The present invention generally relates to the field of pneumatic tools, and particularly to an adjustable angle magazine for use with pneumatic tools, such as a pneumatic nail gun.
The use of pneumatic tools has greatly increased efficiency and productivity in various workplaces but particularly in the field of construction. However, pneumatic nail guns are often limited in the type of nail they may operate with. Generally, the magazines employed with the nail guns are constructed so that the nails loaded and stored present at a desired angle, such as twenty-two degrees, twenty-eight degrees, and thirty-four degrees. Thus, when working with pneumatic nail guns, it is often crucial to load the correct collated nail strip. However, it may be the case that the wrong collated nail strip is loaded into the pneumatic nail gun which may result in damage to the tool, decreased production, and increased costs.
Many pneumatic nail guns rely on the operator to determine that the correct collated nail strip has been loaded and are configured to operate correctly only with a particular type of collated nail strip. For instance, one pneumatic nail gun may require the use of clipped-head nails which are collated at one angle while another may require the use of round-head nails which may be collated at another angle. The operator of the particular nail gun is required to know the correct relationship and provide the correct nails. However, it may be the case that the operator wishes to employ both types of nails or nails collated at various angles on a particular job and is unable to do so with a typical nail gun.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a way of effectively enabling a variety of nail types, collated at a variety of angles to be used with a pneumatic nail gun.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a nail loading assembly, such as an adjustable angle magazine, that enables a pneumatic nail gun to utilize a variety of nail types. In a first aspect of the present invention, a nail loading assembly for coupling with a nail driving assembly of a nail gun is provided. The nail loading assembly comprises a housing, which may be coupled with a cover, the housing stores and provides nails to the nail driving assembly. Coupled with the housing is a universal adapter assembly which enables the pivoting coupling of the housing with the nail driving assembly. The universal adapter assembly provides the ability for a range of adjustments by the housing relative to the nail driving assembly allowing the nail gun to be variously configured as contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
In a second aspect of the present invention, an adjustable angle magazine is provided which adjustably couples to a nail driving assembly of a nail gun. The adjustable angle magazine comprises a housing including a first end and a second end, the housing stores a nail and provides the nail to the nail driving assembly. An adjustment assembly is disposed proximal to the second end of the housing, the adjustment assembly for affixing the position of the housing relative to the nail gun. A universal adapter assembly is coupled to a first end of the adjustable angle magazine and enables the pivoting coupling of the adjustable angle magazine with the nail driving assembly. The fastening assembly and universal adapter assembly enable the adjustable angle magazine to be positioned at various angles relative to the nail driving assembly.
In a third aspect of the present invention, an adjustable angle nail gun is provided. The adjustable angle nail gun comprises a handle with a first end and a second end coupled with a fastening assembly. A nail driving assembly including a driver blade is coupled with the first end of the handle and is for driving a nail. An adjustable angle nose casting assembly is coupled with the nail driving assembly. The adjustable angle nose casting assembly enables the operational engagement of the driver blade with the nail. An adjustable angle magazine for storing and providing the nail is pivotally coupled with the adjustable angle nose casting assembly. A universal adapter assembly is coupled with a first end of the adjustable angle magazine and enables the pivotal coupling of the adjustable angle magazine with the adjustable angle nose casting assembly. An adjustment assembly disposed proximal to the second end of the adjustable angle magazine couples with the fastening assembly. Through the pivotal coupling provided by the universal adapter assembly and the adjustment assembly, the adjustable angle magazine is enabled to be positioned at various angles relative to the adjustable angle nose casting assembly.
