Patent ID: 6609646
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: B25C

Abstract:
A fastening tool for holding a plurality of fasteners and selectively setting a first one of the fasteners into a workpiece, the fastening tool comprising:a fastening tool portion having a handle, a clamp mechanism, an actuating trigger, a nose structure, a contact trip and a trigger lever, the handle being configured to be gripped by an operator when using the fastening tool, the clamp mechanism being coupled to the handle and including a clamp pin having a head portion and a body portion, the clamp pin being movable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition, the actuating trigger being positionable in an unactuated condition, wherein the fastening tool portion cannot be cycled to set the first one of the fasteners, the actuating trigger also being positionable in an actuated condition, wherein the fastening tool portion can be cycled to set the first one of the fasteners, the nose structure including a magazine flange, a nose body, and at least one elongated magazine guide post, the magazine flange including a lock-out aperture, the nose body being coupled to the magazine flange and extending generally forwardly therefrom, the nose body being configured to hold the at least the first one of the fasteners and to guide the first one of the fasteners into the workpiece when the trigger is positioned in the actuated condition and the fastening tool is actuated to set the first one of the fasteners, the at least one elongated magazine guide post extending downwardly from the magazine flange, the contact trip being coupled to the nose structure and slidable between an extended position and a retracted position, the contact trip being biased into the extended position and slides into the retracted position in response to contact with the workpiece, the trigger lever being coupled to the contact trip for movement therewith, the trigger lever interacting with the actuating trigger such that the actuating trigger is positionable in the actuated condition only when the contact trip is positioned in or rearward of the retracted position and the contact trip pushes the trigger lever into engagement with the actuating trigger, the trigger lever including a stop member that is spaced apart from the magazine flange; and a magazine assembly having an upper surface and at least one guide port, the upper surface being configured to abut a bottom surface of the magazine flange, each of the guide ports being sized to receive an associated one of the guide posts, the magazine assembly further including a magazine housing, a coupling bracket, a follower structure and a follower spring, the magazine housing having a sidewall that at least partially defines a follower cavity, a pin aperture being formed in the sidewall, the pin aperture including a first portion, which is oriented generally parallel the at least one guide port, the pin aperture also including a second portion, the coupling bracket being coupled to the magazine housing and including a slotted coupling aperture having a first portion, which is sized larger than the head portion of the clamp pin, a second portion, which is sized to engage the head portion, and a slotted portion, which interconnects the first and second portions, the slotted portion of the slotted coupling aperture being sized larger than the body portion of the clamp pin and smaller than the head portion of the clamp pin, the follower structure having a follower body, a guide tab and a lock-out dog, the follower body being slidably disposed in the follower cavity, the guide tab being coupled to the follower body and configured to support the fasteners in the magazine assembly, the lock-out dog being coupled to the follower body and extending upwardly therefrom, the follower spring being coupled to both the magazine body and the follower structure and biasing the follower body upwardly in the follower cavity; the magazine assembly being positionable relative to the fastening tool portion in an uncoupled condition, wherein the magazine assembly is separated from the fastening tool portion; the magazine assembly being positionable relative to the fastening tool portion in a coupled condition, wherein the magazine assembly is fixed to the fastening tool portion such that the at least one elongated magazine guide post is engaged to an associated guide port, the upper surface of the magazine assembly is abutted to the bottom surface of the magazine flange, the clamp pin is disposed in the second portion of the slotted coupling aperture and the clamp mechanism is positioned in the engaged position and generating a clamping force that is applied through the head portion of the clamp pin and against the coupling bracket to thereby secure the magazine assembly to the handle; the magazine assembly being further positionable relative to the fastening tool portion in a semi-coupled condition, wherein the at least one elongated magazine guide post is engaged to the associated guide port, the clamp mechanism is positioned in the disengaged position, and the clamp pin is disposed in the slotted portion of the slotted coupling aperture to thereby permit the magazine assembly to be slid relative to the fastening tool portion, the slotted portion being sized to limit sliding movement of the magazine assembly so that the at least one elongated magazine guide post does not disengage the associated guide port; the stop member of the trigger lever being positioned in the first portion of the pin aperture in the magazine body when the magazine assembly is positioned in the semi-coupled position, the stop member contacting an edge of the first portion of the pin aperture to inhibit the trigger lever from interacting with the actuating trigger to position the actuating trigger in the actuated condition, the stop member of the trigger lever being positioned in the second portion of the pin aperture in the magazine body when the magazine assembly is positioned in the coupled condition and not inhibiting rearward movement of either the trigger lever or the contact trip; and the lock-out dog being sized to extend through the lock-out aperture when the quantity of fasteners in the magazine assembly is less than a predetermined quantity, the lock-out dog contacting at least one of the contact trip and the trigger lever and inhibiting the trigger lever from interacting with the actuating trigger to position the actuating trigger in the actuated condition.