U.S. patent number RE39,567 [Application Number 10/968,818] was granted by the patent office on 2007-04-17 for nail guide mechanism for a nail gun.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stanley Fastening Systems, L.P.. Invention is credited to Mark E. Larsen.
United States Patent |
RE39,567 |
Larsen |
April 17, 2007 |
Nail guide mechanism for a nail gun
Abstract
A nail guide mechanism, suitable for use with a wide variety of
nail guns, having a mounting bracket to permit ready attachment
and/or removal in the field. The guide mechanism, when mounted, is
oriented about the channel defined by the nose of the nail gun. The
guide mechanism includes a partially pre-compressed spring that
induces a bias on a pivoting arm such that the arm is caused to
protrude at least partially into the channel. The arm is thus
positioned to continuously exert a force on the nails as they are
driven down the channel past the arm. Because the spring is only
partially pre-compressed, the positioning of the arm is responsive
to changes in conditions inside the channel, such as when the head
of a nail passes by the arm. The force exerted by the arm, under
the influence of the spring, acts substantially along the radial
axis of the nail, and is exerted on the nail during at least a
portion of the time that the nail is being impelled by the driving
mechanism of the nail gun. The result of the force thus exerted is
that every nail is pushed to a desired position in the channel,
thereby ensuring consistent orientation of the nails as they exit
the nail gun. The guide mechanism also includes a pilot which, when
the mechanism is mounted, is located immediately adjacent to the
channel. The pilot has a small tip that is inserted into the nail
hole so as to provide assurance that the nail gun is properly
located. The pilot therby cooperates with the arm to ensure
accurate and consistent placement and orientation of each nail as
it exits the gun.
Inventors: |
Larsen; Mark E. (Spanish Fork,
UT) |
Assignee: |
Stanley Fastening Systems, L.P.
(East Greenwich, RI)
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Family
ID: |
23419163 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/968,818 |
Filed: |
October 20, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
09360723 |
Jul 27, 1999 |
06279808 |
Aug 28, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
227/119;
227/123 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25C
1/00 (20130101); B25C 7/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25C
7/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;227/119,139,149,147,123 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Product Sheet, Paslode Model 5250/65S-PP Positive Placement Strip
Nailer, Tool Schematic and Parts, Nov. 1998 (6 pages). cited by
examiner.
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Primary Examiner: Smith; Scott A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman,
LLP
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters
Patent is:
1. In conjuntion with a framing nail gun having a nose portion
defining a substantially U-shaped channel through which nails are
propelled, the substantially U-shaped channel including an open
side and a bottom, a fastener guide mechanisms for adapting the
framing nail gun for use in mounting metal members, the fastener
guide mechanism being removably attached about the nose portion and
comprising: (a) an attachment portion removably secured about the
nose portion of the framing nail gun, said attachment portion
including a substantially U-shaped sleeve which defines an opening
that is substantially aligned with the open side of the
substantially U-shaped channel when said attachment portion is
secured about the nose portion; (b) a guide portion joined to said
attachement portion and including a pivot arm connected to a
spring, said spring biasing said pivot arm so that .[.at least.]. a
portion of said pivot arm extends through said opening in said
substantially U-shaped sleeve of said attachment portion and
through the open side of the substantially U-shaped channel of the
nose portion so as to be received in the substantially U-shaped
channel, and said pivot arm transmitting an orienting force to the
nails passing through the substantially U-shaped channel.
2. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 1, wherin said
spring is pre-compressed.
3. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 1, further
including a pilot.
4. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 1, wherein said
guide portion is removably joined to said attachment portion so as
to facilitate repositioning of said guide portion relative to said
attachment portion.
5. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 1, further
comprising a stop for facilitating positioning of the fastener
guide mechanism with respect to the nose of the nail gun.
6. The nail gun as recited in claim 1, wherien said guide portion
is integral with said attachment portion.
