Abstract:
A carrier strip system includes a plurality of discrete carrier strips respectively receptive of fasteners of substantially different dimensions the strips having internal features configured to engage the fasteners, the strips further having substantially identical external dimensions said external dimensions being substantially symmetrical with respect to a virtual surface defined by inclusion of axes of the plurality of discrete fasteners, and the external dimensions being engagable with a single setting tool magazine such that fasteners with different dimensions have consistent alignment within a single setting tool magazine and method.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. Ser. No. 11/230,890, filed Sep. 20, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Fastener setting tools have become common tools in the construction industry. Their ability to drive a fastener fully with just the pull of a trigger is significantly more efficient than methods of hammering or screwing fasteners in. Traditionally, setting tools required their fasteners be loaded one at a time into the proper position in the setting tool before they could be driven into the work piece. More recently, setting tools have included a magazine that spring loads several fasteners, for auto loading, which significantly increases the speed at which large numbers of fasteners can be driven. Such magazines are augmented with respect to function by the advent of fastener holders in the form of carrier strips. 
         [0003]    A wide variety of fasteners are now available for use with setting tools. This variety is required to meet the particular demands of the work pieces being joined together. One common variation in fasteners is their diameter. Different diameter fasteners are employed in distinct magazines or distinct setting tools. Distinct magazines at best are required in order to ensure proper feed of the fasteners. Such arrangements require a user employing fasteners of different diameters to have multiple magazines or multiple setting tools, and further may require additional time when magazines are replaced to accommodate different diameter fasteners. This leads to inefficiency and is therefore undesirable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A carrier strip system includes a plurality of discrete carrier strips respectively receptive of fasteners of substantially different dimensions the strips having internal features configured to engage the fasteners, the strips further having substantially identical external dimensions said external dimensions being substantially symmetrical with respect to a virtual surface defined by inclusion of axes of the plurality of discrete fasteners, and the external dimensions being engagable with a single setting tool magazine such that fasteners with different dimensions have consistent alignment within a single setting tool magazine. 
         [0005]    A method of presenting substantially differently dimensioned fasteners to a single setting tool through a single setting tool magazine includes sizing internal dimensions of a plurality of discrete carrier strips to engage substantially different dimensions of discrete fasteners; loading the discrete fasteners into the plurality of discrete carrier strips; and maintaining external dimensions of the plurality of discrete carrier strips such that the plurality of discrete carrier strips are engagable in a single setting tool magazine by at least the external dimensions to consistently align the discrete fasteners relative to a single setting tool magazine. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0006]    Referring to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a large diameter carrier strip assembly of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the carrier strip assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of a small diameter carrier strip assembly of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the carrier strip assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of a varied diameter carrier strip assembly of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side cross sectional view of the carrier strip assembly of  FIG. 5  taken at arrows  6 - 6 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a side cross sectional view of an alternate carrier strip with short fasteners. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    In connection with the above-identified drawbacks of the prior art, the presently disclosed concept allows for fasteners of different diameters to be run in the same magazine of a setting tool. In order for such an application to be possible, an outside diameter of a fastener carrier strip must remain the same for different fastener diameters and yet securely hold the fastener in place. Moreover, since setting tool magazines employ a diametric surface of the fastener as an additional guiding surface, where narrower diameter fasteners are to be utilized in the same setting tool magazine accommodation must be made for the guiding function of the outside diameter of the larger diameter fasteners when using the smaller diameter fasteners. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  is illustrated comprising: large diameter fastener(s)  2 , a large diameter head-end break-free strip  4  made of several head-end segments  5 , and a large diameter point-end break-free strip  6  made of several point-end segments  7 . The carrier strip assembly  1  is illustrated in a condition in which it may be loaded into a fastener setting tool such as a combustion driven fastening system. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , each head-end segment  5  has a hole  12  therethrough and each point-end segment  7  has a hole  14  therethrough. The segment  5  to segment  5  spacing in the head-end break-free strip  4  is equal to the segment  7  to segment  7  spacing of the point-end break-free strip  6 , causing the hole  12  to hole  12  spacing to be the same as the hole  14  to hole  14  spacing. Holes  12  and  14  are sized to create an interference fit with the outside diameter  3  of the large diameter fastener  2 . The interference fit maintains the relative position of the large diameter head-end break-free strip  4 , the large diameter point-end break-free strip  6  and the large diameter fastener(s)  2  to each other. 
