Patent Grant
7703649
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to collations for delivering fasteners to a fastener driving tool, particular to collations for holding fasteners of various lengths.
2. Description of the Related Art
Different construction applications may require different fastener lengths. Prior collations typically hold the fasteners proximate their heads regardless of overall fastener length, so that long fasteners typically have a long shank portion below the collation and short fasteners typically have a short shank portion below the collation. Tools for driving fasteners typically have an opening into the drive bore long enough for long shank portions so that a user may use the same tool for both the short fasteners and the long fasteners. However, a long drive bore opening provides an exit that allows short shank portions of short fasteners to tip or angle into the opening as short fasteners are driven, also known as “diving back” or “tumbling” into the magazine. Diving back may cause inaccurate driving of the fastener, jamming of the tool, or damage to the tool due to the large forces needed to drive the fasteners into the substrate. These problems are exacerbated when combustion-powered tools are used to drive fasteners into concrete or steel.
What is needed are collations that accommodate fasteners of various lengths while overcoming the problems of the prior art.
A collation for transporting a plurality of fasteners along rails disposed within a magazine of a fastener driving tool is provided having a plurality of sleeves for supporting and carrying the plurality of fasteners through the magazine, each of the plurality of sleeves having a front and a predetermined length of between about ¼ and about 0.4 inch, each of the plurality of fasteners having a predetermined fastener length of between about ¾ inch and about 1½ inch and a tip located at a predetermined position from about 0.05 inch behind front of sleeve to about ½ inch beyond the front of sleeve. A plurality of frangible bridges integrally connect the sleeves together in a serial array and facilitate the separation of a leading one of the plurality of sleeves from remaining ones of the plurality of serially arranged sleeves when a drive member of the fastener driving tool drives a leading one of the plurality of fasteners disposed within the leading one of the plurality of sleeves. Each sleeve includes a plurality of protrusions for engaging rails in the magazine.
A system of collations for supplying fasteners of at least two different lengths to a fastener driving tool is provided. A plurality of first collations each have a plurality of sleeves each having a front, wherein the sleeves hold first fasteners having a tip located at a predetermined position relative to said sleeve front, and a plurality of second collations each have a plurality of second sleeves each having a front, wherein the second sleeves hold second fasteners having a tip located at the same predetermined position relative to the front of second sleeve, wherein the second fasteners are of a different length than the first fasteners.
These and other features and advantages are evident from the following description of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Turning to
As shown in
Tool 10 drives fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c for fastening a work piece 4 to a substrate 2. Preferably, tool 10 is designed for fastening work piece 4 to a hard substrate 2, such as concrete or steel used in commercial construction. Work piece 4 may be thin, such as thin sheet steel, or work piece 4 may be relatively thick, such as plywood. In one embodiment, tool 10 is used to drive fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c to anchor metal tracking, see
1 Tool Overview
Returning to
Tool 10 may also include a combustion chamber sleeve 50 mounted in tool body 20 in a sliding manner so that sleeve 50 is movable between an open position (
Continuing with
A resilient buffer 54 is located at leading end 56 of cylinder 26 to protect piston 30 and cylinder 26 from damage by absorbing shock from piston 30. Buffer 54 may be made from a resilient plastic, and preferably is made from urethane or rubber.
Turning to
In one embodiment, nosepiece 36 includes an axially extending generally semi-circular groove which makes up part of drive bore 38. A shear block 60 is mounted to nosepiece 36, wherein shear block 60 also includes an axially extending generally semi-circular groove that corresponds to and is registered with the semi-circular groove of nosepiece 36 so that the semi-circular grooves form drive bore 38 so that both nosepiece 36 and shear block 60 guide fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c and driver blade 32 toward work piece 4 and substrate 2. Preferably, shear block 60 is removable, allowing a user to perform maintenance on tool 10, such as clearing out jams in drive bore 38. Preferably, shear block 60 includes loading opening 40 so that shear block 60 guides fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c into drive bore 38.
