Abstract: A follower for translating rotational motion of a cam into reciprocal motion of an intake or exhaust valve is disclosed. The follower comprises a first portion adapted to be pivotably mounted on a follower shaft and a second portion adapted to contact a cam surface. The first and second portions form a generally V shape. The first portion includes a bottom and a pair of side walls connected to the bottom. Each of the side walls has a hole therethrough, and the holes are coaxially aligned to accept the follower shaft. The second portion includes a first end connected to the first portion and a second distal end which contacts the cam surface. Also disclosed is a method of making a follower from common sheet metal.

Abstract: A clamp (20) and method for making the same are disclosed. The clamp (20) has a pair of jaws (42,44), a pivot (46) and an actuator (48). Each of the jaws (42,44) has a distal end (54,56) and a clamping end (50,52). The jaws (42,44) are pivotally connected by the pivot (46) such that the actuator (48) can displace the distal ends (54,56) relative to one another causing the clamping ends (50,52) to pivot together to retain the end of a blade therebetween. Preferably, the actuator (48) is a thumbscrew and the pivot (46) is a pivot pin cooperatively retained by respective pivot apertures (60,62) located in each of the jaws (42,44). Alternatively, the pivot (46) may be tenon (164) formed on one jaw (144) and a mortise (162) formed in the other jaw (142), the tenon (164) being pivotally retained within mortise (162). The clamp (20) is manually operable to clamp the scroll saw blade without the use of separate tools such as a screw driver or an Allen wrench.

Abstract: A resistance spool (16) for holding lines (38,40) in a line trimmer head (10) is disclosed. The spool (16) has a rotatable main body (19) having lines (38,40) wound thereon. The wound lines (38,40) have free ends (42,44) which extend radially from the main body (19). Clamp portions (32,34,36), on the main body (19), restrain the free ends (42,44) of the lines (38,40). The clamp portions (32,34,36) restrain the free ends (42,44) so that the lines (38,40) do not unwind from the spool (16) when the main body (19) is not rotating at a sufficient speed and allows the free ends (42,44) of lines (38,40) to pay out from the spool (16) when the main body (19) is rotating at a sufficient speed. Preferably, the main body (19) includes a hub (20) and axially disposed flanges (22,24,26) extending radially outwardly from the hub (20). The flanges ( 22,24,26) cooperate with one another to pinch the line (38,40) such that the line (38,40) may not unravel during installation of the spool (16) within a line trimmer head (10).

Abstract: A laminated gear and a method of forming the laminated gear are disclosed. The method comprises punching a central hole and a circular array of closely adjacent perforations in a generally planar sheet. The array defines an interior portion having the outline of the gear, and a selvedge portion disposed outboard the perforations. The central hole and the perforations are progressively stamped until they have burnished faces perpendicular to the sides of the sheet. Web portions interconnecting the interior and selvedge portions are then broken to separate the gear from the sheet. A projection and corresponding recess are then stamped on the opposite sides of the gear. A predetermined number of gears are queued and finally arranged into an assembly by frictionally nesting the projections and corresponding recesses. The central holes are thereby aligned to form a bore adapted to be press fit onto a camshaft or crankshaft. The laminated gear formed by this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A replaceable starter assembly for a hand-held internal combustion engine of a power tool is disclosed. The replaceable starter assembly comprises a cartridge including a spool on which rope is wound and with a recoil spring for biasing the spool to rotate in one direction. The cartridge is secured to an engine housing of the power tool on the opposite side of the engine housing from the internal combustion engine. The cartridge may be detached from the engine housing of the power tool to facilitate the replacement of the starter assembly without requiring disassembly of the engine housing of the power tool. A starter housing substantially encloses the cartridge and is secured to the engine housing by removable fasteners. The starter housing may include a clutch and clutch drum which are removable with the starter housing and separable from the cartridge. The starter assembly is assembled to the power tool between the engine housing and a boom which supports the driveshaft of an implement.

Abstract: A collapsible stand having a top (14) formed by two mating leaves (15, 17) and supported by legs (28, 30, 32, 34). The legs are pivotedly joined to braces (20, 22, 24, 26) underlying the leaves. The components of the stand pivot with respect to one another so to allow the stand to be easily erected and collapsed. However, due to interaction between at least one of the braces and at least one retainer (64) on the underside of one of the leaves the stand cannot be collapsed without initial planar movement of the leaves away from one another. Since such movement is rare during normal usage, the stand is strong and secure during normal usage. A pair of brackets (80, 82) for holding dimensional lumber (79) may be attached to the braces. When the lumber is placed in the brackets, the stand is further secured in its erect position.

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: A battery powered line trimmer possessing a relatively high ratio of mass moment of inertia about a vertical axis extending through its center of gravity to mass. The device comprising a motor and head assembly at the forward end and a rechargeable battery pack at the rearward end of a support shaft. Also, adjustable handles, for supporting the line trimmer, attached about either side of the center of gravity.

Abstract: A line trimmer head 10 for a vegetation cutter having an automatic line feed mechanism which replenishes the line 19 as a result of changes in centrifugal force. The line trimmer head 10 comprises a reel housing 14 which rotates with a shaft 12. A spool 18 containing a supply of line 19 is located within the housing 14. An indexer cam 16 is journaled on the shaft 12 and is axially and rotatably shiftable with respect to the shaft 12. The indexer cam 16 is periodically axially shifted and rotated by a reduction in the centrifugal force applied by the line 19 to the spool 18. A spring 20 is provided to bias the indexer cam 16 axially relative to the housing 14 away from an interlocked posiiton. In the interlocked position, the indexer cam 16 and housing 14 are interlocked together so that the spool 18, indexer cam 16, housing 14 and shaft 12 rotate together.

