Shifter mechanism

A portable power tool including an elongated housing having handle means at one end, a motor in said housing, output means at the other end of said housing, a drive train connecting said motor and said output means, said drive train including disengageable clutch means, a rock shaft supported by said housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member rotatable with said rock shaft and having a first portion engageable with said clutch means, a manually operable operating rod extending transversely of and supported by said housing and engageable with a second portion of said shift member and operable to rotate said rock shaft to selectively engage and disengage said clutch means, said operating rod being movable axially of its length to extend selectively from opposite sides of said housing, whereby to facilitate easy right and left hand operation of said operating rod and said clutch means.

A portable power tool including an elongated housing having handle means at one end, a motor in said housing, output means at the other end of said housing, a drive train connecting said motor and said output means, said drive train including disengageable clutch means, a rock shaft supported by said housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member rotatable with said rock shaft and having a first portion engageable with said clutch means, a manually operating rod extending transversely of and supported by said housing and having a cam surface engageable with a second portion of said shift member and operable to rotate said rock shaft to selectively engage and disengage said clutch means, spring means normally biasing said shift member first portion into engagement with said operating rod, said operating rod cam surface forming detent means operable to hold said shift member in a first and second position corresponding to engagement and disengagement of said clutch means, said operating rod being movable axially of its length to extend selectively from opposite sides of said housing, whereby to facilitate easy right and left hand operation of said operating rod and said clutch means.

A portable power tool including an elongated housing having handle means at one end, a motor in said housing, output means at the other end of said housing, a drive train connecting said motor and said output means, said drive train including disengageable clutch means, a manually operable operating rod extending transversely of and supported by said housing and operable to selectively engage and disengage said clutch means, detent means operable to releasably hold said operating rod in a first and second position corresponding to engagement and disengagement of said clutch means, said operating rod being movable axially of its length to extend selectively from opposite sides of said housing, whereby to facilitate easy right and left hand operation of said operating rod and said clutch means.

A portable power tool including an elongated housing having handle means at one end, a motor in said housing, output means at the other end of said housing, a drive train connecting said motor and said output means, said drive train including disengageable clutch means, a rock shaft supported by said housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member rotatable with said rock shaft and having a first portion engageable with said clutch means, a manually operable operating rod extending transversely of and supported by said housing and having a cam surface engageable with a second portion of said shift member and operable to rotate said rock shaft to selectively engage and disengage said clutch means, spring means normally biasing said shift member first portion into engagement with said operating rod, said operating rod cam surface forming detent means operable to hold said shift member in a first and second position corresponding to engagement and disengagement of said clutch means, said detent means comprising at least one flat formed on said operating rod and engaged by said shift member first portion, said operating rod being movable axially of its length to extend selectively from opposite sides of said housing, whereby to facilitate easy right and left hand operation of said operating rod and said clutch means.

An improved shifting mechanism, the combination comprising a rock shaft mounted for rotation about its own axis, a shift member secured to said rock shaft and having a first end and a second end, an operating member in spaced relation to said rock shaft, said operating member comprising detent means adapted to cooperate with said first end of said shift member, and said second end of said shift member being adapted to cooperate with other means, said detent means comprising spring means for urging said shift member first end into contact with said operating member, said spring means comprising a torsion spring having its coils about said rock shaft, said torsion spring having a first end bearing against said operating member in the vicinity of contact between said shift member and said operating member, and said torsion spring having a second arm bearing against said second end of said shift member.

An improved shifting mechanism, the combination comprising a housing, a rock shaft mounted inside said housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member secured to said rock shaft and having a first end and a second end, an operating member in spaced relation to said rock shaft, said operating member comprising an operating rod, and means to mount said operating rod in said housing for rotation about its own axis, said operating member including detent means adapted to cooperate with said first end of said shift member, said detent means comprising a flat formed on said rod whereby said shift member is rotated a distance proportional to the depth of said flat into said operating rod when said operating rod is rotated 180.degree. from said flat to the rounded side of said rod opposite said flat.

An improved shifting mechanism, the combination comprising a housing, a rock shaft mounted within said housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member secured to said rock shaft and having a first and a second end, an operating member in spaced relation to said rock shaft, said operating member comprising an operating rod, means to mount said operating rod in said housing for rotation about its own axis, said operating member including detent means adapted to cooperate with said first end of said shift member, said second end of said shift member being adapted to cooperate with other means, means to mount said operating rod in said housing for additional motion along its longitudinal axis, said operating rod mounting means comprising a pair of opposed openings formed in said housing, said operating rod having a length a predetermined amount longer than the distance between the outside ends of said opposed openings in said housing, stop means to define the limits of axial motion of said operating rod within said housing, whereby at least a portion of one end or the other end of said operating rod extends out to one side or the respective other side of said housing.

In a portable electric tool, a transmission housing, a rock shaft mounted inside said transmission housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member secured to said rock shaft and having a first end and a second end, an operating rod mounted in said transmission housing for rotation about its own axis, said operating rod including detent means adapted to cooperate with said first end of said shift member, said second end of said shift member being adapted to cooperate with a transmission gear in said housing, said gear being formed with a flange portion, said second end of said shift member being formed in a part-circular configuration for contacting said flange, whereby said second end of said shift member contacts said flange at at least one point when the second end moves said flange.

In a portable electric tool, a transmmission housing, a rock shaft mounted inside said transmission housing for rotation about its own axis, a shift member secured to said rock shaft and having a first end and a second end, an operating rod mounted in said transmission housing for rotation about its own axis, said operating rod including detent means adapted to cooperate with said first end of said shift member, said second end of said shift member being adapted to cooperate with a transmission gear in said housing, said rock shaft being located between said operating member and the axis of said gear, and said first and said second ends of said shift member extending to opposite sides of the axis of said rock shaft.

In a portable power tool having rotary drive means controlled by clutch means, the combination comprising shift means positioned out of contact with said clutch means in a first condition of said clutch means, means manually operable either right-handedly or left-handedly and externally of said power tool, said manually operable means comprising an operating rod, means to permit said operating rod a predetermined amount of axial motion, said permitting means comprising a reduced diameter neck portion formed in said operating rod and stop means cooperable with said reduced diameter neck portion to define the limits of axial motion of said operating rod, said operating rod having a predetermined length such that one end or the other end thereof will always extend out from said tool, and a manual lever cooperable with said one or the other extending end of said operating rod, whereby said tool is readily accommodated to use by right-handed or left-handed users, and said shift means comprising a portion adapted to contact and move said clutch means from said first condition to a second condition thereof.

In a portable power tool having a rotary drive means controlled by clutch means, the combination comprising a rock shaft mounted in said housing for rotation about its own axis, shift means positioned out of contact with said clutch means in a first condition of said clutch means, said shift means comprising a shift member fixed to said rock shaft, means manually operable either right-handedly or left-handedly and externally of said housing, said manually operable means comprising a portion adapted to move said shift means in both said right-handed and left-handed modes of operation, said shift means comprising a portion adapted to contact and move said clutch means from said first condition to a second condition thereof, and a torsion spring having its coils wrapped about said rock shaft and having a first arm cooperable with said manually operable means, and said torsion spring having a second arm bearing against said shift member.

In combination, a shift member mounted for rotation about a first axis, said shift member having first and second ends extending to opposite sides of said first axis, an operating member mounted for rotation about a second axis, said second axis being in spaced relation and parallel to said first axis, and detent means for moving said first end of said shift member.