Abstract: A plunge type router having a thumb screw depth stop mounted to the base of the router. The depth stop is comprised of a stop member encircled by a scale sleeve, wherein the two cooperate translationally to provide both visual and audible indications of the precise depth-of-cut for the router.

Abstract: A vacuum power head is provided which has a bare floor feature. A vacuum cleaner head assembly defines a vacuum chamber which contains a power driven rotary brush. Located outside of the vacuum chamber adjacent the rotary brush is a generally U-shaped trailing brush. The trailing brush cooperates with a height adjustment mechanism which is movable between a deep carpet position and a bare floor position. As the height adjustment mechanism of the head assembly is moved toward the bare floor position, the trailing brush is automatically moved to an extended position into engagement with the floor. When the height adjustment mechanism is moved from the bare floor position, a spring biases the trailing brush toward a retracted position within the head assembly. An actuator cooperates with the height adjustment mechanism to automatically move the trailing brush between the retracted position and the extended position in response to movement of the height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A brush holder assembly (10) adapted for selective cooperation with a plurality of motor housings (12,14) and for holding a brush (90) in contact with a rotatable commutator (42) is disclosed. The brush holder assembly (10) comprises an elongated brush (90), an elongated body (50) and an elongated insert (52). The brush (90) has a generally non-circular cross-section and a semi-cylindrical free end (93) shaped to complementarily engage the commutator (42). The elongated body (50) has a non-circular inner bore (60) and a mounting arm (66) for selectively mounting the body (50) to a plurality of motor housings (12,14) in at least two different angular orientations relative to the axis of the bore (60). The elongated insert (52) is adapted to be selectively received and held within the bore (60) of the body (50) in a plurality of different angular orientations relative to the axis of the bore (50).

Abstract: A recharging system for a battery operated tool such as a lawn mower. A slidable cover is used which is movable between an open position and a closed position. The slidable cover alternately exposes a receptacle adapted to receive a removable fuse key and an electrical connector adapted to receive an electrical power cord. The receptacle and the electrical connector are longitudinally aligned with the cover so that for the cover to move to the open position and expose the electrical connector, the fuse key must be removed. The receptacle is electrically connected in series with an activation switch, the battery and the electric motor to form a motor circuit. When the fuse key is removed to expose the electrical connector, the motor circuit is broken which prevents the electric motor from being activated whether or not the activation switch is engaged.

Abstract: A rotary mulching lawn mower is provided having an annular housing forming a toroidal internal cutting chamber in which is oriented a blade having a central axis for rotation. The blade has a series of blade portions extending radially outward from the central axis each having an end portion extending into the toroidal internal cutting chamber. The blade end portion directs cut grass upward into the cutting chamber. Each blade has an intermediate portion located between the central axis and the end portion having a substantially flat surface lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The intermediate portion is provided with a radially extending rib located intermediate the leading and trailing edge portions of the blade having a slope projecting downwardly out of the plane for directing cut grass into the lawn upon rotation of the blade. The lawn mower of the preferred embodiment is driven by a battery powered electric motor.

Abstract: An adjustable fence for orienting a plate joiner having a body and a rotating generally planar cutter to cut an arcuate slot in a workpiece is disclosed. The fence comprises a base, a handle and a fastening mechanism. The base is shiftably affixed to the plate joiner body and has a planar surface forming a first fence oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the cutter. The base also has a guideway parallel to the first fence. The handle is movably adjustably affixed to the base and has a grip portion adapted to cooperate with a hand of an operator and a planar surface forming a second fence forming an angle relative to the first fence. The handle cooperates with the base guideway enabling the second fence to be adjusted along a guideway axis parallel to the first fence relative to the planar cutter. The handle is pivotal about a transverse axis parallel to the first and second fences to vary the angle of the second fence relative to the first fence.