7. A nail gun connectable to a power source and comprising: (a) a
body including a receptacle portion configured to hold at least one
nail, and said body including a nose portion defining a channel
through which nails are propelled, said channel having a bottom as
well as an open side through which said nails enter from said
receptacle portion; (b) a drive mechanism at least indirectly
attached to said body, said drive mechanism propelling said nails
and said drive mechanism being at least indirectly impelled by the
power source; and (c) a fastener guide mechanism removable secured
to the nail gun, comprising: (i) an attachment portion disposed
about said nose portion of the nail gun, said attachment portion
including a sleeve which defines an opening that is substantially
aligned with said open side of said channel when said fastener
guide-mechanism is attached to the nail gun; and (ii) a guide
portion jointed to said attachment portion and including a transfer
element connected to a resilient member, said resilient member
biasing said transfer element so that .[.at least.]. a portion of
said transfer element extends into said opening defined by said
sleeve of said attachment portion and through said open side of
said channel of said nose portion so as to be at least partially
received in said channel.
8. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein said resilient
member is integral with said transfer element.
9. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein said resilient
member comprises a spring.
10. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein said transfer
element comprises a pivot arm.
11. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, further comprising a pilot
attached to said fastener guide mechanism.
12. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein the nail gun shoots
a first type of nail when said fastener guide mechanism is not
present on said nose portion, and wherein the nail gun is capable
of shooting a second type of nail when said fastener guide
mechanism is attched to said nose portion.
13. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein said guide portion
is removably joined to said attachment portion so as to facilitate
repositioning of said guide portion relative to said attachment
portion.
14. The nail gun as recited in claim 7, wherein said guide portion
is integral with said attachment portion.
15. The nail gun recited in claim 7, further comprising a stop for
facilitating positioning of said fastener guide mechanism with
respect to said nose portion of the nail gun.
16. For use in conjunction with a nail gun configured to drive a
first type of nail, the nail gun having a nose portion defining a
channel through which nails are propelled, and the channel
including an open side and a bottom, a fastener guide mechanism for
adapting the nail gun to drive a second type of nail when the
fastener guide mechanism is attached to the nose portion, the
fastener guide mechanism comprising: (a) an attachment portion
configured to be removably secured to the nail gun, said atachement
portion including a sleeve which defines an opening that is
substantially aligned with the open side of the channel when said
attachment portion is attached to the nail gun; and (b) a guide
portion joined to said attachment portion and including a transfer
element connected to a resilient member, said resilient member
biasing said transfer element so that .[.at least.]. portion of
said transfer element extends into said opening defined by said
sleeve of said attachment portion and through the open side of the
channel of the nose portion so as to be at least partially received
in the channel.
17. The fastener guide mechanism as recite in claim 16, wherein
said guide portion is removably joined to said attachment portion
so as to facilitate repositioning of said guide portion relative to
said attachment portion.
18. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in claim 16, wherein
said guide portion is integral with said attachment portion.
19. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in claim 16, wherein
said resilient member is integral with said transfer element.
20. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in claim 16, wherein
said resilient member comprises a spring.
21. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in claim 16, wherein
said transfer element comprises a pivot arm.
22. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in claim 16, further
comprising a pilot.
23. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 16, further
comprising a stop for facilitating positioning of the fastener
guide mechanism with respect to the nose of the nail gun.
24. The fastener guide mechanism recited in claim 16, wherein said
sleeve is substantially U-shaped.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to powered fastener drivers
and particularly relates to an improved nail gun having a guide
mechanism to facilitate accurate and consistent orientation and
placement of nails as the nails exit the nail gun.
2. The Relevant Technology
In the endless pursuit of increased productivity, industry has
continuously sought ways to improve worker effectiveness and
efficiency. Many traditionally manual functions are now partly or
fully accomplished by mechanized means. One of the major advances
in the construction industry was the development of powered nail
guns. These guns typically drive nails or other fastnerers by means
of a driving mechanism which, in turn, is impelled by compressed
air, electrical power, or the like. Powered nail guns have numerous
advantages, not the least of which is the ability to drive nails or
other fasteners in a fraction of the time that would be required
for a construction worker using a traditonal hammer. Another
important advantage of these guns is their ability to drive a
variety of fastener types into a wide range of materials, such as
concrete, steel, sheet metal, and wood.
While powered nail guns clearly provide significant advantages in
terms of efficiency and versatility, the nail guns are not without
their shortcomings. A major problem area concerns the inaccuracy
and inconsistency of nail placement and orientation.