         [0017]    As alluded to above there are several registers for the strip in a magazine (not shown), these are both diametrical and axial. These registers contact surfaces on the components that make up the large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  to assure the large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  will be properly guided and indexed within the magazine and setting tool (not shown). Diameters  8  and  9  are registered in the magazine to assure proper alignment of the fastener  2  prior to discharge from the fastener setting tool. Diameter  8  is immediately beyond radial surface  16  of head-end segment  5  in the direction of the point-end of the fastener  2 , and diameter  9 , is immediately beyond radial surface  20  of point-end segment  7  in the direction of the point-end of the fastener  2 . Radial surfaces  18  and  20  are also registered in the magazine to properly locate the fastener  2  in an axial direction prior to its discharge from the fastener setting tool. Radial surface  18  is formed on the head-end of segment  7  and radial surface  20  is formed on the point-end of segment  7 . Since surface  18  and surface  20  are formed on the same component, segment  7 , the distance between them can be accurately controlled. 
         [0018]    As is easily observable in  FIG. 2  the segments  5  and  7  are symmetrical about a virtual surface defined by inclusion of axes of the fasteners  2  and the segments  5  and  7  that make up the strip  1 . Such symmetry allows the fastener setting tool to contact the segments  5 ,  7  from either or both sides of the virtual surface and thereby accurately align the fasteners  2  relative to the fastener setting tool. The symmetry of the strip  1  also allows the strip  1  to be installed into the magazine of the fastener setting tool in one of two orientations, resulting in easier and faster loading of strips  1  into the magazine since orienting the strip  1  into one of two orientations relative to the magazine is not necessary. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a small diameter carrier strip assembly  10  is illustrated comprising: small diameter fastener(s)  22 , a small diameter head-end break-free strip  24  made of several head-end segments  25 , and a small diameter point-end break-free strip  26  made of several point-end segments  27 . The carrier strip assembly  10  is illustrated in a condition in which it may be loaded into a fastener setting tool such as a combustion driven fastening setting tool, for example. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , each head-end segment  25  has a hole  42  therethrough and each point-end segment  27  has a hole  44  therethrough. The segment  25  to segment  25  spacing in the head-end break-free strip  24  is equal to the segment  27  to segment  27  spacing of the point-end break-free strip  26 , causing the hole  42  to hole  42  spacing to be the same as the hole  44  to hole  44  spacing which also matches the hole  12  to hole  12  spacing of the large diameter head-end break-free strip  4 . Holes  42  and  44  are sized to create an interference fit with the outside diameter  23  of the small diameter fastener  22 . The interference fit maintains the relative position of the small diameter head-end break-free strip  24 , the small diameter point-end break-free strip  26  and the small diameter fastener(s)  22  to each other. 
         [0021]    As described earlier, there are several registers for guiding the large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  within the magazine of the fastener setting tool. The surfaces on the components of the small diameter carrier strip assembly  10  that interface with the registers in the magazine must therefore match those from the large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  in order for the small diameter carrier strip assembly  10  to feed properly into the magazine of the fastener setting tool. 
         [0022]    Segments  27 , therefore, which make up the small diameter point-end carrier strip  26 , have surfaces to match those of the segments  7  of the large diameter point-end carrier strip  6 . Specifically, the radial surfaces  48  and the radial surfaces  50  will register within the magazine just as the radial surfaces  18  and radial surfaces  20  did for the large diameter head-end segments  5 . Further, the axial distance separating radial surfaces  48  from radial surfaces  50  of segments  27  match the axial distance separating radial surfaces  18  from radial surfaces  20  of segments  7 . Thereby, allowing either the large diameter fastener carrier strip  1  or the small diameter fastener carrier strip  10  to axially register within a single magazine. 
         [0023]    Similarly, the diametrically registering surfaces match as well. Specifically, diameters  28  of segments  25  positioned immediately beyond radial surfaces  46  match the diameters  8  of the large diameter fasteners shank. The fact that diameters  28  are formed as part of the segments  25  whereas diameters  8  are formed as part of the fasteners  2  do not effect the registration within the magazine as long as the diameters are substantially equal. 
         [0024]    The other diametrically registering surfaces from the large diameter carrier strip  1  are diameters  9  of the large diameter fasteners shank. Therefore, diameters  29  of segments  27  match that of diameters  9  of large diameter fasteners  2 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a varied diameter carrier strip assembly  100  is illustrated. The strip assembly  100  includes, a plurality of varied diameter fasteners  110 , a varied diameter head-end break-free strip  114  made of several head-end segments  118 , and a varied diameter point-end break-free strip  122  made of several point-end segments  126 . The carrier strip assembly  100  is illustrated in a condition in which it may be loaded into a fastener setting tool such as a combustion driven fastening setting tool, for example. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a cross sectional view of the varied diameter carrier strip assembly  100  is illustrated. One of the one of the varied diameter fasteners  110  is shown as having a first diameter portion  130  and a second diameter portion  134  with the first diameter portion  130  being a larger diameter than the second diameter portion  134 . A first varied diameter portion  138  transitions the first diameter portion  130  to the second diameter portion  134 . The first varied diameter portion  138  of this embodiment has a frustoconical shape, however, other transitional shapes could be employed between the first diameter portion  130  and the second diameter portion  134 . Similarly, a second varied diameter portion  142  transitions the second diameter portion  134  to a point  146  of the fastener  110  with a frustoconical shape. The point  146  of this embodiment has a flat surface truncating the second varied diameter portion  142 , however, other embodiments could have other point geometries such as a small spherical radius at the apex, for example. 