Abstract: A piston assembly is disclosed having a wrist pin for pivotably attaching a connecting rod to a piston for use in an internal combustion engine. The wrist pin is formed from an elongated circular cylindrical body having a pair of deformable sections formed adjacent each end and a relatively hard middle section therebetween. The wrist pin is sized for insertion along a longitudinal axis defined by a pair of coaxially aligned, spaced apart bores formed in diametrically opposed portions of the piston. The deformable end sections are adapted to be deformed sufficiently to engage the bores of the piston to limit the axial movement therebetween. The relatively hard middle section spans between the bores in the piston for pivotably engaging one end of the connection rod.

Abstract: An automatic line trimmer head 10 including a housing 11 containing a rotor 12 which controls rotation of a spool 16 relative to the housing in a stepwise fashion which is actuated by centrifugal force. Centrifugal force acts upon a radially expansible annular member 14 which is disposed between the housing 11 and the rotor 12. The spool 16 contains a supply of line 18 and is attached to the rotor 12 for rotation with the rotor. A shaft extends through the housing 10, rotor 12 and spool 16. The rotor 12 is biased by a helical spring 24 toward an upper plane of rotation. The radially expandable annular member 14 shifts the rotor 12 to a lower plane when centrifugal force expands the annular member 14. Teeth 54 extending radially outwardly from an outer edge 56 of a circular disk portion 50 of the rotor 12 contact an upper set of stop blocks when the circular disk portion 50 is in the upper plane. The teeth 54 contact a lower set of stop blocks 42 when the circular disk portion 50 is in the lower plane.

Abstract: A connector is provided for releaseably fastening a vacuum pipe to the body of an implement which is convertible between a blower and vacuum mode. The vacuum pipe is adapted to attach to an intake port formed in the body of the implement. The vacuum pipe is provided with a collar having a series of angularly spaced apart receptacles each having a passage therethrough provided with a locking surface extending part way along the passage and an abutment aligned with the locking surface defining a space therebetween. The body is provided with a plurality of stakes angularly spaced about the intake port aligned with the passages on the collar. Each stake is provided with a locking face disposed and arranged to overhang the locking surface in the collar and has a thickness substantially equal to the spacing between the locking surface and abutment. The collar is adapted to be angularly positioned relative to the body with the passages aligned with the stakes.

Abstract: A brake system for a vegetation cutter. The cutter has a boom with a proximal end and a distal end. A working head is rotatably mounted to the distal end, and a power source such as a gasoline engine, is mounted at the proximal end. A clutch is interposed between the power source and a drive shaft on the boom which drives the working head. A brake surface is concurrently driven with the drive shaft. A brake is adapted to be pressed againt the brake surface to brake rotation of the drive shaft when it is applied, and to enable rotation when it is not applied.

Abstract: A hand-held implement selectively usuable as a blower or a vacuum. A power-driven impeller moves an airstream through an impeller chamber from an intake port to an outlet port. A pair of coaxial rims surrounds the intake port to form a peripheral groove that can receive the end of a pipe and restrain it from lateral movement. An axial pull device can draw the pipe to hold it in the groove.

Abstract: A reed valve for a two cycle internal combustion engine. The engine has a metal crankcase to which the valve body of the reed valve is mounted. The valve body is made of an insulating material. A flat metal seat plate is fixed to the valve body. The seat plate has a flat seat not liable to be distorted by heat. A metal reed plate is fixed to the seat plate with its free end overhanging the flat seat. The seat on the seat plate is less liable to be distorted by heat than would be a similar seat formed as part of an insulating valve body.

Abstract: A rotary line trimmer having a rotary head from which a cutting line is fed from a drive head in response to the axial shifting of a flexible drive shaft. The drive shaft rotatingly drives the head to exert a cutting action, and additionally can cause an incremental motion within the head itself whereby to feed the line from the head.

Abstract: A guard for a grass and weed trimmer of the line-cutting type, the guard having a body attached to a handle. A rotatable head mounted to said handle flailing the line in a plane of rotation around an axis of rotation. The body has a skirt extending partway around the axis, a cut-off blade in the path of the flailing line to cut-off excess line, and a deflector downstream from the blade to deflect the cut-off segments away from the plane of rotation, toward the ground.

Abstract: A carburetor priming system for an internal combustion engine includes a porous wick disposed in the inlet of the carburetor and a system for initially saturating the wick with liquid fuel prior to starting the engine. The priming system which may be remotely located or adjacent to the engine, which saturates the wick, consists of a depressable flexible bulb which withdraws fuel from a fuel supply and, when depressed, forces the fuel from the interior of the bulb into the wick. A check valve between the bulb and the wick is mechanically actuated to open when the bulb is depressed rather than being opened by fluid pressure as in conventional systems.

Abstract: A coupling for the handle shaft of a power driven implement which permits angular adjustment of a drive head. The coupling clamps two parts of the handle shaft together, preventing rotation of one part and permits the selectable rotation of the other. The coupling comprises a split clamp joining and securely holding the handle parts in abutment with one part of the handle shaft telescopically interconnecting with the split clamp, and the other part of the handle shaft rotatably interconnecting with the split clamp in any one of a plurality of alignments. A releasable fastener permits loosening of the split clamp to allow rotational adjustment of the parts and their retention at a selected orientation.