U.S. patent application number 16/984038 was filed with the patent office on 2020-11-19 for stacked caps with connecting stems.
This patent application is currently assigned to PneuTools, Incorporated. The applicant listed for this patent is PneuTools, Incorporated. Invention is credited to Frederick W. Lamb.
Application Number | 20200362907 16/984038 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004993646 |
Filed Date | 2020-11-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200362907 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lamb; Frederick W. |
November 19, 2020 |
Stacked Caps with Connecting Stems
Abstract
A plurality of stacked fastener caps, each having a cap body.
The cap body has first and second faces joined by a perimeter of
the cap body, and adjacent faces of adjacent caps are joined by at
least one connecting stem. The adjacent caps and connecting stems
are integrally molded as a unit as by injection molding. One or
both of the first and second faces may be planar. One of the first
or second faces may be concave and the other may be convex. One or
both of the first and second faces may have first and second
thicker portions with a transverse groove interposed
therebetween.
Inventors: |
Lamb; Frederick W.;
(McDonald, PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PneuTools, Incorporated |
Arlington |
TN |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
PneuTools, Incorporated
Arlington
TN
|
Family ID: |
1000004993646 |
Appl. No.: |
16/984038 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15920404 |
Mar 13, 2018 |
10731695 |
|
|
16984038 |
|
|
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|
13490359 |
Jun 6, 2012 |
9915282 |
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15920404 |
|
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 43/00 20130101;
F16B 27/00 20130101; E04D 2015/045 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F16B 43/00 20060101
F16B043/00 |
Claims
1: (canceled)
2: A plurality of stacked plastic fastener caps, each said cap of
said plurality of stacked caps having a cap body, said cap body
having a first face and a second face spaced from said first face,
said cap body having a perimeter joining said first face and said
second face, with adjacent faces of adjacent caps of said plurality
of caps being joined by at least one solid connecting stem; said
adjacent caps and said at least one connecting stem being
integrally molded therewith, in which said cap body of each said
cap and said at least one connecting stem were integrally molded by
injection molding and in which one of said first or second faces is
substantially planar.
3: The plurality of stacked fastener caps as recited in claim 2, in
which said adjacent faces of said adjacent caps of said plurality
of caps are joined by at least two said connecting stems.
4: The plurality of stacked fastener caps as recited in claim 3, in
which said adjacent faces of said adjacent caps and said at least
one connecting stem were integrally molded by injection
molding.
5-9. (canceled)
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No.
15/920,404 (filed Mar. 13, 2018), entitled "Stacked Caps with
Connecting Stems", fully included by reference herein, and claims
priority benefit thereof. Parent application Ser. No. 15/920,404 is
due to issue on Aug. 4, 2020, as U.S. Pat. No. 10,731,695. Parent
application Ser. No. 15/920,404 was, in turn, a division of U.S.
application Ser. No. 13/490,359 (filed Jun. 6, 2012), entitled
"Stacked Caps with Connecting Stems", fully included by reference
herein, and claims priority benefit thereof. Parent application
Ser. No. 13/490,359 issued on Mar. 13, 2018, as U.S. Pat. No.
9,915,282.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO COMPACT DISC(S)
[0003] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates, in general, to fasteners and
fastener caps used as washers for holding roofing paper, insulation
wrap, and coverings to houses, lumber, and other articles in the
construction industry, and, in particular, to stacks of such
fastener caps that are loaded into magazines used in manual
staplers and fastener applicators in the construction industry.
2. Description of Related Art
[0005] A conventional cap feeding device generally includes a cap
container and a base having a channel. The base extends between the
cap container and a position under the nose of the nail gun. Caps
are fed into the channel of the base from the cap container and
pushed to the position under the nose of the nail gun. When the gun
is triggered, a nail penetrates and dislodges the cap under the
nose of the nail gun and protrudes into the underlying roof
structure. The feeding of the caps under the nose of the nail gun
is coordinated with the ejection of the nails through the nose of
the nail gun, so that a cap is placed under the nose of the gun
before the gun is triggered to expel a nail. Well-known cap feeding
and nailing devices, and stacked assemblies of roofing caps for use
therein, are disclosed in Lamb, U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,455 (issued
Aug. 15, 2006; hereinafter, the "Lamb patent"), fully incorporated
by reference herein. The coaxially-stacked caps disclosed in this
Lamb patent have the advantage that a stack of caps can be quickly
loaded into the nailer's magazine as a stacked unit, rather than
being inserted one-by-one into the magazine.
