FASTENER SETTING TOOLS

Abstract: An explosively-actuated fastener setting tool comprises a barrel (2) which can be moved forwardly after firing in order to open a breech (20) for loading of a fresh charge (8). Forwards movement of the barrel (2) also enables a spring-loaded stop (30) to pivot into the barrel (2) and engage the head (4a) of a firing piston to thereby reset the piston in the barrel (2). In the normal, breech-closed, position of the barrel (2), the stop (30) is fully retracted from the barrel (2). The configuration permits increased opening movement of the barrel (2).

Description: "FASTENER SETTING TOOLS" The present invention relates to explosively actuated tools for setting fasteners such as nails or pins into a substrate composed of a relatively hard material such as concrete/ masonry, or steel. Figures 1 to 4 show an explosively actuated setting tool of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent specification 3,066,302. In these figures. Figures 1 and 2 show respectively, a receiver assembly and a barrel assembly, and Figure 3 shows the barrel assembly mounted in the receiver assembly, with the tool ready to fire. Figure 4 shows the barrel assembly pulled into a forward position to open a breach of the tool for re-setting a firing piston and for loading a fresh charge. The barrel assembly comprises a barrel 2 containing a firing piston 4. A charge chamber 6 at the rear of the barrel 2 receives an explosive charge 8 which is fired by a firing pin 10 in the receiver assembly (Figure 1) to propel the piston 4 forwardly to drive a fastener 12 positioned in the forward end of the barrel into a substrate. A slot 14 formed in the underside of the barrel 2 is adapted to receive a spring-loaded stop pawl 16 for re-setting the piston 4 after firing, the pawl 16 being carried at the front end of the receiver assembly. At the forward end of the slot 14, a cam surface 18 acts to displace the pawl 16 out of the path of the piston 4 when the barrel 2 is in its rearward, ready-to-type position as shown in Figure 3. When the tool has been fired, the piston 4 normally stops with its head 4a positioned just behind the pawl 16, this stop position being obtained when the forward end of the piston 4 is at the forward end of the barrel 2, with the fastener having been driven fully home into the substrate so that its head flush with the surface of the substrate. The cam 18 displaces the pawl 16 out of the possible path of the piston head 4a in case the piston 4 over-drives the fastener into the substrate should the substrate be unusually soft. In order to reset the tool after firing, the barrel assembly is moved forwardly into the position shown in Figure 4. At the start of this movement, the cam 18 moves with the barrel 2 forwardly away from the pawl 16 thus allowing the pawl 16 to move upwardly through the slot 14 to engage the front face of the piston head 4a and prevent the piston 4 moving forwardly with the barrel 2. When the barrel is in its forward position (Figure 4), the piston head 4a is at the back end of the barrel 2 and has thus been reset relative to the barrel 2 in preparation for the next firing. In the forward position of the barrel 2 the breach 20 is opened behind the barrel 2 to permit extraction of the previous charge 8 and loading of the fresh charge. In this previously proposed tool, the pawl 16 always lies within the slot 14 in the barrel 2, but in the rearmost position of the barrel 2 (the ready-to-fire configuration of the tool), the pawl 16 is held by the cam 18 out of the possible path of the piston head 4a. The length of the slot 14, and thus the degree of opening of the barrel is determined by the maximum length of fastener which can be driven by the tool. Tools designed for relatively short fasteners accordingly have only a limited degree of opening, and hence only a restricted access which may cause difficulties in removal of the fired charge and loading of the fresh change. These difficulties become apparent for operatives who wear protective gloves and/or work in cold conditions. According to the present invention, there is provided an explosively-actuated tool for setting a ■ fastener into a substrate, comprising a body, a barrel containing a firing piston operative upon detonation of an explosive charge to drive a fastener in the forward end of the barrel, said barrel being movable in the body from a rear position in which the tool is ready to fire to a forward position in which a breach is opened for loading of a fresh charge and stop means carried by the body and extendable into the barrel to engage the piston during the forward movement of the barrel to reset the piston rearwardly relative to the barrel in preparation for the next firing, said stop means being mounted for movement out of the barrel upon subsequent rearwards movement of the barrel to close the breach. Preferably, the stop means is pivotal between its operative and retracted positions. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 5 shows a tool in accordance with our embodiment of the invention in its ready-to-fire configuration; Figure 6 shows the tool of Figure 5 with the barrel in its fully open position; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a retractor pawl; Figure 8 shows the firing mechanism of the tool; and Figure 9 is a section on line Y of Figure 8. The tool of the preferred embodiment of the invention differs from that of Figures 1 to 4 primarily in the configuration and operation of the stop pawl. More particularly, the slot 14 opens downwardly into a larger slot 15 and a stop pawl 30 carried at the front end of the receiver assembly is pivotally mounted. The pawl 30 comprises a guide portion 32 adapted to ride along the underside of the slot 14 in the barrel 2 and a stop portion 34 which projects through the slot 14 into the path of the piston head 4a. An inclined ramp surface 36 is formed at the forward side of the stop portion 34. A torsion spring 38 acts on the pawl 30 to pivotally bias the pawl 30 into its operative position in which its stop portion 34 projects through the slot 14. In the ready-to-fire position of the tool (Figure 5) the forward end of the slot 14 is positioned a substantial distance behind the pawl 30 which has pivoted into a retracted position fully removed from the barrel 2, to lie beneath the forward end of the barrel 2. The retraction of the pawl 30 completely from the barrel 2 means that the stroke of the barrel between its rear position and its forward open position is no longer limited by the length of the slot 14 and thus the maximum length of the fastener being fired and, therefore, the stroke of the barrel can be extended to permit sufficient, and increased, access to the opened breach 20 behind the barrel 2 even with tools designed for use with short fasteners. The increased opening movement also permits driving of an automatic loading mechanism (if required) for the charges and/or the fasteners due to the increased mechanical advantage derived from the increased stroke length of the barrel. The construction will now be described in greater detail. In the ready to fire position of Figure 5, the firing mechanism, which will be described subsequently, has been cocked upon rearward pressure having been applied to the front of the barrel 2 consequent on the operator forcing the barrel against the substrate. In this position, the pawl 30 has swung out of its operative position, against the bias of the torsion spring 38 so that a face 46 of the pawl 30 lies against the underside of the forward end of the barrel. Also in this position, a shoulder 40 at the end of the slots 14 and 15 is just clear of a stop 42 on the receiver assembly so that the stop 42 is not subject to the recoil forces at firing, these forces being taken through breech faces 49. In this position, the stop 42 controls the radial alignment, as well as the forward movement, of the barrel 2, by engaging the sides of the slot 15. Although in the embodiment shown, the stop acts in conjunction with the slot 15 through which the pawl 30 projects into the slot 14, a separate slot, angularly displaced from the slot 14 may be provided for controlling the barrel alignment and movement in conjunction with an appropriate stop on the receiver assembly. After firing, the barrel 2 is moved forwardly by the operator. As the forward end of the slots 14 and 15 passes over the pawl 30, the pawl pivots upwardly under its spring bias so that the stop portion 34 enters the slots 14 and 15 with the guide portion 32 resting against the underside of the slot 14. The stop portion 34 thereby lies in front of the path of the piston head 4a to stop the piston and therefore reset the piston 4 relative to the barrel 2 upon further forward movement of the barrel. The forward stop position of the barrel 2 is defined by engagement of a shoulder 15a at the rear end of the slot 15 with the rear face of the stop 42 on the receiver assembly. In this position a small clearance is left between a shoulder 14a at the rear end of the slot 14 and the rear face of the pawl 30, thus ensuring that the relatively fragile pawl 30 is required to restrain only the piston 4 and is not subjected to high impact loads generated when the barrel is vigorously pulled or 'thrown' forward . The barrel 2 may then be moved to its closed position, the piston 4 having been reset in the barrel 2 and a fresh charge and fastener having been loaded. Towards the end of the closing movement, the forward end of the slots 14 and 15 engages the inclined ramp surface 36 of the pawl 30 and pivots the pawl 30 downwardly to permit the forward end of the barrel 2 to move past the pawl 30. With reference to Figures 8 and 9, the firing mechanism of the receiver assembly comprises a block 50 mounted for sliding movement in the receiver assembly and which carries the major components of the mechanism. The block 50 is biased forwardly by means of a compression spring 52. The block 50 carries a firing pin 54 loaded by means of a compression spring 55, the pin 54 being held in a cocked position by means of a spring-biased gate 56, which engages a shoulder 54a on the pin 54. When the gate 56 is displaced by operation of the trigger 58 the firing pin 54 is propelled forwardly under its spring bias so that its tip 54b projects through an aperture 60 at the front of the block 50 into engagement with the case of the charge 8 carried at the rear of the barrel 2 in the ready-to-fire position. After