Abstract: A workcenter comprises a track (14) having a carriage (24) moveable along the track by a screw (32) rotated by a motor (30). The carriage has a bore (42) surrounding the screw. Two sleeve members (160) are received in the bore at either end thereof and surround said screw. The sleeve members are segmented and have threads for engagement with the screw. The sleeve members are pressed radially into engagement with the screw by a spring ring (198). The sleeve members are constructed from deformable plastics material and are screwed onto the screw against the opposite shoulders (163) around the bore in the carriage sufficient to deform the threads so as to take up axial freedom of movement between the carriage and screw. This arrangement allows an inexpensive rolled steel screw having inherent inaccuracies to be employed without loss of positional accuracy.

Abstract: A processing machine comprises at least three powered guides (13,15,27) for movement along Cartesian axes for a support (12) to hold a tool (21) on a horizontal table (11). Motors (14,16,19) for movement along the three guides are connected to an integrated control device in the machine comprising a microprocessor sending to the motors movement signals reading data for position and moving from memories connected thereto, at least one of said memories being enclosed in an external module (125) connected in a removable manner to the microprocessor through a connector arranged toward the outside of the machine. To the microprocessor are also connected a keyboard (130) for sending command signals and means (131) for display of operating information.

Abstract: A workcenter (10) comprises its supports (14a,b,c) which each carry a carriage (24a,b,c) movable along the supports by motors (30a,b,c) under central computer control (41).Each support is an aluminum extruded U-shaped section having four tracks (28) comprising steel strips (27) in slots (29).The carriage is likewise extruded having undercut slots (83) receiving the heads (92) of axles (90) which have eccentric stubs (96) on which bearing wheels (26) are journalled. Four wheels are so-mounted at each end of the carriage.

Abstract: A drill press having a safety device for reducing the power to the motor when a drill bit becomes stuck, and a switch for temporarily overriding the safety device, when the latter is triggered by the drill bit becoming stuck, to temporarily increase the power to the motor for freeing the stuck drill bit. The switch has an actuating member, preferably a push-button, located at the end of the control lever whereby the operator can actuate the switch without letting go of the control lever. The front of the drill press preferably has a control panel with input and operating keys.

Abstract: A portable electric tool has a switching device for reversing the direction of the current through the motor to reverse the motor. The switching device comprises two pairs of contacts which extend in cantilever fashion from a circuit board, a rotatable shaft having axially spaced apart terminals thereon, and the terminals being electrically insulated from the contacts by insulating collars secured to the shaft. Each collar has a window therein for access to the respective terminal, the contacts being resiliently biased against the collars with one of each pair of contacts engaging a respective terminal through the respective window in one direction of rotation of the motor and the other of each pair of contacts engaging the opposite respective terminal through the respective window in the opposite direction of rotation of the motor. A shoulder on the shaft may have flats to prevent rotation of the shaft while the trigger of a trigger-switch is actuated.

Abstract: A portable electric tool has a housing, an electric motor energized by a trigger-actuated switch, and a receptacle recessed in the housing. Terminals of the switch are formed as plug prongs which extend outwardly directly from the switch housing into the receptacle for receiving the female connector of a power supply cable. Preferably, a second set of plug prongs extend forwardly from the switch housing and receive a female connector of a motor cable. This arrangement enables wiring connections to the switch from the supply cable to be eliminated.

Abstract: An alternate switch actuating mechanism for an electric drill or similar tool which permits the tool to be used in either a portable or stationary operation. The tool has a first handle that includes a first switch actuator for operating the tool and a second detachable handle which carries a second actuator for the switch. The second actuator is constructed so as to directly engage the first actuator to permit simplicity of operation and ease of disassembly for stationary operation. A lock is provided for precluding accidental actuation of the second actuator. The device also includes a reversing switch and an interlock which prevents actuation of the reversing switch when the drill is energized.

Abstract: Disclosed is an overspeed protective apparatus for an electric motor having pairs of stator windings normally connected in parallel, the apparatus having an actuating mechanism responsive to an overspeed condition of the motor and an electrical switching assembly normally connecting the stator windings in parallel but adapted upon actuation by the actuating mechanism to interrupt the parallel connection and connect pairs of windings in series.

Abstract: A portable hand-held planer in a housing containing a rotatable cylindrical cutting planing tool. The tool is rotatably driven by an electric motor. The planing tool has a plurality of elongated cutting blades positioned around the tool. A portion of the tool projects downwardly from the housing to enable the tool to make contact with a surface of a workpiece when the tool is operated. One side of the housing is provided with a combination guard and rabbeting depth gauge to prevent access to the underside of the planer proximate the planing tool while at the same time control the depth to which a rabbet cut is to be made in the workpiece. The opposite side of the planer has an adjustable fence assembly whereby the width of the rabbet cut may be controlled. The combination guard and rabbeting depth gauge includes a guard plate having a shoe for sliding contact on a workpiece which is spring loaded downwardly to contact the workpiece.

Abstract: Several embodiments of tachometers generators for use in controlling the speed of electrical motor driven tools. In each embodiment a toothed rotor (28, 52, 72, 92, 122) is fixed for rotation with the motor armature shaft (23, 53, 73, 93, 124) and a sensor (31, 55, 75, 96, 126) is juxtaposed to the rotor. The sensor is comprised of a core (32, 56, 76, 98, 127) having a first end portion (33, 57, 77, 99, 128) juxtaposed at a first location relative to the rotor and a second end portion (36, 58, 78, 101, 129) that is juxtaposed to the rotor at a second, spaced location. A permanent magnet (37, 59, 79, 102, 131) is interposed between the second end portion and the rotor with one of its poles aligned with a second end portion and the other of its poles aligned with the rotor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held portable tool which is driven by an electric motor from a source of electricity. The tool has a housing for the motor which has a commutator which extends into a hollow handle. The hollow handle has mounted therein a printed-circuit board having electrically conductive pathways. An electric switch is mounted on the board and incorporates a bridging element which engages contact terminals on the printed-circuit board when the switch is manually actuated thereby closing the electric circuit of the tool motor. In this way, separate electrical connections to the switch assembly per se are avoided and substantial time in assembly of the tool is saved.

Abstract: A speed control device for portable power tools having particular applicability to electric drills. The speed control device is adapted to automatically adjust the speed of the motor in accordance with changes in the diameter of the tool bit used. The device includes a sensor that senses the opening and closing of the jaws of the chuck. The sensor is mechanically coupled to a potentiometer circuit whose output signal is varied in accordance with movement of the sensor. The output signal of the potentiometer circuit controls the firing angle of a thyristor 34, which in turn controls the current supplied to the motor. In addition, the preferred embodiment includes a speed select switch which is connected to the potentiometer circuit to set the appropriate speed range for the motor, given the particular type of work material.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a cutterhead for a portable power planer. The cutterhead includes a cylindrical body having a substantially cylindrical surface and defining a rotational axis about which the cylindrical body rotates during normal operation of the power planer. A solid elongated cutting member is provided and has a channel formed therein to define at least two cutting edges. The cylindrical body has an elongated recess formed therein for holding the cutting member. The recess extends in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the cutterhead and defines a longitudinal aperture in the surface for accommodating one of the cutting edges. The recess has a recess wall extending inwardly away from the aperture to surround and hold the cutting member against the centrifugal forces acting thereupon during the rotation of the cylindrical body.