U.S. patent number 3,797,723 [Application Number 05/224,113] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-19 for fastener-driving tool.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Spotnails, Inc.. Invention is credited to James K. Goode, Jr., Garry R. Perkins.
United States Patent |
3,797,723 |
Perkins , et al. |
March 19, 1974 |
FASTENER-DRIVING TOOL
Abstract
A powered fastener-driving tool is provided which includes a
housing in which a driving piston is mounted for reciprocatory
movement, and a fastener magazine extending laterally from said
housing. The housing and magazine are of unitary construction. A
nose section depends from the housing and is connected to one end
of the magazine. The nose section is provided with a chamber into
which fasteners are successively fed from the magazine. A fastener
feed assembly is mounted on the magazine and is adapted to
automatically feed the fasteners from the magazine to the
chamber.
Inventors: |
Perkins; Garry R. (Palatine,
IL), Goode, Jr.; James K. (Cary, IL) |
Assignee: |
Spotnails, Inc. (Rolling
Meadows, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22839326 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/224,113 |
Filed: |
February 7, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
227/109; D8/61;
227/126 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25C
1/005 (20130101); B25C 1/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25C
1/00 (20060101); B25c 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;227/126,132,123,109 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Custer, Jr.; Granville Y.
Assistant Examiner: Smith, Jr.; Harold P.
Claims
We claim:
1. A powered fastener-driving tool comprising an elongated housing
having a fastener-driving piston mounted therein for reciprocatory
movement, said housing having means for connection to a power
source; an elongated hollow fastener magazine disposed at one end
of said housing, and being provided with apertured side walls
arranged in spaced side-by-side relation, the longitudinal axes of
said housing and magazine being angularly disposed relative to one
another, said housing and magazine being of unitary construction; a
nose section mounted on and protruding from said housing one end
and connected to an adjacent discharge end of said magazine, said
nose section being provided with a chamber into which fasteners are
successively fed from said magazine upon said driving piston moving
in one relative direction within said housing and from which
fasteners are successively discharged upon said driving piston
moving in a second relative direction within said housing; a pair
of elongated apertured guide means disposed between said magazine
side walls and extending longitudinally thereof for guiding
movement of the fasteners longitudinally of and between the side
walls of said magazine; means for removably securing said guide
means to adjacent opposed surfaces of said magazine side walls, the
apertures of a magazine side wall being in registered relation with
the apertures of the guide means secured thereto whereby the
securing means for one guide means are accessible through the
registered apertures of the other guide means and the magazine side
wall to which the latter is secured; and a fastener feed assembly
disposed within said magazine and including a pusher member mounted
for movement only within said magazine and longitudinally of said
guide means, said pusher member being biased to move towards said
nose section for successively feeding fasteners into said
chamber.
2. The powered fastener-driving tool of claim 1 wherein the
fastener feed assembly includes a resilient elongated band biased
to assume a coil having a fixed axis disposed adjacent said nose
section and adjacent one side wall of said magazine, the other end
of said band being connected to said pusher member, the segment of
said band extending from the coil to the pusher member being
disposed between said magazine side walls and adjacent one of said
side walls.
3. The powered fastener-driving tool of claim 2 wherein said
fastener feed assembly includes a manually releasable means mounted
on the end of said magazine remote from said nose section and
automatically interlocking with said pusher member when the latter
is in a fully extended position with respect to the nose section;
said magazine being provided with a top wall having a
fastener-loading opening formed therein adjacent the remote end of
said magazine, said opening being disposed intermediate said nose
section and the pusher member when the latter is in said fully
extended position.
4. The fastener-driving tool of claim 3 wherein said guide means
includes a pair of elongated components having opposed, broad,
substantially flat surfaces between which a shank portion of each
fastener is caused to move intermittently towards said nose
section; a substantial segment of each fastener shank portion being
sandwiched between said component surfaces whereby said fasteners
remain in a predetermined aligned relation while moving towards
said nose section.