2 Collations
Turning to
Each collation 64a, 64b, 64c includes a carrier 65 fabricated from a suitable polymeric material. In one embodiment, carrier 65 is molded from a plastic, and preferably from polypropylene. Carrier 65 comprises a plurality of sleeves 58 arranged substantially in a linear row, wherein each sleeve 58 includes a rear end 72 and a front end 74, with a bore 76 extending between rear end 72 and front end 74 for receiving a corresponding fastener 12a, 12b, 12c. Collation 64a, 64b, 64c is manufactured by first molding carrier 65 of sleeves 58, which are connected together in a row, followed by inserting fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c into sleeves 58 to create collation 64a, 64b, 64c. Adjacent sleeves 58 of collation 64a, 64b, 64c are integrally connected together by at least one bridge 96, 67, and in one embodiment, adjacent sleeves 58 are connected together by an upper bridge 96 and a lower bridge 97.
Preferably, carrier 65 is substantially symmetrical about both a horizontally oriented axis and a vertically oriented axis so that carrier 65 may be properly used within magazine 42 of a fastener driving tool 10 regardless of whether or not the carrier 65 is effectively rotated 180° around either axis so that what was formerly the upper end of a sleeve is now the lower end, and what was formerly the leading sleeve is now the trailing sleeve. Also, symmetrical objects are easier to mold, and hence simplify the process of manufacturing carrier 65. However, carrier 65 can also be unsymmetrical if desired. Collation 64a, 64b, 64c may have between about five and about fifty sleeves 58 arranged in a linear row, preferably between about ten and about twenty sleeves 58, still more preferably about fifteen sleeves 58.
2.1 Fasteners
Continuing with
Fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c which are used for driving into concrete or steel preferably have a shank diameter of between about 1/16 inch and about 3/16 inch, preferably between about 0.1 inch and about 0.15 inch, still more preferably about ⅛ inch and a head diameter of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch, preferably between about 0.2 inch and about 0.3 inch, still more preferably about ¼ inch.
The length FL of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c depends on the desired application. For example, short fasteners 12a, shown in
Longer fasteners, such as medium fasteners 12b, shown in
In one system for use with concrete or steel substrates 2, three sets of collations 64a, 64b, 64c carrying fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c are provided having nominal lengths of ½ inch (short fasteners 12a), ¾ inch (medium fasteners 12b), and 1 inch (long fasteners 12c), so that a user may select which fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c are appropriate for a given application.
2.1.1 Position of Tip
Continuing with
Also, preferably, the predetermined exposed tip length TL between front sleeve end 74 and corresponding fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c is as small as possible without affecting the alignment of fastener 12a, 12b, 12c within sleeve 58 so that sleeve 58 provides guidance to tip 18a, 18b, 18c as fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven toward work surface 6 so that the likelihood that fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c will begin to dive back toward magazine 42 is reduced. The close spacing of front sleeve end 74 and fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c helps prevent fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c from diving back into magazine 42 because it allows tool 10 to be configured to remove the exit path that may allow fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c to exit drive bore 38 through loading opening 40, described below. Also, because of the small predetermined exposed tip length TL, sleeves 58 provide guidance to tips 18a, 18b, 18c as fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven toward work surface 6 so that the likelihood that fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c will begin to dive back toward magazine is reduced. In addition, sleeve 58 aligns tip 18b, 18c of longer fasteners 12b, 12c with axis 28 so that tips 18b, 18c remain centered in bore when the leading sleeve 58 is sheared from the second sleeve 58, and tip 18b, 18c is captured by fastener guide 44.
The predetermined position of tip 18a, 18b, 18c relative to front sleeve end 74 is selected so that tip 18a, 18b, 18c is positioned in a zone relative to front sleeve end 74 between fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c being slightly recessed within bore 76, i.e. about 0.05 inch behind front end 74 and a position that protrudes from sleeve 58 so that an exposed tip length TL is formed. Fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c may be flush with front end 74 or recessed within sleeve bore 76, however, it may be difficult to ensure the alignment of fastener 12a, 12b, 12c and the support of fastener shank 14a, 14b, 14c if tip 18a, 18b, 18c is recessed within bore 76, therefore, for practical reasons, in one embodiment front sleeve end 74 is positioned within this zone so that tip 18a, 18b, 18c has an exposed tip length TL below front sleeve end 74. In one embodiment, the predetermined position of tip 18a, 18b, 18c is located between about 0.1 inch behind front end 74 of sleeve 58 and about ½ inch beyond front end 74, preferably between about 0.05 inch behind front end 74 and about ¼ inch beyond front end 74, and still more preferably so that tip 18a, 18b, 18c has an exposed tip length TL of about 0.2 inch.
