Drill/driver

Abstract

A drill/driver ( 2 ) includes first ( 32 ) and second ( 52 ) drive shaft. The two drive shafts ( 32, 52 ) are independently rotatable about respective axes (A-A, B-B) thereby to selectably choose the radial and axial position of the final output drive of the drill/driver. A shaft lock ( 56 ) is provided to enable the user to selectively lock either or both of the shafts ( 32, 52 ) against rotation about their respective axes.

1  A power tool comprising:
 a motor ( 6 );   a motor output shaft ( 14 ) rotated by said motor;   a first offset output gear ( 30 ) operably connected to said motor output shaft, wherein the first offset output gear is radially offset from a first central output axis (A-A); the first offset output gear itself defining a second axis (B-B), which second axis is offset from, parallel to and rotatable about the first central output axis (A-A); and   a second offset output gear ( 52 ) operably connected to said motor output shaft, wherein the second offset output gear is radially offset from the second axis (B-B) defined by the first output gear ( 30 ) and wherein the second offset output gear ( 52 ) is freely rotatable about the second axis (B-B).   
   
   
       2 . The power tool according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second offset output gears ( 30 , 52 ) are rotatably adjustable about the first central output axis (A-A) and the second axis respectively, thereby to permit the second offset output gear to be selectably co-axial with the first central output axis, wherein the second offset output gear drives a final output shaft ( 50 ) of the power tool. 
   
   
       3 . The power tool according to  claim 1  wherein the first offset output gear ( 30 ) drives a first offset drive shaft ( 32 ), the first offset drive shaft being parallel to, but axially offset from the first central output axis. 
   
   
       4 . The power tool according to  claim 3  wherein the first offset drive shaft ( 32 ) carries, at its end remote from the first offset output gear, a pinion ( 42 ), which pinion engages the second offset output gear ( 52 ). 
   
   
       7 . The power tool according to  claim 1  wherein a case ( 4 ) is manually rotatable by a user to rotate the position of the first offset output gear ( 30 ) about the first central output axis (A-A). 
   
   
       8 . The power took according to  claim 7  wherein an outer casing ( 54 ) is manually rotatable by said user to rotate the position of the second offset output gear ( 52 ) about the second axis (B-B). 
   
   
       9 . The power tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first actuator to allow a user to selectively rotate said first offset output gear; and   a second actuator to allow said user to selectively rotate second offset output gear.