Replaceable spindle lock system
First Claim
1. A locking system for a power tool, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
(b) a driven element operatively connected to the housing;
(c) a lock member removably connected to the housing and engageable to lock the driven element against motion relative to the housing;
(d) retaining means accessible from outside the housing for releasably maintaining the lock member connected to the housing;
(e) the housing defining an external recess open at one end thereof and a lock channel formed therein;
(f) the lock member being an elongated body slideably movable in the lock channel;
(g) the retaining means including a retaining member defining an aperture selectively engageable with the lock member; and
(h) the retaining member being slideably movable in the recess and being selectively removable from the recess open end responsive to disengagement of the lock member from the retaining member aperture.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A replaceable spindle locking system for a power tool enables an operator to replace a lock member without disassembling the tool. An externally-accessible retaining member, such as a washer, is trapped between a ledge located in a housing recess and a shoulder formed on the lock member, which is normally spring-biased out of engagement with a driven member. The coaction of these elements simultaneously and releasably normally retains both the lock member and the retaining member connected to the housing. When it is desired to replace the lock member, the operator depresses the lock member against the urging of the spring until the lock member is out of retaining engagement with the retaining member. Then the retaining member is slideably moved out of engagement with the lock member, thereby allowing the operator to quickly remove it.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A locking system for a power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing; (b) a driven element operatively connected to the housing; (c) a lock member removably connected to the housing and engageable to lock the driven element against motion relative to the housing; (d) retaining means accessible from outside the housing for releasably maintaining the lock member connected to the housing; (e) the housing defining an external recess open at one end thereof and a lock channel formed therein; (f) the lock member being an elongated body slideably movable in the lock channel; (g) the retaining means including a retaining member defining an aperture selectively engageable with the lock member; and (h) the retaining member being slideably movable in the recess and being selectively removable from the recess open end responsive to disengagement of the lock member from the retaining member aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
4. A spindle locking system for a power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing including a retaining portion; (b) a driven element rotatably connected to the housing; (c) a removable lock member having a shoulder portion adjacent the housing retaining portion and operatively associated with the driven element; (d) a removable retaining member operatively associated with the retaining portion and the shoulder portion to reain the lock member in the housing; (e) the removable lock member including an elongated body and being slideably movable in the housing along a first axis; (f) the housing retaining portion being located in a first plane intersecting the first axis; (g) the retaining member being selectively movable, sandwiched between the housing retaining portion and the shoulder, in a second plane intersecting the first axis; (h) the lock member being a cylinder having an annular shoulder formed thereon and an exposed end above the annular shoulder; (i) the housing retaining portion being a bifurcated ledge open at one end; (j) the retaining member being a washer insertable under the ledge at the ledge open end; and (k) the cylinder exposed end normally protruding through the washer and the bifurcated ledge. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
-
-
7. A replaceable spindle lock for a power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing member; (b) a driven element rotatably connected to the housing; (c) a lock member removably connected to the housing and engageable with the driven element; (d) biasing means for normally urging the lock member out of engagement with the driven element; and (e) retaining means operatively associated with the biasing means for maintaining the lock member in the housing when the lock member is out of engagement with the driven element but selectively permitting removal of the lock member upon engagement of the lock member with the driven element.
-
-
8. A method for replacong a damaged or faulty spindle lock member of a power tool, the spindle lock member being movably mounted in the tool housing along an axis and being normally urged outwardly of the housing by biasing means, the power tool further including a retaining member normally engaging the lock member to retain the lock member in the housing, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) depressing the lock member inwardly towards the housing against the urging of the biasing means until the lock member becomes disengaged from retaining engagement with the retaining member; (b) moving the retaining member until the lock member is freely removable from the housing; and (c) removing the lock member. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. A power tool comprising:
-
(a) a housing defining a lock channel and having a locking surface formed on the housing exterior; (b) a motor connected to the housing; (c) a drive element drivingly connected to the motor and defining a lock cavity registrable with the lock channel; (d) a lock member removably mounted in the lock channel and having a locking portion engageable with the drive element lock cavity; (e) retaining means engageable with the locking surface for maintaining the lock member in the housing lock channel; (f) biasing means, internal of the retaining means and operatively associated with the housing locking surface, for removably maintaining the retaining means in engagement with the housing locking surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
17. A power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing; (b) a motor connected to the housing; (c) a driven element rotatably connected to the motor; (d) a lock member slideably mounted in the housing for movement along a predetermined distance in the housing and being engageable with the driven element; (e) retaining means operatively associated with the lock member and the housing for normally retaining the lock member in the housing, and for releasing the lock member from the housing upon movement of the lock member the predetermined distance in the housing; (f) the retaining means including a retaining member slideably mounted in the housing in releasable engagement with the lock member, an abutment formed on the lock member engageable with the retaining member, and biasing member acting against the abutment for normally urging the lock member into engagement with the retaining member; and (g) the biasing means further normally urging the lock member out of engagement with the driven member. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing; (b) a motor connected to the housing; (c) a driven element rotatably connected to the motor; (d) a lock member slideably mounted in the housing for movement along a predetermined distance in the housing and being engageable with the driven element; (e) retaining means operatively associated with the lock member and the housing for normally retaining the lock member in the housing, and for releasing the lock member from the housing upon movement of the lock member the predetermined distance in the housing; (f) the lock member being movable a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance in the housing in a direction towards the driven element; and (g) the first predetermined distance being sufficient to permit the lock member to engage the driven element, and the second predetermined distance being sufficient to release the lock member from the housing. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A spindle locking system for a power tool, comprising:
-
(a) a housing; (b) a driven element rotatably connected to the housing; (c) a lock member being movably connected to the housing responsive to operator actuation and being engageable to lock the driven element in place; (d) a retaining member being movably mounted on the housing and being operatively connected to the lock member; and (e) means for simultaneously maintaining both the lock member and the retaining member connected to the housing and for selectively releasing the lock member from the housing responsive to operator actuation of the lock member.
-
Specification