Birds beak elastomer fastener magazine feeder

Abstract

A fastener driving tool magazine and nose piece for use with a fastener with a preinstalled elastomer beneath the head of the fastener. A magazine structure for avoiding damage to the elastomer is taught and a birds beak fastener guide is taught for installing the fastener while still avoiding damage to the elastomer.

Claims

1. A birds beak fastener guide apparatus for use with a fastener magazine, the apparatus comprising: an outer housing defining an upper mounting aperture and including a lower nose extension; an inner sliding support body defining hinge apertures; at least one guide finger pivotally mounted to the inner sliding support body, each guide finger including a lower guide body with an inner guide surface and an outer slide surface; a contact nose mounted to the lower nose extension, the contact nose defining an upper inside slide chamfer adapted to contact the outer slide surfaces to position the at least one guide finger; the lower nose extension including a threaded nose, and the contact nose further comprising exterior threads engaging the threaded nose to adjustably position the contact nose in relation to the outer housing.

2. A birds beak fastener guide apparatus for use with a fastener magazine, the apparatus comprising: an outer housing defining an upper mounting aperture and including a lower nose extension; an inner sliding support body defining hinge apertures; at least one guide finger pivotally mounted to the inner sliding support body, each guide finger including a lower guide body with an inner guide surface and an outer slide surface; a contact nose mounted to the lower nose extension, the contact nose defining an upper inside slide chamfer adapted to contact the outer slide surfaces to position the at least one guide finger; a nose lock nut including threads engaging the contact nose, wherein the nose lock nut also engages the outer housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views:

(2) FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the fastener magazine.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the internal aperture and finger layout of the interior of the magazine.

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of another embodiment of the fastener magazine.

(5) FIG. 4 is a cutaway schematic view of a fastener magazine.

(6) FIG. 5 is a top schematic view of the birds mouth nose piece.

(7) FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of the birds mouth nose piece.

(8) FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded view of the birds mouth nose piece.

(9) FIG. 8 shows the movement effect of the contact nose being adjusted in relation to the outer housing and fingers.

(10) FIG. 9 shows how movement of the outer housing when contacting the workpiece and how this changes the finger position due to the magazine fixed position of the inner support body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is generally shown as magazine 100 with a magazine body 150 and a birds beak fastener guide 200.

(12) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the internal aperture and finger layout of the interior of the magazine 100. Here, one can see the particular type of fastener 10 and its uniqueness that demands the inventive aspects of the magazine 100. The fastener 10 includes a head 11 with a shank 12. The shank 12 includes an upper shank 14, mid shank 18 and lower shank 20. The upper shank 14 supports an elastomer 16 for sealing the fastener 10 during installation. The mid shank 18 is used to count the fastener 10 to the collating strip 50, and the lower shank 20 terminates in the tip 22. The collating strip 50 is of a variety known in the art to include a spline 52, upper hinge 54, upper arm 56, lower hinge 58, and lower arm 60. Where the prior art taught to grasp the fastener at the upper shank, here, the upper arm 56 and lower arm 60 are used to secure the fastener 10 at the mid shank 18 to avoid harm to the elastomer 16. The magazine body 150 includes the upper head to strip positioning finger 154 and the lower strip supporting shoulder 156 to support the collated fastener 10 and strip 50 while it passes through the magazine 100. The magazine body defines a fastener aperture 154 with a head and elastomer aperture 156 made by incorporating a sloped head guide surface 157 of the aperture on the upper head to strip positioning finger 154 to contact the head 11 without contacting the elastomer 16. The strip aperture 160 is defined by the bottom of the upper head to strip positioning finger 154 and the the lower strip supporting shoulder 156.

(13) FIGS. 3 through 9 show another inventive aspect of the present invention in the integration of a birds beak fastener guide 200. The birds beak fastener guide 200 utilizes an outer housing 252, inner support body 300, spring pin 350, guide fingers 400, and a contact nose 500.

(14) The outer housing 252 includes an upper mounting aperture 254, a lower nose extension 256, and a threaded nose interior 258. As noted by FIG. 1, the outer housing 252 is connected to the safety arm so that it acts as the probe or work contact element known in the prior art that must be depressed against the work piece to operate the fastener gun. In this manner, the safety is incorporated, and the outer housing 252 can move relative to the magazine 100. The upper mounting aperture 254 is used to slideably retain the inner support body 300. The lower nose extension is used to house the guide fingers 400 and mount the contact nose 500. The threaded nose interior 258 is used for adjustment of the position of the contact nose 500.

