Patent ID: 7204026

Claim:
A reciprocating saw comprising: a housing; a rotary motor positioned inside the housing; the housing comprising a first housing portion including a handle portion with a power switch for controlling the rotary motor, and a second housing portion rotatably mounted to and rotatable relative to the first housing portion about a first axis of rotation; at least one of the first housing portion or the second housing portion having a radial groove formed thereon, the radial groove being centered substantially on the first axis of rotation, the other of the first housing portion or the second housing portion having a projection formed thereon engaging with the radial groove, the radial groove and the projection acting to axially lock the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion; a reciprocating mechanism driven by the rotary motor, the reciprocating mechanism converting rotary motion of the rotary motor into reciprocating motion; a reciprocating shaft having a reciprocating motion relative to the second housing portion, the reciprocating motion being driven by the reciprocating mechanism and defining a reciprocating motion axis, the first axis of rotation being substantially parallel to the reciprocating motion axis, the reciprocating shaft comprising: a first end extending from the second housing portion, a blade holder capable of holding a saw blade mounted on the first end; and a second end inside the housing and connected to the reciprocating mechanism; wherein the rotation of the second housing portion causes the blade holder to rotate in unison therewith; and wherein the first housing portion comprises a stationary housing portion, and a rotatable housing portion rotatably mounted to the stationary housing portion to rotate about a second axis of rotation substantially normal to the first axis of rotation.