Nail strip magazine

Abstract: A magazine (20) for a nail-driving tool (10), which may be pneumatically powered or combustion-powered, is arranged to store a number of nail strips (12) in a side-by-side relation. A spring biased mechanism (100) is used to bias the stored strips (12) towards a side rail (26). Being movable along a frame (50) between an advanced position and a retracted position, a feeding member (60) in the retracted position engages the shank of an endmost nail of the stored strip (12) nearest to the side rail (26). A negator spring mechanism (80) biasing the feeding member (60) toward the advanced position includes a spring leaf (80) arranged to be longitudinally pulled between the nails of the stored strip (12) nearest to the side rail (26) and the nails of the next strip (12) when the feeding member (60) is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. The feeding member (60) has a wedging portion (68) arranged to push between the nails of the stored strip nearest to the side rail (26) and those of the next strip and to lead the spring leaf (80) when moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. A rail-engaging portion (64) is arranged to push between the side rail (26) and the nail nearest the side rail (26) when moved similarly. In an operative position, in which it can be releasably latched, a biasing member (100) bears against the nearest strip (12). A floor member (26) can be adjustably positioned. When latched, the biasing member (100) latches the floor (26).

Description: This invention pertains to a magazine of the type defined in the pre-characterising portion of claim 1, said magazine being adapted for use with a nail-driving tool, which may be pneumatically powered or combustion-powered. Such a magazine is known from the document US-A-4784306. The magazine is arranged to store a number of nail strips in side-by-side relation to one another. As exemplified in Wagdy U.S. Patent No. 4,597,517, it is known to employ a so-called negator spring mechanism including a spring leaf to bias a feeding element of such a magazine. The spring leaf is arranged to uncoil as the feeding element is retracted and to recoil as the feeding element is advanced. As disclosed therein, however, the magazine appears to accommodate only one nail strip at any one time. So-called box magazines for use with nail-driving tools, which may be pneumatically powered or combustion-powered, are exemplified in various prior patents including Fiedler U.S. Patent No. 3,266,697, Baum U.S. Patent No. 3,437,249, Wandel et al. U.S. Patent No. 3,504,840, Baum U.S. Patent No. 4,784,306, and Shafer et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,038,993. A box magazine is arranged to store plural nail strips in side-by-side relation to one another. In the patents identified in the preceding paragraph, complex pneumatic or mechanical mechanisms are disclosed for feeding such nail strips individually and successively from such box magazines into such driving tools. There has been a need, to which this invention is addressed, for an improved magazine employing simpler mechanisms for feeding such nail strips. According to this invention there is provided a magazine adapted for use with a nail-driving tool adapted to receive a number of nail strips each comprising a plurality of collated nails and to drive the nails individually and successively from each nail strip in turn, the magazine being capable of storing a number of nail strips in a side-by-side relationship with respect to one another so that each stored nail strip has a nail defining a leading end of the nail strip and a nail defining a trailing end of the nail strip, the magazine being elongate, having an outlet end, an opposite end, and a side rail along one side, the outlet end of the magazine having a nail outlet through which the stored nail strip disposed nearest to the side rail of the magazine is feedable, the magazine further comprising a frame; means for biasing the stored strips of nails toward the side rail; a feeding member movable along said frame between an advanced position near said outlet end of said magazine and a retracted position near said opposite end of said magazine, said feeding member having a nail-engaging portion for engaging said nail defining said trailing end of said stored nail strip disposed nearest to said side rail when said feeding member is released from said retracted position, after having been moved to said retracted position, so as to feed said nail strip, having said engaged nail, toward said outlet of said magazine when said feeding member is moved from said retracted position toward said advanced position; and, spring means for biasing said feeding member towards said advanced position, said spring means having a leading end secured to said frame at a position near said outlet end of said magazine, a trailing end secured to said feeding member and movable along with said feeding member, said spring means being