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A power tool with a housing, a transmission and a switch mechanism. The switch mechanism has an actuator, a rail, a switch and first and second springs. The actuator is non-rotatably but slidably coupled to the housing for movement along a longitudinal axis of the transmission between a plurality of

A power tool with a housing, a transmission and a switch mechanism. The switch mechanism has an actuator, a rail, a switch and first and second springs. The actuator is non-rotatably but slidably coupled to the housing for movement along a longitudinal axis of the transmission between a plurality of positions to selectively engage one or more members of the transmission at each of the positions such that the transmission operates in one of a plurality of different overall speed ratios. The rail is fixedly coupled to the actuator and is received through the switch such that the switch is slidably mounted on the rail. The first and second springs are configured to bias the switch relative to the actuator in different directions.

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1. A power tool comprising: a housing defining a handle and a body;a motor received in the body;a trigger mounted to the handle and coupled to the motor, the trigger being adapted to control operation of the motor in response to an input provided by an operator of the power tool by coupling the moto

1. A power tool comprising: a housing defining a handle and a body;a motor received in the body;a trigger mounted to the handle and coupled to the motor, the trigger being adapted to control operation of the motor in response to an input provided by an operator of the power tool by coupling the motor to a source of power;an output member;a multi-speed transmission coupling the motor and the output member, the multi-speed transmission comprising a first transmission stage and a second transmission stage; anda speed selector comprising an actuator, a rail, a switch, a first biasing spring, and a second biasing spring, the actuator being movable along a longitudinal axis of the multi-speed transmission between a plurality of positions, the actuator being non-rotatably engaged to one or more members of the multi-speed transmission at each of the plurality of actuator positions such that the multi-speed transmission operates in a corresponding one of a plurality of different overall speed reduction ratios and there is no relative rotation between the actuator and the one or more members of the multispeed transmission at each of the plurality of actuator positions, the actuator being non-rotatably but axially slidably engaged to the housing, the rail being fixedly coupled to the actuator, the rail being received through the switch such that the switch is mounted on the rail for sliding movement thereon, the first biasing spring being disposed between the actuator and the switch and biasing the switch away from the actuator, the second biasing spring being disposed between the switch and an end of the rail opposite the actuator, the second biasing spring biasing the switch away from the end of the rail. 2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the rail is movable relative to the housing. 3. The power tool of claim 2, wherein the switch is movable into at least three different switch positions, each switch position being associated with a corresponding one of the actuator positions. 4. The power tool of claim 3, further comprising a third biasing spring, wherein the first, second and third biasing springs are employed to provide compliance between the actuator and the multi-stage transmission when the switch is moved between first, second and third switch positions but the actuator cannot be moved into an associated actuator position due to misalignment between the actuator and the one or more members of the multi-speed transmission. 5. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the third biasing spring is disposed in a location that is axially separated from the rail, the switch, and the actuator. 6. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the third biasing spring is mounted coaxially about the multi-speed transmission. 7. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the actuator is an annular structure comprising at least one of a plurality of teeth formed about a circumferentially extending portion of the actuator and a plurality of teeth extending axially from a portion of the actuator. 8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the circumferentially extending portion of the actuator extends in an unbroken ring. 9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein one of the housing and the switch carries a detent spring, wherein a plurality of detent recesses are formed into the other one of the housing and the switch, each detent recess being associated with a placement of the switch relative to the housing that is associated with a corresponding one of the actuator positions, each detent recess being engagable by the detent spring to resist relative axial movement between the switch and the housing. 10. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the one or more members of the multi-speed transmission comprise ring gears. 11. The power tool of claim 10, wherein the switch is movable between a first switch position, a second switch position and a third switch position, wherein the actuator is engagable to a first ring gear when the switch is disposed in the first switch position, wherein the actuator is engagable to a second ring gear when the switch is disposed in the second switch position, and wherein the actuator is engagable to the second ring gear and a third ring gear when the switch is in the third switch position. 12. The power tool of claim 11, further comprising a third biasing spring that biases the third ring gear toward the second ring gear. 13. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the third biasing spring biases the third ring gear into engagement with a planet carrier such that the third ring gear co-rotates with the planet carrier. 14. The power tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second biasing springs is received coaxially on the rail. 15. The power tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second biasing springs is a helical compression spring. 16. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion, wherein the handle is defined by the first housing portion and wherein the first and second housing portions cooperate to define the body. 17. A power tool comprising: a housing defining a handle and a body;a motor received in the body;a trigger mounted to the handle and coupled to the motor, the trigger being adapted to control operation of the motor in response to an input provided by an operator of the power tool by coupling the motor to a source of power;an output member;a multi-speed transmission coupling the motor and the output member, the multi-speed transmission comprising a first transmission stage and a second transmission stage, the first transmission stage comprising a first sun gear, a plurality of compound planet gears, a first ring gear and a second ring gear, the first sun gear being driven by the motor and meshingly engaged with the compound planet gears, each compound planet gear having a first planet gear portion, which is meshingly engaged to the first ring gear, and a second planet gear portion that is fixed to the first planet gear portion for rotation therewith and meshingly engaged to the second ring gear, the second transmission stage comprising a third ring gear that is axially movable between an inactive position, in which the third ring gear is engaged with a rotary member of the multi-speed transmission such that the third ring gear and the rotary member co-rotate, and an active position in which the third ring gear is disengaged from the rotary member; anda speed selector comprising a switch, an actuator, a first biasing spring, a second biasing spring and a third biasing spring, the switch being movable between a first switch position, a second switch position, and a third switch position, the actuator being non-rotatably but axially slidably disposed in the housing between a first actuator position, a second actuator position, and a third actuator position, the actuator being engaged to one or more members of the multi-speed transmission at each of the first, second and third actuator positions such that the multi-speed transmission operates in a corresponding one of a plurality of different overall speed reduction ratios;wherein the first biasing spring biases the actuator toward the switch when the switch is in the second position and the actuator is disposed between the third and second actuator positions;wherein the first biasing spring biases the actuator toward the switch when the switch is in the first position and the actuator is disposed between the second and first actuator positions;wherein the second biasing spring biases the actuator biasing the actuator away from the switch when the switch is in the second switch position and the actuator is disposed between the first and second actuator positions; andwherein the third biasing spring biases the third ring gear toward the actuator when the switch is in the third switch position, the actuator is in the third actuator position and the actuator is not engaged to the third ring gear.