Patent ID: 7261499

Claim:
An adjustable drill bit stop apparatus for limiting movement of a bit projecting from a drill in drilling a hole in an object, the apparatus comprising: a housing having an interior bore through the housing and at least one anvil on the housing; a nose piece rotationally mounted in the housing bore for reciprocating axial movement of the nose piece in opposite first and second axial directions through the housing bore; an object engagement surface and an opening formed on the nose piece, where inserting a bit on a drill through the housing and into the nose piece opening causes the drill to push the housing and engage the object engagement surface of the nose piece with the object and push the nose piece in the first direction through the housing interior bore; and a plurality of circumferentially arranged stop surfaces formed on an interior surface of the nose piece, the stop surfaces each operating to limit axial movement of the nose piece to a different axial distance, a pin operably associated with the nose piece and said housing for keying the nose piece to the housing to thus select one of said stop surfaces for use; where the selected one of stop surfaces engages with the anvil as the nose piece is moved in the first direction through the housing bore, and prevents further movement of the nose piece in the first direction limiting the movement to a first distance, and thus limiting the depth of travel of the drill bit to one of a plurality of determined depths.