Patent ID: 7021462
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: F16B

Abstract:
1. A two-piece carrier assembly adapted for holding a plurality of fasteners driven into a workpiece by a driving tool, wherein each of the fasteners include a drivable head and an elongated shank terminating at a tip, the shank having a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a workpiece plane, the two-piece carrier assembly comprising: an upper strip including a plurality of interconnected, frangible collating elements having a first and second thickness in the workpiece plane, each collating element connected to a respective shank of a fastener at a location proximal the head, each collating element connected to another collating element via an upper frangible bridge, each collating element adapted to completely break away from the respective fastener shank leaving no remnants when the fastener is driven into the workpiece; a plurality of longitudinally-extending spacer elements each connected only to a respective collating element and extending towards a respective lower sleeve, and a lower strip including a plurality of flat-topped sleeves each connected to another sleeve via a lower frangible bridge, each sleeve connected to a respective shank at a location proximal the tip, and adapted for being lodged between the respective fastener head and workpiece when the fastener is fully embedded in the workpiece, wherein the spacer element contacts the flat top of the sleeve and severs the lower bridge essentially simultaneously with the upper bridge when the fastener is driven into the workpiece.