In one embodiment, collations 64a, 64b, 64c are manufactured by inserting fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c through sleeve bores 76, and fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c may be placed within a manufacturing tolerance of about 0.025 inch from the desired exposed tip length TL. For example, if the desired exposed tip length TL is about 0.205 inch, then during manufacturing of collations 64a, 64b, 64c, fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c should be placed between about 0.18 inch and about 0.23 inch from front sleeve ends 74.
2.1.2 Exposed Neck Length
Continuing with
Also, for longer fasteners 12b, 12c, it is preferred that the exposed neck length NL be approximately at least as long as exposed tip length TL, and for long fasteners 12c, approximately at least twice as large as exposed tip length TL.
2.2 Sleeves
Continuing with FIGS. 1 and 8A–8C, fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c are collated in a row by collation 64a, 64b, 64c which includes a plurality of collation sleeves 58 connected together in series, wherein each sleeve 58 holds and supports a fastener 12a, 12b, 12c. Collation 64a, 64b, 64c provides a plurality of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c connected together as a single unit, which is easier for a user of tool 10 to manipulate. Collation 64a, 64b, 64c also provides proper spacing between adjacent fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c to ensure that tool 10 only drives one fastener 12a, 12b, 12c at a time. The width across sleeve 58 is preferably about the same as the diameter of fastener heads 16a, 16b, 16c so that both sleeve 58 and fastener head 16a, 16b, 16c help guide fastener 12a, 12b, 12c as it is driven through drive bore 38. Each sleeve may have a width of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch, preferably between about 0.2 inch and about 0.3 inch, still more preferably about 0.27 inch.
Collation 64a, 64b, 64c sequentially feeds fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c through loading opening 40 into drive bore 38 via a magazine 42 so that a leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is positioned within drive bore 38 to be driven by driver blade 32. As the leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven through drive bore 38 by driver blade 32, its corresponding leading sleeve 58 is sheared from a second adjacent sleeve 58. The leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c and sleeve 58 are driven through drive bore 38 toward work surface 6 on work piece 4. As fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven into work piece 4 and substrate 2, sleeve 58 is split apart so that it separates from fastener 12a, 12b, 12c or sleeve 58 becomes trapped under fastener head 16a, 16b, 16c. In one embodiment, each sleeve 58 includes a pair of generally V-shaped notches 73 at rear sleeve end 72 and a pair of generally V-shaped notches 75 at front sleeve end 74 so that fastener 12a, 12b, 12c will readily split sleeve 58 as fastener head 16a, 16b, 16c is driven through sleeve 58. After the leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c has been driven, the spring force of a spring biased follower (not shown) in magazine 42 pushes the second fastener 12a, 12b, 12c into drive bore 38 so that the second fastener 12a, 12b, 12c becomes the leading fastener, and a third fastener becomes the second fastener.
Continuing with
Each sleeve 58 ensures that corresponding fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is coaxially aligned within drive bore 38 of tool 10, so that fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c are driven substantially perpendicularly with respect to work surface 6, otherwise fastener 12a, 12b, 12c may bend or be driven crooked, preventing proper fastening of work piece 4 to substrate 2, or fastener 12a, 12b, 12c may ricochet off of the substrate 2 due to the hardness of substrate 2 and the force in which fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven.