firing, the firing pin 54 is reset by the forward movement of the barrel 2 as will now be described. When the barrel is moved forwardly to reset the piston 4 and permit loading of a fresh charge as previously described, the block 50 together with the firing pin 54 is moved forwardly by the compression springs 52 and 55 to a forward stop position defined by engagement of a rear stop surface 62 of the block 50 with a transverse stop pin 64 which extends through the block 50 to be anchored at each end in the body of the receiver assembly as shown in Figure 9. The head 54c of the firing pin 54 also engages the stop pin 64 in the forward stop position. In this position, the shoulder 54a of the firing pin 54 is rearwardly of the gate 56 and the gate has moved under its spring bias into contact with the reduced-diameter front end portion of the firing pin 54. Upon subsequent rearwards movement of the barrel 2, the rear face of the barrel 2 engages the front face of the block 50 and pushes the block backwards. The block 50 will move relative to the firing pin 54 until the gate 56 contacts the shoulder 54a of the firing pin and continued rearwards movement of the block 50 will carry the firing pin 54 backwards against the bias of the spring 55 to re-cock the pin. In the mechanism described, the single stop pin 64 acts as a forward stop for both the block 50 and the firing pin 54 and leads to a significantly simplified construction in comparison with previously proposed mechanisms which incorporate separate stops. The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : - 1. An explosively-actuated tool for setting a fastener into a substrate, comprising a body, a barrel containing a firing piston operative upon detonation of an explosive charge to drive a fastener in the forward end of the barrel, said barrel being movable in the body from a rear position in which the tool is ready to fire to a forward position in which a breach is opened for loading of a fresh charge, and stop means carried by the body and extendable into an operative position in the barrel to engage the piston during the forward movement of the barrel to reset the piston rearwardly relative to the barrel in preparation for the next firing, said stop means being mounted for retraction out of the barrel upon subsequent rearwards movement of the barrel to close the breach. 2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein the barrel includes a longitudinal slot closed at its forward and rear ends and opening into the interior of the barrel, the stop means being mounted for movement into the barrel through the slot, and the stop means being located forwardly of the forward end of the slot when the barrel is in its rear position. 3. A tool according to claim 2, comprising abutments on the barrel and body and engagable in the forward position of the barrel to define a forward stop position for the barrel, the stop means being spaced forwardly from the rear end of the slot when the barrel is in its forward stop position. 4. A tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stop means is pivotal between its operative and retracted positions. 5. A tool according to claim 2 and claim 4, wherein the stop means is resiliently biased towards its operative position and comprises a guide portion adapted to engage the external surface of the barrel in the operative position, a stop portion projecting from the guide portion and extending through the slot in the operative position, and a ramp portion engagable with the forward end of the slot during movement of the barrel to cause pivotal movement of the stop means as the forward end of the slot passes the stop means. 6. A tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a firing mechanism of the tool comprises a block slidably mounted for axial movement in the body behind the barrel, a firing pin carried by the block, first spring means biasing the block for axial forwards movement relative to the body, the block being held by the barrel in a rear position against the bias of the first spring means when the barrel is in its rear position, second spring means biasing the firing pin for axial forwards movement relative to the block, latching means carried by the block for retaining the firing pin in a cocked condition against the bias of the second spring means, a trigger for releasing the latching means, and a single stop member carried by the body and projecting into the block adjacent the firing pin, said stop member forming a forward stop for the block and firing pin to limit forwards movement of the block and firing pin upon movement of the barrel from its rear position, subsequent rearwards movement of the barrel serving to return the block to its rear position and to cause rearwards displacement of the firing pin relative to the block to re-cock the firing pin. 7. A tool according to claim 6, wherein the single stop member comprises a pin extending transversely through the block in the zone of the firing pin and supported at each end by the body.

Inventors: BETON RICHARD JOHN, BETON, RICHARD, JOHN
Applicants: RAMSET FASTENERS AUST PTY LTD, RAMSET FASTENERS (AUST.) PTY. LIMITED
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B25C1
IPC codes: B25C1