Router apparatus

Abstract

A power tool including a housing mounted to be moveable with respect to, and spaced from, a base, said housing including a motor to rotate a shaft which includes, at its free end, a tool holder for a tool, said shaft extending from the housing such that the tool holder is located at or adjacent to the base and can pass through an aperture in said base, said housing connected to the base by one or more support assemblies, and a sleeve provided to be positioned on the base and form therein an area in which the said tool and aperture in the base are located when performing work on a workpiece. Dust extraction apparatus can be connected and the base can be selectively provided with guide means and also includes attachment means to allow the power tool to be selectively located with a worksurface or a guide plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus including a power tool including a housing and a base, said housing mounted to be moveable with respect to and spaced from the base, said housing including a motor to rotate a shaft which includes, at its free end, a tool holder for a cutting tool, said shaft extending from the housing such that the tool holder is located at or adjacent to the base and said housing is connected to the base by at least one extendable leg assembly, said cutting tool provided to be moveable through an aperture in the base to contact with and perform work on a workpiece located on the opposite side of the base from said housing and wherein the base is provided with retaining means to allow the base to be selectively retained with a guide plate or a worksurface and the retaining means comprise a gripping portion which is provided with an internal threaded portion to receive a shaft with a locating head and the position of which with respect to the base can be adjusted by rotation of the gripping portion. 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the said shaft is formed as two parts, a first part for threaded engagement with the said internal threaded portion and a second part with the said locating head and which is in threaded engagement with the first part. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the shaft is provided as a single unitary component and includes said locating head and is provided in threaded engagement with the said internal threaded portion. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the locating head can be moved to a number of positions by rotation of the gripping portion. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the locating head is moveable between a retracted position in which the same is withdrawn into an aperture in the base to allow the base to be positioned directly onto the said workpiece and an extended position to move the locating head into a location on the guide plate or worksurface with the said guide plate or work surface positioned between the underside of the base and the locating head. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein when in an extended position the gripping portion is rotated to draw the locating head towards the base and thereby tighten the locating head against the guide plate and the guide plate against the base. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pitch of the threads of the internal threaded portion and a threaded portion of the shaft is selected to minimise the number of turns of the gripping portion required to move the locating head. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the power tool includes lighting means which are provided as part of the tool and located on the base. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein when in an extended position the gripping portion is rotated to draw the locating head towards the base and thereby tighten the locating head against the worksurface. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the said cutting tool is movable through an aperture in the base to contact with and perform work on a workpiece and a component is provided to be selectively located with the base to act as a guide to the cutting tool. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein said component is releasably located with the base or a component fitted thereto, by at least one engagement means which can be moved between an engaging position and a release position. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus including a power tool including a housing and a base, said housing mounted to be moveable with respect to, and spaced from, the base, said housing including a motor to rotate a shaft which includes, at its free end, a tool holder for a cutting tool, said shaft extending from the housing such that the tool holder is located at or adjacent to the base and said housing is connected to the base by at least one extendable leg assembly, said cutting tool provided to be moveable through an aperture in the base to contact with and perform work on a workpiece located on the opposite side of the base from said housing and wherein a component is provided to be selectively located with the base to reduce the size of said aperture in said base and act as a guide to the cutting tool. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein said component is releasably located with the base or a component fitted thereto, by at least one engagement means which can be moved between an engaging position and a release position.