Each fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is inserted through a corresponding sleeve 58 of carrier 65 so that fastener 12a, 12b, 12c has a predetermined exposed tip length TL from front end 74 of the corresponding sleeve 58, and head 16a, 16b, 16c is spaced a predetermined distance NL from rear end 72 of the corresponding sleeve 58. Each sleeve 58 has a predetermined axial length that is long enough to properly align and support fastener 12a, 12b, 12c, yet not so long as to be overly expensive. In one embodiment, the predetermined axial length of each sleeve 58 is between about ⅛ inch and about ½ inch, preferably between about ¼ inch and about 0.4 inch, still more preferably about 0.32 inch. In one embodiment, each sleeve 58 includes a plurality of protrusions, such as collars 78, 80, integrally provided upon sleeve 58 for engaging rails 86 within magazine 42.
Sleeves 58 may be formed into one of many geometric shapes, including cylindrical, but in one embodiment, shown in
Continuing with
Preferably, upper and lower collars 78, 80 each include a rail engaging member or projection 82, 84 for engaging rails 86 of magazine 42. In one embodiment, projections 82, 84 protrude toward each other into channels 92. A pair of upper projections 82 protrudes downwardly from upper collar 78, while a pair of lower projections 84 protrudes upwardly from lower collar 80, so that upper projections 82 protrude toward lower projections 84, and lower projections 84 protrude toward upper projections 82. Each upper projections 82 is generally vertically aligned with a corresponding lower projection 84, and conversely each lower projections 84 is generally vertically aligned with a corresponding upper projection 82, so that a space is defined between upper projections 82 and lower projections 84 within which rails 86 of magazine 42 may be accommodated.
In one embodiment, each projection 82, 84 has a substantially pyramidal configuration so that each projection 82, 84 includes a contact tip region 83, 85 for engaging a surface portion of one of magazine rails 86. Preferably, each contact tip region 83, 85 comprises a substantially point-type radiused contact region for engaging rail 86 of magazine 42 so that the frictional forces generated between collation 64a, 64b, 64c and rails 86 are effectively reduced as much as possible so that the conveyance of collation 64a, 64b, 64c through magazine 42 is as smooth as possible to avoid hang-ups.
3 Magazine
Turning to
Magazine 42 includes guidance means that extend between feed end 66 and exit end 68, which preferably is provided with at least two guidance formations, a first guidance formation 100 configured for engaging fastener collation 64a, 64b, 64c at a first location on collation 64a, 64b, 64c, and a second guidance formation 102 configured for engaging collation 64a, 64b, 64c at a second location on collation 64a, 64b, 64c.
Magazine 42 facilitates loading of collations 64a, 64b, 64c so that they do not become caught or jammed in magazine 42, and guiding collation 64a, 64b, 64c to loading opening 40. In this way, magazine 42 defines a feed passageway 104 which extends the full length of magazine 42 from feed end 66 to exit end 68. A first guidance zone 106, which includes first guidance formation 100, begins at feed end 66 and is configured for engaging collation 64a, 64b, 64c at front sleeve ends 74.
3.1 First Guidance Formation
As shown in
First guidance formation includes a pair of shoulders 110 that project laterally into feed passageway 104 to provide a track for front sleeve ends 74. Front sleeve ends 74 slidably ride on shoulders 110 while fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c extends axially between shoulders 110 into a tip channel 112 of feed passageway 104. As described above, it may be desirable to have fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c be flush with front end 74 or recessed within sleeve bore 76. In this case, a pair of shoulders may not be necessary, but instead a single guidance surface extending across the lower end of feed passageway 104 that supports front sleeve end 74 may be used. The alignment of collation 64a, 64b, 64c is maintained by the spacing between shoulders 110, which allows limited lateral movement of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c, and hence limited lateral movement of collation 64a, 64b, 64c.
In one embodiment, shown in
Preferably, shoulders 110 extend toward feed end 66 of magazine 42 farther than rails 114a, 114b, as shown in
3.2 Second Guidance Formation
Turning to
In one embodiment, shown in
4 Loading Opening
Turning now to
Collations 64a, 64b, 64c may have a substantially uniform exposed tip length TL of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c, regardless of the length FL of fastener 12a, 12b, 12c being used. Uniform exposed tip length TL only requires loading opening 40 to be long enough below sleeve 58 to allow fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c to pass through loading opening 40. Therefore, loading opening 40 accommodates heads 16a, 16b, 16c of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c having various lengths by being long enough above collation sleeves 58 to allow for fastener heads 16a, 16b, 16c located at different positions relative to sleeves 58. The length of the channel 124 of loading opening 40 that accommodates tip 18a, 18b, 18c only needs to be long enough to allow the uniform length of fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c that extend below lower end of collation sleeve 58, which effectively eliminates the exit of short fastener tips 18a so that they may be prevented from diving back into magazine 42.