disposed so as to uncoil as said feeding member is moved toward said retracted position and to recoil as said feeding member is moved toward said advanced position, said magazine being characterised in that the spring means is arranged to be longitudinally interposed between said stored nail strip disposed nearest to said side rail of said magazine and the next nail strip stored within said magazine when said feeding member is moved from said advanced position to said retracted position as well as when said feeding member is moved from said retracted position towards said advanced position. Preferably the spring mechanism is a negator spring mechanism, or a clock spring mechanism. As a characteristic feature of this invention, the spring leaf is arranged to be longitudinally pulled between the stored strip nearest to the side rail of the magazine and the next strip stored in the magazine when the feeding member is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. Preferably, the spring leaf is arranged to be longitudinally pulled between the heads of the nails of the stored strip nearest to the side rail of the magazine and the heads of the nails of the next strip stored in the magazine when the feeding member is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. Preferably, the feeding member has a wedging portion arranged to push between the shanks of some of the nails of the stored strip nearest to the side rail of the magazine and the shanks of some of the nails of the next strip stored in the magazine and to lead the spring leaf between the separated strips when the feeding member is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. Preferably, the feeding member has a rail-engaging portion arranged to push between the side rail of the magazine when the feeding member is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. Preferably, the feeding member has a nail-confining portion adapted to confine, between the nail-confining portion and the side rail, the shanks of some of the nails of the nail strip nearest to the side rail. In one contemplated embodiment, in which the magazine has an open side opposite to the side rail, the means for biasing the stored strips toward the side rail of the magazine includes a biasing member movable between an operative position, in which the biasing member extends through the open side and is biased against the stored strip nearest to the open side, and an inoperative position, in which the biasing member is removed so as to permit such nail strips to be then loaded into the magazine through the open side, means for latching the biasing member releasably in the operative position, and means for biasing the biasing member against the stored strip nearest to the open side when the biasing member is latched in the operative position. Preferably, in the foregoing embodiment, the biasing member is mounted pivotably to the frame so as to be pivotably movable between the operative and inoperative positions. In the foregoing embodiment, the magazine further comprises a floor member, which is arranged to underlie the stored strips and which is mounted to the frame so as to be adjustably positionable in any of plural positions to accommodate nail shanks of different lengths, and wherein the biasing member is arranged to latch the floor member in any of those positions when latched by the latching means and to release the floor member when released by the latching means. Preferably, in the foregoing embodiment, the biasing member is mounted pivotably to the frame so as to be pivotably movable between the operative and inoperative positions. A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:- Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a pneumatically powered, nail-driving tool equipped with a magazine storing several nail strips; Figure 2 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the nail-driving tool and of an open side of the magazine, as shown in Figure 1, except that a feeding element has advanced from a retracted position into an intermediate position; Figure 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2, in a direction indicated by arrows, and showing a feeding element as the feeding element is retracted so as to lead a spring leaf between the stored strip nearest to a side rail of the magazine and the next strip stored in the magazine; Figure 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along a similar line, in a similar direction, but showing the feeding element as the feeding element is advanced so as to feed the stored strip nearest to the side rail; Figure 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the other side of the magazine, in an opened condition, without the nail strips; Figure 6, on a larger scale, is a fragmentary detail of a latching mechanism of the magazine, as seen from above; Figure 7, on a similar scale, is a fragmentary detail of the latching mechanism shown in Figure 5, as seen from one end of the