Abstract: A rotary bearing is disclosed for pivotably connecting a journal to a similar cylindrical saddle formed in a chassis member. The rotary bearing is provided with an annular sleeve having inner surface sides to freely rotatably cooperate with the journal. The annular sleeve outer surface has affixed to it an arcuate flange extending radially outward and about a limited portion of the sleeve periphery. The flange includes a relatively thin web section and a thicker head portion spaced radially outward therefrom to enable the flange to interconnect with the arcuate slot formed in a semi-cylindrical saddle surface. The rotary bearing can be quickly installed and removed without the use of fasteners or installation tools and is particularly suitably adapted for use in mounting an upright vacuum motor/fan assembly to the cleaner head chassis.

Abstract: A lawn mower is provided having a deck which is supported by a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels above a surface when operated in a horizontal mode. A leg is affixed to a rear portion of the deck and projects outwardly therefrom. A handle assembly is affixed to the deck so as to be movable between an extended operating position and a retracted storage position. The leg cooperates with the pair of rear wheels to provide a stable support for the lawn mower enabling generally vertical storage of the lawn mower relative to the surface once the handle assembly has been moved to the retracted storage position.

Abstract: A horizontal canister vacuum having a cover removably attached to the open end of a canister having a motor/fan assembly affixed thereto and cooperating with an air outlet to evacuate air from the interior cavity. A plurality of wheels provided for solidly supporting the canister and attached cover in a horizontal orientation when placed upon a flat surface and wherein accumulated dust particles may be emptied from the vacuum cleaner by removing the cover from the canister when the vacuum cleaner is positioned in a vertical orientation. A clam-shell configuration is provided for packaging the motor/fan assembly to direct air flow through the assembly for cooling thereof.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner having an off-the-floor suction hose attachment port located in the passageway connected to the agitator chamber or front nozzle with a suction generating means, and having a sliding door for closing off the passageway intermediate the chamber and hose attachment port during off-the-floor operation, which door is automatically returned to its initial position opening the passageway when the operating handle position is altered to allow on-the-floor operation. The agitator or roller brush is lifted completely from contact with the floor or carpet when the vacuum cleaning apparatus is used for off-the-floor operation and is done so independently of the floor height adjustment setting for various on-the-floor cleaning operations by rotating the retainer axle member about the axis of the front casters and relative to the chassis.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner having a filter bag housing assembly comprised of a fabric or otherwise flexible and air permeable bag housing resiliently supported at its bottom end relative to the operator handle such that the bag housing is always in tension and is prevented from twisting about the axis of the operator handle. The bag housing assembly includes rigid upper and lower frame members thereby maintaining the assembly in a prescribed geometric shape. The lower frame member which defines the bottom of the bag housing includes a pair of laterally disposed elongated track members telescopically disposed within respective guide track members fixed to the handle and resiliently biased relative to the respective guide track member to thereby maintain the bag housing in tension and provide lateral stability to the bag housing at the same time.

Abstract: A portable electric plunge router (10) having an improved housing (20) including a right handle (28) and a left handle (30) each including an elongated portion (32) and a hand rest lobe portion (34). The handles of the router are conveniently gripped in two positions corresponding to a plunge operation and guided movement position and a detail or free-hand cutting position. In the plunge or guided cutting position, the elongated portion (32) of the handles are gripped. In the detailed or free-hand cutting position, the hand rest lobe portions (34) of the handles (28) and (30) are gripped while steadying the router by sliding a portion of the user's hands along the surface of the workpiece (52). An upper surface (36) of the hand rest lobe portion (34) extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the elongated portion (32) of the handles (28) and (30). A bridging portion (38) encloses wiring to switches disposed on the handles (28) and (30).

Abstract: The switch has a housing adapted to receive a lever shiftable relative thereto between an ON position and an OFF position for activating an electric lawn mower. An activator button is movably affixed to the housing, such that the activator button is movable in a first degree of freedom relative to the housing between an ACTIVE position and a STOP position. The activator button is also movable in a second degree of freedom relative the housing between a READY orientation and a RUN orientation in response to movement of the lever to the ON position. A biasing means cooperates with the housing and the activator button for biasing the activator button toward the STOP position and the READY orientation. A normally open electrical switch is affixed on the housing for starting the electric mower. The electrical switch is closeable only when the activator button is moved to the RUN orientation.