[0006] Many approaches are known in the prior art for quickly
loading a stack of fastener caps into the nailer's magazine. Some
approaches use an axially-disposed longitudinal rod or string to
hold the stack of caps together while inserting the stack of caps
into the nailer's magazine, and then the rod or string is removed,
leaving the stack of caps in the magazine. Because there is nothing
holding adjacent caps together after the rod or string is removed,
these approaches have the disadvantage that, once inserted into the
magazine, the caps cannot be removed without becoming unstacked,
making reinsertion into the magazine very difficult as the caps
have to be re-inserted one by one.
[0007] One embodiment of stacked caps disclosed in the Lamb patent,
namely, the fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 20-24 of the Lamb
patent, has been shown to be a great improvement over the prior
art. In this embodiment, a stacked assembly of caps is placed into
a sled and then portions of the outer circumference of adjacent
caps in the stack are melted together as by heating with hot air or
by using a laser. As a bottommost cap is ejected from the magazine
by a well-known pusher, the bottommost cap is sheared from the
stack of caps and is then moved into position in the nailer and
subsequently nailed. Because portions of the outer circumference of
adjacent caps remain melted together until sheared apart during
nailing, the stack of caps can readily be removed as a unit from
the nailer's magazine and will still remain together as a stacked
assembly of caps, thereby permitting easy reinsertion of the stack
of caps into the magazine.
[0008] While this assembled stack of caps, with portions of the
outer circumference of adjacent caps being melted together, has
been shown to be a great improvement over the prior art, it is
rather labor intensive to manufacture. The caps are individually
molded using well-known injection molding techniques, and, when the
halves of the injection mold separate and the caps are ejected from
the mold using well-known ejector pins in the mold, the caps are
ejected onto a screen or plate below the mold. The ejected caps
then have to be manually gathered and inserted as a stack into a
sled so that portions of the outer circumference of adjacent caps
can be melted together as by heating with hot air or by using a
laser, using the technique disclosed in the Lamb patent.
[0009] It is therefore desirable to have an improved assembly of
stacked caps that do not have to be manually gathered and inserted
as a stack into a sled for becoming joined together.
[0010] A prior art approach is known for joining a sequence of
fastener caps in a linear string, as disclosed in Omli, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,947,362 (issued Sep. 7, 1999; hereinafter the "Omli patent"),
fully included herein by reference. FIG. 13 of the Omli patent
shows a linear string of fastener caps that are molded as a
continuous strip in which a connecting piece connects the perimeter
of one cap to the perimeter of an adjacent cap. While such
continuous linear strips of fastener caps have the advantage that
the strip can be molded as a unit without excessive manual
assembly, such continuous linear strips of fastener caps have the
great disadvantage that they must be fed from a bulky spool, rather
than from a compact magazine as preferred by the construction
industry, thereby requiring a complex and bulky feed mechanism as
disclosed in the Omli patent.
[0011] It is therefore desirable to have an improved assembly of
stacked caps that can be injection molded as a unit, and which are
stacked rather than being in a continuous linear strip.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is a coaxially-stacked assembly of
fastener caps having shearable connecting stems between adjacent
caps, in which the stacked assembly of fastener caps can be molded
as an integral stacked unit.
[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
coaxially-stacked assembly of fastener caps in which the stacked
assembly of fastener caps can be molded as an integral stacked
unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view of stacked caps of a first embodiment
of the present invention, which is substantially cylindrically
symmetric.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a view of a bottom or second face of a cap of the
first embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line 2-2
shown in FIG. 1. The view of the top or first face is the same as
shown in FIG. 2 except for the omission of the "draft" or "ridge"
portion on the top face.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view of the halves of the
injection mold used to make the first embodiment of the present
invention, shown separated with the caps removed, and with
injection passageways and ejector pins being omitted in the drawing
figure for purposes of simplicity.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a right-facing transverse sectional view of the
injection mold used to make the first embodiment of the present
invention, taken along the line 4-4 shown in FIG. 3. The
left-facing transverse sectional view of the injection mold is
similar to the view shown in FIG. 4 except for the omission of the
mold cavity for the "draft" or "ridge" portion shown in FIG. 4.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a view of a cap of a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a right-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the second embodiment of
the present invention, similar to the view of FIG. 4.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a side view of stacked caps of a third embodiment
of the present invention, which is substantially cylindrically
symmetric.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a view of a bottom or second face of a cap of the
third embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line 8-8
shown in FIG. 7.