5. The fastener-driving tool of claim 3 wherein said pusher member
is provided with an exposed means for manually moving said pusher
member to an extended position for engagement by said releasable
means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various pneumatically, hydraulically, electrically, or mechanically
powered fastener-driving tools have heretofore been provided;
however, because of certain design characteristics, they have been
beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) the
housing for the driving piston and the fastener magazine were
separate components joined together by bolts, screws, rivets, and
the like and thus, proper and secure assembly of the two components
was difficult to maintain because of the severe vibrations to which
the tool was subjected during operation; (b) loading of the
magazine was a difficult and awkward manipulation; (c) the tool was
highly susceptible to jamming; (d) various components of the
fastener feed assembly were exposed and susceptible to bending or
breakage; (e) the various components comprising the fastener feed
assembly were susceptible to excessive wear, causing an inordinate
amount of down time for servicing the tool; (f) the tool was of
bulky, heavy construction and was awkward to handle; and (g) the
tool was incapable of handling a variety of fasteners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a powered
fastener-driving tool which avoids the aforenoted shortcomings.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a powered
fastener-driving tool wherein the housing for the driving piston
and the fastener magazine are of unitary construction.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
fastener-driving tool wherein the components of the nose section
may be readily disassembled without requiring disassembly of the
remainder of the tool.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a
fastener-driving tool having fastener guides mounted within the
magazine and which may be readily replaced, when required, so as to
accommodate various sizes and types of fasteners.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a
fastener-driving tool having a manually releasable means mounted on
the magazine which will automatically interlock with the pusher
member when the latter is in an extended position for reloading the
magazine.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a
fastener-driving tool wherein the spring bias for the pusher
member, which forms a component of the feed mechanism, is of
compact design and substantially concealed within the magazine.
Further and additional objects will appear from the description,
accompanying drawings, and appended claims.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a powered
fastener-driving tool is provided which includes a housing, in
which a driving piston is mounted for reciprocatory movement, and a
laterally-extending elongated fastener magazine. The housing and
magazine are of unitary construction. Secured to the housing and
depending therefrom is a nose section which is provided with a
chamber in which a fastener is positioned prior to being discharged
therefrom by the driving piston. Mounted within the magazine is a
fastener guide along which the fasteners move while being
successively fed into the chamber. Slidably mounted on the guide is
a pusher member which is biased to move in a direction towards the
chamber. Mounted on the magazine and remotely disposed relative to
the nose section is a manually-releasable latch assembly which is
adapted to automatically interlock with the pusher member when the
latter is in an extended position, and retain said pusher member in
said extended position while the magazine is loaded with
fasteners.
DESCRIPTION
For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should
be made to the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of one form of the improved
fastener-driving tool, and showing the pusher member thereof
retained in an extended magazine-loading position.
FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing the opposite side of the
improved fastener-driving tool.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the side of the tool shown in
perspective in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top view of the magazine and handle shown
in FIG. 3, but with the pusher member omitted.
FIG. 5 is a perspective bottom view of the tool shown in FIG. 1,
but with the pusher member disposed in a position adjacent the nose
section.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the nose
section, magazine, and pusher member comprising the tool of FIG. 1,
but showing the pusher member in its fully retracted position
adjacent the nose section.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the
remote end of the magazine showing a portion of the latter removed
so as to reveal the pusher member being held in its extended
position by the manually-releasable latch assembly mounted on the
magazine remote end.
FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but of the opposite side of the pusher
member and latch assembly; the latter being shown in dotted lines
in its release position, and the pusher member being shown in
dotted lines in a changed position subsequent to being
released.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG.
7.
Referring now to the drawings, one form of an improved
fastener-driving tool 10 is shown. The illustrated tool is
pneumatically powered; however, the invention, to be hereafter
described, is not intended to be limited to a pneumatically-powered
tool, but may be readily incorporated in hydraulically,
electrically, or mechanically powered tools as well.
Tool 10 is portable and is of a type normally used by carpenters
and the like in general construction work. Basically, tool 10
includes a one-piece body 11, and a depending nose section 12. The
nose section is adapted to accommodate a fastener prior to the
latter being discharged therefrom into the work piece, not shown.
The tool body 11 includes a head section 13 in which is
reciprocally mounted a driver piston, not shown. A cap, or cover
14, is removably mounted on the top of the head section to provide
access to the driver piston, when required. The nose section 12 is
mounted on the underside of the head section and extends downwardly
therefrom.
Extending laterally from the upper portion of the head section, is
a hollow handle 15 which may be readily gripped for manipulating
the tool. Associated with the handle is a finger-actuated trigger
assembly 16. A hose connection 17 is mounted on the rear end of the
handle to facilitate connection of the tool to an air hose, not
shown.
The tool body 11 also includes an elongated magazine section 18
which extends angularly outwardly and upwardly from the nose
section 12. The magazine section is disposed beneath the handle
section, but is offset slightly with respect thereto, as seen more
clearly in FIG. 4, so that the handle will not obstruct the view of
the person utilizing the tool.