Continuing with
4.1 Tip Channel of Loading Opening
Continuing with
Uniform exposed tip length TL of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c, along with tip channel depth TCD of tip channel 124 of loading opening 40, allow tool 10 to discourage dive back of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c into magazine 42 because fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c do not have enough space or time to angle toward magazine 42 to pass back through loading opening 40. Even if fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c starts to dive back toward magazine 42, it is redirected by drive bore 38 toward work surface 6.
In one embodiment, the depth TCD of tip channel 124 in loading opening 40 is larger than the uniform exposed tip length TL, but tip channel depth TCD should be as close to the uniform exposed tip length TL as possible to ensure that there is not enough space to form an exit for fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c. In one embodiment, tip channel depth TCD is longer than the uniform exposed tip length TL by just enough to account for the expected manufacturing tolerance of the positioning of fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c. In one embodiment, fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c may be inserted into sleeves 58 so that the exposed tip length TL is within about 0.025 inch of the desired uniform exposed tip length TL. For example, if the desired uniform exposed tip length TL is about 0.205 inch, than during manufacturing of collations 64a, 64b, 64c, fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c should be placed between about 0.18 inch and about 0.23 inch from front sleeve ends 74. Therefore, in order to accommodate fasteners tips 18a, 18b, 18c in a collation 64a, 64b, 64c where the desired uniform exposed tip length TL is 0.205 inch, the predetermined channel depth TCD of tip channel 124 is preferably slightly larger than about 0.23 inch, e.g. about 0.235 inch, to ensure that tip channel 124 is longer than the longest expected exposed tip length TL while still having a close clearance between fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c and forward end 128 of tip channel 124.
The predetermined channel depth TCD of tip channel 124 is preferably between about 0 inch, i.e. so that tip channel 124 and main channel 120 are one and the same for the situation where fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c are flush with front sleeve ends 74 or recessed within bore 76, and about 0.55 inch, more preferably between about 0.15 inch and about 0.275 inch, still more preferably about 0.235 inch. Because of the importance of the close clearance between fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c and loading opening 40, it is important that the manufacturing tolerance of exposed tip length TL be tightly controlled because the smaller the manufacturing tolerance, the closer the clearance between fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c and loading opening 40 is, the less likely that fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c will dive back through loading opening 40.
4.2 Main Channel of Loading Opening
Continuing with
Rails 130 are aligned with rails 86 so that as magazine 42 feeds fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c and sleeves 58 to loading opening 40, collation 64a, 64b, 64c remains properly positioned with respect to loading opening 40 so that collation 64a, 64b, 64c is not hung up and so that fastener tips 18a, 18b, 18c are positioned properly with respect to tip channel 124 of loading opening 40. In addition to engaging projections 82, 84, rails 130 may also protrude laterally inwardly far enough so that they engage fastener shank 14a, 14b, 14c within a close clearance in order to further axially align fastener 12a, 12b, 12c.
As with shoulders 126 supporting front end 74 of second sleeve 58b, rails 130 support the second sleeve 58 by engaging and supporting projections 82, 84 so that the leading sleeve 58 is cleanly sheared as the leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven. Because rails 130 are engaged between projections 82, 84, they support the second sleeve 58 even when tool 10 is used in an inverted position.
Like rails 86 of magazine 42, preferably rails 130 have a thickness that is approximately equal to the distance between projections 82, 84, within a small clearance, so that the second sleeve 58 is prevented from skewing upwardly or downwardly. In one embodiment, wherein the distance between upper projections 82 and lower projections 84 is about 0.097 inch, the thickness of rails 130 is about 0.091 inch, so that there is an average clearance of about 0.003 inch on either side between rails 130 and projections 82, 84.