magazine; Figure 8 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the nail-driving tool and of the other side of the magazine, as shown in Figure 2; and Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail of the feeding element interlocking with another element, as shown in Figure 8, except that the feeding mechanism has advanced to an advanced position, to which the feeding element advances when all nails of the stored strip nearest to the side rail of the magazine have been driven by the nail-driving tool. As shown in the drawings, a pneumatically powered, nail-driving tool 10 arranged to receive a nail strip 12 of a known type comprising a plurality of collated nails 14 and to drive the nails 14 individually and successively from the nail strip 12 is equipped with a magazine 20 constituting a preferred embodiment of this invention. Each nail 14 has a head 14a and a shank 14b. The nails 14 of each nail strip 12 are joined to another via paper tapes 16 on opposite sides of their shanks 14b. According to this invention, the magazine 20 employs a negator spring mechanism 30 to be later described, in a novel manner. The nail strips 12 are similar to nail strips available commercially from ITW Paslode (a unit of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) of Vernon Hills, Illinois, under its PASLODE trademark. The magazine 20 is arranged to store a plurality of such nail strips 12 in side-by-side relation to one another. Being elongate, the magazine 20 has an outlet end 22, an opposite end 24, and a side rail 26 along one side of the magazine 20. The outlet end 22 has a nail outlet (not shown) through which the stored strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26 is feedable. The magazine has an open side 28 opposite to the side rail 26. Except as shown and described herein, the nail-driving tool 10 may be substantially similar to the pneumatically powered, nail-driving tool disclosed In Golsch U.S. Patent No. 4,932,480, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and to pneumatically powered, nail-driving tools available commercially from ITW Paslode, supra, under its PASLODE trademark. The magazine 20 may be alternatively employed with a combustion-powered, nail-driving tool as exemplified by combustion-powered, nail-driving tools available commercially from ITW Paslode, supra, under its IMPULSE trademark. Broadly, the magazine 20 comprises a frame 40 including the side rail 26, means 50 to be later described for biasing the stored strips 12 toward the side rail 26, and a feeding member 60 movable along the side rail 26 of the frame 40, between an advanced position near the outlet end 22 and a retracted position near the opposite end 24. The side rail 26 is fixed to the frame 40, beneath the frame. The feeding member 60 has a finger-engaging tab 62 enabling the feeding member 60 to be manually moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. The feeding member 60 has a rail-engaging portion 64, which has two tabs 66 wrapped over an upper edge of the side rail 26 and two tabs 68 wrapped under a lower edge of the side rail 26. The feeding member 60 has a nail engaging portion 70, which is adapted to engage the shank 14b of the nail 14 defining the trailing end of the stored strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26, as shown in Figure 4, when the feeding member 60 is released after having been moved manually to the retracted position. The feeding member has a nail confining portion 72, which is adapted to confine, between the nail-confining portion 72 and the side rail 26, the shanks 14b of some of the nails 14 of the nail strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26. Thus, the feeding member 60 is adapted to feed the strip 12 having the engaged nail 14 toward the nail outlet, as indicated by an arrow in Figure 5, when the feeding member 60 is moved (by the negator spring mechanism 30 in a manner to be later described) from the retracted position toward the advanced position. Thus, after each nail 14 of a given strip 12 has been driven by the nail-driving tool 10, the same strip 12 is fed through the nail outlet until the next nail 14 of the same strip 12 is positioned to be next driven. The feeding member 60 has a rail-engaging portion 76, which extends backwardly from the nail-engaging portion 70, and which is arranged to push between the side rail 26 and the shanks 14b of some of the nails 14 of the stored strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26 when the feeding member 60 is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. The feeding member 60 has a wedging portion 78, which is arranged to push between the shanks 14b of some of the nails 14 of the stored strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26 and the shanks 14b of some of the nails 14 of the next strip 12 stored in the magazine 20 when the feeding member 60 is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. The negator spring mechanism 30 