Tile saw

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433464-B2
Application number	US-201816114344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 28, 2018
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A tile saw includes a table configured to support a workpiece, a guide rail upon which the table is supported and movable along a longitudinal axis, a saw unit for cutting the workpiece as the table moves along the longitudinal axis, and a roller assembly for coupling the table to the guide rail. The roller assembly includes an upper roller engaged with an upper portion of the guide rail, a lower roller engaged with a lower portion of the guide rail, and a resilient member biasing at least one of the upper roller or the lower roller against the guide rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tile saw comprising:
a table configured to support a workpiece;
a guide rail upon which the table is supported and moveable along a longitudinal axis;
a saw unit for cutting the workpiece as the table moves along the longitudinal axis; and
a roller assembly for coupling the table to the guide rail, the roller assembly including
an upper roller engaged with an upper portion of the guide rail,
a lower roller engaged with a lower portion of the guide rail,
a shaft that rotatably supports the lower roller,
a slot in the table that receives the shaft and allows the shaft to move in a vertical direction within the slot toward the upper roller, and
a resilient member biasing at least one of the upper roller or the lower roller against the guide rail.

2. The tile saw of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis is parallel to the guide rail.

3. The tile saw of claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly is a first of a plurality of roller assemblies coupling the table to the guide rail.

4. The tile saw of claim 3 , wherein the roller assemblies are equally spaced along the table relative to the direction of the longitudinal axis.

5. The tile saw of claim 1 , wherein the resilient member extends into the slot to bias the shaft in the vertical direction.

6. The tile saw of claim 5 , wherein the table includes an aperture having a first end in communication with the slot and an opposite, second end, wherein the resilient member is at least partly positioned in the aperture, and wherein the roller assembly further comprises a plug closing the second end of the aperture, thereby seating the resilient member between the plug and the shaft.

7. The tile saw of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is movable within the slot from a first position toward a second position, in which the lower roller is moved away from the upper roller, and from the second position toward the first position, in which the lower roller is moved toward the upper roller.

8. The tile saw of claim 7 , wherein the shaft includes a threaded region for threadably receiving a fastening member, and wherein the shaft is maintained in at least one of the first position or the second position when the fastening member is threaded onto the threaded region to apply a clamping force between the shaft and the table, thereby securing the shaft to the table.

9. A method of assembling a tile saw, the tile saw including a base upon which a guide rail is coupled, a table moveably coupled to the guide rail along a longitudinal axis, a saw unit for cutting a workpiece on the table, and a roller assembly to support the table on the guide rail, the method comprising the steps of:
aligning and engaging the roller assembly with the guide rail;
biasing a roller of the roller assembly into contact with a portion of the guide rail; and
locking the roller into a fixed position relative to the portion of the guide rail, such that contact is maintained between the roller and the portion of the guide rail,
wherein biasing the roller includes translating a shaft of the roller through a slot in the table in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
wherein translating the shaft in the vertical direction is performed by a compression spring within the table.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein biasing the roller includes translating the shaft between a first position, in which the shaft is adjacent a first end of the slot, and a second position, in which the shaft is adjacent a second end of the slot.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein locking the roller into the fixed position includes tightening a fastening member onto the shaft of the roller.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein locking the roller into the fixed position includes applying a clamping force between the shaft and the table via the fastening member, thereby securing the shaft to the table.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the roller is a lower roller and the tile saw further includes an upper roller, further comprising the steps of engaging the upper roller with an upper portion of the guide rail and engaging the lower roller with a lower portion of the guide rail.

Assignees

• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd
• Techtronic Power Tools Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Hart Michael R
• Janardhanan Sumithra

Classifications

• B28D1/047 Primary

  with the work mounted on a carriage · CPC title

• B23D47/025 Primary

  of tables · CPC title

• B28D1/04 Primary

  with circular {or cylindrical} saw-blades or saw-discs (B28D1/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23D45/02

  with a circular saw blade or the stock mounted on a carriage · CPC title

• Y10T83/647

  With means to convey work relative to tool station · CPC title