Saw guide

Abstract

A guide for use with a cutting member, such as hand saws, that is easy to use, is readily portable and can be adjusted to permit cutting of precise compound angles on work pieces of various configurations. The guide mechanism comprises two angularly related members arranged so that when one member engages the face of a work piece, the other member functions to glidably engage a cutting member, such as the blade of a hand saw with the teeth thereof in cutting relation with said face of the work piece. In one form of the invention, locking mechanisms are provided to lock the member in any selected angular relation and a magnet is carried by the guide member which uniquely functions to continuously urge the saw into engagement with a plurality of rollers that are also carried by the guide member.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A guide for guiding the travel of a cutting member constructed of a ferrous metal, comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a guide member connected to said base and extending outwardly therefrom for guiding the travel of the cutting member as it is reciprocated between first and second positions; and    (c) a magnet carried by said guide member for urging the metal cutting member toward said guide member.    
     
     
         2 . The guide as defined in  claim 1  in which said guide member is pivotally connected to said base for movement between a first and a second position.  
     
     
         3 . The guide as defined in  claim 2 , further including locking means operably associated with said base for locking said guide member in said first and second positions.  
     
     
         4 . The guide as defined in  claim 2  further including interface means carried by said guide member for providing an interface between said guide member and the metal cutting member.  
     
     
         5 . The guide as defined in  claim 4  in which said interface means comprises a plurality of rollers mounted on said guide member.  
     
     
         6 . The guide as defined in  claim 4  in which said interface means comprises a low friction plastic component mounted on said guide member.  
     
     
         7 . A guide for guiding the travel of a cutting member constructed of a ferrous metal, comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a miter plate rotatably connected to said base for movement between first and second miter plate positions;    (c) a guide assembly pivotally connected to said base for movement between first and second guide assembly positions, said guide assembly comprising: 
 (i) a bevel plate having a guide surface; and  
 (ii) a magnet connected to said bevel plate; and  
   (d) first locking means connected to said base plate assembly to lock said bevel plate in said first and second bevel plate positions.    
     
     
         8 . The guide as defined in  claim 7 , further including second locking means connected to said miter plate for locking said miter plate in said first and second positions.  
     
     
         9 . The guide as defined in  claim 7  in which said guide assembly further includes at least one roller assembly comprising: 
 (a) a roller bearing connected to said bevel plate; and  
 (b) a roller connected to said roller bearing for rotation relative to said bevel plate, said roller having a peripheral surface to support the cutting member.  
 
     
     
         10 . The guide as defined in  claim 7  in which said base plate assembly includes a base plate and a pair of spaced-apart first hinge sections connected to said base plate and extending therefrom.  
     
     
         11 . The guide as defined in  claim 10  in which said first locking means comprises a shaft carried by said spaced-apart first hinge sections and a handle connected to said shaft for imparting rotation thereto.  
     
     
         12 . The guide as defined in  claim 10  in which said guide assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart second hinge sections disposed adjacent said first hinge sections of said base plate assembly, said shaft of said first locking means being supported by said pair of spaced-apart second hinge sections.  
     
     
         13 . The guide as defined in  claim 10  in which a selected one of said hinge sections is internally threaded and in which a portion of said shaft is externally threaded, said portion being threadably receivable within the internal threads of said selected one of said hinge sections.  
     
     
         14 . A guide for guiding the travel of a hand saw constructed of a ferrous metal, comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a miter plate rotatably connected to said base for movement between first and second miter plate positions;    (c) a guide assembly pivotally connected to said base plate assembly for movement between first and second guide assembly positions, said guide assembly comprising: 
 (i) a bevel plate;  
 (ii) at least one roller assembly connected to said bevel plate, said roller assembly comprising: 
 a. a roller bearing; and  
 b. a roller connected to said roller bearing for rotation relative to said guide member, said roller having a peripheral surface supporting the saw; and  
 
 (iii) a magnet connected to said bevel plate;  
   (d) first locking means connected to said base plate assembly for locking said guide assembly in said first and second guide assembly positions; and    (e) second locking means connected to said miter plate for locking said base plate in said first and second positions.    
     
     
         15 . The guide as defined in  claim 14  in which said base plate assembly includes a base plate and a pair of spaced-apart first hinge sections connected to said base plate and extending therefrom.  
     
     
         16 . The guide as defined in  claim 15  in which said first locking means comprises a shaft carried by said spaced-apart first hinge sections and a handle connected to said shaft for imparting rotation thereto.  
     
     
         17 . The guide as defined in  claim 16  in which said guide plate assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart second hinge sections disposed adjacent said first hinge sections of said base plate assembly, said shaft of said first locking means being supported by said pair of spaced-apart second hinge sections.  
     
     
         18 . The guide as defined in  claim 17  in which a selected one of said hinge sections is internally threaded and in which a portion of said shaft is externally threaded, said portion being threadably receivable within said selected one of said hinge sections.  
     
     
         19 . The guide as defined in  claim 17  in which a selected one of said hinge sections is provided with a bevel-angle scale.  
     
     
         20 . The guide as defined in  claim 17  in which said base plate is provided with a miter plate angle scale.