Abstract:
An automated power actuated gun which drives a fastener assembly having a plate frictionally engaging a nail or stud into a hard substrate or surface such as concrete that has attached thereto a fastener feeding assembly. The fastener feeding assembly is formed with a spring-biased holder that holds the fastener assembly to be driven until the barrel is in position for driving the fastener assembly. The fastener feeding assembly is attached directly to the barrel of the power actuated gun. The fastener feeding assembly is formed with a window at the point where the fastener assembly to be driven is received by the barrel of the power actuated gun allowing the fastener feeding track to be used with fastener assemblies having legs that can bend inwardly when the fastener assembly is driven.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/423,826, filed Nov. 5, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Power actuated guns are used in many industrial applications, and particularly construction applications. A power actuated gun is often used to drive a fastener into a relatively hard substrate, such as concrete. The power actuated gun is typically powered by an explosive charge. 
   Often, with power actuated guns, a fastener is used having a nail frictionally retained in a shaped washer or plate, often called a fastener assembly. Often, an angled plate having a hole therein is used so that a wire or other device can be fastened thereto. One such fastener assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,923 entitled “Fastener Assembly”, issued to Also Loss on Apr. 12, 1988. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,923 is incorporated herein by reference. 
   Fastener assemblies having a nail frictionally retained in a washer or plate are generally available loosely packed. With most power actuated guns driving fastener assemblies of this type, the fastener assemblies are placed into the barrel of the gun individually by hand. This can be time consuming. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,316 and 6,481,611, also granted to Alfonso Losada, teach a fastener feeding track and system for automatically feeding fastener assemblies having a nail frictionally retained in a washer or plate into the barrel of the power actuated gun. U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,316, granted to Alfonso Losada, on Aug. 14, 2001, is incorporated herein by reference. 
   The use of fastener feeding systems is especially helpful for driving fasteners into ceilings areas that are hard to reach from the ground or floor. In use, the fastener assembly is placed within or partially within the barrel of the power actuated gun and placed adjacent the surface into which the nail of the fastener assembly will be driven. The surface is generally a hard surface which requires the use of the power actuated gun. The power actuated gun is then fired, driving the stud or nail into the hard surface. The fastener feeding system then loads another fastener assembly into the barrel or at least partially into the barrel so that it is ready for firing. 
   For ceiling applications, the power actuated gun is often placed on a pole with a fastener assembly received within or partially within the bore of the barrel of the gun and the whole device is raised to the ceiling with a pole. When the fastener assembly lies adjacent and in contact with the ceiling where it is to be driven the gun is fired and the nail or stud of the fastener assembly is driven. Because the power actuated gun is placed on a pole, this means it is often removed from the reach of the operator. Because the power actuated gun will be raised on a pole above the operator, it is important that fastener feeding track be securely attached to the power actuated gun without interfering with the operation of the gun, and that the fastener feeding assembly work efficiently without jamming. 
   The present invention teaches means for securing a fastener feeding track to a power actuated gun. A number of other systems have been devised by the inventor of the present invention for improving the fastener assemblies used with power actuated guns, the operation of automatically loading fastener assemblies into the barrel of a power actuated gun and the firing the gun. Some of these inventions are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/729,389, filed Dec. 4, 2000, by Alfonso Losada, entitled “Power Actuated Fastener System”, which is herein incorporated by reference. Some of these inventions are also described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/043,669, filed Jan. 11, 2002, entitled “Fastener Assembly having Grooves for use with a Power Actuated Gun”, filed by Alfonso Losada, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
   The present invention also teaches an improved fastener feeding track that is less likely to jam when used with certain fastener assemblies. 
   The present invention aims to increase worker productivity, allowing workers to install more fastener assemblies in a a safe and accurate manner. Worker productivity is a key economic factor in the construction industry where labor is a larger portion of the cost of any structure, and labor costs continue to rise. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention, to provide a power actuated gun having a fastener feeding track assembly attached thereto where the barrel is attached to the fastener feeding track assembly such that the barrel can move with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is an additional object of the present invention to provide the fastener feeding track assembly with a fastener assembly holder which is positioned in relation to the barrel of the power actuated gun such that the fastener assembly holder is pivoted by the barrel of the power actuated gun when the barrel has received a fastener assembly and the barrel is moved with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is an additional object of the present invention to form the fastener assembly holder with a groove to accommodate fastener assemblies having a nail projecting therefrom. 
   It is a further object of the device of the present invention to use a spring to bias the fastener assembly holder into a position where the fastener assembly holder is pivoted by the barrel of the power actuated gun when the barrel has received a fastener assembly and the barrel is moved with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to teach a connection between the barrel of a power actuated gun and a fastener feeding track assembly wherein the barrel has a slot therein and the fastener feeding track assembly has a projection that is received by the slot in the barrel. 
