The present invention pertains to the art of setting tools and, more particularly, to a spad setting tool.
Coal mines are generally dark spaces within which labor numerous people, e.g. coal miners. Generally coal miners employ various types of equipment that require electrical power, air power and the like. Coal miners also require light as well as oxygen to enhance an otherwise harsh working environment. In order to bring electricity, air for tools, and the like to various parts of a coal mine, miners lay cables, conduits, hoses and the like along mine shafts that may stretch for miles underground.
The cables, conduits and the like are generally suspended from wall and/or roof portions of the mine shafts to reduce interactions between miners and mine equipment. Generally the cables, conduits, hoses, and the like are suspended from spads that are driven into the walls and/or ceilings of the mine shafts. Spads are generally triangularly shaped metal members that include an opening for receiving cable ties, wire, and the like. The cable ties or wire are used to retain the cables, conduits, and hoses. Spads are driven into the walls and/or roofs of the mine shaft using a conventional hammer. Typically the hammer is made from brass to reduce sparking.
In accordance with one aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a spad setting tool includes a housing portion including a spad setting assembly receiver and a trigger. A spad setting assembly is operatively coupled to the housing at the spad setting assembly receiver. The spad setting assembly includes a spad receiving member having a spad receiving zone, and a spad retaining element. The spad retaining element is configured and disposed to retain a spad in the spad receiving zone regardless of an orientation of the spad setting assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a spad setting assembly includes a spad receiving member having a spad receiving zone, and a spad retaining element. The spad retaining element is configured and disposed to retain a spad in the spad receiving zone regardless of an orientation of the spad setting assembly.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the Figures:
Referring to
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the housing 4 and piston housing 19 form part of a commercially available setting tool Product No. PA351 available from Powers Fasteners, Inc., 2 Powers Lane, Brewster, N.Y. 10509, and therefore does not require explicit discussion. Suffice it to say that setting a spad requires compression of a spring 28 by a user, which is effected by forcing spad setting assembly 24 toward a work surface (not shown). The compression of spring 28 must occur prior to trigger 10 functioning to release a firing pin (not visible in this drawing) to ignite a powder charge (also not visible in this drawing) to expel a spad into the work surface, such as a wall of a coal shaft.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment illustrated in
As seen in
Spad receiving member 40 also includes a spad receiving zone 110. Spad receiving zone 110 includes a central bore 113 formed in body 80. Central bore 113 extends completely through spad receiving member 40 from first end portion 84 to second end portion 85. Spad receiving zone 110 also includes a first spad receiving section 116 that extends radially from central bore 113 into body 80. Spad receiving zone 110 also includes a second spad receiving section 117 that extends radially opposite to first spad receiving section 116 into body 80. First and second spad receiving sections 116 and 117 have a generally rectangular cross-section that is configured to receive a spad. Central bore 113 includes a generally annular cross-section that not only facilitates receipt of a spad, but also allows spad setting tool 2 to set common fasteners.
Spad receiving member 40 is also shown to include a recessed portion 124 formed in body 80 adjacent to piston guide receiving portion 89. Recessed portion 124 includes first and second opposing openings, one of which is shown at 128, that extend into respective ones of first and second spad receiving sections 116 and 117. Spad receiving member 40 is further shown to include first and second orientation members 134 and 135 that provide a user with a tactile feedback of a particular orientation of first and second spad receiving sections 116 and 117 relative to housing 4.
As shown in
At this point it should be understood that a spad is a type of fastener that is configured for insertion into a substrate such as a wall of a coal mine, concrete block, solid rock, or the like. An exemplary spad is illustrated at 200 in
Spad 200 has a generally rectangular cross section that is readily received by spad receiving zone 110 formed in spad receiving member 40. Spad 200 is inserted into spad receiving zone 100, and passes through spad retaining element 44 until base section 202 bottoms out on spad stop surface 60 and portions of angles sides 203 and 204 project through openings 128. First tapered sections 165 and 185 guide spad 200 through spad retaining element 44 causing spad retaining members 154 and 155 to expand, and then contract onto angled sides 203 and 204 through openings 128. In this manner reduced diameter portion 198 is biased toward angled sides 203 and 204 causing spad retaining element 44 to retain spad 200 within spad receiving member 40 regardless of an orientation of spad setting tool 2. Upon being set, second tapered sections 166 and 186 allow spad 200 to pass through reduced diameter portion 198 and exit from spad receiving member 40.
At this point it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments provide a system for retaining and setting a spad into a substrate. The spad setting assembly in accordance with the exemplary embodiment receives and retains a spad regardless of orientation of the setting tool. In addition, the resilient connection of the first and second spad retaining members allows spad setting assembly to readily adapt to a wide range of spad sizes and tapers. Finally the particular configuration of the spad receiving zone in connection with the resilient connection of the spad retaining members allows spad setting assembly to not only receive and set spad, but to also receive and set a variety of standard fasteners. In addition, while described as being employed to set spads having a triangular geometry, the present invention may be employed to set spads having a wide range of geometries, including both simple shapes having generally linear features and complex shapes that combine both linear and curvilinear features. More specifically, the spad receiving portion and, in particular, a geometry of the spad receiving zone may vary in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. In this manner, the spad setting assembly may be readily configured to accommodate a wide range of spad shapes/geometries.
Finally it is to be understood while one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130233904 A1 | Sep 2013 | US |