Abstract: An improved circular saw blade designed for cutting fiber cement workpieces, which are becoming more and more prevalent on the construction site, includes a PCD/carbide tip (16) mounted in the rim (31) of the saw blade (10) at six, rather than the usual for locations, equally spaced around the blade. The tips are mounted adjacent a relatively large-diameter, semi-circular gullet (20), which itself is preceded by a chip and dust minimizer (18). The minimizer includes several alternating hills (52) and valleys (54) formed in the rim of the saw blade, each hill and valley having the same radius, producing a sinuous array essentially centered on the rim of the blade. It has been discovered that such a dust and chip minimizer reduces the level of dust and chips produced by the blade and clears the same from the kerf generated in the blade-workpiece interface.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement for a power tool includes a clamp support, a biasing member and an actuation member. The clamp support is interconnected with the drive shaft for reciprocating motion with the drive shaft relative to a housing of the power tool. The clamp support is configured to selectively receive a saw blade of the power tool in various orientations. A release lever is carried by the housing and is manually rotated to move a control member between a first position in which the saw blade is coupled to the drive shaft and a second position in which the saw blade may be displaced from the drive shaft. In at least one of the orientations, the saw blade is positioned offset from the drive shaft and proximate one of the side walls of the tool housing to allow for flush cutting of a work piece.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement for a power tool includes a clamp support, a biasing member and an actuation member. The clamp support is interconnected with the drive shaft for reciprocating motion with the drive shaft relative to a housing of the power tool. The clamp support is configured to selectively receive a saw blade of the power tool in various orientations. A release lever is carried by the housing and is manually rotated to move a control member between a first position in which the saw blade is coupled to the drive shaft and a second position in which the saw blade may be displaced from the drive shaft. In at least one of the orientations, the saw blade is positioned offset from the drive shaft and proximate one of the side walls of the tool housing to allow for flush cutting of a work piece.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement for a power tool includes a clamp support, a biasing member and an actuation member. The clamp support is interconnected with the drive shaft for reciprocating motion with the drive shaft relative to a housing of the power tool. The clamp support is configured to selectively receive a saw blade of the power tool in various orientations. A release lever is carried by the housing and is manually rotated to move a control member between a first position in which the saw blade is coupled to the drive shaft and a second position in which the saw blade may be displaced from the drive shaft. In at least one of the orientations, the saw blade is positioned offset from the drive shaft and proximate one of the side walls of the tool housing to allow for flush cutting of a work piece.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement for a power tool includes a clamp support, a biasing member and an actuation member. The clamp support is interconnected with the drive shaft for reciprocating motion with the drive shaft relative to a housing of the power tool. The clamp support is configured to selectively receive a saw blade of the power tool in various orientations. A release lever is carried by the housing and is manually rotated to move a control member between a first position in which the saw blade is coupled to the drive shaft and a second position in which the saw blade may be displaced from the drive shaft. In at least one of the orientations, the saw blade is positioned offset from the drive shaft and proximate one of the side walls of the tool housing to allow for flush cutting of a work piece.

Abstract: A powe tool includes a saw blade ejection mechanism for a saw blade clamping arrangement of a power tool. The power tool includes a housing, a drive shaft mounted for reciprocating motion relative to the housing and a saw blade. The clamping arrangement is operative for releasably connecting the saw blade with the drive shaft. The saw blade ejection mechanism includes a mounting member and an elongated plunger. The mounting member is adapted for attachment to the drive shaft. The elongated plunger is connected to the mounting member for movement between a first position to a second position for ejecting the saw blade from the saw blade clamping arrangement.

Abstract: A powe tool includes a saw blade ejection mechanism for a saw blade clamping arrangement of a power tool. The power tool includes a housing, a drive shaft mounted for reciprocating motion relative to the housing and a saw blade. The clamping arrangement is operative for releasably connecting the saw blade with the drive shaft. The saw blade ejection mechanism includes a mounting member and an elongated plunger. The mounting member is adapted for attachment to the drive shaft. The elongated plunger is connected to the mounting member for movement between a first position to a second position for ejecting the saw blade from the saw blade clamping arrangement.