As aforenoted, the head section 13, handle 15, and magazine 18 are
of one-piece construction. Such construction is of utmost
importance in minimizing the adverse effect of the severe vibratory
forces to which the tool is subjected during operation. Because the
vibratory forces generated are of substantial magnitude, the head
section, handle, and magazine, if separate components, are highly
susceptible to working loose from one another, thereby causing
alignment problems and ultimate jamming of the tool. Such a problem
has been of real concern with many of the prior tools of this
general type.
In the improved tool, the one-piece body 11 is preferably cast from
a suitable lightweight, high impact type of metal (e.g. magnesium
alloy).
The magazine section 18 is of a predetermined length and will
depend upon the type and number of fasteners F to be accommodated
therein. The fasteners, illustrated in FIG. 7, are round-headed
nails. Preferably a predetermined number of fasteners F are
collated together so as to form a "stick." Each stick is normally
rather inflexible and, in the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners
thereof are nested together with the head end of the leading
fastener being partially disposed beneath the head end of the
succeeding fastener. The tilt, or angular disposition of the
magazine, relative to the head section 13, coincides substantially
to the stepped relation of the fasteners forming the stick.
A suitable fastener-loading slot 20 is formed in the top portion of
the magazine adjacent the remote end thereof, see FIGS. 1-3. The
length of the slot will depend upon the length of the stick being
inserted in the magazine. The overall length of the magazine is
such that it is capable of accommodating a plurality of sticks
arranged in end-to-end relation. As noted in FIG. 9, the magazine
18 has a substantially inverted U-shape cross-sectional
configuration. The outer or remote end of the magazine is open and
is adapted to receive a manually-releasable latch assembly 21,
which will be described more fully hereinafter.
Disposed within the magazine, and substantially coextensive with
the length thereof, is an elongated fastener track or guide 22. The
track includes a pair of elongated components 22a and 22b which are
disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation. The spacing
between components 22a and 22b is slightly greater than the
diameter of the shank F' of a fastener accommodated within the
magazine. The lower portion of each component, however, is offset
outwardly a slight amount so as to compensate for the thickness of
the heads of the screws S used to secure the components 22a and 22b
in predetermined fixed positions within the magazine interior.
Proper positioning of the components within the magazine interior
is provided by a plurality of longitudinally-spaced spacers 23 and
24. The spacers 23, disposed on one side of the track 22, are in
staggered relation with respect to the spacers 24 disposed on the
opposite side of said track.
To provide access to the screw heads, the sides of the magazine 18
are provided with a plurality of elongated slots 25. The slots, on
one side, are in staggered relation with respect to the slots on
the opposite side of the magazine. The lower portions of the
components 22a and 22b are exposed within the slots and such
exposed portions, in turn, are provided with openings 26. The
openings 26 in component 22a are in registered relation with the
slots formed in the adjacent side of the magazine so that the
slotted heads of the screws S may be readily turned by a
screwdriver or the like when the tool is being initially assembled
or the track components are being changed so as to accommodate a
different type or size fastener. The leading ends of the screws
extend through the track component openings and the spacers 23 or
24 and are threaded into internally threaded holes 27 formed in the
portions of the sides of the magazine disposed between the slots
25, see FIGS. 3 and 6.
The latch assembly 21, as aforementioned, is mounted on the outer,
or remote end of the magazine 18. The assembly 21, in the
illustrated embodiment, see FIGS. 7 and 8, includes a cover piece
28 which is provided with a front portion 28a extending into the
open remote end of the magazine and between the sides of the
magazine, and an enlarged back or exposed portion 28b which
overlies and closes off the remote end. The cover piece 28 is held
in assembled relation with the sides of the magazine by a plurality
of screws 30, or the like, see FIGS. 1, 3, and 7.
Pivotally mounted on the front portion 28a of the cover piece is a
spring-biased latch 31, see FIGS. 7 and 8. The latch is
substantially L-shaped with the pivotal axis 32 thereof adjacent
the juncture of the two legs 31a and 31b of the latch. Leg 31a
projects upwardly and is adapted to be selectively engaged by the
finger of the tool operator to effect release of a pusher member 33
from its extended, or magazine-loading position A, see FIGS. 1, 3,
7, and 8. The purpose and structure of the pusher member will be
described more fully hereinafter.