[0022] FIG. 9 is a view of a top or first face of a cap of the
third embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line 9-9
shown in FIG. 7.
[0023] FIG. 10 is a simplified sectional view of the injection mold
used to make the third embodiment of the present invention, shown
separated with the caps removed, and with injection passageways and
ejector pins being omitted in the drawing figure for purposes of
simplicity.
[0024] FIG. 11 is a right-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the third embodiment of
the present invention, taken along the line 11-11 shown in FIG.
10.
[0025] FIG. 12 is a left-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the third embodiment of
the present invention, taken along the line 12-12 shown in FIG.
10.
[0026] FIG. 13 is a side view of stacked caps of a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 14 is a view of a bottom or second face of a cap of the
fourth embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line
14-14 shown in FIG. 13.
[0028] FIG. 15 is a view of a top or first face of a cap of the
fourth embodiment of the present invention, taken along the line
15-15 shown in FIG. 13.
[0029] FIG. 16 is an upward-looking view of one of the halves of
the injection mold used to make the fourth embodiment of the
present invention, and with injection passageways and ejector pins
being omitted in the drawing figure for purposes of simplicity. The
downward-looking view of the other of the halves of the injection
mold used to make the fourth embodiment is substantially similar to
the view shown in FIG. 16.
[0030] FIG. 17 is a right-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the fourth embodiment of
the present invention, similar to the view of FIG. 11.
[0031] FIG. 18 is a is a left-facing transverse sectional view of
the halves of the injection mold used to make the third embodiment
of the present invention, similar to the view of FIG. 12.
[0032] FIG. 19 is a side sectional view of the cap of the fourth
embodiment of the invention being used to hold a covering such as
roofing paper to a board with a staple therethrough.
[0033] FIG. 20 is a side view of stacked caps of a fifth embodiment
of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 21 is a view of a bottom or second face of a cap of the
fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 22 is a view of a top or first face of a cap of the
fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 23 is an upward-looking view of one of the halves of
the injection mold used to make the fifth embodiment of the present
invention, and with injection passageways and ejector pins being
omitted in the drawing figure for purposes of simplicity. The
downward-looking view of the other of the halves of the injection
mold used to make the fifth embodiment is substantially similar to
the view shown in FIG. 23.
[0037] FIG. 24 is a right-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the fifth embodiment of
the present invention, similar to the view of FIG. 17.
[0038] FIG. 25 is a left-facing transverse sectional view of the
halves of the injection mold used to make the fifth embodiment of
the present invention, similar to the view of FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the first embodiment 20 of the
present invention is seen to be a plurality of stacked fastener
caps 22, with each cap having a cap body 24. Each cap 22 is
substantially identical to each other cap 22, so that a description
of one suffices for all, except that the end caps only have a
single connecting stem (hereinafter described) because the end caps
only have an adjacent cap on one side and not the other. Cap body
24 is preferably about 0.070 inches (1.8 mm) thick and has a top or
first face 26 on one side and a bottom or second face 28 on a
second side spaced from the first face 26, and preferably one or
both of first or second faces 26, 28 are substantially planar,
although one or both of first or second faces may have a slight
peripheral perpendicular "draft" or ridge portion 27 (described
hereinbelow) extending from the face, it being understood that this
ridge portion 27 is not considered to make the first or second face
substantially non-planar. The cap body 24 has a perimeter 30
joining the first face 26 to the second face 28. While each cap 22
is shown as a circular disc, preferably about 0.978 inches (2.48
mm) in diameter so as to fit in standard-sized cap magazines, it
shall be understood that other shapes, such as rounded rectangles,
may be used for the caps 22 of the present invention. Such rounded
rectangle shapes are shown, for example, in Lamb, U.S. Design Pat.
D593,391 (issued Jun. 2, 2009), fully included herein by
reference.