In order for nail guns to realize their maximum potential as
effective and useful tools, they must be both accurate and
consistent in their placement and orientation of nails. Nail guns
that shoot nails inaccurately and/or inconsistently are a source of
frustration at best, resulting in re-working wasted production
time. At worst, inaccurate and/or inconsistent nail guns can cause
serious injury to the operator or to others near the work area; the
high magnitude of the driving forces utilized by typical nail guns
makes the problems of inaccuracy and inconsistency particularly
dangerous.
The problems of inaccuracy and inconsistensy in the placement and
orientation of nails can manifest themselves in all types of nail
guns and with all types of fasteners. However, these problems
become especially acute when the nail gun is shooting relatively
shorter nails, such as the nails typically used to secure metal
joist hangers, ties, and straps; generally, these types of nails
are approximately 11/4'' to 21/2'' in length.
A major cause of inaccuracy/inconsistency problems relates to the
channel defined by the nose of the nail gun. The nose of the gun
defines a generally U-shaped channel, inside the nail gun, through
which the nails travel, typically, this channel is somewhat larger
in diameter than the driven fasteners. As a result of the
dimensional differences between the nails and the channel through
which they travel, the nails have some freedom to move about inside
the channel and thus are prone to tilt back and forth slightly or
"tumble" as they are pushed down the channel. Generally, relatively
shorter nails are more susceptible to tumbling than are relatively
longer nails. Because the typical nail gun has no means to prevent
the fasteners from tumbling, the nails tend to exit the nail gun in
random orientations. Thus, the nail gun operator can never be
completely assured that a particular nail will come out straight,
or that the nail will enter the work piece at the point that the
operator intended.
As noted earlier, inaccurate and inconsistent nail placement and
orientation is, at best, problematic. However, when the operator is
using the nail gun to drive nails through holes pre-drilled in
metal items such as joist hangers and straps, inaccuracy and
inconsistency present serious safety hazards. Specifically, the
random placement and orientation of the nails that is typical of
many nail guns, coupled with the high energy of typical nail gun
drive mechanisms, causes some nails to miss the pre-drilled hole
entirely, strike the metal, and ricochet dangerously away.
The dangers presented by inaccurate and inconsistent nail placement
and orientation have not gone unrecognized in the field. Efforts
have been made to resolve, or at least minimize, the possible
effects of inaccurate and inconsistent nail driving when attaching
metal members. However, as indicated in the following discussion,
these prior efforts fail to completely and effectively resolve the
problems.
At least one attempt to resolve the problem of inaccurate and
inconsistent nail orientation and placement has placed the primary
focus not on the nail gun itself, but rather on the material
through which the nail is being driven. In particular, the
material, typically sheet metal of some kind, is embossed in such a
way that the embossment forms a funnel-shaped indentation centered
about each of the holes pre-drilled in the sheet metal. The purpose
of the funnel is to guide errant nails towards the hole as the
nails exit the nail gun.
The embossed funnel approach is somewhat problematic however.
First, it fails to correct the fundamental cause of the inaccuracy
and inconsistency problems; that is, the tendency of the nails to
tumble as they are being driven. Rather than preventing the
tumbling problem, the funnel approach is focused at correcting the
effects of tumbling after the tumbling has already occurred. More
importantly however, this approach is disadvantageous because of
the increased tooling and production costs involved with embossing
the metal through which the nail is fastened. Finally, embossed
metal fittings are essential to the success of this method;
clearly, if the user does not have access to embossed metal
fittings or if the fittings are unavailable for any reason, the
problems of inaccurate and inconsistent nail placement will
persist.
Another of the other attempts at resolving the inaccuracy and
inconsistency problems in nail placement and orientation focuses on
the nail gun itself. In this case, a specialized nail gun has been
developed which allows the tip of the nail to be extended partially
from the gun prior to driving. In this way, the user can place the
tip of the nail in the hole, and then pull the trigger of the gun
to drive the nail. This has proven to be a limited solution
however.
The major shortcoming of this approach is that because the
"protruding tip" nail gun is specially adapted for the particular
purpose of driving nails in metal items, it is not suitable for
other applications, such as framing. Thus, a contractor would be
required to incur the additional, and substantial, expense of
purchasing an extra nail gun for the sole purpose of attaching
metal members such as joist hangers.
