Abstract:
A tool for driving and setting a nail-in anchor into concrete. The tool has a drive pin which can be locked and unlocked. When the drive pin is locked, the tool, used with a hammer, will drive only the anchor sleeve into a pre-drilled hole in concrete. When the drive pin is then unlocked, the tool, again used with a hammer, will nail the nail into the sleeve and set the anchor. The tool can be manipulated using only one hand. The tool typically has a thumb cap which, when rotated, locks and unlocks the drive pin. The tip of the tool is machined to have a concave shape for fitting over the convex-shaped dome of a typical nail-in anchor. The outer surfaces of the tool can have knurls to improve handling.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a setting tool for a nail-in anchor. The tool is used to drive the anchor sleeve into a pre-drilled hole; then the same tool is easily rotated for nailing in the nail and setting the anchor.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Concrete nail-in anchors are widely used in the construction industry. A nail-in anchor has an anchor sleeve topped by a convex-shaped crown or dome. A nail is inserted into the sleeve through a hole in the dome. A hole is drilled in the concrete or brickwork. The anchor sleeve is inserted through a mounting hole in a structural piece (or through an opening in an angle iron bracket, etc.) and hammered into the hole in the concrete. Finally, the nail is driven into the sleeve, forming a wedge and setting the anchor.  
           [0003]    Presently, the tools used for driving and setting a nail-in anchor can be inefficient and even ineffective. Typically, a series of tools must be utilized. A drill is used to make the hole in the concrete. A hammer and/or screwdriver is used to hammer the anchor sleeve into the hole so that the dome rests on the surface of the concrete. A driving tool, such as a screwdriver, chisel, or center punch, and a hammer are then used to drive in the nail and set the anchor. The tools presently used can be difficult to align in order to hammer the anchor sleeve into the hole and may damage the dome of the anchor, which is often made from soft metal.  
           [0004]    Having to then switch a different tool for driving the nail requires re-alignment, wasting time and causing the installer to lose his focus. When dozens of anchors must be set, the expenditure of time can be substantial. When used to drive in the nail, the presently-available tools may cause the nail to bend to one side and can even cause the nail head to chip off. Anchors may not be properly set, resulting in a poor result, both structurally and cosmetically. In hard-to-reach places, the installer using presently-available tools has little room to hammer in an anchor; in such circumstances, the anchor is likely to fail.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention provides a setting tool for nail-in anchors which overcomes the problems of the prior art. The tool is designed so that novices can use it. The tool is safe and comfortable to use. It eliminates the need to switch from one tool to another, thereby saving time.  
           [0006]    The installer grips the body of the tool with one hand. The tool of the present invention has a concave milled end which fits over the dome of an anchor sleeve. The outer surfaces of the tool are knurled, to improve handling. In its locked position, the pin, or shaft, of the tool cannot move. Using a hammer or mallet held in his other hand, the installer strikes the exposed end of the locked pin, and the body of the tool drives the anchor until its dome rests against the surface of the material in which it is to be anchored. Without changing the position of the tool, using his thumb, the installer rotates the latch cap in a counter-clockwise direction, unlocking the pin of the tool so that it can move freely up and down within the body of the tool. When the exposed end of the unlocked pin is then struck with a hammer, the tool will drive in the nail and set the anchor.  
           [0007]    The tool can be used without damaging the anchors and the surface of the object being anchored. The installer is able to stay completely focused on installing each anchor. Finally, Installation of each anchor takes considerably less time than does the process using presently-available tools.  
           [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool which is safe and comfortable to use.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool which is easy to use, regardless of an installer&#39;s experience.  
           [0010]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tool which allows the installer to install nail-in anchors using focused, efficient movements.  
           [0011]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tool which shortens the amount of time required to install each anchor.  
           [0012]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool with two positions, the first position for driving in the body of an anchor, and the second position for driving in and setting the nail of the anchor; changing from the first position to the second position can accomplished without realigning the tool.  
