Patent Application
20070074882
The present invention relates generally to power tools, and more particularly to a new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism which is to be utilized in conjunction with a power tool so as to enable the trigger mechanism of the power tool to be actuated from a position which is remote from the location at which the power tool will be performing work upon a workpiece, such as, for example, the driving of a fastener into the workpiece, whereby the power tool operator is able to remotely actuate the power tool as is sometimes necessary.
Oftentimes, it is desirable to remotely actuate a power tool in connection with the performance of work upon a particular workpiece at a particular work site or location. One instance in which the remote actuation of a power tool may be desirable would comprise the driving or fixation of fasteners into workpieces which may be located in an overhead position, such as, for example, the fixation of ceiling panels or the like to ceiling substructures. Conventionally, it would usually be necessary for a workman to use a ladder or scaffolding structure in order to permit the workman to be located at an elevated position whereby the workman could advantageously position the power tool at a position adjacent to the ceiling substructure into which suitable fasteners would be driven in order to in fact fixedly secure the ceiling panels to the ceiling substructure. The construction of suitable scaffolding, however, is quite time consuming, and in addition, it is cumbersome and difficult to move the scaffolding from one region or section of a room within which the ceiling panels are being installed.
Similarly, in connection with the use of a ladder, the workman must likewise position the ladder at a first location at which, for example, a first ceiling panel is to be affixed to the ceiling substructure, the workman must then climb up the ladder so as to advantageously position himself at a particularly desirable location in order to in fact affix the first one of the ceiling panels to the ceiling substructure, the workman must then climb down the ladder, move the ladder to a second location at which a second ceiling panel is to be affixed to the ceiling substructure, and the entire process necessarily repeated numerous times until all of the ceiling panels are in fact affixed to the ceiling substructure. Obviously, such an installation procedure or process is quite tiring and time-consuming. A second instance in which the remote actuation of a power tool may be desirable would comprise the driving or fixation of fasteners into work pieces which may be positioned at relatively inaccessible locations.
It would therefore be desirable to have a device which would effectively enable the power tool to be actuated from a position which is remote from the location at which the power tool is to be used to drive or install fasteners within a workpiece which is located, for example, at an elevated or relatively inaccessible position. For example, if such a remotely-actuated device existed, the workman could effectively actuate the power tool, so as to install, for example, the ceiling tiles onto the ceiling substructure, while the workman was standing on the floor or ground. An example of such a device for remotely actuating a power tool, such as, for example, a rivet gun for driving rivet type fasteners into a ceiling substructure in order to affix ceiling panels onto the ceiling substructure, is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,188 which issued to Steele on Oct. 12, 1976. More particularly, as can be appreciated from
While the aforenoted remote actuation device of Steele is substantially satisfactory from an operational point of view, it is noted that the remote actuation device of Steele does embody several operational disadvantages or drawbacks. For example, it is firstly noted that in order to remotely actuate the power tool 24 of Steele by means of the extension device, the extension device necessarily comprises the provision of the specially configured cradle 23 in order to hold and mount the power tool in a stabilized manner. In addition, in view of the fact that the trigger mechanism T can only be actuated when the finger actuator 38 is actuated prior to the actuation of the trigger mechanism T, and in view of the additional fact that the finger actuator 38 projects outwardly through the slot 36 defined within a predetermined side wall portion of the extension pole 10 and handle 12, then the finger actuator 38 is only accessible from angular positions present within a predetermined angular region defined around the longitudinal axis of the extension pole 10 and the handle 12. Accordingly, the angular orientation of the extension pole 10 and handle 12, or spatial limitations of the locale within which the power tool 24 is to be used, may limit access to the finger actuator 38.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism for a power tool wherein the remote trigger actuating mechanism can be mounted directly upon the power tool by means of existing fastening means such that supplemental or auxiliary means, such as, for example, a cradle, is not required to hold or mount the tool in a stabilized manner, and in addition, the trigger mechanism of the power tool can be actuated by means of the remote trigger actuating mechanism which may be operated from any angular position disposed within the complete range of 360° encompassing the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism for a power tool wherein the remote trigger actuating mechanism comprises an elongated handle or pole which is provided with a handgrip upon a proximal or rear end portion thereof, while a mounting bracket, which is fixedly mounted upon an externally threaded distal or forward end portion of the elongated handle or pole, is adapted to be fixedly mounted upon a rear end portion of the power tool as a result of being bolted directly thereto by means of suitable bolt fasteners. In addition, a spring-biased sleeve member is concentrically disposed about the elongated handle or pole, and a trigger actuator or linkage member has a proximal or rear end portion thereof fixedly mounted upon the spring-biased sleeve member while a distal or forward end portion of the trigger actuator or linkage member is provided with a hooked portion which is adapted to engage the trigger mechanism of the power tool.