In view of the aforementioned problems with driving nails in metal
members, what is needed is an improved nail gun that will provide
both consistent and accurate nail placement and orientation,
without requireing special modification of the work piece.
Specifically, the nail gun should have a guide mechanism that would
prevent the nails from tumbling as they are driven from the nail
gun. Further, the guide mechanism should be readily adaptable and
field mountable to a variety of conventional nail guns, so as to
preclude the need for purchase of a specialized gun. Finally, the
guide mechanism should have a pilot or the like to provide the
operator with assurance that the gun is properly lined up with
respect to the hole in the work piece.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in response to the current
state of the art, and in particular in response to the
aforementioned and other problems and needs that have not been
fully or completely solved by currently available nail guns. Thus,
it is an overall object of the present invention to provide a nail
gun guide mechanism that is well adapted to prevent tumbling of the
nails as they are driven, thereby ensuring consistent and accurate
placement and orientation of the nails as they are driven into
and/or through the work piece. It is a related object of one
embodiment of the present invention to provide a nail gun guide
mechanism having a pilot to enable the user to quickly and easily
determine when the nail gun is desirably situated over the hole in
the work piece. It is also an object of one embodiment of the
present invention to provide a nail gun guide mechanism that does
not require special preparation of the work piece through which the
nail is to be driven. It is a further object of one embodiment of
the invention to provide a nail gun guide mechanism adapted to be
readily attached and removed, in the field, to a variety of
different nail guns so as to preclude the need for purchase of an
additional, specialized, nail gun.
In summary, the foregoing and other objects, advantages and
features are achieved with an improved nail gun guide mechanism for
use in facilitating accurate and consistent placement and
orientation of nails. Embodiments of the present invention are
particularly suitable for use in connection with conventional nail
guns capable of driving the relatively short nails typically used
to mount metal members such as joist hangers and the like. The nail
guide mechanism is attached to the nose of the nail gun so that the
guide mechanism is well-positioned to orient and guide the nail as
the nail is driven through and/or into the work piece.
In one preferred embodiment, the nail gun guide mechanism is of two
piece construction, comprising a mounting bracket and a guide
portion. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the guide portion
is integral with the mounting bracket. Preferably, the nail gun
guide mechanism is secured to the nail gun by means of screws,
bolts or the like, so as to facilitate ready removal and/or
installation in the field. The guide mechanism includes a biased
arm that is mounted to the guide mechanism such that the arm,
acting under the influence of the bias, protrudes into the channel
of the nail gun thereby exerting a force on each nail as the nails
travel down the channel and pass by the arm. Preferably, the force
thus exerted acts substantially along the radial axis of the nail
so as to push each nail to the bottom of the nail gun channel,
thereby ensuring accurate and consistent orientation and placement
of each nail. In one preferred embodiment, the force acts on the
nail during at least a portion of the time that the nail is being
impelled by the driving mechanism.
Preferably, the biased arm pivots about a pin that is secured to
the body of the guide mechanism. The bias is imposed on the arm by
means of a partially pre-compressed spring, one end of which is
attached to the structrue of the guide mechanism and the other end
being attached to the upper portion of the arm. Because the spring
is only partially pre-compressed, it permits the arm to move in
response to changing conditions inside the channel, such as when
the nail head passes by the arm.
