Reciprocating blade apparatus and handheld working machine

A handheld working machine including a reciprocating blade apparatus, the reciprocating blade apparatus including:

• a pair of reciprocating blades stacked on one another in a thickness direction, each of the blades including:
• a base shaped like a flat plate extending in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a plurality of teeth protruding in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction;
• a transmission case including a pair of reciprocating members, each of the reciprocating members having a joint detachably coupled to each of the bases, the reciprocating members being supported by the transmission case in a state where the reciprocating members are able to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a pair of blade support members attached to the transmission case and configured to sandwich the bases of the pair of reciprocating blades therebetween to allow the pair of reciprocating blades to move in the longitudinal direction, wherein:
• the blade support members hold a space to accommodate the pair of reciprocating blades so that the blades are sandwiched by the blade support members;
• and
• the pair of reciprocating blades is detachably attached to the blade support members while the blade support members remain attached to the transmission case,
• the handheld working machine comprising:
• an operating rod having a first end to which the transmission case is mounted;
• and
• a drive unit provided at a second end of the operating rod and configured to drive the pair of reciprocating blades,
• wherein the longitudinal direction of the pair of reciprocating blades intersects a longitudinal direction of the operating rod.