The spring-biased sleeve member is normally biased to a forward extended position by means of a coil spring, which is interposed between a rear end portion of the sleeve member and a flange member disposed upon a rear end portion of the elongated handle or pole, such that the trigger actuator or linkage member does not normally engage the trigger mechanism of the power tool, however, when the spring-biased sleeve member is manually moved by means of an operator in the rearward direction against the spring-biasing force of the coil spring, the trigger actuator or linkage member will engage and actuate the trigger mechanism of the power tool whereby the power tool will be activated or energized. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a specially configured cradle or the like is not required to effectively mount the power tool upon the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism, that the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism can be directly mounted upon the power tool by means of existing fastener components, and in view of the fact that both the handgrip and the sleeve member can be accessed or grasped throughout a 360° angular expanse, the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism can be conveniently operated regardless of angular orientation or spatial limitations.
Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Continuing further, and in accordance with further unique and novel features characteristic of the present invention, a flanged member 120 is fixedly formed or mounted upon the elongated handle or pole 112 so as to be located just forwardly of, or above, the handgrip 114, and an annular sleeve member 122 is concentrically disposed upon the elongated handle or pole 112 so as to envelop the same. It is seen that the annular sleeve member 122 is disposed upon the elongated handle or pole 112 so as to be interposed between the lower or rear end portion of the annular collar 118 and the upper or forward-facing surface portion of the flanged member 120, and it is further seen that the longitudinal or axial extent of the annular sleeve member 122 is less than that of the elongated handle or pole 112 such that the annular sleeve member 122 is capable of movement along and with respect to the elongated handle or pole 112 in the axial or longitudinal direction. A coiled spring 124 is interposed between the lower or rear end portion of the annular sleeve member 122 and the upper or forward-facing surface portion of the flanged member 120, and in this manner, the annular sleeve member 122 is normally spring-biased in the upward or forward direction such that the upper or forward end portion of the annular sleeve member 122 is normally disposed in contact with the annular collar 118. However, as will become more apparent hereinafter, the annular sleeve member 122 will be able to be moved in the downward or rearward direction away from the annular collar 118 and the mounting bracket 116, against the spring-bias of the coiled spring 124, when the trigger mechanism of the power tool is to be actuated.
With reference still being made to
It is of course to be further appreciated that when the annular sleeve member 122 is disposed in its forwardmost position under the biasing influence of the coiled spring 124, the hooked portion 134 of the trigger actuator 126 will effectively be disengaged from the trigger mechanism of the power tool whereby the power tool will not be actuated, however, when the power tool is to be actuated, the operator will, for example, grasp the handgrip 114 with one hand, and grasp the annular sleeve member 122 with the other hand so as to be capable of manually moving the annular sleeve member 122 to the rearward or lowered position, against the biasing force of the coiled spring 124. In this manner, the hooked portion 134 of the trigger actuator 126 will be engaged with the trigger mechanism of the power tool so as to in fact actuate the power tool. It is therefore to be appreciated that unlike the actuation system of Steele, the annular sleeve member 122 may be grasped, and therefore actuated, from any angular position within a complete 360° field of operation such that the actuation of the remote trigger actuating mechanism 110 is not at all restricted due to angular orientation or positioning of the remote trigger actuating mechanism 110, or alternatively, due to spatial limitations.
With reference now being made to
Thus, it may be seen that in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, there has been disclosed a new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism for a power tool wherein the remote trigger actuating mechanism comprises an elongated handle or pole which is provided with a handgrip upon a proximal or rear end portion thereof, while a mounting bracket, which is fixedly mounted upon an externally threaded distal or forward end portion of the elongated handle or pole, is adapted to be fixedly mounted upon a rear end portion of the power tool as a result of being bolted directly thereto by means of suitable bolt fasteners which are threadedly engaged within pre-existing threaded bores already formed within the power tool. In addition, a spring-biased sleeve member is concentrically disposed about the elongated handle or pole, and a trigger actuator or linkage member has a proximal or rear end portion thereof fixedly mounted upon the spring-biased sleeve member while a distal or forward end portion of the trigger actuator or linkage member is provided with a hooked portion which is adapted to engage the trigger mechanism of the power tool.
The spring-biased sleeve member is normally biased to a forward extended position by means of a coil spring, which is interposed between a rear end portion of the sleeve member and a flange member disposed upon a rear end portion of the elongated handle or pole, such that the trigger actuator or linkage member does not normally engage the trigger mechanism of the power tool, however, when the spring-biased sleeve member is manually moved by means of an operator in the rear-ward direction against the spring-biasing force of the coil spring, the trigger actuator or linkage member will engage and actuate the trigger mechanism of the power tool whereby the power tool will be activated or energized. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a specially configured cradle or the like is not required to effectively mount the power tool upon the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism, that the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism can be directly mounted upon the power tool by means of existing fastener components, and in view of the fact that both the handgrip and the sleeve member can be accessed or grasped throughout a 360° angular expanse, the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism can be conveniently operated regardless of angular orientation or spatial limitations.
Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while two embodiments of the new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism have been disclosed, wherein the elongated handle or pole may have a predetermined length dimension, such as, for example, six feet, with a corresponding smaller length dimension for the enveloping annular sleeve member, both the elongated handle or pole and the annular sleeve member may be formed from or comprise additional sections which may be fixedly mated together so as to respectively provide the elongated handle or pole and the annular sleeve member with selective overall length dimensions so as to be adaptive to particular on-site installation needs. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
