Abstract: A motor braking circuit arrangement, for use with a series/universal motor and a power supply for supplying power to the motor, including two separately actuable switches electrically interconnecting a separate braking winding with the motor to effect braking when either of the two switches are deactuated. The circuit arrangement includes a field winding wound about the motor stator and electrically connected in series with the motor armature winding. The separate brake winding is wound about the stator. The two switches are series-connected, and each switch is capable of assuming a first position associated with normal motor operation and a second position associated with motor braking wherein the separate brake winding is electrically connected in parallel with the motor armature. The switches may be single-pole, double-pole or combinations thereof.

Abstract: An oscillating spindle sander having a spindle rotatably mounted in a cabinet. An external end of the spindle is adapted to receive a sanding drum. An upper cam pulley is fixedly attached to the spindle and a lower cam pulley is rotatably attached to the spindle within the cabinet. The upper and lower cam pulleys have face-to-face annular cam surfaces having complementary sinusoidal contours with diametrically opposite lobes and diametrically opposite valleys. The upper and lower cam pulleys have a toothed rim connected by individual drive belts to a common drive pulley rotated by an electric motor. The number of teeth on the toothed rims of the upper and lower cam pulleys are different, causing the upper and lower cam pulleys to rotate relative to each other. The annular cam surfaces cause the upper cam pulley and the spindle to be oscillated in a vertical direction in response to the relative rotation between upper and lower cam pulleys.

Abstract: An apparatus for reciprocatingly orbiting a saw blade with respect to a workpiece is provided. The saw blade is cammingly driven through a cam track to reciprocate the saw blade generally along a first axis to saw the workpiece. The saw blade is contemporaneously driven through a bearing to move the saw blade about a pivotal axis to space the saw blade from the workpiece when it is not being sawed. Cam tracks of irregular configurations are provided for improving cutting efficiency.

Abstract: An oscillating spindle sander having a spindle rotatably mounted in a cabinet. An external end of the spindle is adapted to receive a sanding drum. An upper cam pulley is fixedly attached to the spindle and a lower cam pulley is rotatably attached to the spindle within the cabinet. The upper and lower cam pulleys have face-to-face annular cam surfaces having complementary sinusoidal contours with diametrically opposite lobes and diametrically opposite valleys. The upper and lower cam pulleys have a toothed rim connected by individual drive belts to a common drive pulley rotated by an electric motor. The number of teeth on the toothed rims of the upper and lower cam pulleys are different, causing the upper and lower cam pulleys to rotate relative to each other. The annular cam surfaces cause the upper cam pulley and the spindle to be oscillated in a vertical direction in response to the relative rotation between upper and lower cam pulleys.

Abstract: A power hand tool for driving a fastener a desired depth into a workpiece. The power tool includes a depth adjust sleeve for varying a resulting driving depth of the fastener into the workpiece. A depth indicator is included to allow a user to gauge the resulting driving depth of the fastener into the workpiece based on his adjustment of the depth adjust sleeve. In one embodiment, the depth indicator comprises a marker coupled to the depth adjust sleeve such that its location varies monotonically in response to varying the resulting driving depth, a lens to allow the marker to be clearly seen by the user, and a scale to which the location of the marker is compared. A driving mechanism is then used for driving the fastener into the workpiece until the resulting driving depth is attained.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner and a method for constructing a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner utilizes interchangeable detent bars having different numbers of detents thereon to selectively determine the number of height adjustment selections the vacuum cleaner will have. The vacuum cleaner includes a chassis, a detent bar attached to the chassis, a cam member slidably mounted to the chassis and a wheel retainer with laterally spaced wheels thereon. The wheel retainer is pivotally mounted to chassis such that the wheels may pivot toward and away from the chassis. The wheel retainer has a cam follower surface thereon which operatively cooperates with a cam surface on the cam member to raise and lower the wheels relative to the chassis as the cam member is moved. The cam member has a finger selectively engageable with individual detents on the detent bar to selectively laterally position the cam member relative to the chassis and thereby selectively establish the height of the chassis from a floor surface.

Abstract: A detail sander having a scraper blade of a shape that allows for different geometric configurations to be oriented into the working position to contact a work surface. Blades may also be adjusted forward or rearward relative to the leg of the sander to allow for changes in the stroke of the sweeping motion produced by the sander. A teardrop shaped blade and a triangular shaped blade having varying geometries about their respective peripheries allow for varying tip geometries to be oriented into the working position of the blade. Additionally, the blades are removable so that different blades may be attached to suit different needs.

Abstract: A battery housing for a combination of cells which prevents inadvertent short circuiting caused by electrical contact with discarded battery assemblies. An embodiment of the battery housing comprises a conductive connector, electrically connected to the positive battery terminal, for electrically connecting to a mating contact within an appliance. A terminal insulator insulates the conductive connector from electrical contact with a second battery housing. A sleeve, comprising a length of heat-shrinkable tubing, secures the positioning of the combination of cells and the terminal insulator. A non-conductive cap insulates the conductive connector of a battery assembly removed from the appliance from any external electrical contact. An optional orientation slot is included on the terminal insulator to match with a rib incorporated within the appliance to guide a slip-in fit of the battery assembly within the appliance.

