Abstract: A housing having a rotary axis and configured to support at least one radially projecting cutting component that effects cutting as the housing is turned around the rotary axis. The housing has a first housing part with a first wall and a plurality of discrete circumferentially spaced cavities in the first wall and each having a volume. The volumes of at least a first and second of the cavities respectively at first and second locations are different and strategically selected to cause a mass distribution on the housing that contributes to improved dynamic balancing of the housing as the housing is turned around the rotary axis.

Abstract: A system for facilitating operative connection between a charging station and a rechargeable power supply on an operating unit that is propelled by a drive, powered by the power supply, as to move over a subjacent surface. At least one connector is provided on the charging station and the operating unit. The connectors are configured to cooperate and establish an operative connection between the charging station and the operating unit. The operating unit is movable from a position spaced from the charging station into a charging position whereupon the connectors assume an engaged relationship. One of the charging station and the operating unit has a flat blade and the other of the charging station and operating unit has an elongate slot. The flat blade is movable guidingly within the elongate slot as the operating unit moves into the charging position.

Abstract: A handheld trenching apparatus and method of forming a trench in ground using the apparatus. The apparatus has a frame, a cutting head, and a drive. The cutting head has a ground penetrating portion with a plurality of cutting members that are caused to be moved in a controlled path by the drive. The frame has an elongate frame part with the cutting head at one frame part end. The frame further has at least one graspable region spaced lengthwise of the elongate frame part from the first elongate frame part end. The ground penetrating portion is directed into the ground and while engaging the at least one graspable region the ground penetrating portion is moved in a trench forming direction as the drive is operated to thereby form a trench.

Abstract: A chain saw unit and a method of constructing the same. The method includes the steps of obtaining: a) an endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly defining a plurality of mount locations; b) a plurality of operating components; and c) an outer housing assembly; directing one of the operating components laterally into an operative position at one of the mount locations at one of the sides of the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly; placing at least one additional operating component into an operative position to define a main operating unit; and after directing the one of the operating components into its operative position, placing at least a part of the outer housing assembly in an operative position with respect to the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly wherein the at least part of the outer housing assembly overlies part of the exposed surface area of the main operating unit and blocks access to the operatively positioned one component from the one side of the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly.

Abstract: A flexible line trimmer head has a housing with an operating axis and is made up of first and second parts configured to be placed in: a) a first state wherein the first and second housing parts are separated from each other; and b) a second state wherein the housing parts are operatively connected. The first and second housing parts configured so that in the second state a space is defined between the first and second housing parts within which an operatively positioned spool can be captively maintained. The flexible line trimmer head further has a unitary shaft that extends axially between, and connects to, each of the first and second housing parts to maintain a desired aligned relationship between the first and second housing parts.

Abstract: A vegetation trimming assembly has at least one cutting blade with a cutting edge that moves guidingly within a blade working space between facing first and second fixed surfaces. The first surface is defined in part by a body with a fixed shape, including a head and a stepped diameter shank with a larger diameter portion to guide movement of the one cutting blade and a smaller diameter portion that is threaded to engage a support defining the second surface. The body is selectively turned in opposite directions to thereby increase and decrease a depth of the blade working space.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a first component making up at least a part of a housing on a trimmer head and a method of using the apparatus. The housing has a rotary axis and is configured to support at least one radially projecting cutting component. The first component has a central axis. A forming unit defines at least one cavity within which a moldable material is confined to produce at least a part of a wall on the first component that extends around the rotary axis. The forming unit is configured to allow selective controlling of a quantity of a moldable material introduced into a first discrete subvolume at a first location in the one cavity to thereby allow selective controlling of a mass of a portion of the at least part of the wall formed by the moldable material in the one cavity at the first location to facilitate dynamic balancing of the housing, within which the first component is incorporated, with respect to the rotary axis.

Abstract: An edger has a main frame that can be advanced controllably relative to subjacent terrain and a cutting assembly on the main frame. A drive rotates the cutting assembly around a first axis. The cutting assembly is configured to produce a trench in underlying terrain as the cutting assembly is rotated by the drive in operation. The cutting assembly has a perimeter edge with a contour extending over an axial distance. A shielding assembly defines a radially inwardly facing surface that resides radially outside of the perimeter edge of the cutting assembly. The radially inwardly facing surface has a shape that is at least nominally matched to the contour of an axial extent of the perimeter edge of the cutting assembly so that as the cutting assembly rotates the radially inwardly facing surface and perimeter edge of the cutting assembly cooperate to each avoid buildup of foreign matter on the other.

Abstract: A chain saw unit has a sub-frame defining a plurality of mount locations and a plurality of operating components amongst which are at least: a) a battery operated motor; and b) a battery for operating the motor. The plurality of operating components is each operatively placed and maintained at one of the mount locations such that the sub-frame assembly and operatively placed operating components together make up at least part of a main operating unit to which a chain bar and cutting chain can be operatively assembled. The main operating unit has an exposed surface area. An outer housing assembly overlies the exposed surface area and defines an outermost exposed surface. The plurality of operating components are operatively maintained on the sub-frame assembly independently of the outer housing assembly.

Abstract: A powered apparatus having an elongate pole with a tool at a proximal region and a drive for operating the tool. A first operating component is repositionable between first and second positions to change a state of the drive. A second operating component is repositionable between: a) a locked position; and b) a released position wherein the first operating component can be changed from the first position into the second position. A handle assembly has a gripping portion with an extent that can be grasped by the user's one hand at a plurality of different locations along the extent of the gripping portion to control the operating components, including at a first location in a manner wherein with the elongate pole vertically oriented, a majority of a vertical weight force component of the apparatus is directed generally parallel to the length of a user's forearm below the user's one hand.