         [0027]    Each head-end segment  118  has a hole  150  therethrough and each point-end segment  126  has a hole  154  therethrough. The segment  118  to segment  118  spacing in the head-end break-free strip  114  is equal to the segment  126  to segment  126  spacing of the point-end break-free strip  122 , causing the hole  150  to hole  150  spacing to be the same as the hole  154  to hole  154  spacing which also matches the hole  12  to hole  12  spacing of the large diameter head-end break-free strip  4 . Holes  150  and  154  are sized to create an interference fit with the first diameter portion  130  and the second diameter portion  134  respectively. Friction generated by the interference fit maintains the relative position of the varied diameter head-end break-free strip  114 , the varied diameter point-end break-free strip  122  and the varied diameter fastener(s)  110  to each other. The fact that a portion  158  of the first varied diameter portion  138  is positioned axially within the hole  150  is acceptable since a portion  162  of the first diameter portion  130  is also positioned axially within the hole  150 . As such, the interference fit of the portion  162  of the first diameter portion  130  with the hole  150  provides the friction required to maintain the relative position of the varied diameter head-end break-free strip  114  to the fasteners  110 . Similarly, the fact that a portion  162  of the second varied diameter portion  142  is positioned axially within the hole  154  is acceptable since a portion  166  of the of the second diameter portion  134  is also positioned axially within the hole  154 . As such, the interference fit of the portion  170  of the second diameter portion  134  with the hole  154  provides the friction required to maintain the relative position of the varied diameter point-end break-free strip  122  to the fasteners  110 . 
         [0028]    The varied diameter carrier strip assembly  100  has several registers for guiding the strip assembly  100  within the magazine of the fastener setting tool. These registers of the strip assembly  100  interface with the registers in the magazine and also match registers from the large diameter carrier strip assembly  1  in order for the strip assembly  100  to feed properly into the magazine of the fastener setting tool. Specifically, segments  126  have surfaces that match those of the segments  7  of the large diameter point-end carrier strip  6 . For example, radial surfaces  174  and  178  register within the magazine just as the radial surfaces  18  and  20  for the large diameter head-end segments  5  do. Further, the axial distance separating the radial surfaces  174  from radial surfaces  178  of segments  126  match the axial distance separating radial surfaces  18  from radial surfaces  20  of segments  7 , thereby allowing either the large diameter fastener carrier strip  1  or the varied diameter fastener carrier strip  100  to axially register within a single magazine. 
         [0029]    Similarly, the diametrically registering surfaces match as well. Specifically, diameters  134  immediately below (in the Figures) radial surfaces  186  of the segments  118  match the diameters  8  additionally diameters  182  immediately below the radial surfaces  178  match the diameters  9 . In this embodiment the diameters  134  are a portion of the fastener  110 , while in alternate embodiments the diameter  134  could be on a portion of the segments  118 , for example. By having registering diameters, for example, such as the diameters  134  immediately below the radial surface  186  and diameters  182  immediately below radial surface  178  that are consistent between various embodiments of the strip assemblies  1 ,  10  and  100  the fit to the same fastener setting tool magazine and subsequently to the fastener setting tool will be assured. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a cross sectional view of a varied diameter carrier strip assembly  200  is illustrated. The strip assembly  200  is similar to the strip assembly  100  in that the head-end segments  118  and the point-end segments  126  that are uses in strip assembly  100  are also used in strip assembly  200 . By using the same segments  118 ,  126  the strip assembly  200  is sure to fit and function within the same setting tools and magazines that the strip assembly  100  does. The difference between the strip assembly  200  and the strip assembly  100  is that the strip assembly  200  uses varied diameter fasteners  210  that are shorter than the varied diameter fasteners  110  that are used in the strip assembly  100 . In fact, the fasteners  210  are so short, they do not extend beyond a radial surface  214  that is the furthest portion of the strip assembly  200  in a direction of a point  218  of the fastener  210 . The only limitation on the length of the fastener  210  is that the second diameter portion  134  has a portion  222  that extends within the diameter  154  long enough to provide a frictional engagement between the fastener  210  and the point-end strip  126  to positionally locate them relative to one another. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention, disclosed in  FIG. 7 , permits usage of fasteners in a magazine and a setting tool receptive of the magazine that are dimensionally smaller (in at least one direction) than the guide strips  118 ,  126  through which they are mounted and fixtured. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.