As shown in
As described above, preferably loading opening 40 is located though shear block 60. In one embodiment, shear block 60 has a thickness ST, so that shoulders 126, and rails 130, 136a, and 136b have a length through shear block 60 so that shoulders 126 and rails 130 support a substantial portion of second sleeve 58, and preferably all of second sleeve 58, still more preferably all of second sleeve 58 and a substantial portion of a third sleeve 58 (see
5 Fastener Guide
Turning back to
In one embodiment, fastener guide 44 is generally cylindrical in shape with a generally cylindrical bore 138 extending through fastener guide 44 between a rear end 140 and a front end 144. Fastener guide bore 138 includes a portion 142 at rear end 140 of fastener guide 44 that is tapered toward axis 28 to guide a driven fastener 12a, 12b, 12c toward bore 138 in the event that fastener tip 18a, 18b, 18c becomes angled away from axis 28 of tool. Bore 138 may also include a tapered portion 146 at front end 144 in order to provide space for portions of sleeve 58 that split away from fastener 12a, 12b, 12c as fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven into work piece 4 and substrate 2.
Fastener guide 44 is movable between an extended position, shown in
For this reason, fastener guide 44 is configured so that it remains in abutment with work piece 4 when tool body 20 and nosepiece 36 recoil due to firing of tool 10. Fastener guide 44 is free to move independent of nosepiece 36 and shear block between the extended position and the retracted position, so that as nosepiece 36 recoils, fastener guide 44 is moved from the retracted position to the extended position. A spring (not shown) may also be included to bias fastener guide 44 toward the extended position to ensure that fastener guide 44 does not recoil as tool body recoils, but rather remains abutted against work piece 4.
Because fastener guide 44 is separate from nosepiece 36 and shear block 60, and because fastener guide 44 moves independently of nosepiece 36 and shear block 60 as fastener guide 44 moves from the extended position to the retracted position, tool 10 has a loading opening 40 that is stationary with respect to magazine 42 so that there is a fixed loading position of fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c with respect to subsequent collations 64a, 64b, 64c. A fixed loading position with respect to magazine 42 allows a user to push fastener guide 44 against work surface 6 multiple times before firing without moving the leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c and sleeve 58 up or down within drive bore 38, so that there is reduced risk of the second fastener 12a, 12b, 12c being loaded into drive bore 38 before the leading fastener 12a, 12b, 12c is driven.
Continuing with
Continuing with
Fastener guide 44 may be slidably mounted to nosepiece 36 or shear block 60 so that fastener guide 44 does not fall out of engagement with tool 10. In one embodiment, fastener guide 44 includes an axially extending groove 154 that extends for a predetermined distance along the outside surface 156 of fastener guide 44, wherein groove 154 accepts a key 158 of shear block 60 that is inserted into groove 154 when shear block 60 is mounted to nosepiece 36. When fastener guide 44 is in the extended position, key 158 is positioned so that it engages rear end 160 of groove 154, as shown in
6 Collation and Tool System
A system for fastening a work piece 4 to a substrate 2 is provided, wherein the system includes a first collation 64a having a plurality of sleeves 58 holding fasteners 12a each having a predetermined exposed tip length TL, a second collation 64b having a plurality of sleeves 58 holding fasteners 12b each having substantially the same predetermined exposed tip length TL, wherein fasteners 12b are of different length FL than fasteners 12a. Fastener driving tool 10 includes a tool body 20 having a forward end 22, a rear end 24, and a cylinder 26 with an axis 28. A piston 30 is mounted within cylinder 26, and a power source, such as combustion chamber 34 for combusting fuel, is provided to drive piston 30 axially forwardly. A driver blade 32 extends axially forwardly from piston 30, and a nosepiece 36 extends axially forwardly from forward end 22 of tool body 20. Nosepiece 36 encloses a drive bore 38 for guiding fasteners 12a and driver blade 32 forwardly, wherein there is a loading opening 40 into drive bore 38, wherein loading opening 40 has a main channel 120 and a tip channel 124 having a depth TCD that is slightly larger than the exposed tip length TL so that there is a small clearance though which the tips 18a can pass.
