Abstract: Described briefly, according to a typical embodiment of the invention, a roller has a core comprising plurality of relatively hard and rigid segments fastened together in a stack and rotatably mounted to a shaft. The roller core has internal baffled passageways established by grooves in abutting faces of segments, so that, when paint is supplied to a cavity in the center of the stack, it will depart through these passageways in the roller in a controlled manner. A replaceable sock-like cover is received on the roller stack and secured by end retainers. The roller can be easily and completely disassembled for cleaning.

Abstract: An electric motor adapted to be assembled automatically with the minimum of manual handling has a brush box sub-assembly having a brush box with two opposed side walls and containing a brush. The two opposed side walls are stressed to grip and hold the brush against movement, the brush being released for movement in the brush box by separating sufficiently the opposed side walls upon insertion in the electric motor. Preferably, the brush box has a slot between the opposed side walls and a member in the motor is forced into the slot to separate the side walls. In assembling the motor, its stator is located on an end cap, the rotor inserted into the stator, and then the distance measured between an end face of the stator and a location on the shaft of the rotor; subsequently a shaft bearing in that end cap is pressed inwards an amount related to the measured distance to determine the end float of the shaft.

Abstract: In a portable electric tool, a switch arrangement comprises a trigger on/off switch having a depressable trigger and a reversing switch having an actuating lever. An interlocking arrangement, operative between the lever and the trigger, prevents actuation of the reversing switch when the trigger is depressed. The lever comprises a pivoted bell crank, one of the legs of which carries part of the interlocking arrangement, and the other leg of which extends transversely to the trigger and engages with a slide manually slidable in an orifice in a side wall of the tool's housing to effect pivoting of the lever.

Abstract: A paint roller is provided with a removable sleeve receiving a cover having a pile on a stretchable flexible backing. A reversible, speed controllable pump on a hand cart provides paint to the roller from a supply under control of a switch at the roller handle. The roller handle contains a radio transmitter for transmission of pump control signals to a receiver in a pump housing mounted to the hand cart. A peristaltic pump is used for the pumping, and is reversible to facilitate draining of the system back to the paint source. Opening of a door on the pump housing releases pump roller pressure from pump tubing, provides access to pump rollers and pump tubing, and thereby facilitates installation and removal of the pump tubing. Conventional water hose fittings are provided to facilitate cleaning by connection to a hose bib of a domestic water system, if desired.

Abstract: An impact-delivery tool (20) includes a motor-driven gear (72) which supports for continuous rotation therewith a relatively shiftable drive pin (80). The drive pin (80) is selectively shifted to couple the rotary drive of the gear (72) to a reciprocably operable, impact drive bar (76). An interrupt mechanism (78) which detects workpiece engagement by the tool (20) and operator actuation of the tool, both necessary for tool operation, controls the coupling and decoupling of the drive pin (80) relative to the drive bar (76). The interrupt mechanism (78) provides selective processing of the tool (20) through an impact delivery power stroke and a return stroke while also precluding successive power strokes.

Abstract: This horseshoe has segment 1A joining segments 1B, 1C which have first portions 2B, 2C for connection with segment 1A and second portions 3B, 3C which, in use, overlie a heel region. When assembled segments 1B, 1C are secured fast to segment 1A. Second portions 3B, 3C are formed to cover a range of different feet and adapted to be shaped to the foot to which the shoe is fitted. Segment 1A to 1C are formed from plastics material injection moulded onto steel inserts 4A, 4B, 4C. The inserts 4B, 4C within the second portions 3B, 3C are so contoured as to permit the shaping of the plastics material.

Abstract: A vegetation trimmer incorporating a cutting filament (24) that is rotated by a head (9) drivingly coupled by a belt drive (26) for example to a driving motor. Feed of filament to the head 9 is from a reel mounted in a handle (14) by which the trimmer is supported, the feed of filament from the reel being under the control of the user.

Abstract: A field subassembly is assembled by positioning two coil supports adjacent respective core end faces of a ferromagnetic core. The core-engaging surfaces of the coil supports and the core end faces have respective surfaces which are uninterrupted by projections. During the assembly of the field, fasteners are pushed into the respective coil supports and the core such that the fasteners engage mounting holes in the coil support with a press-fit. After the field is wound, a brush holder subassembly is also pressed onto the fasteners and the resultant core subassembly is connected to a field housing by driving the fasteners in a conventional fashion. In the preferred embodiment, the fasteners provide a three-point contact with mounting holes formed in the coil supports and the brush holder subassembly.

Abstract: A paint roller is provided with a removable sleeve receiving a cover having a pile on a stretchable flexible backing. A reversible, speed controllable pump on a hand cart provides paint to the roller from a supply under control of a switch at the roller handle. The roller handle contains a radio transmitter for transmission of pump control signals to a receiver in a pump housing mounted to the hand cart. A peristaltic pump is used for the pumping, and is reversible to facilitate draining of the system back to the paint source. Opening of a door on the pump housing releases pump roller pressure from pump tubing, provides access to pump rollers and pump tubing, and thereby facilitates installation and removal of the pump tubing. Conventional water hose fittings are provided to facilitate cleaning by connection to a hose bib of a domestic water system, if desired.

