Claims
- 1. A device for feeding staple or nail caps for use in conjunction with a hand-held automatic stapling or nailing gun, each cap having a diameter, the device comprising:a base including a cap feeding chamber and a cap holding chamber connected by a channel extending into said cap feeding chamber and cap holding chamber and said channel extending between said cap feeding chamber and cap holding chamber a distance at least twice a diameter of each cap; a cap holding container having a generally cylindrical interior configuration being axially disposed substantially perpendicular to the base, the container being operatively associated above the cap feeding chamber for feeding individual caps sequentially from the container into the cap feeding chamber, one cap at a time; and a shuttle sliding within the channel of the base, operable reciprocally from a position outside the cap feeding chamber toward the cap holding chamber to a position substantially filling the cap feeding chamber to move a single cap from the cap feeding chamber through the channel towards the cap holding chamber by a distance substantially equal to a diameter of the cap.
- 2. The device of claim 1 further including a cap holding mechanism.
- 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the cap holding mechanism includes a spring and a feeding pawl.
- 4. The device of claim 3 further including a ledge extending from a bottom of the channel into the cap holding chamber, wherein the spring of the cap holding mechanism presses the holding pawl against the ledge.
- 5. The device of claim 1 further including a piston-cylinder arrangement including a cylinder and a piston movably disposed in the cylinder, the piston being connected to the shuttle to move the shuttle in the channel of the base.
- 6. The device of claim 5 further including a two-position, four-way valve to control movement of the piston within the cylinder.
- 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the container contains a stack of coaxially arranged caps.
- 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the container includes a spring and a plunger disposed in the container, the spring biasing the plunger towards the cap feeding chamber of the base.
- 9. A staple or nail gun assembly comprising:a staple or nail gun including, a head portion having an opening through which a staple or nail is expelled, and a handle portion having front and rear ends, the front end being attached to the head portion; and a device for feeding staple or nail caps, the device including, a base having a cap feeding chamber and a cap holding chamber connected by a channel extending into said cap feeding chamber and cap holding chamber, the cap feeding chamber being disposed near the rear end of the handle portion and the cap holding chamber being disposed adjacent the opening of the head portion, a container for storing staple or nail caps, the container having a generally tubular configuration and being disposed substantially perpendicular to the base, the container being operatively associated above the cap feeding chamber to sequentially feed individual caps stored in the container into the cap feeding chamber, one cap at a time, and a shuttle sliding reciprocally within the channel of the base from a position outside the cap feeding chamber toward the cap holding chamber to a position substantially filling the cap feeding chamber to move a single cap in the feeding chamber towards the cap holding chamber through the channel by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the cap, whereby a staple or nail discharged through the opening of the head portion passes through the cap into the cap holding chamber.
- 10. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 9, wherein the cap feeding device further includes a cap holding mechanism.
- 11. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 10, wherein the cap holding mechanism includes a spring and a feeding pawl.
- 12. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 11, where in the cap feeding device further includes a ledge extending from a bottom of the channel into the cap holding chamber, wherein the spring of the cap holding mechanism presses the holding pawl against the ledge.
- 13. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 9 further including a piston-cylinder arrangement including a cylinder and a piston movably disposed in the cylinder, the piston being connected to the shuttle to move the shuttle in the channel of the base.
- 14. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 13 further including a two-piston, four-way valve to control movement of the piston within the cylinder.
- 15. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 9, wherein the cylindrical container contains a stack of co-axially arranged caps.
- 16. The staple of nail gun assembly of claim 15, wherein the container includes a spring and a plunger disposed in the container, the spring biasing the plunger towards the cap feeding chamber of the base.
- 17. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 9, wherein the staple or nail gun assembly and the cap feeding device are pivotably connected to each other, the staple or nail gun assembly and the cap feeding device being movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position.
- 18. The staple or nail gun assembly of claim 17 further including a spring disposed between the staple or nail gun assembly and the cap feeding device, wherein the spring of the assembly biases the staple or nail gun assembly and the cap feeding device in the open position.
- 19. A device for feeding staple or nail caps for use in conjunction with a hand-held automatic stapling or nailing gun, each cap having a diameter, the device comprising:a base including a cap feeding chamber and a cap holding chamber connected by a channel having a bottom having a width substantially equal the diameter of the cap, and parallel lands forming substantially vertical sides to said channel, said channel extending into said cap feeding chamber and cap holding chamber and said channel extending between said cap feeding chamber and cap holding chamber a distance at least twice a diameter of each cap and terminating in a ledge extending into said cap holding chamber; and a cap holding container having a generally cylindrical configuration substantially perpendicular to the base, the container being operatively associated with the cap feeding chamber for feeding caps sequentially from the container into the cap feeding chamber, one cap at a time; and a shuttle sliding within the channel of the base, to move a cap from the cap feeding chamber through the channel towards the cap holding chamber by a distance substantially equal to a diameter of the cap; and a bracket affixed to said base, adjacent said cap holding chamber, having a spring-loaded cap holding pawl pivotally disposed on said bracket above the channel ledge, the pawl being resiliently biased against said ledge whereby, a cap advanced into said cap holding chamber intervenes between said ledge and pawl and is retained by the spring loaded pawl.
- 20. The device of claim 19 further additionally comprising a staple or nail gun including a head portion having an opening through which a staple or nail is expelled; anda handle portion having front and rear ends, the front end being attached to the head portion, a shuttle sliding reciprocally within the channel of the base from a position outside the cap feeding chamber toward the cap holding chamber to a position substantially filling the cap feeding chamber to move a single cap in the feeding chamber towards the cap holding chamber through the channel by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the cap, whereby a staple or nail discharged through the opening of the head portion passes through the cap into the cap holding chamber.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/108,174, filed Nov. 13, 1998, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/108174 |
Nov 1998 |
US |