Abstract: A router table assembly includes a removable throat plate having a frame with a generally-planar upper surface, and an opening formed in the frame's upper surface. A disc, supported within the opening for rotation about a first axis, includes a through-hole which is sized to permit extension therethrough of a routing bit along a second axis parallel to the first axis. A graduated scale on the frame adjacent to the disc cooperates with a reference mark on the disk to provide an indication of the displacement of the bit's second axis relative to a reference edge on the working surface. A clamp secures the disc against rotation after the disc has been rotated within the frame to position the bit's second axis a desired distance from the reference edge. A fence is secured in one of a plurality of parallel-spaced positions relative to the reference edge.

Abstract: A battery powered tool includes a housing adapted to carry a battery. A shaft having first and second ends is connected to the housing at the first end thereof. A first mechanical joint is adapted for rotatably receiving and supporting an attachment. The first mechanical joint is mounted at the second end of the shaft. The first electrical connector contained within the first mechanical joint is adapted to cooperate with a second electrical connector in the attachment to provide electric thereto. A first electrical conductor extends within the shaft from the housing to the first electrical connector for carrying electric current from the battery to operate the attachment. A second electrical connector engages with the first electrical connector, and is connected to a boom. A second electrical conductor extends within the boom, and the other end of the boom carries a hedge trimmer, a line trimmer, a pruner, a blower or an extension.

Abstract: A line trimmer head is provided including a rotatable drive shaft and a housing mounted to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. The housing has an open end and at least one peripheral aperture formed through the housing. A spool subassembly is positioned at least partially within the housing adjacent the open end of the housing. The subassembly includes a spool having at least one flange extending radially outwardly from the periphery thereof, a cog ring secured to the spool, and a ratchet and pawl assembly formed between the cog ring and spool. The ratchet and pawl assembly allows rotation of the spool in a first direction with respect to the cog ring for winding line around the spool while preventing spool rotation in a second direction opposite the first direction to facilitate line feed bumping and line trimming operations. In an alternative embodiment, the pawl is integrally molded with the spool to eliminate the separate spring-pawl assembly.

Abstract: A split-boom power tool includes a housing adapted to carry a battery or motor. A first boom member connected to the housing includes an electromechanical or mechanical joint (i.e., coupling) connected thereto for receiving a second boom member, which carries an attachment. The attachment may include a hedge trimmer, line trimmer, pruner, blower, or extension. Various couplings or mechanical joints are provided.

Abstract: A hand held powered tool is provided which is intended to be carried by an operator during use. The power tool has a frame, including a handle to be grasped by the operator, an implement affixed to the frame having a rotary input member and a small four-cycle lightweight internal combustion engine attached to the frame for driving the implement. The four-cycle engine is made up of a lightweight aluminum engine block having a cylindrical bore and an oil reservoir. A crankshaft is journaled to the engine block for rotation about a crankshaft axis. A piston reciprocates within the bore and is connected to the crankshaft by a connecting rod having an oil splasher formed thereon for intermittently engaging the oil within the enclosed oil reservoir to splash lubricate the engine. The engine is provided with a cylinder head assembly defining a compact combustion chamber having a pair of overhead intake exhaust ports cooperating intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: A line trimmer head includes a line feed configuration which facilitates reloading the head with new line without requiring removal of the spool from the housing. Line is sequentially fed first into the housing through a peripheral opening in the housing, through a guide channel in the spool, and then out of the housing beyond a lower flange of the spool through an opening in the hub of spool. Finally, the line is fed into a small opening in a spool flange to secure the line with respect to the spool. Rotation of the spool inside the housing then causes line to be drawn into the housing through the peripheral opening and wrapped around the spool. The spool provides separate storage compartments for different lines. Additional payout of line is provided when a bump knob is bumped on a ground surface.

Abstract: A line trimmer head is provided including a rotatable drive shaft and a housing mounted to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. The housing has an open end and at least one peripheral aperture formed through the housing. A spool subassembly is positioned at least partially within the housing adjacent the open end of the housing. The subassembly includes a spool having at least one flange extending radially outwardly from the periphery thereof, a cog ring secured to the spool, and a ratchet and pawl assembly formed between the cog ring and spool. The ratchet and pawl assembly allows rotation of the spool in a first direction with respect to the cog ring for winding line around the spool while preventing spool rotation in a second direction opposite the first direction to facilitate line feed bumping and line trimming operations.

Abstract: An adjustment mechanism is provided for positioning a fence assembly along a guide rail of a bench top woodworking tool. The device includes a body member having a guide way portion which is linearly slidable along the guide rail and lockable at various positions. The barrel's body is provided with an elongated axial bore parallel to the guide rail. An elongated barrel extends through the bore and the body of the barrel is relatively rotatable thereto. An attachment member connects the elongated barrel to the fence assembly so that relative rotation of the elongated barrel and the body member causes the attachment member and fence assembly to move linearly relative to the body. The body member is provided with a locking mechanism so that the body member can be secured to the guide rail at various positions to facilitate precise adjustments of the fence relative to a woodworking tool cutter.

