Abstract:
A setting tool for driving a fastening element in a constructional component includes a housing ( 11 ), a drive member ( 13 ) displaceable in a guide ( 12 ) located in the housing, a bolt guide ( 15 ) adjoining the drive member guide ( 12 ) in direction of the operational axis (A) and forming a dog point ( 16 ) for abutting the constructional component and a drive-in depth setting tool ( 20 ) for displacing the bolt guide ( 15 ) axially relative to the drive member guide ( 15 ) for setting a distance between a drive end ( 14 ) of the drive member ( 13 ) and the dog point ( 16 ) in the initial position of the drive member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a setting tool for driving a fastening element in a constructional component and including a housing, a guide located in the housing, a drive member displaceable in the guide and defining an operational axis, a bolt guide adjoining the drive member guide in direction of the operational axis, with the drive member having a drive end adjacent to the bolt guide for driving the fastening element located in the bolt guide, and a drive-in depth setting tool for setting a distance between the drive end of the drive member and a dog point for abutting the constructional component in an initial position of the drive member. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Setting tools of the type described above are driven with solid, gaseous or liquid fuels, compressed air, or by electrical energy. 
         [0005]    With such setting tool, in which the drive member such as setting piston or a ram drives a fastening element in a constructional component, the drive member is accelerated in the direction of the fastening element. In the combustion-engined setting tools, the drive member is driven, e.g., by combustion gases. The pressure, which is applied to the drive member, accelerates the drive member in the direction of the fastening element. The drive member impacts the fastening element, driving it in the constructional component. 
         [0006]    In setting tools, the drive-in depth of the fastening element in the workpiece or distance of the head of the fastening element from the surface of the workpiece after a drive-in process, depends, among others, from the material of the workpiece in which the fastening element is driven in, and from the length and thickness of the fastening element stem. Dependent on the use, it is necessary to be able to adjust the drive-in depth distance between the head of the fastening element and the surface of the workpiece. In the gas-driven bolt setting tools, e.g., this is often effected by changing the distance of a setting piston tip in the frontmost position of the piston relative to the workpiece or the constructional component. The change of this distance is effected, e.g., by changing the length of the press-on system. There is a requirement to be able to perform this adjustment as simply as possible. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,622 discloses a hand-held setting tool having a drive-in depth setting device. The device includes an actuation feeler that projects past a nose part of the setting tool in the setting direction. The actuation feeler is axially adjusted relative to the nose part with an incremental control member formed as a knurled wheel, whereby different drive-in depths or distances of a to-be-set fastening element are set. 
         [0008]    The drawback of the above-described setting tool consists in that the drive-in depth setting device has too many parts and, on the other hand, the dismounting of the nose part or of the bolt guide is rather expensive. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a setting tool of the type described above in which the drawbacks listed above are eliminated. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a setting tool of the type described above and which can be simply formed and an adjustment or setting of the drive-in depth in a most simple manner possible can be effected. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a setting tool of the type described above and in which the bolt guide forms the dog point for abutting the workpiece or the constructional component and is displaced axially relative to the drive member guide by the drive-in depth setting device. 
         [0012]    The foregoing novel features of the present invention permit to eliminate an additional component of the drive-in depth setting device that has the dog point, and provide a reliably functioning drive-in depth setting for releasing the tool. 
         [0013]    Advantageously, the drive-in depth setting device axially displaces the bolt guide between at least two positions, retaining the bolt guide in a respective position. This permits to eliminate additional constructional measures for axial retaining of the bolt guide. 
         [0014]    Advantageously, the bolt guide has a release position axially remote from the drive member guide and which corresponds to a release switching position of the drive-in depth setting device and in which the bolt guide is not any more retained by the drive-in depth setting device. Thereby, the bolt guide is released from the tool in the release switching position of the drive-in depth setting device and can be removed from the setting tool without an additional handle. The bolt guide is, thus, easily replaceable which insures an easily access for rectification of any malfunction and use of another bolt guide. 
