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: 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: 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: A horizontal canister vacuum having a cover removably attached to the open end of a canister having a motor/fan assembly affixed thereto and cooperating with an air outlet to evacuate air from the interior cavity. A plurality of wheels provided for solidly supporting the canister and attached cover in a horizontal orientation when placed upon a flat surface and wherein accumulated dust particles may be emptied from the vacuum cleaner by removing the cover from the canister when the vacuum cleaner is positioned in a vertical orientation. A clam-shell configuration is provided for packaging the motor/fan assembly to direct air flow through the assembly for cooling thereof.

Abstract: A depth of cut lock mechanism for a plunge-type router having a drive motor enclosed within a motor housing. The motor housing is attached to a base plate by a pair of spatially separated guides. Each guide has a guide sleeve attached to the motor housing and a guide tube attached to the base plate and slidably received in the guide sleeve. The lock mechanism has a lock disc rotatable between a lock position and a release position. A torsional spring resiliently biases the disc toward the lock position and a manually activated release lever displaces the lock disc toward the unlocked position. A brass plug is axially displaced by the rotation of the lock disc to frictionally lock the guide sleeve and guide tube to each other. A ratchet mechanism is provided to adjust the torque applied to the lock disc by the torsional spring and a release lever lock mechanism is provided to lock the release lever and lock disc in a release position.

Abstract: A chuck for securely holding a cutting tool while being rotated by a driving apparatus. The chuck includes a chuck body defining a tool bore into which the cutting tool may be inserted. A cam assembly is pivotally mounted to the chuck body and operably extends into the tool bore. An actuator cooperates with the chuck body and is positionable to operate the cam to secure or release the cutting tool, within the tool bore. In an alternative embodiment, a collet is used and the cam and actuator operate to secure or release the collet, and any cutting tool inserted into the collet, within the bore.

Abstract: A noise reduction system is provided for use with an upright vacuum cleaner. The noise reduction system is intended to be used with a rigid filter bag body-type vacuum cleaner wherein a fixed housing and a removable cover cooperate to enclose a cavity. The cavity houses a dirty air inlet which is in communication with a head assembly of a vacuum cleaner. A filter bag is contained within the cavity and cooperates with the dirty air inlet so as to filter exhaust air and retain debris contained therein. A muffler is contained within the cavity and spaced from the dirty air inlet. The muffler cooperates with the housing to form a baffle chamber The muffler defines a plurality of air entrance apertures which allow air to flow from the cavity into the baffle chamber. Both the muffler and the housing have a series of baffles formed generally parallel aligned which are interleaved and juxtaposed when the housing and the muffler cooperate to form the baffle chamber.

Abstract: An improved miter table (20) for a circular saw table (10) having a rotating blade (12) includes an elongated guide plate (22) having a track (28) mountable to the saw table (10) and the miter table (20) includes an adjustable follower (30) for slidably engaging the track for longitudinal movement along the track (28) that provides transversely adjustable positioning of the miter table (20) with respect to the track (28) thereby to provide precise alignment of the workpiece with respect to the rotatable blade (12) during such movement.

Abstract: A router having a depth of cut adjustment mechanism including an adjustment ring which engages a screw thread on the motor housing and rotationally engages the router base. There is further provided an arrangement for preventing relative rotation between the motor housing and the base. The adjustment ring is formed as a split ring with projections adjacent opposite sides of the split, each with a frusto-conical camming surface. A circular clamp knob having a plurality of tabs extending axially outward from a top surface and radially outward from a central axis is mounted for threaded rotation on a bolt passing through the projections radially with respect to the router motor housing which bears against the camming surfaces so as to squeeze the ring in order to effect a clamping action as the knob is moved inwardly.

Abstract: A deadman switch arrangement for a hedge trimmer wherein the auxiliary handle of the hedge trimmer is provided with a cover member which pivots thereon. The cover member has a camming surface near its pivot point, the camming surface having a ramp which moves an actuating pin inwardly toward the center of the hedge trimmer housing as the cover member is moved toward the auxiliary handle. When moved inwardly of the housing, the actuating pin closes a switch to complete the main power circuit of the hedge trimmer. The cover member is biased away from the auxiliary handle so that if the operator releases the cover member, the hedge trimmer is automatically turned off.