Abstract: An oscillating tool for sanding a surface has a body (12) defining an internal cavity (14) and a motor (20) located therein The motor has a motor shaft (22) oriented in parallel with the body. A crank (24) is affixed to the motor which has a crank pin (26) projecting therefrom. A lever arm (34) is pivotably affixed to the body for rotation about a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the motor shaft. The lever arm cooperates with the crank pin to cause the lever arm to cyclically pivot back and forth. A pad support (18) is adapted to receive a work member (19). The planar pad support is affixed to the lever arm at a location spaced apart from the pivot axis and oscillated therewith. The pad support has a substantially 90 degree forward corner (110) formed by a pair or facet edges and a pair of outwardly inclined straight side edges (116, 118).

Abstract: A drill press assembly having a base mountable to a work bench, a vertical column attached to the base and a drill head assembly having an electric motor and a quill. The drill head assembly is movably attached to the column. A rack is rotatably attached to the top of the column and is engaged by a crank and pinion mechanism attached to the frame of the drill head assembly which permits the drill head assembly to be displaced vertically and rotated about the column. A tilt table is attachable to the base of the drill press. A locking mechanism having a bolt passing through a longitudinal slot in the supporting base of the tilt table and a transverse slot in the base is engaged by an eccentrically mounted camshaft to lock the supporting base of the tilt table to the top surface of the drill press base. A pivoting frame is pivotably attached to the supporting base and contains a table plate. A fence is attachable to the top of the pivoting frame.

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 small four cycle internal combustion engine is disclosed having a cylinder head assembly which comprises a cylinder head cooperating with a cylinder block of the engine, and a rocker box connected to the cylinder head so as to define an air passage therebetween through which air may pass. The cylinder head has cooling fins projecting into the air passage between the cylinder head and the rocker box and aligned generally transversely to a line extending between the axes of the intake and exhaust valves. The air passage preferably extends between an intake port and an exhaust port of the engine, and above an exhaust gas recirculation port extending between the intake and exhaust ports. A pair of push rod tubes are integral with the rocker box and extend between the rocker box and a crankcase of the engine externally of the cylinder block. The engine of the present invention also includes a cam tower assembly comprising a base member and a pair of parallel shafts extending from the base member.

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 hand held powered tool is provided which is intended to be carried by an operator during use. The power tool has a frame, including a handle to be grasped by the operator, an implement affixed to the frame having a rotary input member and a small four-cycle lightweight internal combustion engine attached to the frame for driving the implement. The four-cycle engine is made up of a lightweight aluminum engine block having a cylindrical bore and an enclosed oil reservoir formed therein. A crankshaft is journaled to the engine block for rotation about a crankshaft axis. A piston reciprocates within the bore and is connected to the crankshaft by a connecting rod having oil splasher formed thereon for intermittently engaging the oil within the enclosed oil reservoir to splash lubricate the engine. The engine is provided with a cylinder head assembly defining a compact combustion chamber having a pair of overhead intake exhaust ports cooperating intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: Providing an oscillating tool for sanding a surface. The tool having a body defining an internal cavity which has a motor located therein. The motor has a motor shaft oriented in parallel alignment with the body. A crank is affixed to the motor which has a crank pin projecting therefrom. A lever arm is pivotably affixed to the body for rotation about a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the motor shaft. A lever arm cooperates with the crank pin to cause the lever arm to cyclically pivot back and forth in response to rotation of a motor shaft. A pad support is adapted to receive a work member. The planar pad support is affixed to the lever arm at a location spaced apart from the pivot axis and oscillates therewith. The pad support is provided with a substantially 90.degree. forward corner formed by a pair of facet edges. A pair of outwardly inclined straight side edges extend rearwardly from the facet edges on opposite sides of the pad center line.

Abstract: A small four cycle internal combustion engine is disclosed having a cylinder head assembly which comprises a cylinder head cooperating with a cylinder block of the engine, and a rocker box connected to the cylinder head so as to define an air passage therebetween through which air may pass. The cylinder head has cooling fins projecting into the air passage between the cylinder head and the rocker box and aligned generally transversely to a line extending between the axes of the intake and exhaust valves. The air passage preferably extends between an intake port and an exhaust port of the engine, and above an exhaust gas recirculation port extending between the intake and exhaust ports. A pair of push rod tubes are integral with the rocker box and extend between the rocker box and a crankcase of the engine externally of the cylinder block. The engine of the present invention also includes a cam tower assembly comprising a base member and a pair of parallel shafts extending from the base member.

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.

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: The present invention includes a rotatable cutting head assembly (12), such as for a planer or a jointer, which planes a work surface on a workpiece (22). The cutting head assembly (12) comprises a rotatable elongate support block (30), a pair of blades (32), and a pair of elongate retainers (34). Each blade (32) has a straight elongate cutting edge (50,51) which extends parallel to and is spaced radially from the longitudinal axis (36) of the support block (30). Each retainer (34) is attachable to the support block (30) to clamp a respective blade (32) therebetween. Retainers (34), blades (32) and support block (30) have cooperating alignment ribs (64) and elongate slots (52). The slots (52) extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support block.

Abstract: A table saw is disclosed comprising a main saw unit and an extension table assembly attachment. The extension table assembly includes an extension table having a first end and a second end hinges for pivotably attaching one end of the extension table to a guide rail of the table saw proximate the discharge end of the table saw, and a retractable leg. The leg is pivotably mounted to the extension table to allow the leg to move between a folded position wherein the leg lies substantially flush with the extension table and an extended position wherein the leg is adapted to support the extension table. The bracket which mounts the leg to the extension table is also adapted to lock the leg in either the folded or extended position.