           [0013]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a tool which can be used without damaging either the anchors or the surfaces of the material to be anchored. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the tool of the present invention aligned with the head of a mallet and a nail-in anchor, before anchoring an angle iron bracket to a concrete block.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2A is an enlarged side perspective view of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2B is an enlarged side perspective view of a nail-in anchor.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional side view of the parts of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3A is an end view of the bottom of the latch cap of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3B is an enlarged sectional view of the latch rotated 50° clockwise from FIG. 3.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3C is an enlarged sectional view of the latch rotated 90° counter-clockwise from FIG. 3.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3D is a partial sectional side view of the lower portion of the body of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4A is a side plan view of the pin in a locked position inside the latch.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4B is a sectional top view of the pin in a locked position inside the latch.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5A is a side plan view of the pin in an unlocked position inside the latch.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5B is a side plan view of the pin inside the latch after a nail-in anchor has been set and the nail driven in.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5C is a sectional top view of the pin in an unlocked position inside the latch.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6A is a sectional side view of the tool as it is used to drive in the body of a nail-in anchor.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional side view of the tool as it is used to drive in the nail of a nail-in anchor.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 7A through 7E are side plan views of the positions of the tool as it is used to install a nail-in anchor, showing the rotation of the latch cap to lock and unlock the pin of the tool. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]    As shown in FIG. 1, the nail-in anchor setting tool  10  of the present invention is used with a mallet  15  to drive a nail-in anchor  11  through a hole  12  in an angle iron bracket  13  and into a drilled hole in a concrete block  14 ; the anchor setting tool  10  is then used to set the nail-in anchor  11  in the concrete block  14 , thereby attaching the angle iron bracket  13  firmly against the surface of the concrete block  14 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2A shows the assembled nail-in anchor setting tool  10 . The body  20 , which serves as the hand grip, is made from a corrosion-resistant, hard metal such as aluminum. It has a knurled surface to prevent slippage of the tool  10 . The body  20  has a narrow tip  21  which can be used in tight areas, such as the one hole conduit strap, widely used in the electrical industry. The tip  21  is machined to have a concave end  22 , which fits over the convex portion of the nail-in anchor  11 . Because of the design, use of the tool  10  will not damage the convex-shaped dome of the nail-in anchor  11 . The latch cap  23  (also called a thumb cap), is also made from a corrosion-resistant, hard metal such as aluminum, and has a knurled surface. The drive pin  24 , protruding through the top of the latch cap  23 , is made from heat-treated steel. The drive pin  24  is machined to slide into the bore of the body  20  and through the tip  21  until its end is even with the concave end  22  of the body  20 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2B shows a typical nail-in anchor  11  for use with concrete or masonry. Such anchors come in different sizes, and include metallics, curries, dotties and zamacs. Typically, each nail-in anchor  11  has an anchor sleeve  25  with chamfered ends  26  separated by a longitudinal slot  27 . Atop the anchor sleeve  25  is a convex-shaped dome  28  with a circular groove  29  around a central opening for entry of the nail  30 . The circular groove  29  is shaped to accommodate the head  30   a  of the nail  30 , so that it is flush with the top of the convex-shaped dome  28  after installation.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows the parts of the tool  10  prior to assembly. In FIG. 3, the upper end  31  of the body  20  is pressed into the bore of the lower end  32  of the latch  33 , which is made from heat-treated steel. Alternatively, the surface of the upper end  31  of the body  20  has threads, and the bore of the lower end  32  of the latch  33  has complementary threads, so the upper end  31  of the body  20  can be threaded into the bore of the lower end  32  of the latch  33 . The latch  33  has an O-ring  34 , made from a material such as Buna-N with a Durometer such as  75 , which is pressed into an O-ring groove  35  (see FIGS. 3B and 3C). The latch  33  is machined to have two notches  36  spaced 180° apart and to have a longitudinal slot  37  through both sides of the latch  33 .  
         [0034]    A dowel pin  38 , made from tool steel, has been pressed or floated into a pre-drilled hole  39  in the drive pin  24 . The dowel pin  38  allows the drive pin  24  to lock or unlock from the latch  33 . The drive pin  24  is inserted into the bore of the body  20 . When the tool  10  is going to be used, the ends of the dowel pin  38  will rest against the notches  36  on the latch  33  (the drive pin&#39;s  24  locked position), and the installer will use the body  20  to drive the anchor sleeve  25  into place. The installer will then rotate the latch cap  23 , which will rotate the drive pin  24 , thereby aligning the dowel pin  38  with the slot  37  on the latch  33  (the drive pin&#39;s  24  unlocked position). The installer will then use the drive pin  24  to drive in the nail  30  (the dowel pin  38  will slide down into the slot  37  as the nail  30  is driven in).  