Finally, one preferred embodiment of the nail gun guide mechanism
includes a pilot. The pilot, preferably integral with the guide
mechanism, is situated on the guide mechanism in such a way that
when the mechanism is mounted to the nail gun, the pilot is located
immediately adjacent to the nail gun channel. The tip of the pilot
extends slightly past the nose of the nail gun. When the user
wishes to shoot a nail, the user inserts the pilot into the hole
where the nail is to be driven; the pilot tip is sufficiently small
as to readily permit the nail to pass easily into the hole while
the pilot is located therein. The close proximity of the pilot to
the nail gun channel ensures that the nail will be desirably
located, i.e., in the hole, as it exits the nail gun. As noted
earlier, the biased arm simultaneously ensures that the nail is
properly oriented in the channel; the arm and pilot thus cooperate
to ensure that each nail is desirably oriented and located as the
nail is driven from the nail gun.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become more fully apparent from the following
description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice
of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to more fully understand the manner in which the
above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are
obtained, a more particular description of the invention will be
rendered by reference to specific embodiments theroef which are
illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these
drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are
not therefore to be construed as limiting its scope, the invention
in its presently understood best mode for making and using the same
will be described and explained with additional specificity and
detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical nail gun showing the inventive
nail guide mounted thereto;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the nail guide mechanism
showing the orientation of the mounting bracket and guide portion
with respect to the nail gun;
FIG. 3 is longitudinal cross section view of the guide portion
showing the pre-compressed spring and biased arm arrangement;
FIG. 4A is a view of the mounting bracket;
FIG. 4B is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the mounting
bracket taken along line 4B in FIG. 4A;
FIG. 4C is a view of the mounting bracket taken along lines 4C in
FIG. 4A;
FIG. 5A is a view looking into the nose of the nail gun, and
showing the nail guide mounted thereto;
FIG. 5B is a front view of the nail guide, with the nose of the
nail gun removed for clarity; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the nail guide showing the nail
guide and pilot cooperating to ensure the nail orientation in a
selected hole.
FIG. 7A is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of
the present invention with the mounting bracket integral with the
guiding mechanism.
FIG. 7B is a view of the alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 7A
viewed from a different angle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to an improved nail guide mechanism
for nail guns. FIGS. 1 through 6 show a guide mechanism according
to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is to be
understood that the drawings are diagrammatic and schematic
representations of presently preferred embodiments of the
invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present
invention. Finally, it should be understood that the drawings are
not necessarily drawn to scale.
With reference to FIG. 1, the nail gun or fastener driver is
indicated generally as 100. Nail gun 100 is comprised generally of
.[.generally of.]. body 101 including nose portion 103 and
receptacle 108. Nail gun 100 is connected to a power source 102
such as compressed air, electrical power or the like; the power
source is interlocked with gun trigger 104 and the drive mechanism
106. Often a safety mechanism is in communication with gun trigger
104 to prevent accidental activation. Generally, a user of nail gun
100 must depress the safety mechanism (not shown) in order to
activate gun trigger 104. A plurality of nails or fasteners 114 is
stored in receptacle 108. The operator selectively activates drive
mechanism 106 by squeezing gun trigger 104; when gun trigger 104 is
squeezed, power is applied to drive mechanism 106 that, in turn,
drives a nail down channel 110, and through the nail gun guide
mechanism, designated generally as 200.
As indicated in FIGS. 2 through 4c, fastener guide mechanism 200
includes an attachement portion or mounting bracket, indicated
generally as 300, and a guide portion indicated generally as 400;
in one preferred embodiment, the mounting bracket and guide portion
are separate elements. In an alternative preferred embodiment,
guide portion 400 is integral with attachement portion 300.
With continuing reference to FIGS. 2 and 4a through 4c, mounting
bracket 300 has recess 302 formed therein to receive nose 112 of
the nail gun 100. Mounting bracket 300 also comprises at least one
hole 304 (FIG. 4B) that is capable of receiving fastener 306 (FIG.
4C); in one preferred embodiment, hole 304 is tapped to receive a
threaded retaining screw. Fasteners 306 (FIG. 4C) permit guide
mechanism 200 to be readily attached and/or removed in the field. A
quick release device for ready attachment and/or detachment of the
guide mechanism is also contemplated as being within the scope of
the present invention.
Reference is next made to FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b, wherein mouting
bracket 300 further comprises integral sleeve 308 (FIG. 5B) that
substantially encloses nose 112 of nail gun 100 when guide
mechanism 200 is mounted thereto; sleeve 308 serves to facilitate
attachment of guide portion 400 to mounting bracket 300.
Specifically, guide portion 400 has a plurality of holes 402 that
receive fasteners 404 (FIG. 3B); in one preferred embodiment, holes
402 are tapped to receive threaded retaining screws. Fasteners 404
are threaded into the holes until the respective ends of fasteners
404 achieve contact with sleeve 308 of mounting bracket 300, as
indicated in FIG. 5b. When contact is thus achieved, fasteners 404
are further tightened to the extent necessary to ensure that no
relative motion can occur between guide portion 400 and mounting
bracket 300.
