Patent Application
20150197000
The present invention relates to fastener driving tools, and more particularly to a nailing device for driving fasteners through hardwood planks in tight corners in order to secure them to a subfloor.
Hardwood flooring generally consists of a number of elongated tongue-and-groove type planks individually fitted close to one another and then fastened in position to a subjacent subfloor. To fasten these hardwood planks to the subfloor of a room composed for example of plywood plates or floor joists, it is known to manually use a mallet-operated nailer. Such a nailer generally comprises a main body with a floor-engageable flat shoe mounted to its bottom surface, upon which the tool rests against a hardwood plank prior to discharging a fastener in the latter. Such a nailer also comprises a magazine holding fasteners such as straight metallic L- or T-shaped barbed straight cleats or U-shaped straight staples, and feeding them to a fastener discharge mechanism. With such manual nailers, to fasten a hardwood plank to the subfloor, a workman has to lay the nailer onto a hardwood plank, and then use a mallet to strike an anvil member of the fastener discharge mechanism. When a mallet strikes the anvil member of the tool, a straight and elongated plunger of the fastener discharge mechanism is axially actuated to strike a cleat held in the magazine, this cleat being then forcibly ejected out of the tool.
In order to hide the nail heads, some nailers drive the fasteners through the plank and into the subfloor in an oblique direction, as opposed to being driven in the planks vertically. This is called “blind nailing”.
However, known nailers driving fasteners in an oblique fashion in hardwood planks reach with difficulty areas very close to upright walls. The hardwood planks located parallel to an upright wall in closely spaced fashion cannot be anchored to the subfloor using such nailers, and the fasteners must instead be driven vertically, e.g. using a manual hammer and nail, into the hardwood plank edge portions adjacent to walls.
The invention described in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,105 issued Dec. 4, 2007 relates to a nailer for hardwood flooring capable of working directly against an upright wall, but is limited to fasteners being originally arcuate in shape to start with. One drawback of this prior art patent was complexity of its operating mechanism.
A problem with conventional pneumatic nailers is that their nail driver rod must necessarily follow an axially aligned travel path for 100% of their travelling direction, due to the limitation of the straight nailer guide plates. This is a drawback when using straight nails with a nailer, very close to or against an upright wall or other obstacle over the work surface.
In one embodiment of the invention, a nailer is provided for securing planks to a subfloor or other structure in tight places using fasteners, said nailer comprising: a main body defining a fastener discharge mouth; fastener ejection means operatively mounted in said nailer main body for accommodating passage of a fastener, the fastener having a head at one end and an opposite tip, said fastener ejection means opening outwardly of said nailer at said fastener discharge mouth; an elongated straight push rod, defining an inner end thereof operatively mounted to said fastener ejection means, and defining an outer end portion thereof for freely axially engaging the fastener head, said push rod movable between first and second limit positions, including an intermediate position between said first and second limit positions; wherein said push rod moves rectilinearly between said first and intermediate positions thereof but said push rod outer end portion tilts laterally away when moving in a non-rectilinear fashion between said intermediate and second limit positions thereof; and a plunger actuator nested in said main body and operatively connected to said inner end portion of said push rod, wherein said plunger actuator can be selectively activated for moving said push rod between its said first and second limit positions; wherein upon activation of said plunger actuator, said push rod will move along said fastener ejection means from said first limit position towards said second limit position to forcibly strike the fastener head, wherein between said intermediate position and said second limit position, the push rod outer end portion will be ejected out of said nailer through said fastener discharge mouth and into a subjacent workpiece.
In one embodiment, said fastener ejection means could consist of a fastener ejection channel made in said nailer main body, said fastener ejection channel being formed in between a pair of first and second registering guide plates spacedly mounted parallel to one another for accommodating therebetween passage of a fastener, said first guide plate defining a planar first intermediate section and a planar inner end portion having a lengthwise slider mounting means and an outer end portion defining an arcuate first flange crossing the plane of said first intermediate section, said second guide plate defining a planar second intermediate section having an outer end portion defining an arcuate second flange crossing the plane of said first main body away from said first guide plate and generally parallel to said first flange; said elongated straight push rod, partially nested at an inner end thereof in said fastener ejection channel slider mounting means, said push rod movable along said fastener ejection channel between first and second limit positions; a lengthwise notch further extending along said second guide plate intermediate section and opening into said second flange and sized and shaped to accommodate transverse passage of said outer end portion of said push rod, wherein said push rod outer end portion tilts laterally away from said first guide plate when moving in said non-rectilinear fashion between said intermediate and second limit positions thereof; wherein upon activation of said plunger actuator, the push rod outer end portion will become laterally dynamically deflected by said first flange transversely of the plane of said first guide plate intermediate section and will move through said second guide plate notch and biasing the fastener to escape through said fastener discharge mouth to be ejected out of said nailer through said fastener discharge mouth and into a subjacent workpiece. Said slider mounting means could then define an ovoidal slot made into said first intermediate section of said first guide plate, and a slider carriage operatively slidingly mounting said push rod inner end for relative movement to said ovoidal slot.