The system my further include a third collation 64c with sleeves 58 holding fasteners 12c, wherein fasteners 12b also have tips 18b with substantially the same predetermined exposed tip length TL as collations 64a and 64c so that the clearance of tip channel 124 is large enough for tips 18b also. Fasteners 12c of third collation 64c are of different length than fasteners 12a and 12b
A system of collations 64a, 64b, 64c having fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c of different lengths FL, but with substantially the same exposed tip length TL, along with tool 10 having loading opening 40 with tip channel 124 having a depth that is slightly larger than the predetermined exposed tip length TL, allows a user of the system to have the tool and fasteners that are needed for various applications that are readily available. For example, a user may need short fasteners 12a (
7 Method of Selecting and Driving Fastener
A method of selecting and driving a fastener 12a, 12b, 12c for a particular application is provided comprising the steps of providing a first collation 64a of a plurality of sleeves 58 holding first fasteners, such as short fasteners 12a each having a tip 18a with a predetermined exposed tip length TL below front sleeve end 74, providing a second collation 64c of a plurality of sleeves 58 each holding a corresponding second fastener, such as long fasteners 12c each having a tip 18c with substantially the same predetermined exposed tip length TL below front end 74, wherein fasteners 12c are longer than fasteners 12a, wherein short fasteners 12a and long fasteners 12c are adapted to be serially and individually driven through drive bore 38 of fastener driving tool 10 by a drive member, such as driver blade 32, so as to be discharged from tool 10, there being a loading opening 40 into drive bore 38 having a main channel 120 and a tip channel 124 providing a small clearance through which tips 18a or tips 18c can pass, the main channel 120 of loading opening 40 being long enough to accommodate short fasteners 12a and long fasteners 12c, selecting one of first collation 64a or second collation 64c for the desired length FL of fastener 12a, 12c for a particular application (i.e. short fastener 12a for a thin work piece 4, long fastener 12c for a thick plywood work piece), feeding the fasteners 12a, 12c of the selected collation 64a, 64c through loading opening 40, and driving the fasteners 12a, 12c of the selected collation 64a, 64c with driver blade 32.
The method also may include the step of providing a third collation 64b of a plurality of sleeves 58 each holding a third fastener, such as medium fastener 12b having a tip 18b with substantially the same predetermined exposed tip length TL below front end 74, wherein fastener 12b is longer than short fasteners 12a, but shorter than long fasteners 12c. This method also includes the step of selecting any one of the first collation 64a of short fasteners 12a, the second collation 64b of medium fasteners 12b, or the third collation 64c of long fasteners 12c, and feeding the fasteners 12a, 12b, 12c of the selected collation 64a, 64b, 64c to drive bore 38.
In one aspect, the method includes a step of determining which of the short fasteners 12a, medium fasteners 12b, or long fasteners 12c should be used for a particular application. This determining step may be determined by experimentation, experience, or professional judgment on the part of the user of tool 10. For example, it has been learned through previous testing that long fastener 12c having a fastener length FL of about 1 inch may not be ideal for fastening a thin metal work piece 4, like metal tracking, to a hard substrate 2, such as concrete or steel, as described above, so that short fastener 12a having a length FL of about ½ inch may be preferred. In contrast, short fastener 12a may not be long enough to extend through a thicker work piece, such as a ¾ inch thick plywood substrate, so that long fastener 12c may be preferred for the latter application.
In summary, a fastener driving tool according to the present invention allows a user to drive fasteners of various lengths while reducing the risk of shorter fasteners diving back into the magazine and jamming or damaging the tool, while improving guidance of longer fasteners. The tool may provide a telescoping nosepiece that remains abutted against the work surface when the rest of the tool recoils due to the firing of the tool while providing a fixed loading position. Collations according to the present invention allow fasteners of various lengths to be driven by a fastener driving tool while reducing the risk of shorter fasteners diving back into the magazine and jamming or damaging the tool.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific exemplary embodiment and method herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment and method, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
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