[0040] Adjacent faces 26, 28 of adjacent caps 22 are joined by at
least one connecting stem 32, preferably axially disposed in the
center of the caps as shown, and preferably about 0.025 inches
(0.64 mm) in diameter. Each stem 32 needs to be sufficiently
flexible so as to allow the stacked caps to compress together when
placed in the magazine of a nailer, and also needs to be shearable
so that, when the bottommost cap of the stack is pushed into
nailing position from the magazine, the stem 32 will shear or break
to free the bottommost cap from the stack. The length of each stem
32, and thus the gap between adjacent caps 22 when the stack is not
compressed, is preferably about 0.060 inches (1.5 mm). As later
explained hereinbelow, the common feature of all embodiments of the
present invention is that all embodiments have at least one
connecting stem (e.g., stem 32) joining adjacent faces of adjacent
caps.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view of the first and
second halves 34, 36 of the injection mold 38 used to make the
first embodiment 20 of the present invention, and is shown
separated with the caps removed. It shall be understood that
well-known injection passageways and ejector pins are omitted from
the drawing figures of the injection mold for purposes of
simplicity. In a manner well-known to those skilled in the art,
each of the halves of the injector mold preferably has well-known
injector pins (not shown) for ejecting the molded caps from the
mold, and the operation of the injector pins of one half of the
injection mold is sequenced with the operation of the injector pins
of the other half of the injection mold so that the caps are first
ejected from one half of the mold and then from the other so that
the connecting stems of the caps do not shear as might happen if
some caps were ejected from one half of the mold while other of the
caps remained in the other half of the mold. Additionally, to
reduce the shearing of the caps during ejection, preferably each
cap of all embodiments has a slight "draft" or ridge portion 27 on
one side of the cap so that the cap is better retained into one
half of the injection mold during ejection than in the other half
of the injection mold. Each half of the injection mold respectively
has a plurality of semi-circular cavities 40, 42 that together,
when the injection mold is closed, form a circular cavity for
molding the bodies 24 of caps 22. Each half of the injection mold
respectively further has a semi-circular channel 44, 46 that
together, when the injection mold is closed, form a circular
passageway between adjacent cavities 40, 42 to create the
connecting stems 32. Preferably, one of the halves of the injection
mold has a recessed cavity 48 for forming the ridge portion 27 of
each cap in the mold.
[0042] In contrast to prior art stacked cap assemblies, the
assembly 20 of stacked caps 22, as with all embodiments, is
integrally molded by injection molding, with all caps in the
assembly and the connecting stems being integrally molded as a
unit. Preferably there may be 55 caps in each stack to match the
magazine size of existing nailers, but it shall be understood that
the injection mold can accommodate making more or fewer caps in
each stack simply by changing the number of cavities 40, 42
provided in the mold. Preferably the plastic used to mold all
embodiments of the stacked caps 22 is well-known High-Density
Polyethylene ("HDPE") plastic, and a filler may be added to the
plastic to ensure that the connecting stems 32 shear properly
without excessive stretching. Because the stacked assembly 20 is
integrally molded as a unit, no manual assembly of individual caps
into a sled is required during manufacture, and the stacked
assembly 20 is ready to be packaged for sale when it is ejected
from the injection mold.
[0043] As a variant on the present invention, a second embodiment
cap 22' is shown in FIG. 5. The only difference between second
embodiment cap 22' and first embodiment cap 22 is that second
embodiment cap 22' has a plurality of connecting stems 32' between
adjacent caps 22', shown in FIG. 5 as three connecting stems 32'
between adjacent caps 22'. It shall be understood that the
plurality of connecting stems 32' can be of other numbers, such as
two or more than three, other than just three as shown in FIG. 5.
It shall be understood that the third, fourth, and fifth
embodiments, hereinafter described, can also, in like manner as the
second embodiment, have a plurality of connecting stems between
adjacent caps.
[0044] FIG. 6 shows the first and second mold halves 34', 36', of
the injection mold 38' used to make the second embodiment cap 22'.
The only difference between first and second mold halves 34', 36'
and first and second mold halves 34, 36 is that first and second
mold halves 34', 36' respectively have a plurality of semi-circular
channels 44', 46' for forming the plurality of connecting stems
32'.
[0045] Referring to FIGS. 7-25 of the drawings, third, fourth, and
fifth preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown.
