Patent ID: 6209770
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: B25C

Abstract:
A fastener driving tool for driving fasteners into a workpiece, comprising:a housing assembly including a nosepiece assembly defining a longitudinally-extending fastener drive track;a fastener driving mechanism carried internally of said housing assembly and constructed and arranged to drive a fastener through said fastener drive track and into a workpiece when said fastener drive mechanism is selectively activated by a user;a manually actuatable trigger mechanism constructed and arranged to activate said fastener driving mechanism when manually actuated by a user; anda safety trip assembly coupled to said housing assembly for longitudinal movement with respect to said nosepiece assembly and including a trigger enabling portion and a workpiece engaging portion releasably coupled to said trigger enabling portion, said safety trip assembly being constructed and arranged to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position whereby said trigger enabling portion enables said trigger mechanism to activate said fastener driving mechanism when manually actuated by a user when said safety trip assembly is in said retracted position and disables said trigger mechanism when said safety trip assembly is not in said retracted position,said safety trip assembly being constructed and arranged to be biased toward said extended position and to be moved toward said retracted position by engaging a longitudinal end of said workpiece engaging portion with a surface of a workpiece and pressing said housing toward the workpiece, thereby moving said safety trip assembly against said bias with respect to said nosepiece assembly and said body,wherein said workpiece engaging portion is constructed and arranged to be movable with respect to said trigger enabling portion when said workpiece engaging portion is uncoupled from said trigger enabling portion to permit adjustment of a longitudinal length of said safety trip assembly, andwherein said safety trip assembly includes a releasable coupling mechanism for releasably coupling said trigger enabling portion to said workpiece engaging portion, said releasable coupling mechanism comprising:fixed locking structure formed on an exterior portion of said workpiece engaging portion;a manually operable locking mechanism carried by said trigger enabling portion and including a locking member mounting structure attached to said trigger enabling portion adjacent said fixed locking structure formed on said workpiece engaging portion and a manually-operable, movable locking member mounted on said locking member mounting structure so as to be movable with respect thereto between a locking position and a releasing position, said movable locking member being constructed and arranged to engage said fixed locking structure when said movable locking member is in said locking position to interlock said movable locking member and said fixed locking structure to thereby prevent relative movement between said workpiece engaging portion and said trigger enabling portion and to disengage from said fixed locking structure when said movable locking member is in said releasing position to thereby permit relative movement between said workpiece engaging portion and said trigger enabling portion; anda locking member biasing mechanism constructed and arranged to generate a biasing force to urge said movable locking member into said locking position, said movable locking member and said locking member biasing mechanism being constructed and arranged to permit said movable locking member to be manually moved against said biasing force by a user's hand engaging said movable locking member to move said movable locking member from said locking position to said releasing position and to permit said movable locking member to automatically return to said locking position when said movable locking member is disengaged by the user's hand.