Abstract: An apparatus and method of powering a light source are provided. The apparatus includes a motor, a voltage stabilizing circuit, and a light source. The motor includes a field assembly and an armature assembly. The field assembly includes an intermediate tap on a field winding that forms a variable field winding power source. The stabilizing circuit connects to the intermediate tap and includes a voltage regulator having an output that is connected to a light source to be stabilized.

Abstract: A compound miter saw having a bevel adjustment mechanism for adjusting the angle of inclination of a cutting disk relative to a top surface of a turntable. The bevel adjustment mechanism includes a first knuckle for adjusting the angle of inclination of the cutting disk about a tilt axis and a second knuckle for adjusting the upward and downward movement of the cutting disk. The first knuckle includes a fixed portion mounted adjacent the outer periphery of the turntable and a rotating portion cooperating with the fixed portion. A scale and indicator are provided on the fixed and rotating portions to measure the angle of inclination of the saw assembly relative to the tilt axis. A locking mechanism secures the rotating portion to the fixed portion to secure the saw in a cutting position.

Abstract: A hammer drill has a motor which drives an axially displaceable intermediate gear mounted in an intermediate gear arrangement. An impact mechanism is formed by including interacting impact cams between either the intermediate gear and the housing, or the motor armature shaft and the housing to generate a reciprocating motion on an output spindle or shaft. A spindle locking mechanism is included which causes an intermediate gear to be disengageable with respect to the output shaft, while still permitting the impact mechanism to be engaged. Such an arrangement allows the hammer drill to operate in a hammer-only or chipping mode.

Abstract: A throat plate insert for a table saw is provided having a scale on the upper side thereof adjacent the region of the elongated slot for the circular saw blade. The scale provides an indication of the height of a specified diameter saw blade corresponding to the chordal length of a segment of saw blade protruding through the elongate slot.

Abstract: A rotary direction indicator provided for use with a rotating element which causes the rotation of an associated member. The rotary direction indicator has an internally compliant body fixed in a normal to a central axis which has formed thereon a pair of arrows which appear to be three-dimensional moving in a clockwise direction. One of the three-dimensional arrows appears to plunge into the surface of the body while the other of three-dimensional arrows appear to rise out of the surface of the body thereby providing a visual indication of a correspondence between the direction of rotation of the rotary element and the movement of the associated member.

Abstract: A reciprocating saw includes a housing having an upper surface and a side surface, and a blade holder supported on the end of a reciprocating saw bar. The blade holder is adapted to support a saw blade such that the resulting cutting plane lies outboard of one of the housing's surfaces, while a reference plane, orthogonal to the cutting plane and intersecting a cutting edge of the blade, lies outboard of the other of the housing's surfaces. Preferably, each surface includes a flat, and the blade's cutting edge is supported proximate to an intersection of the planar extensions of the flats. A wobble drive assembly including a single wobble plate with an integral counterweight advantageously permits a relatively outboard position of the saw bar on the housing to reduce bending moments on the bearings supporting the saw bar.

Abstract: A table-top cutting machine having a base; a circular saw main unit having a saw blade and a drive therefor, the circular saw main unit being moveable between a precutting and a postcutting position and being pivotable to incline the saw blade. A turntable is also provided and is rotatably supported by the base. Locking mechanisms maintain the positions of the circular saw main unit and of the turntable and are operated by handles disposed at the front of the turntable. A stop is also provided to set and maintain the circular saw main unit with its saw blade in a vertical position. This mechanism is likewise operated by a handle disposed at the front of the turntable.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved miter gauge for retaining and adjustably positioning a workpiece. The miter gauge includes a fence frame pivotally mounted to a base member for adjusting the workpiece to be cut at a user selected angle. The fence frame includes a fence surface for positioning the workpiece. The fence surface is opposed by a quick-adjusting stopping unit mountable to the base member for clamping the workpiece therebetween.

Abstract: A rotary direction indicator provided for use with a rotating element which causes the rotation of an associated member. The rotary direction indicator has an internally compliant body fixed in a normal to a central axis which has formed thereon a pair of arrows which appear to be three-dimensional moving in a clockwise direction. One of the three-dimensional arrows appears to plunge into the surface of the body while the other of three-dimensional arrows appear to rise out of the surface of the body thereby providing a visual indication of a correspondence between the direction of rotation of the rotary element and the movement of the associated member.

Abstract: A pivoting arm cut-off saw is provided having a base, a cutting arm assembly and a lock bar. Cutting arm assembly is pivotally attached to the base and shiftable between a raised and lowered position. A lock bar interposed between the base and the cutting arm is slidably moveable between an unlock position where cutting arm assembly is free to pivot and a locked position in which a locking portion of a lock bar is interposed between a fixed stop on the base and a rotating stop on the cutting arm. The lock bar is provided with a grip portion to be grasped by the user enabling the lock bar to be moved between a pair of limit stops.

Abstract: A battery powered circular saw is provided with a novel motor housing and handle assembly having a rearwardly extending primary handle inclined 15° to 40° relative to a rearwardly longitudinally extending tubular housing member. A battery pack is attached to the rear end of the primary handle and is provided with an elongated projection which extends into the elongate tubular housing.

Abstract: A pivoting arm cut-off saw is provided having a base, a cutting arm assembly and a lock bar. Cutting arm assembly is pivotally attached to the base and shiftable between a raised and lowered position. A lock bar interposed between the base and the cutting arm is slidably moveable between an unlock position where cutting arm assembly is free to pivot and a locked position in which a locking portion of a lock bar is interposed between a fixed stop on the base and a rotating stop on the cutting arm. The lock bar is provided with a grip portion to be grasped by the user enabling the lock bar to be moved between a pair of limit stops.

Abstract: A surface planer for planing wooden boards is provided having a motor and an associated rotary cutter head operatively driven thereby in a feed roller positioned adjacent the rotary cutter head for moving wooden boards to the plane relative to the cutter. A multi-stage chain transmission is interposed between the motor and the feed roller; the multi-stage transmission including a dual speed stage provided with an operator actuated speed selector element which enables the operator to vary the final drive ratio and the resulting speed of the feed roller between a high and low speed.

Abstract: A surface planer for planing wooden boards is provided having a motor and an associated rotary cutter head operatively driven thereby in a feed roller positioned adjacent the rotary cutter head for moving wooden boards to the plane relative to the cutter. A multi-stage chain transmission is interposed between the motor and the feed roller; the multi-stage transmission including a dual speed stage is provided with an operator actuated speed selector element which enables the operator to vary the final drive ratio and the resulting speed of the feed roller between a high and low speed.

Abstract: A router having a base and an adjustably positioned motor assembly is provided with a pair of ergonomic elongate handles on opposite right and left sides of the motor housing. The elongate handles which are connected to and spaced from the motor housing by a pair of bridge members are ellipsoidal in shape when viewed in a transverse side elevation. Each elongate handle has a longitudinal length L having a large upper end, diameter Z and a lower small end diameter Z′.