There are many similarities between the various embodiments, and
only the differences between the embodiments will be discussed in
detail, it being understood that similar structure for the various
embodiments serves similar purpose. The reference numerals for the
various parts of the third, fourth, and fifth embodiments shall be
understood to have a prefix identifying the particular embodiment
(e.g., "3.", "4.", "5.") and a suffix identifying the particular
structure (e.g., "20", etc.) similar to the un-prefixed reference
numerals of the first embodiment, such that reference numerals with
the same suffix are understood to be similar structure particular
to each of the different embodiments (e.g., "3.20", "4.20",
"5.20").
[0046] Referring to FIGS. 7-12, the third embodiment 3.20 of the
present invention is seen to be a plurality of stacked fastener
caps 3.22, with each cap having a cap body 3.24. Each cap 3.22 is
substantially identical to each other cap 3.22, so that a
description of one suffices for all, except that the end caps only
have a single connecting stem (hereinafter described) because the
end caps only have an adjacent cap on one side and not the other.
The substantial difference between the first embodiment 20 and the
third embodiment 3.20 is that the third embodiment has a convex top
or first face 3.26 and a concave bottom or second face 3.28. Cap
body 3.24 is preferably about 0.070 inches (1.8 mm) thick and has a
first face 3.26 on one side and a second face 3.28 on a second side
spaced from the first face 3.26, and the concavity displacement of
second face 3.28 at the center is preferably about 0.030 inches
(0.76 mm). As with all embodiments, one or both of first or second
faces may have a slight peripheral perpendicular "draft" or ridge
portion 3.27 extending from the face. The cap body 3.24 has a
perimeter 3.30 joining the first face 3.26 to the second face
3.28.
[0047] Adjacent faces 3.26, 3.28 of adjacent caps 3.22 are joined
by at least one connecting stem 3.32, preferably axially disposed
in the center of the caps as shown, and preferably about 0.025
inches (0.64 mm) in diameter. Each stem 3.32 needs to be
sufficiently flexible so as to allow the stacked caps to compress
together when placed in the magazine of a nailer, and also needs to
be shearable so that, when the bottommost cap of the stack is
pushed into nailing position from the magazine, the stem 3.32 will
shear or break to free the bottommost cap from the stack. The
length of each stem 3.32, and thus the gap between adjacent caps
3.22 when the stack is not compressed, is preferably about 0.060
inches (1.5 mm).
[0048] FIG. 10 is a simplified sectional view of the first and
second halves 3.34, 3.36 of the injection mold 3.38 used to make
the third embodiment 3.20 of the present invention, and is shown
separated with the caps removed. It shall be understood that
well-known injection passageways and ejector pins are omitted from
the drawing figures of the injection mold for purposes of
simplicity. In a manner well-known to those skilled in the art,
each of the halves of the injector mold preferably has well-known
injector pins (not shown) for ejecting the molded caps from the
mold, and the operation of the injector pins of one half of the
injection mold is sequenced with the operation of the injector pins
of the other half of the injection mold so that the caps are first
ejected from one half of the mold and then from the other so that
the connecting stems of the caps do not shear as might happen if
some caps were ejected from one half of the mold while other of the
caps remained in the other half of the mold. Additionally, to
reduce the shearing of the caps during ejection, preferably each
cap of the third embodiment has a slight "draft" or ridge portion
3.27 on one side of the cap so that the cap is better retained into
one half of the injection mold during ejection than in the other
half of the injection mold. Each half of the injection mold
respectively has a plurality of semi-circular cavities 3.40, 3.42
that together, when the injection mold is closed, form a circular
cavity for molding the bodies 3.24 of caps 3.22. Each half of the
injection mold respectively further has a semi-circular channel
3.44, 3.46 that together, when the injection mold is closed, form a
circular passageway between adjacent cavities 3.40, 3.42 to create
the connecting stems 3.32. Preferably, one of the halves of the
injection mold has a recessed cavity 3.48 for forming the ridge
portion 3.27 of each cap in the mold.
[0049] Referring to FIGS. 13-18, the fourth embodiment 4.20 of the
present invention is seen to be a plurality of stacked fastener
caps 4.22, with each cap having a cap body 4.24. Each cap 4.22 is
substantially identical to each other cap 4.22, so that a
description of one suffices for all, except that the end caps only
have a single connecting stem (hereinafter described) because the
end caps only have an adjacent cap on one side and not the other.
