Patent Publication Number: US-2021187716-A1

Title: Driving-in device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates to an apparatus for driving fastening elements into an underlying surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Driving-in apparatuses usually have a piston, which is movable in a setting duct, for transmitting energy to the fastening element. The energy required for this has to be made available in a very short time, which is why, for example in the case of what are known as spring nailers, first of all a spring is tensioned, said spring, during the driving-in operation, imparting the tensile energy to the piston in a sudden burst and accelerating the latter onto the fastening element. Further possible drives for the piston are based on a flywheel, on compressed air or on the combustion of solid or gaseous fuel in a combustion chamber. Furthermore, such driving-in apparatuses usually have a magazine for transporting the fastening elements to the setting duct. 
     The fastening elements are usually made available in the form of strips, wherein such a strip comprises receptacles for the fastening elements, which are arranged in a row. The receptacles of a strip are connected together by means of connecting webs. For transporting the fastening elements, a force toward the setting duct is applied to the strip in the magazine by a feeding element. It is an object of the invention to simplify the transport of the fastening elements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object is achieved by an apparatus for driving fastening elements into an underlying surface, having a setting duct, an energy transmission element, which is movable in a fastening direction in the setting duct, for transmitting energy to in each case one of the fastening elements, and having a magazine, which has a transport duct for transporting the fastening elements in a transporting direction to the setting duct, wherein the magazine comprises a slider, which is displaceable in the transporting direction along the transport duct and has a feeding element, which is movable between a transporting position and a passage position, wherein the feeding element projects into the transport duct in the transporting position in order to apply a force in the transporting direction to the fastening elements and opens up the transport duct for the fastening elements in the passage position, and wherein the slider has a release spring, which urges the feeding element toward the passage position and is supported on the slider. As a result, any sliding of the release spring on the magazine, in particular in the transport duct, is avoided, and so frictional resistance during the transport of the fastening elements in the transport duct is reduced. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the slider has a latching receptacle, in which the feeding element latches when it is arranged in the transporting position. Preferably, the slider has a latching spring, which urges the feeding element into the latching receptacle. Particularly preferably, the latching spring is supported on the slider. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the slider has an engagement lever, by means of which the feeding element is shiftable, for example manually, from the passage position into the transporting position. Preferably, the feeding element is in this case shiftable counter to a force of the release spring. The engagement lever is preferably connected rigidly to the feeding element. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the slider has an actuating element, by means of which the slider is shiftable manually counter to the transporting direction. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the slider has a stop element, by means of which the feeding element is shiftable, for example manually, out of the latching receptacle. Preferably, the feeding element is in this case shiftable counter to a force of the latching spring. The stop element is preferably connected rigidly to the feeding element. Preferably, the magazine comprises an end region remote from the setting duct, said end region comprising a stop for the stop element. Particularly preferably, the magazine has an end wall in the end region, said end wall forming the stop. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the feeding element is pivotable about a pivot axis between the transporting position and the passage position. A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the feeding element is displaceable linearly between the transporting position and the passage position. 
     An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the transport duct opens into the setting duct by way of a mouth. A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the apparatus, in particular the magazine, has a feeding spring, which applies a force toward the setting duct to the feeding element. 
    
    
     
       EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       Embodiments of an apparatus for driving a fastening element into an underlying surface are explained in more detail in the following text by way of examples and with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a driving-in apparatus, 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of a driving-in apparatus with the housing open, 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of a magazine, 
         FIG. 4  shows part of a magazine, 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a slider in a transporting position, 
         FIG. 6  shows a front view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the transporting position, 
         FIG. 7  shows a plan view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the transporting position, 
         FIG. 8  shows a side view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the transporting position, 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in a passage position, 
         FIG. 10  shows a front view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the passage position, 
         FIG. 11  shows a plan view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the passage position, 
         FIG. 12  shows a side view of the slider from  FIG. 5  in the passage position, and 
         FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of a feeding element. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of a driving-in apparatus  10  for driving a fastening element, for example a nail or bolt, into an underlying surface (not illustrated). The driving-in apparatus  10  has an energy transmission element (not illustrated) for transmitting energy to the fastening element, and a housing  20 , in which the energy transmission element and a drive device (likewise not illustrated) for advancing the energy transmission element are received. 
     The driving-in apparatus  10  also has a handle  30 , a magazine  40  and a bridge  50  connecting the handle  30  to the magazine  40 . The magazine is not removable and has a slider  41 . Fastened to the bridge  50  are a scaffold hook  60  for hanging the driving-in apparatus  10  on a scaffold or the like, and an electrical energy store in the form of a rechargeable battery  59 . Arranged on the handle  30  are a trigger  34  and a grip sensor in the form of a manual switch  35 . Alignment of the driving-in apparatus perpendicularly to an underlying surface is assisted by an alignment aid  45 . 
     Furthermore, the driving-in apparatus  10  has a setting duct  99  for guiding the fastening element and a pressing device  71  for identifying a distance of the driving-in apparatus  10  from an underlying surface (not illustrated). For this purpose, the pressing device  71  comprises a pressing element, which is shifted with respect to the magazine  40  when the driving-in apparatus  10  is pressed against the underlying surface. The pressing element is formed by the setting duct  99 . In exemplary embodiments that are not shown, the pressing element is arranged next to the setting duct and protrudes beyond the latter in the direction of the underlying surface in the non-pressed state. The magazine  40  serves to transport fastening elements to the setting duct  99  in a transporting direction  90  by means of the slider  41 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the driving-in apparatus  10  with the housing  20  open. Received in the housing  20  is a drive device  70  for advancing an energy transmission element  75  that is partially concealed in the drawing. The energy transmission element  75  is moved in a fastening direction  80  in order to transmit energy to in each case one fastening element that is transported into the setting duct  99  from the magazine  40 . 
     The drive device  70  comprises an electric motor (not illustrated) for converting electrical energy from the rechargeable battery  59  into rotational energy, a torque transmission device, comprising a gear mechanism  41 , for transmitting a torque of the electric motor to a motion converter in the form of a spindle drive  31 , a force transmission device, comprising a roller train  26 , for transmitting a force from the motion converter to a mechanical energy store in the form of a spring  21  and for transmitting a force from the spring to the energy transmission element. In exemplary embodiments that are not shown, the drive device is operated by means of a flywheel, compressed air, gas combustion or powder combustion in order to advance the energy transmission element. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of part of a magazine  240 . Fastening elements  210  have been introduced into the magazine  240 , said fastening elements  210  being transported in a transporting direction  290  into a setting duct (not illustrated). The fastening elements  210  define a fastening direction  280  into the plane of the drawing, and so only the heads of the fastening elements  210  can be seen in  FIG. 5 . The fastening elements  210  are arranged in two rows, which are arranged one behind the other in a transverse direction  270  oriented perpendicularly to the transporting direction  290  and perpendicularly to the fastening direction  280 . The magazine  240  transports the fastening elements  210  of the two rows alternately into the setting duct. 
     The magazine  240  comprises a magazine housing  250  and a transport duct  220  for guiding the two rows of fastening elements  210  into the setting duct. The transport duct  220  is movable back and forth in the transverse direction  270 . Furthermore, the magazine  240  has a feeding element  260 , which applies a force  265  in the transporting direction  290  to the fastening elements  210  in order to effect the transport of the fastening elements  210 . For this purpose, the feeding element  260  has a contact face  261  for contact with only one of the plurality of rows of fastening elements  210 . The feeding element  260  is part of a slider  241  that is movable in the transporting direction  290 , and is guided in a guide rail  295 . The guide rail  295  is part of the magazine housing  250  or is connected rigidly to the magazine housing  250 . The feeding element  260  is in this case arranged in a manner offset in the fastening direction  280  with respect to the transport duct  220 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a magazine  300 . The magazine has a transport duct  310  for transporting fastening elements  320  in a transporting direction  330  to a setting duct. Furthermore, the magazine  300  comprises a guide rail  340  and a slider  350 , which has a slide  360  guided on the guide rail  340  and is displaceable in the transporting direction  330  along the transport duct  310 . A feeding spring (not shown), for example in the form of a roller spring, applies a force in the transporting direction  330  toward the setting duct to the slider  350 . The slider has an actuating element  370 , by means of which the slider  350  is shiftable manually counter to the transporting direction  330 . An end region  380 , remote from the setting duct, of the magazine comprises an end wall  390 , which forms a stop for the slider  350 . 
       FIGS. 5 to 8  illustrate the slider  350  in a perspective view ( FIG. 5 ), in a front view ( FIG. 6 ), in a plan view ( FIG. 7 ), and in a side view ( FIG. 8 ), in each case in a transporting position.  FIGS. 9 to 12  illustrate the slider  350 , by comparison, in each case in a transporting position, again in a perspective view ( FIG. 9 ), in a front view ( FIG. 10 ), in a plan view ( FIG. 11 ), and in a side view ( FIG. 12 ). 
     The slider  350  has a feeding element  400 , which is pivotable about a pivot axis oriented with respect to the transport direction  330  between the transporting position and the passage position. A release spring (not shown) urges the feeding element  400  toward the passage position. In the transporting position, the feeding element  400  projects into the transport duct in order apply a force in the transporting direction  330  to the fastening elements  320 . In the passage position, the feeding element  400  frees up the transport duct  310  for the fastening elements  320 , such that the magazine  300  can be filled with further fastening elements. For latching in the transporting position, the slider  350  has a latching receptacle  410 , in which the feeding element  400  latches when it is arranged in the transporting position. A latching spring (not shown) urges the feeding element  400  into the latching receptacle  410 . The slider  350  comprises a stop element  420 , by means of which the feeding element  400  is shiftable out of the latching receptacle  410  counter to a force of the latching spring when the stop element  420  strikes the stop formed by the end wall  390 . The stop element  420  is connected rigidly to the feeding element  400 . Furthermore, the slider  350  has an engagement lever  430 , by means of which the feeding element  400  is pivotable manually from the passage position into the transporting position counter to a force of the release spring. The engagement lever  430  is connected rigidly to the feeding element  400 . 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a perspective view of the feeding element  400 . A release spring  440  in the form of a torsion spring urges the feeding element  400  toward the passage position and is supported on an inner side of the slider  350 . As a result, any sliding of the release spring  440  on the magazine  300  is avoided, and so frictional resistance during the transport of the fastening elements  320  in the transport duct  310  is reduced. A latching spring  450  in the form of a compression spring urges the feeding element  400  into the latching receptacle  410  and is likewise supported on the slider  350 . 
     In order to fill the magazine  300 , first of all the slider  350  is displaced manually counter to the transporting direction  330  by means of the actuating element  370  until the stop element  420  strikes the end wall  390  and the feeding element  400  is advanced out of the latching receptacle  410  by the stop element  420  and into the passage position by the release spring  440 . After the magazine has been filled with fastening elements  320 , the feeding element is advanced manually into the transporting position by means of the engagement lever  430  and into the latching receptacle  410  by the latching spring  450 . The feeding spring then pushes the slider  350  with the feeding element  400  counter to the fastening elements  320 , to which a force in the transporting direction is then applied. 
     The invention has been described by way of a series of exemplary embodiments. The individual features of the various exemplary embodiments are applicable individually or in any desired combination with one another, provided that they are not contradictory. It should be noted that the driving-in apparatus according to the invention is also usable for other applications.