The objective of providing a nail gun enabled to utilize a variety of nail types and collation angles is accomplished by the present invention through the utilization of a nail loading assembly which pivotally couples with the nail gun.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Reference may now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Referring generally now to
Referring now to
The adjustable angle magazine 100 provides the operator of a nail gun the ability to use a variety of nail types collated at a variety of angles within the same nail gun. The housing 102 is configured generally to appear as a standard nail gun magazine with the cover 104 slidably coupled with it. The housing 102 may be configured for operation without the cover 104. In alternative embodiments, the housing 102 may be coil-type casing where the connected nails are arranged in a long belt, which winds around a spool. The coil-type casing may be configured in a variety of ways, such as a horizontal coil-type casing or a vertical coil-type casing. The cover 104 may be configured to operate with alternative embodiments, such as the coil-type casing, or may not be included. It is understood that alternative design embodiments of the housing 102 and cover 104 may be employed and do not depart from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
With the cover partially removed in
As shown in the preferred embodiment of
Referring now to
The plurality of angular adjustment sites are engaged by the bolt 134, shown in
In
The sleeve 510 is coupled with an adjustable angle nail loading assembly 514. The adjustable angle nail loading assembly 514 is coupled with an adjustable angle nose casting assembly 518 which is coupled with a casing 520 disposed with a nail driving assembly. A trigger 522 is operably coupled with the nail driving assembly, which is coupled with the handle 504.
It is contemplated that the fastening assembly employed by the present invention may be various configurations, such as a pneumatic system, hydraulic system, alternative mechanical systems, and the like. For example, the fastening assembly may utilize the compressed air provided through the compressor connection assembly by redirecting the flow of a portion of the compressed air into a guage assembly. The guage assembly may include a readout which provides a visual indication to the operator of the angle of the nail loading assembly relative to the adjustable angle nose casting of the adjustable angle nail gun. Further, the guage assembly may include an actuator which may allow the operator of the adjustable angle nail gun to alter the flow of the compressed air into the guage assembly either increasing or decreasing the flow. Alternatively, the guage assembly may provide a bleed-off valve assembly enabling the operator to regulate the release of the compressed air in the guage assembly. Either by increasing and decreasing the air flow or bleeding-off the compressed air the operator may change the angle of the nail loading assembly relative to the adjustable angle nose casting. The guage assembly may control the angle of the nail loading assembly via a piston assembly engaging with a housing of the nail loading assembly. The piston assembly may include a piston engaging a shaft. The shaft may engaged with the housing of the nail loading assembly and as the shaft moves so does the housing. The piston moves the shaft by reacting to changing air pressures within.
An alternative mechanical system may include a ratchet assembly with a hand brake. The hand brake is engaged by the operator and through pressure applied to the band brake the ratchet assembly raises or lowers the housing of the nail loading assembly. For example, the hand brake may include a spring loaded snap joint which provides incremental adjustments of the angle of the housing relative to the adjustable angle nose casting. The spring loaded snap joint engages a multi-position actuator which engages the ratcheting assembly. The hand brake may be disposed on the handle of the nail gun assembly to provide easy access and control over the nail gun assembly during operation of the hand brake.
In an alternative embodiment, the adjustable angle nail gun 500 may be a pneumatic nail gun. Further, the adjustable angle nail gun 500 may be a spring-loaded nail gun assembly. The spring-loaded nail gun assembly utilizing electricity to drive a motor which may engage a spring that drives the hammer (driver blade). In another embodiment, the adjustable angle nail gun 500 may be an electro-magnetic nail gun assembly utilizing a solenoid to provide the driving force to the driver blade. The solenoid may include an electromagnetic coil with a sliding piston inside it. Other embodiments of the solenoid may include a spring assembly to draw the piston back in. In a still further embodiment, the adjustable angle nail gun 500 may be a combustion nail gun assembly utilizing a piston driven by the firing of gas in a combustion chamber to drive the driver blade. It is contemplated that the adjustable angle nail gun may be configured as a motor driven nail gun. Thus, the adjustable angle nail gun may be configured with electric motors and the like. Further, the motors may include clutch assemblies for providing the needed force to operate the driver blade and drive a nail. The configuration of the motor and clutch assemblies employed may vary as contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Further, the adjustable angle magazine of the present invention may be disposed with various other devices and mechanisms. These may include a pick-off pivot assembly, an articulating pusher assembly, a nail checker assembly, a nail lockout assembly, a nail spacing verifier assembly, a nail shank pawl assembly, and a pinion nail verifier assembly. Additionally, the adjustable angle magazine may be enabled as a top-loading mechanism, a side-loading mechanism, and the like as may be contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
A universal adapter assembly 600 is shown in
The transition plate 612 provides a connection to the nail loading assembly 614, which is similar to the nail loading assembly 100 described previously. The transition plate 612 may engage with the nail loading assembly to securely affix the seating member. The rail member 604 provides further connection to a nail loading assembly. The rail member 604 couples along a side of the nail loading assembly 614. In the exemplary embodiments shown, the rail member 604 is disposed with a first fastening point 614 and a second fastening point 616. Preferably, the first and second fastening point 614 and 616 are apertures through the rail member 604. The apertures allow a fastener, such as a bolt, screw, clip, pin, and the like, to affix the rail member 604 to a surface, such as a nail loading assembly.