The substantial difference between the first embodiment 20 and the
fourth embodiment 4.20 is that the third embodiment has a
transverse groove that is a flat midportion 4.50 across the bottom
or second face 4.28 so as to raise the underside of the cap from
the covering being secured to a building's surface, thereby
providing retaining tension by the cap to the covering when a
fastener holds the cap to the building's surface, as hereinafter
described and as shown in FIG. 18. Cap body 4.24 is preferably
about 0.070 inches (1.8 mm) thick at first and second thicker
portions 4.52, 4.54 outside of transverse groove 4.50 and about
0.035 inches (0.9 mm) thick within transverse groove 4.50 and has a
top or first face 4.26 on one side and a second or bottom face 4.28
on a second side spaced from the first face 4.26. As with all
embodiments, one or both of first or second faces may have a slight
peripheral perpendicular "draft" or ridge portion 4.27 extending
from the face. The cap body 4.24 has a perimeter 4.30 joining the
first face 4.26 to the second face 4.28.
[0050] Adjacent faces 4.26, 4.28 of adjacent caps 4.22 are joined
by at least one connecting stem 4.32, preferably axially disposed
in the center of the caps as shown, and preferably about 0.025
inches (0.64 mm) in diameter. Each stem 4.32 needs to be
sufficiently flexible so as to allow the stacked caps to compress
together when placed in the magazine of a nailer, and also needs to
be shearable so that, when the bottommost cap of the stack is
pushed into nailing position from the magazine, the stem 4.32 will
shear or break to free the bottommost cap from the stack. The
length of each stem 4.32 is preferably about 0.095 inches (2.4 mm),
and thus the gap between adjacent caps 4.22 when the stack is not
compressed, is preferably about 0.060 inches (1.5 mm) at first and
second thicker portions 4.52, 4.54.
[0051] FIG. 16 is an upward-looking view of one of the halves 4.34
of the injection mold 4.38 used to make the fourth embodiment 4.20
of the present invention. The downward-looking view of the other of
the halves 4.36 of the injection mold 4.38 used to make the fourth
embodiment is substantially similar to the view shown in FIG. 16.
It shall be understood that well-known injection passageways and
ejector pins are omitted from the drawing figures of the injection
mold for purposes of simplicity. In a manner well-known to those
skilled in the art, each of the halves of the injector mold 4.38
preferably has well-known injector pins (not shown) for ejecting
the molded caps from the mold, and the operation of the injector
pins of one half of the injection mold is sequenced with the
operation of the injector pins of the other half of the injection
mold so that the caps are first ejected from one half of the mold
and then from the other so that the connecting stems of the caps do
not shear as might happen if some caps were ejected from one half
of the mold while other of the caps remained in the other half of
the mold. Additionally, to reduce the shearing of the caps during
ejection, preferably each cap of the third embodiment has a slight
"draft" or ridge portion 4.27 on one side of the cap so that the
cap is better retained into one half of the injection mold during
ejection than in the other half of the injection mold. Each half of
the injection mold respectively has a plurality of semi-circular
cavities 4.40, 4.42 that together, when the injection mold is
closed, form a circular cavity for molding the bodies 4.24 of caps
4.22. Each half of the injection mold respectively further has a
semi-circular channel 4.44, 4.46 that together, when the injection
mold is closed, form a circular passageway between adjacent
cavities 4.40, 4.42 to create the connecting stems 4.32.
Preferably, one of the halves of the injection mold has a recessed
cavity 4.48 for forming the ridge portion 4.27 of each cap in the
mold.
[0052] FIG. 19 shows one of the fourth embodiment caps 4.20 holding
a covering 56, such as roofing paper, to a board 60 of a
building.
[0053] Referring to FIGS. 20-25, the fifth embodiment 5.20 of the
present invention is seen to be a plurality of stacked fastener
caps 5.22, with each cap having a cap body 5.24. Each cap 5.22 is
substantially identical to each other cap 5.22, so that a
description of one suffices for all, except that the end caps only
have a single connecting stem (hereinafter described) because the
end caps only have an adjacent cap on one side and not the other.