has a spring leaf 80, which is arranged to uncoil as the feeding member 60 moves toward the retracted position, and to recoil (coil again) as the feeding member 60 moves toward the advanced position. Advantageously, as shown, the spring leaf is arranged to uncoil and recoil about an axis that is substantially parallel to the shanks 14b of the nails 14 of the stored strips 12. The spring leaf 80 has a leading end 82, which is coiled and which is secured to the frame 40, near the outlet 22 of the magazine 20, via a spool 84. The spring leaf 80 has a trailing end 86, which is secured to a columnar portion 88 of the feeding member 60, the wedging portion 78 extending from the columnar portion 88. The trailing end 86 is wrapped around the columnar portion 88, near the wedging portion 78 of the feeding member 60, and is spot welded to itself. The wedging portion 78 of the feeding member 60 is arranged to lead the spring leaf 80 between the separated strips 12 when the feeding member 60 is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. Thus, as a characteristic feature of this invention, the spring leaf 80 is arranged to be pulled between the shanks 14b of the nails 14 of the stored strip 12 nearest to the side rail 26 and the shanks 14b of the nails 14 of the next strip 12 stored in the magazine 20, as shown in Figure 3, when the feeding member 60 is moved from the advanced position into the retracted position. The spring leaf 80 and the nail-confining portion 72, which moves along the spring leaf 80, separate the nail strip 14 being fed from the other strips 14 stored in the magazine 20, as shown in Figure 5, when the feeding member 60 is advanced. The means 50 for biasing the stored strips 12 toward the side rail 26 are to be next described. The biasing means 50 include a biasing member 100, which is made from welded wires and which is mounted to the frame 40, via a pivot mount 102 near the outlet end 22 of the magazine 20 and two pivot mounts 104 near the opposite end 24 of the magazine, so as to be pivotably movable between an operative position and an inoperative position. The pivot mounts 102, 104, are aligned with each other so as to define a pivot axis for the biasing member 100 and receive respective wire ends 106, 108, of the biasing member 100. In the operative position, in which the biasing member 100 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the biasing member 100 extends into the magazine 20, through the open side 28, which is opposite to the side rail 26 In the operative position, in which the biasing member 100 is shown if Figure 5, the biasing member 100 is removed from the magazine 200 so as to permit such nail strips 12 to be then loaded into the magazine 20 through the open side 28. Further, the biasing means 50 includes means 110 for latching the biasing member 100 releasably in the operative position. As shown in Figures 5, 6,and 7 and other views, the latching means 110 comprises a lever 112, which is mounted to the frame 40 so as to be pivotably movable about a curved tongue 114 of the frame 40 between a latching position and a range of unlatching positions. In Figure 6, the lever 112 is shown in the latching position, in full lines, and in an unlatching position, in dashed lines. Moreover, the latching means 110 comprises a post 116 having a head 118 and passing through an aperture 120 in the curved tongue 114, and through an aperture 122 in the lever 112, a coiled spring 124 deployed around the post 116 and compressed between the head 118 and the lever 112, and a cotter pin 126 passing through a hole (not shown) in the post 116, beyond the aperture 12 in the lever 112, so as to secure the lever 112, the post 116, and the spring 124 operatively to the frame 40, near the tongue 114. The lever 112 has a curved end 130, by which the lever 112 can be manually actuated to pivot the lever 112 from the latching position into the unlatching position, and a hooked end 132. Moreover, the latching means 110 comprises a latch 134, which is mounted to the frame 40 so as to be pivotably movable about the pivot 104, between a latched position and a range of unlatched positions. In Figure 5, the latch 134 is shown in an unlatched position. In Figures 6 and 7, the latch 134 is shown in the latched position. The latch 134 has a distal end 136, which is vee-shaped to receive the hooked end 132 of the lever 112, as shown in Figure 6 and other views, when the lever 112 resides in the latching position and the latch 134 resides in the latched position. Moreover, the biasing means 50 includes means 140 for biasing the biasing member 100 into the magazine 20, against the stored strip 12 nearest to the open side 106, when the biasing member 100 is latched in the operative position. The means 140 comprises a torsion spring 142, which has a leg 144 connected to the wire end 108 of the biasing member 100 via a pin 146 near the pivot 104, so as to turn conjointly with the biasing member 100, about the pivot 