Turning now to guide portion 400 of guide mechanism 200, and with
reference to FIG. 3, guide portion 400 comprises transfer element
of arm 406 having pivot end 408 and opposing control end 410. Pivot
end 408 of arm 406 is fixed about a pin 412 so as to rotatably
secure arm 406 thereto; the opposing control end 410 of the arm is
not fixed. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention,
arm 406 has a substantially circular cross-section (not shown).
However, a variety of cross-sectional shapes are contemplated as
being within the scope of the present invention as well; such
shapes include, but are not limited to, oval, rectangular, and
square.
With continuing reference to FIG. 3, a partially pre-compressed
spring 414 is interposed between the rear wall 416 of guide portion
400 and the arm 406. The effect of the pre-compression is that a
force is exerted on arm 406 by partially pre-compressed spring 414;
imposition of the force causes arm 406 to rotate about pin 412 and
continuously biases opposing control end 410 of arm 406 into
channel 110, as indicated in FIG. 5a. It is well known to those
skilled in the art that the force exerted by a given spring is
directly proportional to the amount of deformation imposed upon the
spring. Thus, the pre-compressed spring is capable of exerting a
wide range of forces on arm 406; the magnitude of the force exerted
depends on the extent to which partially pre-compressed spring 414
is deformed. The force thus exerted by partially pre-compressed
spring 414 and transmitted by arm 406 will hereinafter be referred
to as the "orienting force." Finally, as indicated in FIG. 5a, the
aligned openings of sleeve 308 and nose 112 permit ready
positioning and movement of partially pre-compressed spring 414 and
the arm 406.
Note that while the preferred embodiment discloses nail guide
mechanism 200 employing arm 406 biased by partially pre-compressed
spring 414, nail guide mechanisms employing any kind of resiliently
biased device to create a sufficient orienting force are
contemplated as being within the scope of the invention disclosed
herien. Such devices include, but are not limited to, a resilient
metal cantilever having one end fixed to the guide mechanism and
having the free end biased into the channel.
When there is no nail present in guide portion 400, the force
imposed by partially pre-compressed spring 414 biases opposing
control end 410 of arm 406 into channel 110 so that arm 406
contacts the outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110, as indicated in
FIG. 2.
As further indicated in FIG. 5a, when at rest arm 406 blocks a
sufficient portion of channel 110 that a nail traveling down
channel 110 must necessarily impact arm 406 prior to exiting nail
gun 100.
When a user squeezes gun trigger 104 of nail gun 100, the nail is
driven down channel 110 by drive mechanism 106, and impacts
opposing control end 410 of arm 406. However, the orienting force
imposed on arm 406 by partially pre-compressed spring 414 is,
desirably, substantially less than the force imposed upon arm 406
by the nail. Accordingly, the force exerted by the nail on arm 406
overcomes the opposing bias of arm 406 and displaces arm 406
sufficiently to permit the nail to be interposed between arm 406
and the outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110, as indicated in FIG.
6. The responsiveness of arm 406 also permits the head of the nail
to readily displace arm 406 to the extent necessary to allow the
nail head to pass by arm 406 as the nail exits gun 100.
In one alternative embodiment of the present invention partially
pre-compressed spring 414 positions arm 406 such that opposing
control end 410 of arm 406 is centered in outer bottom edge 111 of
channel 110. In this manner, when a nail is forced by drive
mechanism 106 down channel 110 the nail point of the nail is
centered in the outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110 to obtain
optimal positioning for driving the nail into the work piece.
In one alternative preferred emboidment, partially pre-compressed
spring 414 is not pre-compressed. Rather, the undeformed length of
an opposing mechanism similar in function to partially
pre-compressed spring 414 is such that arm 406 naturally extends
into channel 110 and no force is exerted by the opposing mechanism
on arm 406 when channel 110 is empty. When a nail travels down
channel 110, which process is described in detail above the force
of the nail displaces arm 406 and at least partially compresses the
opposing mechanism. The opposing mechanism reacts to the
compression by exerting a force, i.e., the orienting force, on arm
406. The arm then transmits the orienting force to the nail or
fastener.
