Abstract: A shaft assembly a tool comprises a first shaft part and a second shaft part and is adapted to be arranged between a handle and a working head of the tool. The first shaft part is slideable and/or rotatable within the second shaft part, and a pin is trapped within the first shaft part is adapted to engage with a co-operating receiving device in the second shaft part. A clamp is provided to secure the second shaft part relative to the first shaft part.

Abstract: A battery retention latch (350) comprises a retaining member (354), a release button (356) and a cam element (362). A biasing member 358 maintains the retention catch in a normally engaged position. The cam element (362) retains a battery pack (26) in a cordless device (352) regardless of the annular orientation of the battery pack (26) about a casing axis. A holding device (382, 394) maintains the battery (26) in the cavity (34) against a spring ejecting force such that the battery (26) partially extends from the device (352) enabling the battery (26) to be removed from the device (352).

Abstract: A blower vacuum device of the kind having a motor (2) which is located in a housing (4) and which drives an impeller (12) located in a the volute (16). The volute (16) has an air inlet (18) and an air outlet (20). When the device is used as a blower a blower attachment (28), formed in a single piece from a blower duct (28) and a grill (22), is releasably attached to the volute so that the grill (22) is attached over the air inlet of the volute and the blower duct (28) is attached over the air outlet. When the device is used as a vacuum, a vacuum attachment (36) which is formed in one piece from a suction duct (30) and a collecting bag duct (34) is releasably attached to the volute so that the suction duct (30) is attached over the air inlet and the collecting bag duct (34) is attached over the air outlet. This means that it is easy to change the device between a blowing mode and a vacuum mode by detaching a single piece blowing attachment from the device and replacing it with a single piece vacuum attachment.

Abstract: A combination mitre and bevel saw 10 includes an elongate fence guide 74 operatively connected to the saw blade assembly 20 and pivotable between a retracted position and an extended position in the plan of the saw blade 26. A spring 72 biases the fence guide 74 into its retracted position. The fence guide 74 may be pulled down by the saw operator into its extended position so as to indicate the position at which the saw blade 36 will impinge upon the workpiece and so as to allow the setting of two fence members 17a, 17b accordingly. The fence guide 74 includes a leading edge 78, which indicates the width of cut which the saw blade will make in the workpiece and a wider portion 80, trailing the leading edge 78, which indicates the optimum spacing of the fence members 17a, 17b.

Abstract: A hammer drill may be set for operation in a hammer mode or a drill mode through a mode selector 41. In the drill mode, output shaft 25 is locked in a forwardly biased position and is rotatably driven through spur gears 29, 31. In the hammer drill mode, output spindle 25 is rotatably driven by spur gears 29, 31 and is axially reciprocated by hammer clutch 55. An output clutch plate 57 of clutch 55 is axially and rotatably fixed to spindle 25 and has a first annular tooth array 63 on rear face 61. An input clutch plate 59 of clutch 55 is axially and nonrotatably fixed in tool housing 15 and has a second annular tooth array 67 on a forwardly inclined front face 65. Tooth arrays 63, 67 are engageable in the hammer mode. Output clutch plate 57 is shiftable in use in the hammer mode to position the rear face 61 generally parallel to the front face 65.

Abstract: A power tool (20) includes a modular drive system in which the motor (22) and transmission (24) consist of separate self-contained modular units which can be assembled together by simply sliding and rotating the motor housing (42) and the transmission housing (70) relative to each other. The motor (22) has a D-shaped rotary drive shaft (44) which is inserted into a D-shaped aperture (86) in the drive gear (84) of a planetary gear system (80) contained within the transmission housing (70). Guide pins (92) extending from the transmission housing (70) are inserted into guide holes (94) in the motor housing (42) when the D-shaped drive shaft (44) is inserted into the D-shaped aperture (86) in the drive gear (84) to align the housings (42,70) with each other. A bushing (46) at the front of the motor housing (42) is inserted into a central opening (76) at the rear of the transmission housing (70) to couple the housings (42,70) together.

Abstract: A battery pack 13 (FIG. 2) comprises an elongated cylindrical, metal casing 35, a plurality of cells 41, 43 in casing 35 and three coaxial pack terminals 46, 54, 61. For enhanced convenience, pack terminals 46, 54, 61 are electrically connectable in a cordless device 11 regardless of the angular orientation of the pack 13 about casing axis 33. To reduce cost and increase durability, pack 13 has no welded connections and will permit high current discharge rates. Cells 41, 43 are electrically connected but are mechanically disconnected. A spring 73 engages cell 41 and biases cells 41, 43 tightly together in compression to form good, low resistance electrical contact between cells 41, 43, casing base cap 45 and top 53. To provide a pack with two output voltages, the third pack terminal 61 has a polarity (relative to first pack terminal 46) the same as second pack terminal 54 and is electrically connected to the cell can terminal 43b of forward cell 43, thereby electrically by-passing cell 43.

Abstract: A cable retainer (6) for retaining an electric power cable (26) for a portable electrical appliance (10) comprises a substantially L-shaped hook member (8). The substantially L-shaped hook member (8) comprises two arms (16,22), the first of which arms (16) is secured to the wall (14) of the appliance (10) within an aperture (12) formed in the wall (14), the securing point (20) being located in the wall of the aperture and the second of which arms (22) is a return arm and extends into the body (24) of the appliance (10). The cable retainer is particularly suitable for use on a portable electric appliance such as a grass trimmer, a hedge clipper or a vacuum cleaner.