Abstract: A powe tool includes a saw blade ejection mechanism for a saw blade clamping arrangement of a power tool. The power tool includes a housing, a drive shaft mounted for reciprocating motion relative to the housing and a saw blade. The clamping arrangement is operative for releasably connecting the saw blade with the drive shaft. The saw blade ejection mechanism includes a mounting member and an elongated plunger. The mounting member in adapted for attachment to the drive shaft. The elongated plunger is connected to the mounting member for movement between a first position to a second position for ejecting the saw blade from the saw blade clamping arrangement.

Abstract: A reciprocating saw 11 comprises an output shaft 21 mounted for reciprocal motion in a housing 13. A counterweight 27 is mounted in the housing for reciprocal movement relative to the output shaft. A first drive 37 is connected between a motor and the output shaft for reciprocally driving the output shaft. A second drive 39 is connected between the motor 19 and the counterweight for reciprocally driving the counterweight. The second drive 39 preferably comprises a pivot arm 41 pivotally mounted about an axis transverse to the output shaft for receiving at a first location a reciprocating input in a first direction 40 and for producing at a second location a reciprocating output in a second direction 42 different from the first direction. The first and second drives provide a compact, low vibration, relatively simple, counterbalanced drive train for the saw.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement particularly for power reciprocating saws and similar tools having a reciprocating shaft connected to a cutting member includes a locking member and a locating pin which cooperates to prevent inadvertent removal of the saw blade. The saw blade clamping arrangement further includes a support member carried by the drive shaft for movement therewith. The support member at least partially defines a longitudinal slot for receiving the saw blade. The locating pin extends into the longitudinal slot and is adapted for partial insertion into the aperture from a first side of the saw blade. The locking member, which in the preferred embodiment is a spherical bearing, is operative for selectively engaging the saw blade with the drive shaft. The locking member is movable to a locking position in which the locking member is partially inserted into the aperture from a second side of the saw blade.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement particularly for power reciprocating saws and similar tools having a reciprocating shaft connected to a cutting member includes a biasing member preferably in the form of a spring clamp member. The biasing member is interconnected with the drive shaft and operative for providing a biasing force to retain the cutting member in operative connection with the drive shaft. A release lever is pivotally mounted to a housing of the saw for movement between first and second position. In the first position the release lever is spaced apart from the biasing member. In the second position the release lever engages the biasing member and opposes the biasing force of the biasing member to permit quick and easy removal and replacement of the saw blade. The spring clamp member biases the saw blade into operative engagement with the drive shaft. In a second preferred embodiment, the spring clamp member biases a locking member into engagement with the saw blade.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement particularly for power reciprocating saws and similar tools having a reciprocating shaft connected to a cutting member includes a biasing member preferably in the form of a spring clamp member. The biasing member is interconnected with the drive shaft and operative for providing a biasing force to retain the cutting member in operative connection with the drive shaft. A release lever is pivotally mounted to a housing of the saw for movement between first and second stable position. In the first position the release lever is spaced apart from the biasing member. In the second position the release lever engages the biasing member and opposes the biasing force of the biasing member to permit quick and easy removal and replacement of the saw blade. In one preferred embodiment, the spring clamp member biases the saw blade into operative engagement with the drive shaft.

Abstract: A saw blade clamping arrangement particularly for power reciprocating saws and similar tools having a reciprocating shaft connected to a cutting member includes a biasing member preferably in the form of a spring clamp member. The biasing member is interconnected with the drive shaft and operative for providing a biasing force to retain the cutting member in operative connection with the drive shaft. A release lever is pivotally mounted to a housing of the saw for movement between first and second stable position. In the first position the release lever is spaced apart from the biasing member. In the second position the release lever engages the biasing member and opposes the biasing force of the biasing member to permit quick and easy removal and replacement of the saw blade.