Leg 31b of the latch 31, on the other hand, extends inwardly
towards the nose section 12 and has the distal end thereof formed
as a hook H, see FIG. 8. The hook is adapted to interlockingly
engage a tongue T carried by the pusher member and retain the
latter in its extended magazine-loading position A. The latch 31 is
biased, in a clockwise direction to assume its pusher
member-locking position by a coil spring 34, see FIG. 7. One end of
the spring engages the underside of leg 31b and the opposite end
resiliently engages a notched ledge 28c formed in the front portion
28a of the cover piece 28. In FIG. 8, the latch 31 is shown in
dotted lines in a manually-adjusted position B, wherein the pusher
member is released from the latch and is urged towards the nose
section 12 by a wound, or spool-type, spring 35.
The pusher member 33 is slidably mounted on the track 22 and is
adapted to resiliently engage the last fastener in the magazine and
push all of the accommodated fasteners in a direction towards the
nose section. Member 33 has a flat platelike central portion 33a,
which is disposed between the track components 22a and 22b and
engages the shank of the last fastener, see FIG. 9. The upper
portion 33b of central portion 33a is bent over the upper edge of
the component 22a and is provided with a lug, or projection 33c
which is adapted to be inserted through an opening 35a formed
adjacent the free end of the spring 35, see FIG. 7.
Extending downwardly from the central portion 33a of the pusher
member 33 and beyond the lower edges of the track components 22a
and 22b and out the bottom of the magazine 18, is a lower portion
33d. Portion 33d, as seen in FIG. 9, extends laterally outwardly
and subtends the lower edge of one of the magazine sides and then a
portion 33e extends upwardly along the exposed surface of said
magazine side and terminates in an exposed finger pull 33f. The
pull 33f facilitates manual movement of the pusher member to its
extended position A.
The biasing spring 35 comprises a resilient metallic band 35b which
is normally coiled about a spool 36, the latter being mounted on a
suitable bracket 37 for rotation about a fixed axis. The bracket 37
is carried by the magazine 18 adjacent the nose section 12, see
FIG. 6. As the resilient band 35b is unwound from the spool 36, it
passes between one side of the magazine and the track component 22a
and thus, is concealed from view by the side of the magazine, see
FIG. 9. The concealed disposition of the unwound band is a safety
feature both to the operator and the tool itself. In many prior
tools of this general type, the pusher member biasing spring was
exposed and susceptible to being accidentally knocked out of
adjustment or becoming entangled with various objects, including
the clothing of the operator.
The nose section 12 is formed of a pair of flat pieces 12a and 12b
which are secured to one another in face-to-face relation. Piece
12b, as seen in FIG. 6, is secured to the underside of the body
section 13 and is provided with a passageway P, which is aligned
with the lower end of the magazine guide 22. The contacting
surfaces of pieces 12a and 12b cooperate with one another to form a
chamber X, into which a single fastener is successively fed by the
pusher member and from which the fastener is subsequently
discharged by the driver piston into a work piece.
Overlying the exposed surface of piece 12a, and slidably mounted
thereon, is a safety trip member 38 which is adapted to render the
trigger 16 either operative or inoperative. The member 38 is biased
to assume an extended position, as seen in FIG. 6, wherein the
trigger 16 is inoperative in firing the tool even when the trigger
is manually depressed. In order to render the trigger operative, it
is necessary for the trip member 38 to be pushed against the
exposed surface of the work piece until the trip member has been
retracted to its fullest extent. By requiring such a preliminary
maneuver by the operator before the tool is in condition to be
fired, there is no possibility of dangerous premature firing of the
tool. The invention, heretofore described, however, does not
involve the trip member or its construction.
Thus, it will be seen that a fastener-driving tool has been
provided wherein the body therefor is of unitary construction and
includes a housing for the driver piston and a fastener magazine
from which the fasteners are successively fed to a chamber for
discharge from the tool by the driver piston. The fastener feeding
assembly is mounted on the magazine so that substantial portions
thereof are concealed and thus, not susceptible to being
accidentally knocked out of adjustment. Furthermore, the pusher
member of the feed assembly may be readily moved manually to a
fastener-loading position and automatically held in said position
until released therefrom by the tool operator. The improved tool is
of simple construction and may be readily manipulated by the
operator. The track components comprising the fastener guiding
means disposed within the magazine, may be readily replaced so as
to accommodate fasteners which vary over a wide range as to style
and size.
* * * * *