 5 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:
 a gear rack disposed on the second surface of the platform;   a gear operable to selectively communicate with the gear rack; and   an actuator coupled to the gear such that engaging the actuator drives the gear along the rack, incrementally displacing the fence on the platform.   
   
   
       7 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein the fence further comprises a fence lock mechanism to secure the fence in a stationary position with respect to the platform. 
   
   
       8 . The miter saw of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the coupling member comprises a channel that slidingly captures the rail; and   the fence lock mechanism comprises:
 a rod coupling the fence to the coupling member; and 
 a lever to reorient the coupling member from a first position, in which the rail slides within the channel, to a second position, in which the rail does not slide within the channel. 
   
   
   
       9 . A method of forming a miter joint comprising:
 (a) providing the miter saw of  claim 1 ;   (b) measuring an angle between intersecting surfaces utilizing an angle measurement tool;   (c) transferring the measured angle from the angle measurement tool to the miter saw; and   (d) acting upon a workpiece with the cutting device.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the angle measurement tool comprises a first plate and a second plate, the first plate configured to contact a first intersecting surface and the second plate configured to contact a second intersecting surface;   (b) comprises:
 (b.1) contacting the first plate to the first intersecting surface, and 
 (b.2) contacting the second plate to the second intersecting surface; and 
   (c) comprises:
 (c.1) coupling the angle measurement tool to the platform, and 
 (c.2) repositioning the first fence to contact the first plate. 
   
   
   
       11 . A miter joint forming system comprising:
 (a) a base station including:
 a platform including a first surface and a an opposed second surface, 
 a cutting device coupled to the first surface of the platform, 
 a kerf slot formed into the platform, 
 a first generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot, 
 a first generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform, 
 a first fence comprising,
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member that slidingly engages the first generally arcuate rail, 
 
 a second generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot, 
 a second generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform, and 
 a second fence comprising:
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member that slidingly engages the second generally arcuate rail, wherein the first and second fences are displaceable to pivot the fences from a first fence position to a second fence position, and vice versa; and 
 
   (b) a measurement tool to measure the angle between intersecting surfaces.   
   
   
       12 . The miter joint forming system of  claim 11 , wherein the measurement tool comprises:
 a housing;   a rod displaceable within the housing;   a first plate and a second plate, each plate in communication with the rod such that translation of the rod alters an angle between the plates.   
   
   
       13 . The miter joint forming system of  claim 11 , wherein the measurement tool removably couples to the base station to enable the transfer of an angle measured by the tool to the fences of the base station. 
   
   
       14 . An angle gauge comprising:
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing including:
 a rod having a first end and a second end, 
 an actuator block coupled to the rod second end, and 
 a biasing member to bias the rod toward the distal end of the housing; 
   a first strut in communication with the actuator block;   a second strut in communication with the actuator block;   a first plate coupled to the first strut; and   a second plate coupled to the second strut,   wherein translation of the actuator block repositions the first and second struts to alter an angle between the first plate and the second plate.   
   
   
       15 . A method for forming a miter joint comprising:
 (a) providing an angle measurement tool comprising:
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing including:
 a rod having a first end and a second end, 
 an actuator block coupled to the rod second end, 
 a biasing member to bias the rod toward the distal end of the housing and drive the plates from a first plate position to a second plate position, and 
 an actuator configured to selectively release the rod and permit the biasing member to drive the rod; 
 
 a first strut in communication with the actuator block; 
 a second strut in communication with the actuator block; 
 a first plate pivotally coupled to the first strut; and 
 a second plate pivotally coupled to the second strut, 
   wherein the translation of the rod alters an angle between the first plate and the second plate;   (b) measuring the angle between first and second intersecting surfaces by:
 orienting the plates proximate a corner, 
 engaging the actuator to release the rod and permit the biasing member to drive the plates toward the intersecting surfaces until the first plate contacts the first intersecting surface and the second plate contacts the second intersecting surface, 
   (c) releasing the actuator to secure the plates at the measured angle.   (d) coupling the tool to a base station, the base station including first displaceable fence and a second displaceable fence;   (e) reorienting the first fence into contact with the first plate;   (f) reorienting the second fence into contact with the second plate;   (g) removing the measurement tool from the base station.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the base station comprises:
 a platform including a first surface and a an opposed second surface, 
 a cutting device coupled to the first surface of the platform, 
 a kerf slot formed into the platform, 
 a first generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot, 
 a first generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform, 
 a first fence comprising:
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member slidingly connected to the first generally arcuate rail, 
 
 a second generally arcuate slot formed in the platform and disposed in spaced relation from the kerf slot, 
 a second generally arcuate rail coupled to the second surface of platform, 
 a second fence comprising,
 a block operable to support a workpiece, and 
 a coupling member that slidingly engages the generally arcuate rail; 
 
   (d) comprises (d.1) sliding the first fence along the first generally arcuate rail to reorient the first fence into contact with the first plate; and   (e) comprises (e.1) sliding the second fence along the second generally arcuate rail to reorient the second fence into contact with the second plate.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 (h) orienting a workpiece on the fence; and   (i) acting on the workpiece with a cutting device.