Transmission for electric sanders or the like

Claim 2

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; and a plurality of parts including an input member and an output member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing, said positions including at least two positions disposed at an angle of at least 90* with respect to each other.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a plurality of discrete interconnected sections and elastic sealing elements interposed between said sections.

Claim 4

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input member and an output member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant tHerein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted in said housing and defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 5

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input member and an output member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant tHerein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted in said housing and defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 6

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input shaft and an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted on one of said shafts and defining an annular passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 7

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input shaft and an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted on one of said shafts and defining an annular passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said chamber includes at least one compartment provided in said housing to receive at least some of said supply of lubricant in at least one of said mutually inclined positions of said housing, the capacity of said compartment being sufficient to maintain the upper surface of said supply of lubricant at a level below said aerating opening in said one position of said housing.

Claim 9

A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said compartment is an internal recess of said housing.

Claim 10

A combination as defined in claim 6, further comprising a motor housing, said housings having portions adjacent to and connected with each other and said recess being provided in said portion of said transmission housing.

Claim 11

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said sealing device is a labyrinth seal.

Claim 12

A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said passage includes at least one annular portion extending substantially axially of said one shaft.

Claim 13

A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said one annular portion of said passage has a first end communicating with said chamber and a second end communicating with said aerating opening, said one annular portion of said passage diverging from said second toward said first end thereof as considered in the radial direction of said one shaft.

Claim 14

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, and an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device surrounding said output shaft and including a first annular member provided on said housing and a second annular member provided on said shaft, one of said annular members surrounding the other of said annular members and defining therewith a passage which connects said aerating opening with said chamber.

Claim 15

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, and an output shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device surrounding said output shaft and including a first annular member provided on said housing and a second annular member provided on said shaft, one of said annular members surrounding the other of said annular members and defining therewith a passage which connects said aerating opening with said chamber.

Claim 16

A combination as defined in clAim 11, wherein said shaft comprises an end portion which is fully received in said housing and said aerating opening is coaxial with and adjacent to said end portion of said shaft.

Claim 17

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and having a portion extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, a gear mounted on said portion of said shaft, and an output member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contracted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted in said housing and surrounding said shaft, said sealing device defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening and including a plurality of annular portions extending in substantial parallelism with the axis of said shaft.

Claim 18

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including an input shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and having a portion extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, a gear mounted on said portion of said shaft, and an output member movably mounted in said housing and located at least in part in said chamber to be contracted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; and a contactless sealing device mounted in said housing and surrounding said shaft, said sealing device defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening and including a plurality of annular portions extending in substantial parallelism with the axis of said shaft.

Claim 19

A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said output member is a second shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and having a portion received in said chamber, said parts further including a second gear meshing with said first mentioned gear and rotatable on said portion of said second shaft, and friction clutch means interposed between said second shaft and said second gear.

Claim 20

A combination as defined in claim 14, wherein said gears are bevel gears.

Claim 21

A combination as defined in claim 14, further comprising a mechanical seal interposed between said second shaft and said housing to prevent the escape of lubricant from said chamber along said second shaft.

Claim 22

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including input and output shafts rotatably mounted in said housing and having portions extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said parts further including mating gears provided on said portions of said shafts in said chamber, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; mechanical seals interposed between said housing; and a labyrinth seal surrounding said portion of one of said shafts in said chamber and defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 23

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fills a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including input and output shafts rotatably mounted in said housing and having portions extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said parts further including mating gears provided on said portions of said shafts in said chamber, said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; mechanical seals interposed between said housing; and a labyrinth seal surrounding said portion of one of said shafts in said chamber and defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 24

A combination as defined in claim 17, further comprising an antifriction bearing for said one shaft, said bearing being surrounded by said labyrinth seal.

Claim 25

A combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said aerating opening is coaxial with said portion of said one shaft and communicates with said passage by way of said bearing.

Claim 26

A combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said housing comprises a plurality of interconnected discrete sections and further comprising elastic sealing elements interposed between said sections, and a plurality of antifriction bearings provided in said housing for said output shaft.

Claim 27

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fillS a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including input and output shafts rotatably mounted in said housing and having portions extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said parts further including a driver gear mounted on said portion of said input shaft and said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; a mechanical seal interposed between said housing and said input shaft; and a labyrinth seal interposed between said housing and said output shaft, said labyrinth seal defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 28

In a power tool, particularly in a portable electric angle sander or the like, a combination comprising a transmission housing defining a chamber containing a supply of readily flowable lubricant which fillS a portion of said chamber; a plurality of parts including input and output shafts rotatably mounted in said housing and having portions extending into said chamber to be contacted by lubricant therein, at least when the power tool is in use, said parts further including a driver gear mounted on said portion of said input shaft and said housing being movable between a plurality of mutually inclined positions and having at least one aerating opening communicating with said chamber, said aerating opening being located above the level of the upper surface of said supply of lubricant in each of said positions of said housing; a mechanical seal interposed between said housing and said input shaft; and a labyrinth seal interposed between said housing and said output shaft, said labyrinth seal defining a passage connecting said chamber with said aerating opening.

Claim 29

A combination as defined in claim 21, further comprising antifriction bearing means for said portion of said output shaft, said bearing means being mounted in said housing and said housing comprising a plurality of discrete interconnected sections and elastic sealing elements interposed between said sections.

Claim 30

A combination as defined in claim 22, wherein said parts further include a second gear rotatable on said output shaft and meshing with said driver gear and a friction clutch interposed between said second gear and said output shaft, said labyrinth seal comprising a first annular portion forming part of one of said housing sections and a second annular portion forming part of said friction clutch.