   In one preferred embodiment, this projection is a screw. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to teach a connection between the barrel of a power actuated gun and a fastener feeding track wherein a spring biases the power actuated gun away from the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   When the spring between the fastener feeding track assembly and the power actuated gun compresses the barrel slides in relation to the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to teach a connection between the barrel of a power actuated gun and a fastener feeding track assembly wherein the barrel has a pair of opposing flat surfaces therein and the fastener feeding track assembly has a pair of opposing surfaces dimensioned to closely correspond to the opposing flat surfaces of the barrel, such that the fastener feeding track assembly grips the barrel of the power actuated gun at the opposing flat surface on the barrel. 
   In the preferred embodiment of this form of the invention, the pair of opposing surfaces dimensioned to closely correspond to the opposing flat surface of the barrel of the fastener feeding track assembly are formed on a U shaped bracket received by the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a a power actuated gun having a fastener feeding track assembly attached thereto where the barrel is received by the fastener feeding track assembly and the fastener feeding track assembly has a window in the fastener feeding track assembly where the barrel is received by the fastener feeding track assembly. 
   It is a further object of the present invention that this window is large enough to create a clearance for the leg of a fastener assembly, should the leg of the fastener assembly bend toward the fastener feeding track assembly when the fastener assembly is driven by the power actuated gun. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to make laborers or workers more productive and thereby reduce construction costs. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a power actuated fastening system that has a smooth operation and is easy to use. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to use the relative movement between the power actuated gun and an attachment to automate the loading of fastener assemblies into the power actuated gun. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a power actuated fastener system that is safe to use. 
   It is an advantage of the present system that it saves time. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view, illustrating a power actuated gun with a fastener feeding track thereon. 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first type of barrel. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a second type of barrel. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial cross section illustrating a track assembly attached to the barrel of a power actuated gun. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross section illustrating the operation of the track assembly attached to the barrel of a power actuated gun. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment of a track assembly attached to the barrel of a power actuated gun. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section taken along lines  5 — 5  in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a U bracket for attaching the fastener feeding assembly to the barrel of a power actuated gun. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a track assembly having a side opening in the track assembly for use with certain types of fastener assemblies. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a power actuated gun  1  having a barrel  16 B. Attached to barrel  16 B is a track assembly  12 B. 
   The track assembly  12 B is pushed upward on the barrel  16 B by spring  14  away from the power actuated gun  10 . The track assembly  12 B comprises a track  20 B containing a plurality of fastener assemblies  18 . 
   The fastener assemblies  18  may have a wire  46  attached thereto. 
   The barrel  16 B is attached to the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B in such a manner that the barrel  16 B can move with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B has a fastener assembly holder  26  which is positioned in relation to the barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10  such that the fastener assembly holder  26  is pivoted by the barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10  when the barrel  16 B has received a fastener assembly  18 A and the barrel  16 B is moved with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , preferably, the fastener assembly holder  26  has a groove  51  to accommodate fastener assemblies  18  having a nail  53  projecting therefrom. 
   A spring  57  biases the fastener assembly holder  26  into a position where the fastener assembly holder  26  is pivoted by the barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10  when the barrel  16 B has received a fastener assembly  18 A and the barrel  16 B is moved with respect to the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B. 
   Once loaded in the track assembly  12 B, the fastener assemblies  18  are pushed forward, contacting a holder  26 . The holder  26  is pivotally attached and spring loaded to the track assembly  12 B. The holder  26  may have a V groove  51  therein to hold the pointed end  52  of a nail or a stud  53  on one of the fastener assemblies  18 . 
   Preferably, the track assembly  12 B is formed with a fastener assembly stop  22 . The stop  22  has a contact  28  that is forced against the pointed end  52  of a nail or stud  53  of a fastener assembly  18 B that is next in line to be driven, holding the fastener assembly  18 B in position. The fastener assembly stop  22  prevents the fastener assembly  18 B that is next in line to be fired, from advancing into a firing position before the barrel  16 B has moved out of position. This helps prevent jamming and helps prevent an advancing fastener assembly  18 B from striking the barrel  16 B after the firing of the preceding fastener assembly  18 A. 
   Fastener assembly stop  22  is made from spring steel so that it can move up and down and is normally biased away from the track  20  until the power actuated gun  10  is place in position for firing and contact  28  hits a surface, forcing it downward toward the track assembly  12 B. 
   Feet  24 , mounted on the track assembly  12 B, in combination with the contact  28  of the fastener assembly stop  22  form three legs for stabilizing the track assembly  12 B and power actuated gun  10  over a surface into which a fastener assembly  18  is to be driven. 
   When firing the power actuated gun  10 , the barrel  16 B is caused to move upward within the track assembly  12 B, pushing a fastener assembly  18 A out through holder  26  which pivots, permitting the fastener assembly  18 A to pass therethrough. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a trigger firing mechanism  38  may be used to depress a trigger  42  as the power actuated gun  10  is moved upward closer to the track assembly  12 B. 
   The barrels  16 A and  16 B shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate different barrel types for attaching track assemblies  12 A and  12 B thereto. 
