Circular saw cutting aid for non-standard cuts

Abstract

The present invention comprises additional embodiments in a circular saw aligning device which is not only easily releaseable but also entirely removeable from functioning engagement with either a specially made or prior art portable circular saw. An abutting assembly of the device rotates from an engaging position to a non-engaging position so the saw can be used without interference. This rotation is also the first step in removing the device entirely from the saw. The invention allows use of the circular saw when the saw blade is positioned at an acute angle with respect to the base plate. The invention also allows the user to easily and releasably lock the workpiece abutting piece out of the way.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A cutting guide for a portable circular saw, the saw comprising a bottom plate with front, back and two side edges, with a circular saw blade extending therethrough from a top surface to a bottom surface, the invention comprising: 
 (a) support means for a shaft located on the top surface of the bottom plate and near or on its front edge and a first of the two side edges, the support means adapted to engage and support a shaft extending substantially parallel to the blade from near the front edge toward the back edge to a distal end of the shaft that comprises abutting means;    (b) a workpiece abutting piece comprising a slider, which comprises a body piece defining a bore, wherethrough the shaft passes and slidably supports the workpiece abutting piece piece, and is adapted to slide along the shaft to abut the support means, the slider also adapted to rigidly connect with a first bottom plate support, which is connected with a loop, which is connected with a second bottom plate support, which is connected with an edge engaging piece, whereby first and second leading edge plates are mounted to leading edges of the first and second bottom pieces;    (c) the shaft being supportively engaged with the support means;    (d) the workpiece abutting piece being further adapted such that its first and second leading edge plates are substantially normal to the plane of the saw blade when the first and second bottom plate supports engage the bottom surface of the bottom plate and the edge engaging piece is slideably and supportively engaged with the second side edge, whereby the saw blade is held substantially normal to a leading edge of a workpiece sawn with the circular saw and the cutting guide; and    (e) the loop defines a space adapted to permit passage of the a lowermost edge of the saw blade when the saw blade is positioned at an acute angle with respect to the base plate.    
     
     
         2 . The cutting guide of  claim 1  wherein one of the side edges is closer to the saw blade than the other side edge.  
     
     
         3 . The cutting guide of  claim 1  wherein the workpiece abutting piece is adapted to releaseably engage the second edge at the edge engaging piece.  
     
     
         4 . The cutting guide of  claim 3  wherein the workpiece abutting piece is, after release of the edge engaging piece to the second edge, adapted to rotate about the axis of the shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The cutting guide of  claim 4  wherein the workpiece abutting piece is adapted to rotate about the axis of the shaft such that a workpiece may be sawn with the saw blade without contact of the cutting guide with the workpiece.  
     
     
         6 . The cutting guide of  claim 5  wherein the circular saw comprises a saw blade protector extending through the bottom plate from the top surface to the bottom surface, whereby the loop is adapted to be moved by contact of the workpiece with the leading edge plates past the extension through the bottom surface of the saw blade protector without substantially touching it.  
     
     
         7 . A circular saw with a cutting guide for a portable circular saw, the saw comprising a bottom plate with front, back and two side edges, with a circular saw blade extending therethrough from a top surface to a bottom surface, the invention comprising: 
 (a) support means for a shaft located on the top surface of the bottom plate and near or on its front edge and a first of the two side edges, the support means adapted to engage and support a shaft extending substantially parallel to the blade from near the front edge toward the back edge to a distal end of the shaft that comprises abutting means;    (b) a workpiece abutting piece comprising a slider, which comprises a body piece defining a bore, wherethrough the shaft passes and slidably supports the workpiece abutting piece piece, and is adapted to slide along the shaft to abut the support means, the slider also adapted to rigidly connect with a first bottom plate support, which is connected with a loop, which is connected with a second bottom plate support, which is connected with an edge engaging piece, whereby first and second leading edge plates are mounted to leading edges of the first and second bottom pieces;    (c) the shaft being supportively engaged with the support means;    (d) the workpiece abutting piece being further adapted such that its first and second leading edge plates are substantially normal to the plane of the saw blade when the first and second bottom plate supports engage the bottom surface of the bottom plate and the edge engaging piece is slideably and supportively engaged with the second side edge, whereby the saw blade is held substantially normal to a leading edge of a workpiece sawn with the circular saw and the cutting guide; and    (e) the workpiece abutting piece is adapted to rotate about the axis of the shaft away from the bottom of the base plate, such that latch means cause the workpiece abutting piece to be locked in an out of the way position.    
     
     
         8 . The saw of  claim 7  wherein the latch means comprise the slider and support means for the shaft are adapted to form a releasable latch.  
     
     
         9 . The saw of  claim 8  wherein the latch means comprise the partial cylinders on opposing faces of the slider and support means where top faces of the partial cylinders are adapted to slidingly abut each other when the workpiece abutting piece is not in the out of the way position.  
     
     
         10 . The cutting guide of  claim 7  wherein the workpiece abutting piece is adapted to releaseably engage the second edge at the edge engaging piece.  
     
     
         11 . The cutting guide of  claim 10  wherein the workpiece abutting piece is, after release of the edge engaging piece to the second edge, adapted to rotate about the axis of the shaft.