PORTABLE SELF-POWERED BAND SAWWILLIAM KOLBERG
Patented February 10, 1987
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The increased interest in outdoor activities by sports
enthusiasts has resulted in an increase in the use of
bicycles, both for travel and exercise. The latter can also be
attained by riding a bicycle both outdoors and indoors
in a stationary position The energy expended when
pedaling a bicycle in a stationary position can be used to
drive various types of tools and at the same time achieve
the benefits of physical exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention of the present application relates to a
device which can be used both for exercise as well as a
drive for a band saw. This has been achieved by using
the bicycle as the primary source of power for a
portable band saw. The bicycle can be quickly and easily
mounted in the frame for the band saw. The bicycle
may be stabilized so that an operator can exercise at the
same time that the band saw is being operated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be better understood, and further
advantages and uses thereof will be more readily
apparent, when the following detailed description of
exemplary embodiments is read in connection
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a side elevation view of the band saw with a
bicycle mounted on the frame.
FIG. 2
is front view of the band saw.
FIG. 3
is a top view of the band saw with the bicycle
removed; and
FIG. 4
is an enlarged view taken on line 4-4 of FIG.
1 showing the bicycle wheel mounted in the band saw
frame.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, the portable band saw 10
generally includes a base 12 having a vertical frame assembly
14 to support a band saw 16 and a wheel guide assembly
18 arranged to receive the rear wheel 20 of bicycle 22.
The bicycle 22 is seated on a sprocket support 24
provided on the base 12 which cams the rear wheel of the
bicycle into frictional engagement with the band saw
16. Once the bicycle has been firmly seated in the
sprocket support, it can be used to drive the band saw
16.
The frame assembly 14 includes two vertical support
columns 30 mounted on the base 12 in a parallel-spaced
relation to each other. A pair of axle hubs 32 and 34 are
located in a vertically spaced relation on the columns 30
to support the wheel axles 35. A pair of wheels 36 and
38 are mounted on the axles 35 with the band saw 16
mounted on the outer peripheral of the wheels. Each
wheel is provided with a groove 42 to maintain the saw
blade 16 in alignment on the wheels 36, 38. The wheels
should be made of sufficient weight to provide
sufficient inertia to maintain a steady rate of speed of the
hand saw when driven by the bicycle.
Means are provided on the top of the columns 30 for
adjusting the distance between the axle hubs 32 and 34.
Such means is in the form of a threaded rod 33 connected
to the hub 34 and a nut 37. The nut 37 is mounted
on the rod 33 and rests on the top of column 30.
Rotation of the nut 37 will raise hub 34 to tighten the saw
blade 16.
A work table 44 having a slot 45 in the center is
supported on the columns 30 by means of a bracket 46.
A pair of guides 48 and 50 are supported on brackets 46
and 52 respectively to align the saw blade 16 with the
slot 45 in work table 44.
Means are provided to align the rear wheel 20 of the
bicycle 22 with the lower wheel 36 of the band saw 16.
Such means is in the form the wheel guide assembly 18
which includes a pair of wheel guide bars 60 mounted in
a parallel spaced relation between the base 12 and the
columns 30. Means in the form of two pair of roller
assemblies 64 and 65 are mounted on each of the bars 60
in a position to engage the inside of the rim of the rear
wheel 20 for the bicycle. In this regard, each roller
assembly includes a pair of brackets 68 mounted in a
parallel spaced relation on a plate 72 A pivot pin 70 is
supported by each pair of brackets 68. The plates 72
include a mounting slot 73. The plates 72 are adjustably
supported on the base 60 by means of bolts 74 which are
aligned with the dots 73 and screwed into threaded
opens in bars 60. Rollers 76 are mounted on the pivot
pins 70. The plates 72 are adjusted to place the rollers 76
in a position to engage the rim of the wheel. With this
arrangement, the wheel guide assembly can be adjusted
to accommodate different size wheels.
The bicycle is supported on the base by the vertical
sprocket hub support 24 which includes support bracket
80 at the upper end. The V-bracket includes means for
camming the rear wheel 20 into frictional engagement
with the lower hand saw wheel. Such means is in the
form of a V-slot 85 in the bracket 80.
Means are also provided to horizontally adjust the
hub support 34 on the base 12 to accommodate different
size bicycles. Such means is in the form of an angle iron
25 having a slot 27 and a bolt 29 aligned in the slot 27.
The support should be set at a distance from the lower
band saw wheel slightly less than the distance between
the tire on the rear wheel and the sprocket hub. The
sprocket hub when seated in the V-slot will be cammed
rearward to seat the tire on the wheel 36.
Means can also be provided to stabilize the front
wheel 90 when the bicycle is mounted on the frame.
Such means is in the form of a support column 82 having
a notch 84 at the upper end to engage the front axle
86 on the bicycle to assure stability at the front of the
bicycle.
The embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed, are defined as
follows:
1. A portable saw assembly comprising a base, a
frame assembly mounted on said base a pair of wheels
mounted on and said frame in a common plane, a continuous
band saw mounted on said wheels, a wheel guide
assembly mounted on said base to define a bicycle wheel
support, a sprocket support member mounted on said
base in a spaced relation to said guide assembly
whereby a bicycle supported on said sprocket member
with the rear wheel aligned in said guide assembly will
bear on said saw blade wheel and can be used to drive
the saw blade wheels.
2. The saw assembly according to claim 1, wherein
said wheel guide assembly includes a pair of guide bars
connected between said frame and base in a parallel
spaced relation and roller means mounted on said guide
bars in a position to engage the inside of the rim of a
bicycle wheel to thereby stabilize the wheel.
3. The saw assembly according to claim 2 wherein
said sprocket support member includes means for
camming the rear wheel into engagement with said
saw blade wheel.
4. The saw assembly according to claim 3 wherein
said camming means comprising a "V"-slot for
supporting the wheel sprocket hub.
5. A portable saw assembly adapted be driven by the
rear wheel of a bicycle, said assembly comprising a
base, a pair of columns mounted on said base, a pair of
wheels supported on said columns, each of said wheels
including a peripheral groove, a continuous saw blade
mounted on said wheels and aligned in said groove, a
wheel guide assembly connected between said columns
and said base, said guide assembly including a pair of
bars mounted in a parallel spaced relation and a pair of
roller assemblies mounted on each of said bars in a
position to engage the inside of the rim of a bicycle
wheel and means mounted on the bars for supporting
the bicycle sprocket hub in a position where the rear
wheels will bear against one of the saw blade wheels.
6. The saw blade assembly according to claim 5 wherein
said hub support means includes a V-bracket for
camming the bicycle toward the band saw and including
means for adjustably securing said support means on
said base whereby said bicycle will be cammed
rearward into engagement with said saw blade wheel.
7. The saw assembly according to claim 6 including
means for supporting the front axle of the bicycle.