104, when the biasing member 100 is pivoted, and which has a leg 148 connected to the latch 134 via a pin 150 so as to turn conjointly with the latch 134 about the pivot 104, when the latch 134 is pivoted. The torsion spring 142 is arranged to latch the biasing member 100 in the operative position and to bias the biasing member 100 into the interior of the magazine 20, against the stored strip 12 nearest to the open side 106, when the distal end 136 of the latch 134 receives the hooked end 132 of the lever 112. The torsion spring 142 is arranged to unlatch the biasing member 100 and to permit the biasing member 100 to be freely removed from the interior of the magazine 20 when the lever 112 is actuated so as to release the latch 134. Also, when the lever 112 is actuated so as to release the latch 134, the latch 134 tends to spring from the latched position into an unlatched position because of energy stored in the torsion spring 142. As shown in Figure 2 and other views, the magazine 20 comprises a floor member 160, which is arranged to underlie the stored strips 12. The floor member 160 is mounted to the frame so as to be adjustably positionable in any of several positions to accommodate nail shanks of different lengths. The floor member 160 is mounted to the frame 40, via two similar posts 162 extending through two similar guides 164 affixed to the frame 40, so as to be adjustably positionable over a limited range of post adjustment. The limited range of post adjustment is defined by the guides coacting with enlarged caps formed or provided on the posts 162 and with annular rings 168 formed or provided on the posts 162. The posts 162 are rotatable in the guides 164, over a limited range of post rotation, and are extended downwardly and beneath the magazine 20 so as to define two similar brackets 170 mounting the floor member 160 as two similar swivels 172 permitting relative swivelling movement between the floor member 160 and the posts 162 as the posts 62 are rotated in the guides 164. Moreover, the frame 40 is provided with two slotted brackets 180, each having slots 182 at different positions. Each slot 182 is arranged to receive the floor member 160 when the posts 162 and the floor member 160 are adjusted to a suitable position within the limited range of post adjustment and when the posts 162 are rotated toward one extreme position within the limited range of post rotation so as to cause relative swivelling movement between the floor member 160 and the posts 162. The posts 162 are rotatable to intermediate positions within the limited range of post rotation, so as to remove the floor member 160 from the slotted brackets 180, whereupon the posts 162 and the floor member 160 can be then adjusted to a different position within the limited range of post adjustment. Thus, the biasing member 100 is arranged to bear against the floor member 160,so as to latch the floor member 160 in the slots 182 at any of the several positions defined by the slotted brackets 180, when the biasing member 100 is latched by the latching means 110. Thus, the biasing member 100 is arranged to release the floor member 160, so as to permit the posts 162 and the floor member 160 to be then adjusted to a different position within the limited range of post adjustment, when the biasing member 100 is released by the latching means 110. As shown in Figure 2 and other views, the nail-driving tool 10 is provided with a tool-actuating mechanism 200 of a known type. The tool-actuating mechanism 200 is arranged in a known manner to disable the nail-driving tool 10 unless a workpiece-contacting element 202, which is biased away from the nail-driving tool 10, to a deactuating position, by springs 204, is pressed firmly against a workpiece W so as to move the workpiece-contacting element 202 toward the nail-driving tool 10, to an actuating position. Details of the tool actuating mechanism 200 are outside the scope of this invention. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the feeding member 60 has a nub 210, which is arranged to arrest the workpiece-contacting element 202, so as to prevent the workpiece-contacting element 202 from moving to the actuating position when the feeding member has been moved into the advanced position because all nails 14 of a given strip 14 have been driven. An arm 212 is mounted to the workpiece-contacting element 202 so as to be conjointly movable with the workpiece-contacting element 202. The arm 212 has a recess 214, which is arranged to receive the nub 210 when the feeding member has been moved into the advanced position. Thus, the nail-driving tool 10 cannot be again operated until the feeding member 60 has been moved from the advanced position toward the retracted position. Herein, directional terms such as "upper", "lower", "upwardly", and "downwardly" are used to refer to the nail-driving tool 10 and the magazine 20 in a common orientation, as shown, not to limit this invention to any particular orientation.

