Abstract:
A setting tool arrangement includes a barrel of a setting tool; and a sleeve interactive with the barrel to move to a position allowing the barrel to move when pointed in a direction opposite the direction of gravity and to a position preventing the barrel from moving when pointed in a direction approximating the direction of gravity and method.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Setting tools are enormously useful for speeding any job requiring the setting of a large number of fasteners. Commonly, such tools are used in connection with setting fasteners in concrete or other hard materials. Because of the materials into which the fasteners are normally set, a substantial amount of motive force is required to be generated to set the fastener. This force is usually generated by the combustion of an energetic or accelerant material. While these tools are undeniably beneficial, they do require care in use to prevent unintended discharge of the fastener at a time when its discharge is unintended. Arrangements that assist in avoiding unintended discharge are always well received by the art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    A setting tool arrangement includes a barrel of a setting tool; and a sleeve interactive with the barrel to move to a position allowing the barrel to move when pointed in a direction opposite the direction of gravity and to a position preventing the barrel from moving when pointed in a direction approximating the direction of gravity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a setting tool to provide for visual environment for the arrangement illustrated alone in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a view of a barrel of a setting tool such as that illustrated in  FIG. 1  configured as taught herein in an actuation position; and 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is the view of  FIG. 2  in a non-actuation position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  simultaneously, one of skill in the art will recognize a setting tool stock  10  into which a barrel  12  is slidably receivable. A firing pin assembly  14  is disposable in operable communication with the stock  10  to under compressive conditions of the barrel  12  into the stock  10 , the firing pin assembly is automatically set and released. Upon release of the firing pin assembly  14 , a firing pin  16  operates to ignite a volume of energetic or accelerant material to create expanding gas thereby driving a fastener (not shown) through the barrel  12  and into a workpiece. In such a tool, having no additional triggering action, the tool will indeed actuate upon any actual compression of the barrel  12  into the stock  10  of the tool. As the particular configuration of setting tool illustrated is for ceiling setting applications, it is often used on ladders or with extension members. In either case, the potential for dropping the device is increased. The dropping of the tool can cause unintended actuation and therefore wasting of accelerant or energetic materials, which are not inexpensive. In order to avoid this eventuality, the configuration of  FIG. 2  has been devised by the inventor hereof. 
         [0008]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the barrel  12 , will be generally recognized by one of skill in the setting tool art as having an elongate form, a triggering extension  20 , barrel nose  22 , etc. What the person of ordinary skill in the art will not recognize is a sleeve  24  disposed about the barrel  12 . The barrel  12 , in this embodiment, includes at least one lug  26  that is received in a groove  28  of the sleeve  24 . In one embodiment, the groove extends all the way through a radial dimension of the sleeve  24 . It will be understood that the groove may extend partially through the radial dimension of the sleeve with no functional distinction. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove is at an angle of about 40 degrees to about 50 degrees relative to an axis of the barrel  12 . The angle is such that with the nose  22  facing in the direction in which gravity pulls, the sleeve  24  slides closer to nose  22  and the lug  26  moves toward axial groove extension  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In the position of  FIG. 3 , the barrel  12  cannot be compressed into stock  10  because the sleeve  24  is in contact at one axial end  32  with barrel shoulder  34  providing a friction engagement therewith. Increasing force imparted through the lug  26  to the sleeve  24  only increases the frictional engagement. Thus, with the nose  22  pointed downward, the barrel  12  cannot be pushed into the stock  10 . Without this action, the tool also cannot be discharged. In the position of  FIG. 3  then, the tool is effectively locked. In contrast, when the nose  22  of the tool is pointed in a direction substantially opposite the pull of gravity, the sleeve  24  will automatically move to the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In this position, the barrel is able to move into the stock  10  to actuate the tool. 
         [0009]    While the invention has been illustrated in one possible form, it is to be appreciated that the component parts may be reversed while retaining the function hereof. More specifically, the lug  26  may be positioned on the inside dimension of the sleeve  24  and the groove positioned on the outside dimension of the barrel  12 . In this configuration the tool works identically to that described above. 
         [0010]    While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.