     FIG. 1A  illustrates a barrel  16 A having a slot  30  therein. The barrel  16 A utilizes a screw  53  riding within a groove or slot  30  for retaining track assembly  12 A thereon. In this one preferred embodiment of the connection between the barrel  16 A of a power actuated gun  10  and a fastener feeding track assembly  12 A the barrel  16 A has a slot  30  therein and the fastener feeding track assembly  12 A has a projection  53  that is received by the slot  30  in the barrel  16 A. 
     FIG. 1B  illustrates a barrel  16 B having opposing flat surfaces  32 . As shown in  FIG. 1   b , the connection between the barrel  16 B of a power actuated gun  10  and a fastener feeding track assembly  12 B is accomplished by means of forming the barrel  16 B with a pair of opposing flat surfaces  32  therein and the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B has a pair of opposing surfaces  58  dimensioned to closely correspond to the opposing flat surfaces  32  of the barrel  16 B, such that the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B grips the barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10  at the opposing flat surfaces  32  on the barrel  16 B. 
   In the preferred embodiment of this form of the invention, the pair of opposing surfaces  58  dimensioned to closely correspond to the opposing flat surface  32  of the barrel  16 B of the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B are formed on a U shaped bracket  34  received by the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1B , in an alternate preferred embodiment, the track assembly  12 B can be held onto barrel  16 B by U shaped bracket  34 . The barrel  16 B illustrated in  FIG. 1B  utilizes a U shaped bracket to ride within the flat surfaces  32  for holding track assembly  12 B thereon. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a fastener assembly  18  in a firing position held in place by holder  26  pushing the fastener assembly  18 A against the track  20 A. In this embodiment, the track assembly  12 A is held onto the barrel  16 A with a screw  36  riding in groove or slot  30 . The contact  28  of the fastener assembly stop  22  is in a raised position biasing by a leaf spring  54  forming a part of the fastener assembly stop  22 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the operation of the track assembly  12 A. The track assembly  12 A is attached to the barrel  16 A of the power actuated gun  10  with a screw  36  riding in slot  30  on the barrel  16 A. As the feet  24  and contact  28  come into contact with a surface  44 , barrel  16 A advances compressing spring  14 . The barrel  16 A pushes on a fastener assembly  18 A. The holder  26  pivots away and the fastener assembly  18 A is held against the surface  44  in firing position. The contact  28  of the fastener assembly stop  22  is forced downward to hold an adjacent fastener assembly  18 B, preventing it from advancing. 
     FIG. 4  more clearly illustrates how the track assembly  12 B is held onto barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10 . The U shaped bracket  34  rides within flat portion formed on the barrel  16 B of the power actuated gun  10 . 
     FIG. 5  is a cross section taken along lines  5 — 5  in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 5 , the U shaped bracket  34  is clearly illustrated around the barrel  16 B. 
     FIG. 6  illustrates the U shaped bracket  34  off of the barrel  16 B. After sliding over the barrel, the open end of the U shaped bracket  34  may be closed with a pin  35 . The U shaped bracket  34  may also be closed with a bolt, or other equivalent means. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a track assembly  112 B attached to the barrel  16 B of a power actuated gun  10 . In this embodiment, a side opening  40  is formed within the track  20 B. 
   The side opening  40  has a width slightly less then the overall width of a fastener assembly  18 . Accordingly, the fastener assembly  18  can still rest on edges of the track  20 B; however, the side opening  40  permits clearance for a leg  55  of the fastener assembly  18 , such that when the fastener assembly  18  is driven, there is adequate clearance for the leg and any wire  46  attached to the fastener assembly  18 . In some situations, upon driving the fastener assembly  18 , a leg  55  having the wire  46  attached thereto bends inward forming a substantially 90 degree angle. In some applications, this may contact the track  20 B. The side opening  40  within the track  20 B reduces the potential contact and helps prevent any possible jamming. 
   Also attached to barrel portion  16 B is a trigger firing mechanism  38 . The trigger firing mechanism  38  is positioned over a trigger  42  of the power actuated gun  10 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the track  12 A contains a supply of fastener assemblies  18 . Each fastener assembly  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  has a plate  56  and a nail  53  for being driven with the power actuated gun  10 . Upon depressing the barrel portion  16 A, the trigger firing mechanism  38  is lowered to contact the trigger  42  (see  FIG. 1 ). At a predetermined point, the trigger firing mechanism  38  releases, pushing on trigger  42  firing the power actuated gun  10  and driving the nail  53  of the fastener assembly  18 A into a substrate  44 . The sequence is repeated and a fastener assembly  18 B within track  12 B is advanced. 
   The trigger firing mechanism  38  is illustrated attached to the fastener feeding track assembly  12 B. The trigger firing mechanism  38  may contain any means for releasing upon contact with the trigger  42  to fire the power actuated gun  10 . 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a fastener assembly  18  having a plate  56  with a nail or stud  53  therein, and a leg  55  attached to the plate  56 . A wire  46  is shown attached to the leg  55 .