         [0015]    Advantageously, the drive-in depth setting device has a manually operable actuation member that is located, in at least two switching positions of the drive-in depth setting device in which the device axially secures the bolt guide in the at least two positions of the bolt guide, respectively, in a window formed in the housing where the actuation member is accessible. In the release switching position of the drive-in depth setting device, the actuation member is covered by a housing section located adjacent to the window. These features insure an easy operation of the drive-in depth setting device and, on the other hand, prevent an accidental actuation of the actuation member when the bolt guide is dismounted. 
         [0016]    According to a constructively simple embodiment, the drive-in depth setting device includes a control link and link block displaceable in the control link which operate between the actuation member and the bolt guide. Instead of using the control link and link block as control means, e.g., toggle lever means, a tooth rack-/tooth gear unit, a threaded sleeve with an axially displaceable threaded rod, two links slidable relative to each other, an eccentric setting wheel can be used. 
         [0017]    Advantageously, the drive-in depth setting device has a control roller connected with the actuation member for joint rotation therewith. With the control roller, the link control can be formed in a space-saving manner, without increasing the constructional length of the setting tool. Advantageously, the control link is provided on the control roller and the link block is provided on the bolt guide. Alternatively, the link block can be provided on the control roller, and the control link on the bolt guide. 
         [0018]    It is advantageous, when there is provided a locking mechanism for releasably retaining the drive-in depth setting device in the switching positions. This prevents an accidental displacement of the drive-in depth setting device into another switching position, e.g., by a return pulse. 
         [0019]    The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The drawings show: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  a side, partially cross-sectional view of a mouth region of the setting tool according to the present invention with a drive-in depth adjusting device in a first position thereof; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  a view similar to that of  FIG. 1  with the drive-in depth adjusting device in a second position thereof; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  a cross-sectional view of the mouth region of the inventive setting tool along line III-III in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  a view similar to that of  FIG. 1  with the drive-in depth adjusting device in a third position thereof; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  a cross-sectional view of the mouth region of a setting tool along line V-V in  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  a cross-sectional view of the inventive setting tool shown in  FIG. 2  along line VI-VI in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]      FIGS. 1-6  show a mouth region of a hand-held setting tool  10  according to the present invention. The setting tool  10  can be formed, e.g., as a combustion power-driven tool and has a setting mechanism located in a tool housing  11 . The setting mechanism includes a setting piston which is formed as a drive member  13  (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). The drive member  13  is displaceable in a guide  12  and defines a longitudinal axis A of the setting tool. In  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the drive member  13  is shown in its initial position, ready for a setting process. In the setting tool  10 , there is provided, coaxially with the guide  12 , a bolt guide  15  having a dog point  16  that is located outside of the housing  11  for engaging a workpiece with the setting tool  10 . The bolt guide  15  serves for receiving and guiding a fastening element  50  (schematically shown in  FIG. 3 ). During a setting process, the fastening element  50 , which is located in the bolt guide  15 , is driven by a drive end  14  of the drive member  13  in the direction of the dog point  16  and into a workpiece (not shown). The drive-in depth of the fastening element  50  in a workpiece or the projection of the head of the fastening element  50  above the workpiece surface after completion of the drive-in process depends, among others, from the material of the workpiece into which the fastening element is driven in and from the length and width of the stem of the fastening element  50 . 
         [0028]    In order to be able to set different drive-in depths on the setting tool  10 , the setting tool  10  is provided with a drive-in depth adjusting or setting device generally designated with a reference numeral  20 . The drive-in depth setting device  20  includes a manually operated actuation member  24  supported on a support axle  23  for joint rotation therewith (see, in particular  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6 ). The support axle  23  is rotatably or pivotally supported in the housing  11  by first and second bearings  26  and  27 , respectively. On the support axle  23 , there is further supported a control roller  21  for joint rotation with the axle  23 . 
