Importance

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Abstract

Power lock tool retention apparatus for a food processor includes at least one flattened section on the drive shaft with an associated horizontal notch. A socket extending downwardly on the inside of the rotary tool hub is placed onto this drive shaft during manual installation of the tool so that rotation of the shaft will cause the tool to be rotated. At least one horizontal lip is provided in the socket at an elevation to become aligned with the notch on the drive shaft when the hub has been slid down vertically into its operating position on the shaft. The socket configuration is complementary to, but slightly different from, the flattened configuration of the drive shaft in order to permit a small amount of relative angular movement between the shaft and hub when the shaft commences to rotate. This small relative rotation produced by the torque of the motor drive when the food processor is started causes the horizontal lip to engage in the horizontal notch as the shaft starts to be rotated, thereby locking the tool onto the shaft during operation for preventing the tool from being dynamically lifted. When the food processor is stopped, engagement and removal of the tool from the drive shaft is achieved by manually turning the tool for disengaging the lip from the notch, thus permitting removal of the tool from the shaft.

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First Claim