In another embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a nailer for securing planks to a subfloor or other structure in tight places using fasteners, said nailer comprising: a main body defining a fastener discharge mouth; a fastener ejection channel made in said nailer main body, said fastener ejection channel being formed in between a pair of first and second registering guide plates spacedly mounted parallel to one another for accommodating therebetween passage of a fastener, the fastener having a head at one end and an opposite tip, said fastener ejection channel opening outwardly of said nailer at said fastener discharge mouth, said first guide plate defining a planar first intermediate section and a planar inner end portion having a lengthwise slider mounting means and an outer end portion defining an arcuate first flange crossing the plane of said first intermediate section, said second guide plate defining a planar second intermediate section having an outer end portion defining an arcuate second flange crossing the plane of said first main body away from said first guide plate and generally parallel to said first flange; fastener push means, for freely axially engaging the fastener head, and a plunger actuator nested in said main body and operatively connected to said fastener push means; wherein upon activation of said plunger actuator, said fastener push means will bias the fastener to escape through said fastener discharge mouth to be ejected out of said nailer through said fastener discharge mouth and into a subjacent workpiece.
In this latter embodiment, said fastener push means could then consist of an elongated straight push rod, partially nested at an inner end thereof in said fastener ejection channel slider mounting means, and defining an outer end portion thereof for freely axially engaging the fastener head, said push rod movable along said fastener ejection channel between first and second limit positions, including an intermediate position between said first and second limit positions; a lengthwise notch further extending along said second guide plate intermediate section and opening into said second flange and sized and shaped to accommodate transverse passage of said outer end portion of said push rod, wherein said push rod moves rectilinearly between said first and intermediate positions thereof but said push rod outer end portion tilts laterally away from said first guide plate when moving in non-rectilinear fashion between said intermediate and second limit positions thereof; said plunger actuator nested in said main body being operatively connected to said inner end portion of said push rod, wherein said plunger can be selectively activated for moving said push rod between its said first and second limit positions; wherein upon activation of said plunger actuator, said push rod will move along said fastener ejection channel from said first limit position towards said second limit position to forcibly strike the fastener head, wherein between said intermediate position and said second limit position, the push rod outer end portion will become laterally dynamically deflected by said first flange transversely of the plane of said first guide plate intermediate section and will move through said second guide plate notch and biasing the fastener to escape through said fastener discharge mouth to be ejected out of said nailer through said fastener discharge mouth and into a subjacent workpiece. Said slider mounting means could then define an ovoidal slot made into said first intermediate section of said first guide plate, and a slider carriage operatively slidingly mounting said push rod inner end for relative movement to said ovoidal slot.
In still another embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed use of a nailer for securing hardwood flooring planks to a subfloor in tight places using fasteners, said nailer comprising: a main body defining a fastener discharge mouth; a fastener ejection channel made in said nailer main body, said fastener ejection channel being formed in between a pair of first and second registering guide plates spacedly mounted parallel to one another for accommodating therebetween passage of a fastener, the fastener having a head at one end and an opposite tip, said fastener ejection channel opening outwardly of said nailer at said fastener discharge mouth, said first guide plate defining a planar first intermediate section and a planar inner end portion having a lengthwise slider mounting means and an outer end portion defining an arcuate first flange crossing the plane of said first intermediate section, said second guide plate defining a planar second intermediate section having an outer end portion defining an arcuate second flange crossing the plane of said first main body away from said first guide plate and generally parallel to said first flange; an elongated straight push rod, partially nested at an inner end thereof in said fastener ejection channel slider mounting means, and defining an outer end portion thereof for freely axially engaging the fastener head, said push rod movable along said fastener ejection channel between first and second limit positions, including an intermediate position between said first and second limit positions; a lengthwise notch further extending along said second guide plate intermediate section and opening into said second flange and sized and shaped to accommodate transverse passage of said outer end portion of said push rod, wherein said push rod moves rectilinearly between said first and intermediate positions thereof but said push rod outer end portion tilts laterally away from said first guide plate when moving in non-rectilinear fashion between said intermediate and second limit positions thereof; and a plunger actuator nested in said main body and operatively connected to said inner end portion of said push rod and movable along an axial channel defining a direction of displacement thereof, wherein upon actuation of said plunger actuator, said plunger actuator moves said push rod between its said first and second limit positions and said push rod forcibly strikes the fastener head, wherein between said intermediate position and said second limit position, the push rod outer end portion becomes laterally dynamically deflected by said first flange transversely of the plane of said first guide plate intermediate section and moves through said second guide plate notch and biases the fastener to escape through said fastener discharge mouth to be ejected out of said nailer through said fastener discharge mouth and into a subjacent workpiece.
In this latter embodiment, said fastener could be ejected through said fastener ejection channel in a direction diverging from said axial channel direction of displacement of said plunger actuator.
One general feature of the present invention is the simplicity in the manufacturing process of the nailer.
The above, as well as other advantages of the present disclosure, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, particularly when considered in the light of the drawings described herein.
