Patent ID: 6478209
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B25C,E04D

Abstract:
A cap feeding device for an automatic powered fastener driver having a magazine which contains a plurality of fasteners and which supplies a fastener to a driving zone for driving engagement with a fastener driving member which is movably supported on a driving head for engaging and forwardly driving the fastener out of the driving zone into a building structure such as a roof, said cap feeding device comprising:a housing defining therein a storage space for a plurality of thin disk-like caps which are connected together in sidewardly adjacent edge-to-edge relationship so as to define an elongate flexible cap strip, the strip having portions which are disposed in generally superimposed relationship for compact storage within the storage space of the housing, the housing defining therein a discharge passage for permitting a leading end of the cap strip to be discharged therethrough; an elongate guideway extending from said discharge passage and terminating in a remote end disposed generally at said driving zone for slidably guiding the leading end of the cap strip from the discharge passage to the driving zone; said guideway defining an elongate support surface which extends from said discharge passage and which terminates at a remote free end which is disposed directly sidewardly adjacent said driving zone, said support surface slidably supporting the leading end of said cap strip thereon so that the leading cap of said strip is positionable at a lead-in position defined at the free end of said support surface in laterally spaced but generally sidewardly aligned relation with said driving zone; a cap driving arrangement including a driving member which directly drivingly engages the leading cap as disposed in said lead-in position for advancing the leading cap from the lead-in position into the driving zone; and a resilient hold-down member engaged with an upper surface of the cap disposed in said lead-in position for preventing rearward movement thereof along the guideway.