Counterbalanced advancing metal cutting saw

Abstract

An advancing power saw used for any metal cutting application. The power saw is provided with an oscillating mechanism that drives the saw up and down in a vertical direction. A hydraulic cylinder advances the saw toward the metal being cut while the saw is oscillating creating a circular pathway for the saw blade during the cutting operation. A balancing apparatus is provided in association with the saw blade that advances in an opposite direction to that of the saw blade to act as a counterbalance for the saw. The balancing apparatus has a weight provided at one end which dampens the vibrations created by the saw during the cutting operation and substantially equalizes pressure on the saw blade.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An advancing power saw for cutting metal objects, said saw comprising: 
 a platform;    a support plate movably disposed on said platform;    a saw blade assembly disposed upon said support plate, said saw blade assembly including a saw blade coupled with a motor and associated with an oscillating mechanism; and    a counterweight operatively associated with said support plate and arranged to move in a direction opposite to the direction said support plate moves.    
     
     
         2 . The power saw of  claim 1  further comprising an advancing mechanism, said advancing mechanism advancing and retracting said support plate.  
     
     
         3 . The power saw of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of rails, at least one of said plurality of rails operatively connected to said support plate, and at least one of said plurality of rails operatively connected to said counterweight, whereby said rails are adapted to actuate in opposite directions.  
     
     
         4 . The power saw of  claim 3  wherein counterweight has a sufficient mass in relation to said power saw to dampen vibrations in said power saw.  
     
     
         5 . The power saw of  claim 3  wherein counterweight has a sufficient mass in relation to said power saw to substantially equalize pressure on said saw blade.  
     
     
         6 . The power saw of  claim 3  further comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said rails.  
     
     
         7 . The power saw of  claim 3  further comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said counterweight and at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said support plate.  
     
     
         8 . The power saw of  claim 1  wherein said oscillating mechanism further comprises an oscillating motor, said oscillating motor operatively associated with said oscillating mechanism by a connecting arm.  
     
     
         9 . The power saw of  claim 1  further comprising at least one pivot support disposed at one end of said platform.  
     
     
         10 . The power saw of  claim 1  wherein said saw support plate and said counterweight pivot about said pivot support.  
     
     
         11 . The power saw of  claim 9  wherein said pivot support is disposed beneath said rails.  
     
     
         12 . The power saw of  claim 9  wherein said pivot support extends above said rails.  
     
     
         13 . The power saw of  claim 1  further comprising a pulley assembly, said pulley assembly coupled to said counterweight and said support plate, whereby said pulley assembly advances said counterweight in a direction opposite of said support plate.  
     
     
         14 . An advancing power saw for cutting metal objects, said saw comprising: 
 a platform having a movable support plate;    oscillating saw means for cutting said metal objects disposed on said support plate; and    balancing means for dampening vibration of said oscillation saw means.    
     
     
         15 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said oscillating saw means includes a saw blade, said saw blade rotatably supported atop said support plate.  
     
     
         16 . The power said of  claim 14  further comprising at least one pivot support wherein said saw support plate is supported above said platform by said pivot support.  
     
     
         17 . The power saw of  claim 16  wherein said pivot support is disposed beneath said rails.  
     
     
         18 . The power saw of  claim 16  wherein said pivot support extends above said rails.  
     
     
         19 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said oscillating saw means is operatively associated with an oscillating motor, said oscillating saw means and said oscillating motor coupled by a connecting arm.  
     
     
         20 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said oscillating saw means further comprises an advancing mechanism, said advancing mechanism operatively associated with said support plate, whereby said advancing mechanism advances and retracts said saw blade.  
     
     
         21 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said balancing means is operatively associated with said support plate and arranged to move in a direction opposite to the direction said support plate moves.  
     
     
         22 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said balancing means further comprises a plurality of rails, at least one of said plurality of rails operatively connected to said saw support plate, and at least one of said plurality of rails operatively connected to said balancing means, whereby said rails are adapted to actuate in opposite directions.  
     
     
         23 . The power saw of  claim 22  further comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said rails.  
     
     
         24 . The power saw of  claim 22  further comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said counterweight and at least one hydraulic cylinder associated with said support plate.  
     
     
         25 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said balancing means supports at one end a counterbalance, whereby said counterbalance dampens vibrations in said power saw.  
     
     
         26 . The power saw of  claim 25  wherein said counterbalance is a weight related to the vibrations in said power saw.  
     
     
         27 . The power saw of  claim 25  wherein said counterbalance substantially equalizes pressure on said saw blade.  
     
     
         28 . The power saw of  claim 14  wherein said oscillating saw means further comprises a pulley assembly, said pulley assembly coupled to said balancing means and to said support plate, whereby said pulley assembly advances said balancing means in a direction opposite of said support plate.