Due to the resilient nature of partially pre-compressed spring 414
which it is connected, arm 406 is responsive to whatever
orientation the nail has assumed, that is, after the nail comes
into contact with arm 406, the orienting force transmitted by arm
406 has a natural tendency to orient the nail and/or retain the
nail in a desired orientation. In one preferred embodiment, the
orienting force acts substantially radially with respect to the
nail. Further, in another preferred embodiment, the orienting force
positions the nail so that the longitudinal axis of the nail is
substantially parallel to the sides of channel 110; the nail is
preferably positioned at or near the outer bottom edge 111 of
channel 110, as indicated in FIG. 6 and may preferably be centered
in the outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110. Note that the
magnitude of the force required to orient a nail may vary from one
nail to another; the magnitude will depend, at least in part, upon
such variables as the speed and attitude of the nail as it enters
guide mechanism 200. Accordingly, this invention contemplates a
nail guide mechanism that may employ orienting forces of a variety
of magnitudes. Still another embodiment of the present invention
contemplates an orienting force that is constant in magnitude for
nails driven at a consistent speed and attitude.
As noted earlier, partially pre-compressed sorting 414 continuously
biases arm 406 into channel 110. As a result, arm 406 transmits the
orienting force to the nail during the entire time that the nail is
interposed between arm 406 and the outer bottom edge 111 of channel
110. Continuous application of the orienting force, by guide
mechanism 200, thus ensures that every nail, regardless of its
orientation upon entering guide mechanism 200, exits nail gun 100
in a consistent and predictable orientation. Although one preferred
embodiment of the present invention reaches an arm continuously
transmitting an orienting force to the nail as the nail passes the
arm, this invention also contemplates resiliently biased arm
arrangements wherein the arm briefly loses physical contact with
the nail after the initial impact of the nail on the arm.
With reference now to FIGS. 4a through 4c, mounting barcket 300 of
guide mechanism 200 further comprises pilot or locator elements 310
to facilitate consistent placement of the nails. In one preferred
embodiment, pilot 310 comprises a short stud that is integral with
mounting bracket 300 and extends slightly past the nose of nail gun
100. As indicated in FIG. 2, pilot 310 is situated outside and
immediately adjacent to the outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110
when guide mechanism 200 is mounted to nail gun 100. Referring now
to FIG. 6, pilot 310 is sufficiently small in size, relative to the
diameter of hole 600 in work piece 700 through which the nail 500
is to be driven, such that when pilot 310 is placed into hole 600,
there is adequate room remaining in hole 600 for ready placement of
the nail 500. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention,
pilot 310 includes a longitudinal groove 312 (FIG. 5B) that
receives the nail 500 and aids in the guiding thereof.
As noted earlier, in one preferred embodiment, the orienting force
acts to position each nail 500 outer bottom edge 111 of channel 110
and in one embodiment the nail 500 is centered in outer bottom edge
111 of channel 110; thus, the close proximity of pilot 310 to
channel 110 (FIG. 6) provides assurance to the user that when pilot
310 is inserted into hole 600 through which the nail 500 is to be
driven, the nail 500 will be driven into hole 600. Pilot 310 thus
cooperates with arm 406 to ensure that each nail 500 will be driven
into the selected hole at the desired orientation.
As mentioned above, in an alternative embodiment of the present
invention, mounting bracket 300 and guide portion 400 are formed as
an integral piece as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The above discussion
relating to the structure and function of arm 406 and partially
pre-compressed spring 414 which form a portion of guide portion 400
as well as channel 110 are likewise applicable in the alternative
embodiment. In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B,
the present invention provides for mounting bracket 300 to be
integral with guide portion 400, thus avoiding the added expense
and complexity of manufacturing for integral sleeve 308 and
plurality of holes 402 for receiving fasteners 404. Such an
alternative preferred embodiment avoids the complexity of threading
holes 402 and threading fasteners 404 into holes 402 to achieve
contact with sleeve 308 of mounting bracket 300 as depicted in FIG.
5B. In this manner, mounting bracket 300 is placed integral with
guide portion 400 to form one integral guide mechanism 200 with at
least one hole 304 capable of receiving a fastener 306 (not shown)
to permit guide mechanism 200 to be readily attached and/or removed
in the field.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The
described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as
illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is,
therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the
foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning
and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within
their scope.
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