Abstract: A vacuum power head is provided which has a bare floor feature. A vacuum cleaner head assembly defines a vacuum chamber which contains a power driven rotary brush. Located outside of the vacuum chamber adjacent the rotary brush is a generally U-shaped trailing brush. The trailing brush cooperates with a height adjustment mechanism which is movable between a deep carpet position and a bare floor position. As the height adjustment mechanism of the head assembly is moved toward the bare floor position, the trailing brush is automatically moved to an extended position into engagement with the floor. When the height adjustment mechanism is moved from the bare floor position, a biasing means biases the trailing brush toward a retracted position within the head assembly. An actuator cooperates with the height adjustment mechanism to automatically move the trailing brush between the retracted position and the extended position in response to movement of the height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A removable working tool assembly that can be used with a power driven tool having a drive shaft. The removable working tool assembly includes a drive member which can operably connected to the drive shaft and a support member having a tool surface. One of the drive and support members defines a male connection mechanism while the other one of the members defines a female connection mechanism such that the members can be simply connected and disconnected without the need for tools or any other fastener elements. This allows various support members to be easily changed to facilitate the use of different tool surfaces such as sanders, grinders, scrapers or the like.

Abstract: An electrical implement having a bypass mechanism for controlling a variable speed motor is disclosed. The implement includes a tool, a variable speed electrical motor activatable for driving the tool, a housing supporting the motor and tool, and a control knob for controlling the speed of the motor. The control mechanism includes an on/off switch and a variable speed control circuit. The variable speed control circuit includes a variable resistance rheostat and bypass switch. The control knob controls whether the bypass switch causes current to bypass the rheostat to operate the motor at a predetermined speed or else whether the resistance in the rheostat is variable to change the speed of the motor. The control mechanism includes a cantilevered beam engageable by the control knob to operate the bypass switch. The cantilevered beam is sufficiently flexible to allow for large deflections while placing only limited force across the bypass switch.

Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for a hammer drill that will switch the drill from conventional drill only mode to a hammer drill mode by rotating an adjusting rod. The generally cylindrical adjusting rod includes an impact cam and an adjacent and smaller drill cam. One of the two cams will be in a position adjacent a thrust ball, which is on the back of the spindle. When the drill cam is rotated into position to contact the thrust ball, a clutch face on an output gear will be held in spaced relation to a clutch face on an impact bushing with a resulting drill only rotational motion of the spindle; when the impact cam is rotated into position adjacent the thrust ball, the two clutch faces will come into engagement with one another and create a hammer drill motion of the spindle.

Abstract: A sub-base is provided for a router adapted to engage a stationary guide while cutting a workpiece. The sub-base includes a plate and an elongated guide-edge. The guide-edge extends from a linear edge of the plate in a manner as to lie in outboard shielding relationship to the router base. The sub-base further includes means for detachably securing the plate to the base with the guide-edge outboard of the base. The plate is positioned such that a generally planer surface of the plate engages the workpiece and the guide-edge extends to engage the stationary guide. The router bit extends through a central opening in the base and further extends through a central opening in the plate of the sub-base to cut the workpiece.

Abstract: An armature for an electric motor having a laminated core assembly attached to the motor's shaft. The laminated core having a plurality of coil slots in which the armature coils are wound. A slot liner is disposed in each of the coil slots and an insulating disc is swagged onto the shaft which engages the ends of the slot liners preventing their longitudinal displacement during the winding of the armature coils.

Abstract: An actuator switch (25) for an electrical power tool (10), having a housing (16) and an electric motor supported by the housing (16) for operatively driving a work implement, is provided. The actuator switch (25) includes a trigger (22) which cooperates with the housing (16) and is shiftably operable by the user between "on" and "off" positions. A power switch assembly (26) is oriented within the tool housing (16) adjacent the trigger (22) for actuation thereby. The power switch assembly includes a body (28) defining an internal cavity (30) with an aperture (32) extending therethrough. An electrical switch (34) is located within the switch assembly (26) and is electrically connected to the electric motor. A plunger (42) extends through the body aperture (32) to enable the trigger (22) to activate the electrical switch (34). An elastomeric pad (44) is operatively positioned between the plunger (42) and the trigger (22).

Abstract: A palm grip random orbital sanding machine having a housing and an electric motor disposed in the housing which drives an attached platen along a random orbital path. An exhaust fan disposed in an exhaust chamber produces an air flow from the vicinity of the platen out through an exhaust port. The housing has a pair of longitudinal slots provided on opposite sides thereof which removably receive the legs or side members of a U-shaped debris container. Each side member of the debris container has an entrance port coincident with the exhaust port of the exhaust chamber, and means for filtering the debris from the air flow exiting the side members. The commutator and brushes of the electric motor are disposed intermediate the longitudinal slots and the brushes are disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sanding machine.