Abstract: An electric battery pack is manufactured by a process whereby an outer insulating casing has contact strips partly inserted through apertures in opposed sides thereof adjacent a closed bottom thereof. A series arrangement of connected batteries is inserted into the casing until the positive and negative poles of the series arrangement engage against the contact strips. A cover having integral inward projections is pressed towards and against the casing to close an open end thereof, the inward projections being stressed and deforming against end batteries to secure all the batteries immovably in position, and the cover being welded to the casing. The inner ends of the contact strips are then welded or soldered to the poles of the series arrangement from outside the casing through access orifices in the closed bottom of the casing.

Abstract: A collecting box for collecting debris from a garden tool, for example a lawn mower or a lawn raker, has a lightweight, self-supporting collecting box body and, on each side of the body, a tubular fastening member for fastening the collecting box to the garden tool. The fastening members extend at least one third of the way along the sides of the body with a view to preventing the body being subjected to high stresses, and the ends of the fastening members project from the body and can be inserted into sockets in the tool. An intermediate length of each fastening member is exposed to provide a handle for carrying the box.

Abstract: A radial arm of a radial arm saw comprises a lightweight metal casting of inverted U cross-section and having opposing longitudinal grooves in the inner faces of the side walls of the inverted U. A metal strip of resilient arcuate cross-section is press fitted into each groove to form guides for supporting and guiding a power saw unit movable along the radial arm. The lighter weight of the radial arm is particularly advantageous for a portable radial arm saw, and the inserted metal strips form inexpensive durable guides.

Abstract: Two pairs of contact strips are mounted on the respective bridge members of an integral web portion of the molded field case of a power tool or other motor-driven device. The forward ends of the contact strips are cantilever mounted and automatically engage the respective terminals on the field, as the field is inserted into the field case and is secured therein. An annular wire harness is mounted on the rear bearing boss of the field case. Spaced contacts are carried by the wire harness and engage the respective ends of the first pair of contact strips. The respective ends of the second pair of contact strips are connected to terminals on the ends of the brush shunts. In a reversing embodiment, a third pair of contact strips is mounted on the bridge, and a rotatable reversing subassembly is mounted on the rear bearing boss in lieu of the wire harness.

Abstract: An electro-magnetic tacker, which can carry out a limited number of driving strokes when its main switch is actuated, has a staple magazine pivotal between a blocking position and an operating position. In the operating position of the staple magazine, a staple blocking member blocks the front staple located in the staple magazine and, in the blocking position of the staple magazine, releases this staple for entry into a staple output channel. A coupling element connected to the staple magazine has an engagement portion which, in the switched-on position of an actuator element of the main switch, is in engagement with this. In this switched-on position, the actuator element holds the staple magazine in the operating position via the coupling element, so that the tacker can be lifted off from a workpiece, while at the same time the operating position of the staple magazine and the blocking action of the staple blocking member are maintained.

Abstract: A method of wiring an electric device, particularly an electric tool, comprises engaging conductor wires adjacent the ends thereof in bores and/or grooves provided in plastic carrier elements, with bared ends of at least some of the conductor wires protruding from these carrier elements. Then inserting the carrier elements, with the conductor wires engaged therein, into at least part of the housing of the electric device. And, electrically connecting the conductor wires by plugging carrier elements together and/or to an electrical component of the electric device, with said protruding bared ends functioning as plug pins. Preferably, the conductor wires each have a single solid conducting core having a cross-sectional area in the range of 1 to 5 mm. Such relatively rigid wires can be pre-shaped before insertion into a housing of the electric device.

Abstract: A multipurpose hand truck has a base frame with a handle frame connected thereto and orientatable to different angular positions relative to the base frame. A pair of wheels, which support the base frame, are mounted for movement in location along the base frame and are releasably securable thereto in at least two alternative spaced apart locations. Preferably wheel support brackets have channel sections therein which are slidable lengthwise along side members of the base frame. Pivotal plates connecting the handle and base frames enable the handle frame to be stored in overlying relation to and spaced above the base frame. A front load retaining plate is invertible to form a rest support.

Abstract: A chop saw has a saw unit connected pivotally about a horizontal axis to a turntable mounted rotatably in a base plate about a vertical axis. An indexing mechanism for locating rotational positions of the turntable comprises catch recesses on the underside of the turntable along a circular arc. A leaf spring is mounted on the base plate and has a free end engageable in the catch recesses upon rotation of the turntable. A release element is movably mounted in the base plate and operable to flex the leaf spring to move the free end thereof out of engagement with any catch recess engaged thereby. Advantageously the leaf spring and the base plate may be integrally molded or cast. Also, the catch recesses may conveniently be formed during casting or molding of the turntable.

Abstract: An adjustable fence for a saw table, or the like, comprises a main fence member defining a longitudinal direction and having a first clamping portion at one end. An auxiliary fence member is pivoted to the main fence member about an axis at right angles to that longitudinal direction and extends from the other end of the main fence member. The auxiliary fence member has a second clamping portion spaced longitudinally from the first clamping portion. A screw engages between the main and auxiliary fence members and is actuatable by one hand of an operator to adjustably pivot the auxiliary fence member relative to the main fence member to clamp the first and second clamping portions against opposite sides of the table. An extension fence may be slidably mounted over the main fence member and be adjustably secured in position by the same screw.