The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 28, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 26, 1999
Kirk B Olson, Golden, CO (US);
Michael R Edwards, Aurora, CO (US);
Orb Industries, Inc., Golden, CO (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to a portable electric drill having a rotatable magazine containing multiple tool bits from which a single bit may be selected for use. The magazine is in the form of an approximate 120-degree segment of a cylinder with a plurality of open grooves for holding the various bits. The drill includes a Jacobs-type chuck assembly with a bore into which the selected bit is inserted for use. The magazine may be rotated to position any one of the magazine grooves into axial alignment with the bore of the chuck, so that the user may index the magazine to position a selected bit for expulsion from a particular magazine groove into the chuck. The chuck may then be tightened around the selected bit and the electric motor actuated to drive the bit. A cable assembly within the drill housing is operable with an exterior button to be movable between a stored position and a forward position to push a selected bit from a groove on the magazine into the chuck assembly. A magnet on an end of the cable assembly is attracted to the shank of a selected bit, permitting the cable assembly also to be used to retract the selected bit from the chuck assembly. The magnet may remain against the shank of the selected bit while the bit is in use, both as a bearing surface and to assist in holding the bit within the chuck, particularly when the chuck is disengaged from the bit. An aperture is provided in the wall the drill housing, and the magazine may be rotated to align any one of the grooves with the aperture to expose in the aperture the groove and any bit it contains, permitting ready identification and cleaning of the bit.