Replaceable spindle lock system

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.