Hand-held band saw

Abstract

A hand-held band saw is provided for one-hand operation. The band saw has a frame and a handle extending from a longitudinal edge of the frame at an acute angle and opposite an edge containing a throat for receiving the work piece. The orientation of the handle centers the mass of the saw below the hand and positions the cutting section of the blade in a vertical plane so it will engage a work piece at a preferred angle selected by the user.

1 . A portable hand-held band saw comprising:
 an elongated frame having first and second ends;   a first wheel journalled on the frame proximate the first end;   a second wheel journalled on the frame proximate the second end;   a continuous loop blade rotatably engaged with the wheels;   a motor in driving engagement with one of the first and the second wheels;   a handle supported by the frame defining a grip portion and a battery socket positioned adjacent to one end of the grip portion; and   a battery removably engageable with the battery socket, wherein the grip portion is positioned between the battery socket and the motor.   
   
   
       2 . The band saw according to  claim 1  wherein:
 the frame includes first and second longitudinal side edges and a throat opening in the first longitudinal side edge; and   the handle grip portion is positioned in lateral alignment with the throat.   
   
   
       3 . A band saw according to  claim 2  wherein the handle extends outwardly from the second longitudinal side edge of the frame at an acute angle relative to a plane of the frame. 
   
   
       4 . A band saw according to  claim 3 , further comprising a guide assembly attached to the frame for orienting a section of the continuous loop blade spanning the throat at an angle within five degrees of the acute angle of the handle relative to the plane of the frame. 
   
   
       5 . A band saw according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first and a second elongate guide arm each positioned in the throat, each guide arm having a first end attached to the frame and a second end extending laterally across the throat proximate the section of the continuous loop blade; and   at least one bearing member attached to the second end of each of the first and second guide arms adapted to engage at least one side of the continuous loop blade.   
   
   
       6 . A band saw according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises an adjustment assembly for moving the second wheel between a first and a second position relative to the first wheel. 
   
   
       7 . A band saw according to  claim 6 , wherein the adjustment assembly comprises:
 a carriage slidably disposed relative to the first wheel and journaled to the second wheel;   a biasing member operable to urge the carriage toward one end of the frame;   a cam member engaging an end of the carriage opposite the biasing member; and   an adjustment assembly handle attached to the cam member for rotating the cam member and moving the carriage between a first position and a second position.   
   
   
       8 . A band saw according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fence depending from the frame for resting against a work piece being cut. 
   
   
       9 . A band saw according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transmission coupled to an output shaft of the motor and having a drive shaft; and   a gear assembly attached to a free end of the drive shaft.   
   
   
       10 . A band saw according to  claim 9 , further comprising a driven gear connected to the first wheel and adapted to be engaged by the gear assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The band saw of  claim 1  wherein the battery socket is connected to one end of the grip portion. 
   
   
       12 . The band saw of  claim 11  wherein the battery socket extends outwardly from the grip portion and is separatingly positioned above one of the first and the second wheels. 
   
   
       13 . The band saw of  claim 12  wherein the engaged battery is suspended above a portion of one of the frame first and the second ends. 
   
   
       14 . A method for manufacturing a portable hand-held band saw, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a saw frame having a first and a second end defining a longitudinal axis, the saw frame having a throat formed in a first longitudinal edge of the saw frame intermediate the first and the second ends;   forming a handle assembly extending from a second longitudinal edge of the frame opposite the first longitudinal edge and having a battery socket for engaging receipt of a battery;   mounting a rotatable drive wheel to the frame at one of the first and the second end;   mounting a rotatable driven wheel to the other of the first and the second end opposite the drive wheel; and   engaging a continuous loop blade to the drive wheel and the driven wheel such that a portion of the continuous loop blade traverses the throat; and   operably connecting a motor drive to the drive wheel for rotation of the drive wheel and the driven wheel.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of mounting said driven wheel assembly to a tensioning device for moving said driven wheel assembly relative to said drive wheel assembly. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of forming the handle further comprises the step of angularly orienting the handle with respect to a plane of the frame along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of mounting a blade break assembly to said saw frame. 
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 14  wherein the step of forming the handle further comprises the step of positioning a hand grip portion of the handle such that a center of gravity for said hand-held band saw is located substantially below the grip. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of removably engaging a battery to the battery socket for providing power to the motor. 
   
   
       20 . A portable hand-held band saw comprising:
 means for forming a saw frame having a first and a second end defining a longitudinal axis, the saw frame having a throat formed in a first longitudinal edge of the saw frame intermediate the first and the second ends;   means for forming a handle assembly extending from a second longitudinal edge of the frame opposite the first longitudinal edge and having a battery socket for engaging receipt of a battery;   means for mounting a rotatable drive wheel to the frame at one of the first and the second end;   means for mounting a rotatable driven wheel to the other of the first and the second end opposite the drive wheel;   means for engaging a continuous loop blade to the drive wheel and the driven wheel such that a portion of the continuous loop blade traverses the throat; and   means for operably connecting a motor drive to the drive wheel for rotation of the drive wheel and the driven wheel.