Referring now to
Referring generally now to
The adjustable angle nose casting assembly 800 operationally couples with the seating member 602 of the universal adapter assembly 600 within a cradle 804, as shown in
The adjustable angle nose casting assembly 800 is further disposed with a cradle fastening assembly comprising a pin 806, a first pin receiver 808, and a second pin receiver 810. In the preferred embodiment, it is seen that the pin 806 is enabled to be inserted into and removed from the first and second pin receiver 808 and 810. As seen in
It is understood that while a preferred embodiment of the cradle fastening assembly has been described, other configurations may be employed without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, the cradle fastening assembly may employ two pins for engaging through the first and second pin receivers. Alternatively, the first and second pin receivers may comprise a spring loaded assembly which engages with the pin. In such an embodiment, the pin or pins may be enabled to remain in the first and second pin receivers and still allow the first and second arms to be inserted and removed from the cradle 804.
An expanded view of the coupling of the adjustable angle nail loading assembly with the adjustable angle nose casting assembly 800, is shown in
A support assembly comprising a first support member 1104 and a second support member 1106 disposed on a housing 1102 of an adjustable angle nail loading assembly, is shown in
In the alternative the first and second support members may be coupled to the first and second support bars and include a mechanism for concomitant adjustment when the adjustment assembly is re-adjusted. For example, a worm drive assembly may be employed that allows for movement to adjust and then locks in place when the desired position has been reached. Alternatively, a compression lock assembly may be employed to accomplish the same re-positioning enabled by the adjustment assembly in combination with the nail gun fastening assembly discussed previously.
It is believed that the adjustable angle magazine of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages may be understood by the forgoing description. It is also believed that it may be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/411,563, filed on Sep. 18, 2002, and the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/471,641, filed on May 19, 2003. The U.S. Provisional Application 60/411,563 and 60/471,641 are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4688710 | Massari et al. | Aug 1987 | A |
4949780 | Chen | Aug 1990 | A |
D323835 | Leu | Feb 1992 | S |
5241888 | Chen | Sep 1993 | A |
D351605 | Chen | Oct 1994 | S |
D368701 | Foy | Apr 1996 | S |
5579975 | Moorman | Dec 1996 | A |
5653371 | Hou | Aug 1997 | A |
D386192 | Chen | Nov 1997 | S |
5694714 | Basso et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
D389494 | Chen | Jan 1998 | S |
D391585 | Chen | Mar 1998 | S |
D393648 | Chen | Apr 1998 | S |
5778747 | Chen | Jul 1998 | A |
5778752 | Chen | Jul 1998 | A |
D397343 | Chen | Aug 1998 | S |
5836501 | Lai | Nov 1998 | A |
5881941 | Lai | Mar 1999 | A |
5924621 | Hung | Jul 1999 | A |
5934539 | Lee | Aug 1999 | A |
6012622 | Weinger et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6024268 | Horng-Lin | Feb 2000 | A |
6024269 | Ho et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6059166 | Ho et al. | May 2000 | A |
6059167 | Ho et al. | May 2000 | A |
6089436 | Ho et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6149046 | Ho et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6170729 | Lin | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6170730 | Lin | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6173963 | Ho et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
D442190 | Chen | May 2001 | S |
6264085 | Ho et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6290115 | Chen | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6296168 | Hung | Oct 2001 | B1 |
D453345 | Chen | Feb 2002 | S |
6392381 | Chen | May 2002 | B1 |
6394332 | Akiba | May 2002 | B1 |
6397954 | Liu | Jun 2002 | B1 |
6431428 | Chen | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6651862 | Driscoll et al. | Nov 2003 | B1 |
6880739 | Zhu | Apr 2005 | B1 |
6892921 | Beville | May 2005 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60411563 | Sep 2002 | US | |
60471641 | May 2003 | US |