The following detailed description and appended drawings describe and illustrate various embodiments of the invention. The description and drawings serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. In respect of the methods disclosed, the steps presented are exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps is not necessary or critical.
A number of nails 20 can be serially linked by flatly successively abutting the nails on their flat surfaces and attaching them by means of known frangible joints, to form a planar nail cartridge 28 of known configuration. The nail cartridge made from a plurality of such L-shaped nails can be loaded into a nailer, for allowing the nails to be successively detached and used one at a time.
In
The front portion of nailer 30 comprises an elongated front plate 50 and a shorter rear plate 52, all attached to the nailer column 34 by means of guiding pins and bolts 55 extending transversely therethrough, wherein plates 50 and 52 are in spaced register with one another. Plates 50, 52, form guide plates for the fasteners 20. Front plate 50 is shaped and sized to conform to the front of body 34 at its narrower upper portion 50A. A nail ejection channel 53 (
Preferably, front plate 50 is forwardly offset relative to the lengthwise plane of actuator plunger 40, to reduce the likelihood of a user accidentally striking adjacent upright wall with user's mallet. Rear plate 52 has a downwardly opening notch 52A, sized and shaped wherein the lower portion of driver rod 42 is slidingly engageable therethrough. The bottom edges of guide plates 50, 52, each form a rearwardly downwardly inclined arcuate flange 54, 56, respectively, complementary to one another and a nail ejection mouth 58 being defined at the bottom end of notch 52A between flanges 54 and 56, through which nails are to be expelled away from nailer 30. Flanges 54, 56, are in spaced register with one another and form together an anvil member, which will bias the nail 20 to tilt away from the original driving axis of drive rod 42, as will be detailed hereinbelow.
Upper portion 52A of front guide plate 50 includes an ovoidal slot 60, guidingly receiving a transverse coupling element 61 integral to the top enlarged integral ear 42A of driver rod 42. Driver rod 42 further defines a thinner lower portion 42B, between wider main portion 42 and enlarged bottom end portion 44.
In use, the lead nail 20 of the nail cartridge 28 is initially located and positioned as shown in
As the nail 20 and driver rod 42 move downwardly coaxially with the longitudinal axis of plunger actuator 40, the nail bottom tip 24 will come to eventually engage with flange 54. The bottom portion of nail 20 will thereafter become deflected laterally away from the main body of guide plate 50 and towards registering guide plate 52. Driver rod 42 will move downwardly therewith, with the driver rod head 42A slidingly mounted for relative movement to ovoidal slot 60 by connector 61. As laterally deflected nail 20 moves further downwardly, the lower thinner recess section 42B of driver rod 42 will also become laterally deflected and will transversely engage through registering notch 52A of guide plate 52 to follow the offset ejected travel axis of nail 20, i.e. diverging off axis relative to said longitudinal axis of plunger actuator 40, while the upper larger section of driver rod 42 remains within said longitudinal axis of actuator 40.
It is thus understood that during successive ejections of nails, plunger actuator 40 will remain axially aligned at all times, while driver rod 42 will tilt in oscillating like fashion about its lower end portion 42B. That is to say, the upper end portion 42A of driver rod 42, being mounted for relative movement by connector mount 61 to the lower end of actuator 40, will remain axially aligned with actuator 40, while the lower end portion 42B of driver rod 42 will swing back and forth in reciprocating fashion relative to large plate 50 with successive nails ejections. The change in travelling direction of the lower portion 42B of driver rod 42 occurs only at the level of the nail ejection mouth 58, not inside the inner nail ejection channel 53 leading to this mouth 58. In other words, the travelling direction of driver rod 42 and associated nail 20 is arcuate for only a fraction of the total travel thereof; there is a first travelling segment which is axially straight, and then there is a second travelling segment which is translational (with tilting motion) but only for the lower portion thereof.
It is clearly seen in the sequence of
However, when drive rod lower portion 44 reaches the flange 56 of guide plate 52, the recess 42B of drive rod 42 enables the latter to clear the channel 53 between guide plates 50, 52, and to transversely engage into guide plate notch 52A.
It is noted that no spring biasing means is required for enabling and sustaining swinging motion of the lower portion of drive rod 42.
As suggested in
It is understood that the nailer 30 of the present invention has been described for nailing floor boards to a subfloor, but it could be used to nail any suitable wall surface. The present nailer 30 is particularly efficient in getting very close to or directly against an upright obstacle, without compromising nailing efficiency for a subjacent work piece.
Also, the nailer 30 has been shown with a nail-driving anvil member or plunger actuator 40, although it is understood that the driver rod 42 could be propelled with any selectively actuated power means, such as a hydraulic power device, for example.
The nailer head or heel portion 48 also may comprise a ring having a larger diameter than plunger actuator 40, this ring coming into downward vertical abutment with the upper surface of the upright column of nailer 30, to limit actuator 40 to a downward limit position.
Any other modifications, which do not deviate from the scope of the present invention, are considered to be included therein. For example, in one embodiment, the manual plunger actuator 40 could be replaced by the main piston shaft of a pneumatic type nailer.
While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for purposes of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure, which is further described in the following appended claims.
