Abstract: A removable guard for a hand-held power tool. The guard is configured to cover an area proximate a spindle assembly of the tool between the spindle assembly and a user of the tool. The guard is further configured to be securely mounted to a semi-elastic lower bearing housing supporting the spindle assembly of the tool. The guard, when mounted to the semi-elastic lower bearing housing of the tool, and when in use during operation of the tool, must remain functional under conditions of flying debris, such as under conditions of an exploding, rotating abrasive grinding wheel mounted on the spindle assembly of the tool. The guard includes a clamp ring depending from a guard hood.

Abstract: A plate joiner including a fence support, a drive, and a fence system. The fence support includes a cutter and a contact surface, which defines a cutter slot. The cutter is arranged and configured to protrude from fence support through cutter slot to make a plunge cut into a surface of a workpiece when the contact surface is pressed against the surface and the cutter is plunged into the workpiece by pushing on a rearward handle portion of the tool. The drive is arranged and configured to rotatably drive the cutter through a motor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a jig saw including a base structure, and a housing pivotally moveable relative to the base structure about a first axis that extends longitudinally along the base structure. A motor is positioned within the housing. The motor reciprocates a blade in an up and down motion. A connecting member extends between the housing and the base structure. The saw also includes a first wedge that cooperates with the connecting member to clamp the housing relative to the base structure. The first wedge is moveable to a first position in which the connecting member is caused to compress the housing and the base structure together such that pivotal movement between the housing and the base structure is inhibited. The first wedge is also moveable to a second position in which the housing can be manually pivoted relative to the base.

Abstract: A pad sander skirt which flares out over the periphery of the sanding pad and which is coupled to a lower housing so that it swivels about the body of the sander. The skirt and lower housing can be selectively swivelled in a rotational manner to a position desired by the user. A further sander improvement disclosed relates to the protection of a user's hand. Palm-grip random orbit sanders are sometimes configured so that the sanding pad may begin spinning at high speed when the sander is lifted off of the work. To this end, the present application discloses a protective skirt which flares out over the periphery of the pad in a palm-grip random orbit sander. Also disclosed is an improved dust collection system comprising a filter housing formed of a rigid porous material for entrapping dust.

Abstract: A plate joiner including a fence support, a drive, and a fence system. The fence support includes a cutter and a contact surface, which defines a cutter slot. The cutter is arranged and configured to protrude from fence support through cutter slot to make a plunge cut into a surface of a workpiece when the contact surface is pressed against the surface and the cutter is plunged into the workpiece by pushing on a rearward handle portion of the tool. The drive is arranged and configured to rotatably drive the cutter through a motor. A preferred fence system includes an angle adjustment system arranged and configured to position the fence at a wide range of fence angles and, at any selected distance from a top face of the workpiece to the fence, the distance from the top face of the workpiece to the cutter remains constant as the front fence angle is adjusted. A preferred fence system includes a trunnion which pivotally couples the front fence to the fence system.

Abstract: An arrangement of frictional gripping zones on the handle of a power tool is disclosed. The power tool has a main body portion and a handle portion depending from the main body portion. The handle portion includes a first side region, a second side region opposite the first side region, a rear region connecting the first and second side regions along a rear of the handle portion, and a front region connecting the first and second side regions along a front of the handle portion. A plurality of alternating first and second gripping zones extend longitudinally along each of the first and second side regions of the handle portion. The first gripping zones are made the first gripping zones being made from a first material and the second gripping zones are made from a second material different from the first material. Preferably, the material of the second gripping zones have a hardness greater than the material of the first gripping zones.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an accelerator plate that divides the combustion chamber of an internal combustion fastener driving tool.

Abstract: Improvements made to a router relate to a plunge router locking system. The locking system comprises a locking arm lever coupled to a threaded member arm which engages a plunge guide post to hold the router motor housing at a desired height above the router base when the locking arm member is in the locked position. When the locking arm member is moved into an unlocked position, the motor housing can move up and down the plunge guide post, where the motor housing is opposed by a bias system comprising a compression spring to prevent the motor housing from free-falling into the router base. Additionally, the locking arm lever can be held in the unlocked position with the use of a mating coupling member attached to the motor housing in order to keep the plunge locking system in an unlocked position.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a jigsaw including a base, a housing pivotally movable relative to the base about a first axis that extends longitudinally along the base, and a motor positioned within the housing. The jigsaw also includes a blade coupled to the motor by a drive mechanism adapted for reciprocating the blade in an up-and-down motion. The blade is laterally supported by a blade guide connected to the base that is pivotally movable about the first axis. When the housing is pivoted relative to the base about the first axis, the blade guide also pivots about the first axis to inhibit binding between the blade and the blade guide.

Abstract: A pad sander skirt which flares out over the periphery of the sanding pad and which is coupled to a lower housing so that it swivels about the body of the sander. The skirt and lower housing can be selectively swivelled in a rotational manner to a position desired by the user. A further sander improvement disclosed relates to the protection of a user's hand. Palm-grip random orbit sanders are sometimes configured so that the sanding pad may begin spinning at high speed when the sander is lifted off of the work. To this end, the present application discloses a protective skirt which flares out over the periphery of the pad in a palm-grip random orbit sander. Also disclosed is an improved dust collection system comprising a filter housing formed of a rigid porous material for entrapping dust.

Abstract: Improvements made to a router a relate to a switchable router brake system. The switchable brake system permits a motor brake to be selectably engaged to operate when the router motor is turned off. When engaged, the motor brake, which comprises a brake resistor being placed electrically across the motor windings, causes the router motor to stop rotating almost immediately. This feature, however, is not always desired; the switchable brake system permits the operator to engage the use of the brake only when desired, thus providing the option to selectively eliminate jerking caused electric brake torque induced in the router when the brake engages.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a jig saw blade clamp including a first clamp member defining a main slot. A second clamp member is positioned within the main slot. The first clamp member is moveable relative to the first clamp member between a first position in which the first and second clamp members are adapted to clamp a blade, and a second position in which the blade can be inserted between the first and second clamp members. A collar is pivotally moveable in first and second opposite directions relative to the first and second clamp members. The collar includes a cam portion that moves the second clamp member toward the first position when the collar is pivoted in the first direction, and also moves the second clamp member toward the second position when the collar is pivoted in the second direction.