Claims: A magazine (20) adapted for use with a nail-driving tool (10) adapted to receive a number of nail strips (12) each comprising a plurality of collated nails (14) and to drive the nails individually and successively from each nail strip in turn, the magazine (20) being capable of storing a number of nail strips (12) in a side-by-side relationship with respect to one another so that each stored nail strip (12) has a nail defining a leading end of the nail strip and a nail defining a trailing end of the nail strip, the magazine (20) being elongate, having an outlet end (22), an opposite end (24) and a side rail (26) along one side, the outlet end of the magazine (20) having a nail outlet through which the stored nail strip disposed nearest to the side rail (26) of the magazine is feedable, and the magazine further comprising a frame (40); means (50,100) for biasing the stored strips of nails (12) toward the side rail (26); a feeding member (60) movable along said frame (40) between an advanced position near said outlet end of said magazine (20) and a retracted position near said opposite end of said magazine (20), said feeding member (60) having a nail-engaging portion (70) for engaging said nail defining said trailing end of said stored nail strip (12) disposed nearest to said side rail (26) when said feeding member (60) is released from said retracted position, after having been moved to said retracted position, so as to feed said nail strip (12), having said engaged nail, toward said outlet of said magazine (20) when said feeding member (60) is moved from said retracted position toward said advanced position; and, spring means (80) for biasing said feeding member (60) towards said advanced position, said spring means (80) having a leading end (82) secured to said frame at a position near said outlet end of said magazine, a trailing end (86) secured to said feeding member (60) and movable along with said feeding member (60), said spring means (80) being disposed so as to uncoil as said feeding member (60) is moved toward said retracted position and to recoil as said feeding member is moved toward said advanced position, said magazine being characterised in that the spring means (80) is arranged to be longitudinally interposed between said stored nail strip (12) disposed nearest to said side rail (26) of said magazine (20) and the next nail strip (12) stored within said magazine (20) when said feeding member (60) is moved from said advanced position to said retracted position as well as when said feeding member (60) is moved from said retracted position towards said advanced position. A magazine according to claim 1, wherein: said feeding member (60) has a wedging portion (78) for insertion between shanks of the nails of the stored nail strip (12) disposed nearest to said side rail (26) and the shanks of the nails of the next nail strip stored within said magazine so as to lead the spring means (80) when said feeding member (60) is moved from said advanced position to said retracted position. A magazine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: said feeding member (60) has a rail-engaging portion (64) interposed between the side rail (26) and the shanks of the nails of the nail strip (12) disposed nearest to the side rail (26) when said feeding member (60) is moved from said advanced position to said retracted position. A magazine according to claim 3, wherein: said rail-engaging portion (64) of said feeding member (60) and said spring means (80) are disposed within substantially parallel planes disposed substantially parallel to said side rail (26). A magazine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: said magazine (20) has an open side (28) disposed opposite to said side rail (26); and said means (50) for biasing said stored nail strips toward said side rail (26) comprises a biasing member (100) movable between an operative position, at which said biasing member extends through said open side of said magazine and is biased against the stored nail strip (12) disposed nearest to said open side of said magazine, and an inoperative position, at which said biasing member (100) is disposed away from said open side (28) of said magazine so as to permit said plurality of nails strips (12) to be loaded into said magazine (20) through said open side, said means for biasing said stored nail strips toward said side rail (26) further comprising means (110) for releasably latching said biasing member (100) at said operative position, and means (140) for biasing said biasing member against the stored nail strip disposed nearest to said open side of said magazine when said biasing member (100) is latched at said operative position. A magazine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said magazine further comprises a floor member (160) which is disposed beneath said stored nail strips; and means (180) for adjustably mounting said floor member (160) upon said frame (40) so as to be adjustably positionable to any one of a plurality of positions so as to accommodate nail shanks of different lengths.

Inventors: DEIESO TONY, HOWARD FRANK, SHKOINIKOV YURY, WAGDY MOHAMED, DEIESO, TONY, HOWARD, FRANK, SHKOINIKOV, YURY, WAGDY, MOHAMED
Applicants: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B25C1
IPC codes: B25C1