         [0035]    When the tool  10  is assembled, the ends of the dowel pin  38  fit into complementary dowel pin grooves  40  in the bore  41  of the latch cap  23 , which is slid over the latch  33 . With the ends of the dowel pin  38  in the slot  37 , the latch cap  23  is moved downward, and the end of the drive pin  24  fitted through the hole  42  in the top  43  of the latch cap  23 . The latch cap  23  is then pressed further downward until the O-ring  34  on the latch  33  engages the receiving groove  44  on the bore  41  of the latch cap  23 , locking the tool  10  together in its final assembled position. After the tool  10  is assembled, rotation of the latch cap  23  will rotate the latch  33  as well.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3A shows more clearly the dowel pin grooves  40  on the bore  41  of the latch cap  23 . The dowel pin grooves  40  accommodate the ends of the dowel pin  38  on the drive pin  24 , allowing it to slide up and down.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 3B shows the latch  33  rotated 50° clockwise from the view in FIG. 3. The ends of the dowel pin  38  will rest on the notches  36  on the latch  33  when the drive pin  24  is “locked”.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3C shows the latch  33  rotated 90° counter-clockwise from the view in FIG. 3. The ends of the dowel pin  38  can move up and down in the slot  37 , with the drive pin  24  in an unlocked position.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 3D is an enlarged view of the lower portion of the body  20 , showing more clearly the milled concave end  22  of the tip  21 , which fits over the convex-shaped dome  28  of each nail-in anchor  11 .  
         [0040]    [0040]FIGS. 4 and 5 show more clearly the movement of the drive pin  24  within the latch  33 .  
         [0041]    In FIG. 4A, the drive pin  24  is in its locked position. The ends of the dowel pin  38  rest against the notches  36  on the latch  33 . FIG. 4B is a top sectional view of the ends of the dowel pin  38  resting against the notches  36  on the latch  33 .  
         [0042]    In FIG. 5A, the drill pin is in its unlocked position. The dowel pin  38  has been rotated counter-clockwise approximately 50°, off the notches  36  and into the slot  37  in the latch  33 . In FIG. 5B, the dowel pin  38  has moved to the bottom of the slot  37 , the position it would have after a nail  11  has been nailed in.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 5C is a top sectional view of the drive pin  24  in the unlocked position, showing the ends of the dowel pin  38  in the slot  37  in the latch  33 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIGS. 6A and 6B show sectional views of the tool  10  in use.  
         [0045]    In FIG. 6A, the tool  10  is in a “locked” position, with the dowel pin  38  resting on the notches  36  on the latch  33 . The concave end  22  of the tip  21  of the body  20  fits over the convex-shaped dome  28  of the nail-in anchor  11 . The installer uses the mallet  15  to hit the locked drive pin  24 , which transfers the driving force to the body  20 , which drives in the anchor sleeve  25 .  
         [0046]    In FIG. 6B, the tool  10  is in an “unlocked” position, with the dowel pin  38  in the slot  37  of the latch  33 . The installer uses the mallet  15  to hit the unlocked drive pin  24 , directly driving the nail  30  into the anchor sleeve  25 , driving apart the chamfered ends  26  of the nail-in anchor  11 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIGS. 7A through 7E show plan views of the tool  10  in use.  
         [0048]    In FIG. 7A, the latch cap  23  of the tool  10  is rotated clockwise  45  into its locked position. The anchor sleeve  25  of a nail-in anchor  11  has been partially inserted into a drilled masonry hole  16  in a concrete block  14 .  
         [0049]    In FIG. 7B, the locked tool  10  has driven the anchor sleeve  25  into the drilled masonry hole  16 .  
         [0050]    In FIG. 7C, the tool  10  is shown lifted up (in use, it does not need to be lifted away from the nail-in anchor  11 ), and the latch cap  23  is rotated counter-clockwise  46  into an unlocked position.  
         [0051]    In FIG. 7D, the tool  10  has driven the nail into the anchor sleeve  25 .  
         [0052]    In FIG. 7E, installation is complete, and the tool  10  has been lifted away from the nail-in anchor  11 .