(15) The inner support body 300 is mounted by welding to the magazine 100 to provide a secure base for the birds beak fastener guide 200 and is slidably positioned in the upper mounting aperture 254 so that the outer housing 252 can move in relation to the inner support body 300. The inner support body 300 is constructed with hinge apertures 302 for hinging the guide fingers 400 by connecting them with a spring pin 350.

(16) The guide fingers 400 are formed as a first guide finger 401, second guide finger 420, and third guide finger 430. Each guide finger 401, 420, 430 includes upper hinge ears 402 defining pin apertures 404 for the spring pin 350 such that the guide fingers 400 are hingeably connected to the inner support body 300. Each guide finger 401, 420, 430 further includes a lower guide body 406 with an inner guide surface 408 adapted to contact the edge of the fastener head 11 and guide the fastener 10 into position without contacting the elastomer 16. By utilizing three fingers, an ideal minimization of parts and maximizing control is believed to be achieved although differing numbers of fingers is also envisioned. The lower guide body 406 also defines an outer slide surface 410 the is used to contact an upper inner slide chamfer 506 on the contact nose to position the fingers during fastener 10 installation.

(17) The no mar lower contact nose 500 includes a contact face 502 for the workpiece with exterior threads 504 for adjustable mounting to the threaded nose interior 258. In this manner, the position of the upper inner slide chamfer 506 can adjust the positioning of the guide fingers 400. As the upper inner slide chamfer 506 is screwed into to the threaded nose interior 258, the upper inner slide chamfer 506 contacts the outer slide surface 410 of the guide fingers 400. Because the outer slide surface 410 is wedge shaped, this adjusts how much the it closes the fingers 400 together. In operation, the contact nose 500 extends down and the upper inner slide chamfer 506 provides little or no pressure to close the guide fingers 400. In contrast, when the contact nose 500 contacts the work piece and moves in relation to the magazine 100 to depress the safety mechanism on the pneumatic gun, this also moves the upper inner slide chamfer 506 to contact the outer slide surface 410 of the guide fingers 400 and close the fingers together.

(18) Finally, a nose jam lock nut 600 is also provided with interior threads 602 such that it can be mounted on the contact nose 500 and wedge against the outer housing 252 to secure the position of the contact nose 500 in relation to the outer housing 252.

(19) Reference numerals used throughout the detailed description and the drawings correspond to the following elements: Fastener 10 Head 11 Shank 12 Upper shank 14 Elastomer 16 Mid shank 18 Lower shank 20 Tip 22 Collating strip 50 Spline 52 Upper hinge 54 Upper arm 56 Lower hinge 58 Lower arm 60 Magazine 100 Magazine body 150 Upper Head to strip positioning finger 154 Lower strip supporting shoulder 156 Fastener aperture 154 Head and elastomer aperture 156 Sloped head guide surface 157 Shank aperture 158 Strip aperture 160 Birds beak fastener guide 200 Outer housing 252 Upper mounting aperture 254 Lower nose extension 256 Threaded nose interior 258 Inner support body 300 Hinge apertures 302 Spring pin 35 First guide finger 400 Upper hinge ears 402 Pin apertures 404 Lower guide body 406 Inner guide surface 408 Outer slide surface 410 Second guide finger 420 Third guide finger 430 No mar lower contact nose 500 Contact face 502 Exterior threads 504 Upper inner slide chamfer 506 Nose jam lock nut 600 Interior threads 602

(20) From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

(21) When interpreting the claims of this application, method claims may be recognized by the explicit use of the word method in the preamble of the claims and the use of the ing tense of the active word. Method claims should not be interpreted to have particular steps in a particular order unless the claim element specifically referring to a previous element, a previous action, or the result of a previous action. Apparatus claims may be recognized by the use of the word apparatus in the preamble of the claim and should not be interpreted to have means plus function language unless the word means is specifically used in the claim element. The words defining, having, or including should be interpreted as open ended claim language that allows additional elements or structures.