Angle grinder

A gear case for a power tool, comprising:

• a housing including a wall portion defining a gear well adapted for receiving a drive gear and a driven gear therein;
• a wheel spindle cavity disposed in an interior side of said wall portion, said wheel spindle cavity being adapted to receive a spindle of the driven gear therein;
• and
• an air bleed hole disposed in said wall portion connected between said wheel spindle cavity and an outer surface of said wall portion.

A power tool comprising:

• a housing having a motor;
• a handle rotatingly coupled to said housing, said handle having a trigger engagable by a user for activating said motor;
• and
• a lock disposed within said handle and having a first position and a second position, said lock preventing rotation of said handle relative to said housing when said lock is in said first position, and said lock preventing activation of said motor by said trigger when said lock is in said second position.

A trigger assembly for a power tool having a motor disposed within a housing, the trigger assembly comprising:

• a switch disposed within the housing for activating the motor;
• a trigger extending from the housing and engagable by a user, said trigger having a first arm and a second arm and said trigger moveable between a first position and a second position;
• a lock engagable with said second arm of said trigger;
• and
• said first arm in contact with said switch to activate said motor and said second arm engagable by said lock when said trigger is in said first position, and said first arm removed from said switch and said second arm not engagable by said lock when said trigger is in said second position.

A switch carrier mounting system for a power tool comprising:

• a switch housing including a switch disposed within said switch housing and having a carrier extending from said switch housing, said carrier having an upper wall and a pair of side walls extending therefrom, said upper wall having an opening and a first tab in proximity to said opening;
• a hub including a second tab having a lip;
• and
• said hub releasably mounted to said switch housing such that said second tab fits through said opening such that said lip of said second tab engages said first tab to form an interference fit between said first tab and said second tab.

A power tool comprising:

• a motor disposed within a housing;
• a gear case connected to said housing;
• a main gear disposed within said gear case and driven by said motor, said main gear having a plurality of grooves and ramps formed on its side;
• a wheel spindle extending from said gear case and driven by said main gear;
• and
• a lock mechanism disposed within said gear case and engagable with said main gear, said lock mechanism having a portion extending out from said gear case engagable by a user for moving said lock mechanism between a first position and a second position;
• wherein said lock mechanism fits within one of said plurality of grooves of said main gear to prevent rotation of said main gear when said lock mechanism is in said first position, and said lock mechanism is disengaged with said main gear when said lock mechanism is in said second position.

A power tool comprising:

• a rotatable spindle wheel having a threaded end;
• a clamp having a central aperture that receives said threaded end of said spindle wheel, said clamp including a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a pair of grooves formed therein opposite one another, said grooves having sloped side faces;
• a power tool component having an aperture that receives said threaded end of said spindle wheel, said power tool component disposed flush against said bottom surface of said clamp;
• a nut threaded on said threaded end of said spindle wheel for pressing said power tool component against said clamp;
• and
• a pin extending through said spindle wheel such that the ends of said pin are seated within said pair of grooves of said clamp;
• wherein rotation of said spindle wheel relative to said clamp forces said pin to roll up said sloped side faces of said pair of grooves thereby forcing said clamp towards said power tool component to clamp said power tool component between said clamp and said nut.