The substantial difference between the fourth embodiment 4.20 and
the fifth embodiment 5.20 is that, rather than having a transverse
groove 4.50 along one bottom face like the fourth embodiment 4.20,
the fifth embodiment has a "bow tie" cross section as shown, with
first or top face 5.26 and bottom or second face 5.28 both having a
substantially flat transverse midportion or groove 5.50 that angles
upwardly at about 3.81 degrees to thicker first and second outer
portions 5.52, 5.54 that are not as broad as the first and second
outer portions 4.52, 4.54 of the fourth embodiment. This structure
makes the fifth embodiment reversible, such that regardless of
which face of the cap is adjacent to the covering on a building,
the downwardly-facing transverse midportion or groove 5.50 raises
the underside of the cap from the covering being secured to a
building's surface, thereby providing retaining tension by the cap
to the covering when a fastener holds the cap to the building's
surface. Cap body 5.24 is preferably about 0.070 inches (1.8 mm)
thick at first and second thicker outer portions 5.52, 5.54 outside
of transverse midportion 5.50 and about 0.020 inches (0.5 mm) thick
within transverse groove 5.50 and has a top or first face 5.26 on
one side and a second or bottom face 5.28 on a second side spaced
from the first face 5.26. As with all embodiments, one or both of
first or second faces may have a slight peripheral perpendicular
"draft" or ridge portion 5.27 extending from the face. The cap body
5.24 has a perimeter 5.30 joining the first face 5.26 to the second
face 5.28.
[0054] Adjacent faces 5.26, 5.28 of adjacent caps 5.22 are joined
by at least one connecting stem 5.32, preferably axially disposed
in the center of the caps as shown, and preferably about 0.025
inches (0.64 mm) in diameter. Each stem 5.32 needs to be
sufficiently flexible so as to allow the stacked caps to compress
together when placed in the magazine of a nailer, and also needs to
be shearable so that, when the bottommost cap of the stack is
pushed into nailing position from the magazine, the stem 5.32 will
shear or break to free the bottommost cap from the stack. The
length of each stem 5.32 is preferably about 0.040 inches (2.4 mm),
and thus the gap between adjacent caps 5.22 when the stack is not
compressed, is preferably about 0.060 inches (1.0 mm) at first and
second thicker portions 5.52, 5.54.
[0055] FIG. 23 is an upward-looking view of one of the halves 5.34
of the injection mold 5.38 used to make the fifth embodiment 5.20
of the present invention. The downward-looking view of the other of
the halves 5.36 of the injection mold 5.38 used to make the fifth
embodiment is substantially similar to the view shown in FIG. 23.
It shall be understood that well-known injection passageways and
ejector pins are omitted from the drawing figures of the injection
mold for purposes of simplicity. In a manner well-known to those
skilled in the art, each of the halves of the injector mold 5.38
preferably has well-known injector pins (not shown) for ejecting
the molded caps from the mold, and the operation of the injector
pins of one half of the injection mold is sequenced with the
operation of the injector pins of the other half of the injection
mold so that the caps are first ejected from one half of the mold
and then from the other so that the connecting stems of the caps do
not shear as might happen if some caps were ejected from one half
of the mold while other of the caps remained in the other half of
the mold. Additionally, to reduce the shearing of the caps during
ejection, preferably each cap of the third embodiment has a slight
"draft" or ridge portion 5.27 on one side of the cap so that the
cap is better retained into one half of the injection mold during
ejection than in the other half of the injection mold. Each half of
the injection mold respectively has a plurality of semi-circular
cavities 5.40, 5.42 that together, when the injection mold is
closed, form a circular cavity for molding the bodies 5.24 of caps
5.22. Each half of the injection mold respectively further has a
semi-circular channel 5.44, 5.46 that together, when the injection
mold is closed, form a circular passageway between adjacent
cavities 5.40, 5.42 to create the connecting stems 5.32.
Preferably, one of the halves of the injection mold has a recessed
cavity 5.48 for forming the ridge portion 5.27 of each cap in the
mold.
[0056] To use the stacked assembly of caps of all embodiments of
the present invention, the stacked assembly of caps is inserted
into the magazine of a nailer just as with prior art caps. The
well-known pusher of the nailer pushes the bottommost cap from the
stack and into nailing position, thereby shearing the connecting
stem between the bottommost cap and its adjacent cap thereabove. A
fastener, such as the staple 60 shown in FIG. 19, is forcibly
placed by the well-known nailer through the cap and covering 58
over a board 60 of a building, thereby causing the cap to secure
the covering to the board.
[0057] Although the present invention has been described and
illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred
use therefor, it is not to be so limited since modifications and
changes can be made therein which are within the full intended
scope of the invention.
* * * * *