         [0029]    On the control roller  21 , there is provided first control means in form of a circumferential groove-shaped control link  22 . On the bolt guide  15 , there is provided second control means in form of a link block  25 . The link block  25  is displaced in the control link  22  on the control roller  21 , whereby the bolt guide  15  is secured axially on the setting tool  10  in switching positions  46 ,  47  of the drive-in depth setting device  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  6  by the link block  25  displaceable in the control link  22 , so that the bolt guide  15  cannot be removed from the setting tool  10 . The actuation member  24  is located in the switching positions  46  and  47  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  6 ) in the window  17  formed in the housing. In this way, the actuation member  24  is accessible for the user of the setting tool  10  and can be displaced manually from the first switching position  46  (see  FIGS. 1 and 6 ) into the second switching position  47  (see  FIGS. 2 and 6 ). By displacing the actuation member  24  from the first position  46  into the second position  47  (in the direction of arrow  70  in  FIG. 1 ) and vice versa, the bolt guide  15  is displaced from a first position  36  ( FIG. 1 ) in a second position  37  shown in  FIG. 2  and vice versa. The displacement of the actuation member  24  causes rotation of the support axle  23 , together with the control roller  31 , and the bolt guide  15  is displaced as a result of engagement of the link block  25  in the control link  22  in the control roller  21 . The displacement of the bolt guide  15  between of the bolt guide  15  between the first position  36  and the second position  37  leads to an axial displacement of the bolt guide  15  relative to the guide  12  (in direction of arrow  12  in  FIG. 1 ). Thereby, the distance D between the drive end  14  of the drive member  13  and a dog point  16  changes, whereby a drive-in depth also changes. 
         [0030]    For dismounting of the bolt guide  15 , the drive-in depth setting device  20  can be displaced with the actuation member  24  manually in a release switching position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . To this end, the actuation member  24  is pivoted out from the window  17  in direction of arrow  70  (in  FIG. 2 ), becoming inaccessible to the user, below a housing section  18  adjacent to the window  17  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Together with the actuation member  24 , the support axle  23  is pivoted, together with the control roller  21 , in the direction of arrow  71 , whereby the link block  25  is displaced in the control link  22  to a position in which it is not held any more by the control link  22  in the direction of the dog point  16 . As a result, the bolt guide  15  can be removed from the setting tool  10  by being pulled in the direction of arrow  72 . In this position, the control link  22  is open in the direction of the dog point  16 . In order to pivot the actuation member  24  into the window  17 , the bolt guide  15  should be pushed into the setting tool  10  in a direction opposite that shown with arrow  72 . With the suitable geometry of the control link  22  having an inclination surface  28 , the control roller  21  would be pivoted in a direction opposite that of arrow  71 , with the actuation member  24  pivoting in a direction opposite that shown with arrow  70 , and into the window  17  (see  FIG. 2 ). The displacement of the drive-in depth setting device  20  from the second position  47  in the first position  46  can now be effected by manually pivoting the actuation member  24 . 
         [0031]    It should be understood that instead of two switching positions  46 ,  47 , a plurality of switching positions can be provided for displacing the bolt guide  15  in corresponding positions. 
         [0032]    For retaining the drive-in depth setting device  20  in the switching positions  45 ,  46 ,  47 , there is provided a locking mechanism generally designated with a reference numeral  30  (see  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6 ). The locking mechanism  30  includes a locking member  31  formed as a ball and biased by a spring  32 . The spring  32  and the locking member  31  are displaced in a guide cylinder  33 . The locking member  31  cooperates with locking recesses  34  provided on a circumference of a cylindrical section of the actuation member  24  and a number of which corresponds to the number of switching positions  45 ,  46 ,  47 . The locking recesses can be provided at another location, e.g., the locking recesses can be formed on the control roller or on the support axle. 
         [0033]    Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or details thereof, and the present invention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.