Abstract: The combination of a) a first tubular element with a first axis, a first portion with a radially outwardly facing surface and a first connecting assembly with a first circumferentially facing surface and b) a second tubular element with a second portion with a second axis, a radially inwardly facing surface, and a second connecting assembly with a second circumferentially facing surface. The first portion is extendable within the second portion. The first and second tubular elements are movable around the first and second axes between a) a first relative rotational position and b) a second relative rotational position such that the first and second connecting assemblies cooperate to draw the first and second portions axially towards each other and the first and second circumferentially facing surfaces confront each other to thereby block relative movement back into the first relative rotational position.

Abstract: A powered apparatus having an elongate pole, a drive at a proximal region of the elongate pole and operable to rotate a first component on the drive, a tool at a distal region of the elongate pole with a second component that is rotatable to operate the tool, and a power transmission assembly for transmitting a drive force generated by rotation of the first component to the second component to thereby operate the tool. The power transmission assembly has a flexible drive link with a flexible length located between the drive and at least one other substantially inflexible drive part that is downstream of the drive link. The flexible length of the flexible drive link is greater than four (4) inches.

Abstract: An edger has a main frame that can be advanced controllably relative to a subjacent terrain, a cutting assembly on the main frame, a drive for rotating the cutting assembly around a first axis, and material repositioning structure on at least one of the main frame and cutting assembly. The cutting assembly is configured to produce a trench in underlying terrain as the cutting assembly is rotated by the drive in operation. The material repositioning structure controllably repositions material dislodged from underlying terrain by the cutting assembly to thereby avoid accumulation of dislodged material upon the edger as the edger is operated.

Abstract: A trimmer having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade. A first drive gear assembly cooperates with the cutting blades so that as the first drive gear assembly rotates around a first axis, the cutting blades are caused to reciprocatingly move in first and second paths to produce a cutting action. A second drive gear assembly has a second drive gear that has teeth in mesh with teeth on the first drive gear assembly. The second drive gear is rotatable around a second axis to cause the first drive gear assembly to be rotated in the first rotational direction. A powered drive assembly rotates the second drive gear around a second axis in the one rotational direction. The teeth on the first drive gear assembly are defined by a first bevel gear. The second gear is a bevel gear in mesh with the first bevel gear.

Abstract: An edger having a main frame that can be advanced controllably relative to subjacent terrain, a cutting assembly on the main frame, and a drive for rotating the cutting assembly around a first axis. The cutting assembly has a plurality of cutting teeth that dig into underlying terrain as the cutting assembly is operated to thereby cooperatively produce a trench in the underlying terrain. The plurality of cutting teeth includes a first cutting tooth that has an elongate configuration with a leading end and a length extending along a first line. The first cutting tooth is oriented on the cutting assembly so that the length of the first cutting tooth traces a path with a circumference that has a radial extent with respect to the first axis that is substantially less than the length of the first cutting tooth. The length of the first cutting tooth is aligned generally in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A portable fluid blower having a housing defining an intake region for incoming fluid, an output region, and a fluid path for controllably communicating fluid entering the intake region to the output region at which fluid is discharged from the housing. An impeller on the housing is rotatable around a first axis and draws fluid into the fluid path through the intake region and accelerates fluid drawn into the fluid path so that the fluid drawn into the fluid path through the intake region is accelerated in the fluid path and discharged in an accelerated state at the output region. A drive rotates the impeller around the first axis. The fluid path has a first curved fluid path portion that extends at least partially around the first axis, and a second transition path portion through which fluid communicates from the input region towards the first curved fluid path portion.

Abstract: A portable tool having a frame, a power unit having a control that is operable to place the power unit in first and second different states, a control actuator that is operable to change the power unit from one of the first and second states into the other of the first and second states, and an arm connecting between at least one of the frame and power unit and the control actuator for supporting the control actuator in an operative position relative to the frame. At least a part of the arm has a plurality of degrees of freedom of movement relative to the frame to allow selective situation of the control actuator by a user.

Abstract: An edger head for a portable edger. The edger head has a housing, a cutting element, first structure for mounting the cutting element to the housing for movement relative to the housing in a predetermined path, a debris guard, and second structure for mounting the debris guard in an operative position on the housing. The debris guard has first and second flaps, with the first flap being repositionable relative to the second flap.

Abstract: The combination of: a) a portable vacuum unit useable independently in a portable vacuum mode and having a housing defining an intake opening into which debris to be picked up is drawn and an outlet opening in communication with the intake opening, and structure for developing suction at the intake opening and for directing debris drawn through the intake opening to the outlet opening for expulsion thereat; and b) a mobile support for the portable vacuum unit and having a frame and structure on the frame for facilitating movement of the mobile support against and relative to a subjacent surface carrying the mobile support. The combination further contemplates cooperating structure on the mobile support and portable vacuum unit for releasably holding the portable vacuum unit in an operative position on the mobile support wherein the vacuum unit intake opening is positioned to pick up debris on a subjacent surface on which the mobile support is carried.

Abstract: A power saw structure having a pivot provided on a forward lower portion of the housing of the drive for providing a fulcrum on a subjacent surface about which the saw structure may be pivoted so as to safely urge the forward distal end of the saw chain into the subjacent surface while maintaining the chain saw structure supported on the subjacent surface through the pivot. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot structure is a separate structure secured to the housing of the drive. The pivot structure includes an upwardly extending forward portion for supporting the saw structure on the subjacent surface throughout the full range of swinging movement of the saw in cutting through the subjacent surface.