A battery pack 13 (FIG. 2) comprises an elongated cylindrical, metal
casing 35, a plurality of cells 41, 43 in casing 35 and three coaxial
pack terminals 46, 54, 61. For enhanced convenience, pack terminals 46,
54, 61 are electrically connectable in a cordless device 11 regardless of
the angular orientation of the pack 13 about casing axis 33. To reduce
cost and increase durability, pack 13 has no welded connections and will
permit high current discharge rates. Cells 41, 43 are electrically
connected but are mechanically disconnected. A spring 73 engages cell 41
and biases cells 41, 43 tightly together in compression to form good, low
resistance electrical contact between cells 41, 43, casing base cap 45
and top 53. To provide a pack with two output voltages, the third pack
terminal 61 has a polarity (relative to first pack terminal 46) the same
as second pack terminal 54 and is electrically connected to the cell can
terminal 43b of forward cell 43, thereby electrically by-passing cell 43.