Patent Publication Number: US-2022234186-A1

Title: Push-on support member for fastening tools

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fastening tools, and more particularly to fastening tools having support elements to orient the fastening tools to a work surface. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Fastening tools, such as concrete nailers, staplers and other nailers, are often equipped with various support elements to orient the fastening tools relative to a work surface. Typically the support elements are mounted on the bottom of the fastening tool magazine or on the bottom of the fastening tool housing. Some support elements are made adjustable on the fastening tool so that the fastener drive axis can be oriented at one of several different angles relative to the work surface. Others are permanently attached to a fixed location on the fastening tool, thereby yielding much less flexibility. 
     One major difficulty with conventional adjustable types of support elements is that they require such tools as screwdrivers and wrenches, first to remove the support element, then to move the support element from one location on the fastening tool to another, and then finally to reattach the support element to the fastening tool. That means every time it&#39;s necessary to readjust the angle of the fastening tool drive axis relative to a work surface, the operator must first reach for the necessary screwdriver or wrench, then use that tool to release the support element from, then reattach the support element to, the fastening tool. As may be imagined, the above sequence costs a considerable amount of time. 
     Another drawback to conventional removable support elements is that such elements involve multi-part, often elaborate, subassemblies, including, for example, swiveling mechanisms. Swiveling mechanisms necessarily make support elements more expensive and more likely to malfunction, than if it were possible to manufacture the support elements as one-piece units. 
     Thus, it has become apparent that what is now required is a fastening tool equipped with a removable one-piece support member or foot which requires no tools either to connect the support member to the fastening tool, or to secure the support member in place. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, one embodiment of the fastening tool of the present invention includes a one-piece adjustable support member or foot which can be removably attached either directly to the underside of the fastening tool, or to a fastener magazine disposed on the underside of the fastening tool, without using any tools. The support foot defines internal channels or slots which, in turn, define female detents. The channels cooperate with mating tracks or rails disposed on either the underside of the fastening tool or on the bottom of a fastener magazine, as the case may be. The tracks define male detents which cooperate with the female detents to releasably but securely retain the support foot on the fastening tool. A stop is formed at the end of the track to prevent the support foot from traveling past a desired location on the fastening tool. 
     To removably attach the support foot to a fastening tool, the operator need only move the support foot toward the fastening tool until an upper surface of the support foot engages a lower surface of the fastening tool. Then the operator moves the support foot along the lower surface of the fastening tool until the leading edges of the support foot proximate open ends of the channels engage the tracks. The operator then slides the support foot along the tracks until the leading edges are deflected away from respective male detents on the tracks. The operator continues to push the support foot along the tracks until the male detents become nested in the female detents. The support foot is thus releasably but securely retained at the location of the male detents, having never required the use of any tools during the entire process. (It should be noted that in this respect, if desired, the tracks can be constructed of a plastic material so that they deflect away from the leading edge of the support foot, rather than vice-versa.) 
     To remove the support foot, the operator need only push the support foot in the reverse direction along the tracks so that the respective detents separate, and until the support foot channels clear the tracks. Then, again without using any tools, the operator simply moves the support foot away from the fastening tool lower surface. 
     The support foot and fastening tool provide a fail-safe method for preventing the support foot from being attached to the fastening tool backwards, namely at an orientation other than the desired orientation of the support foot relative to the fastening tool. The channels or slots provided in the upper surface of the support foot define respective open and closed ends. If an operator moves the support foot oriented backwards so that it engages the lower surface of the fastening tool, and then attempts to engage the tracks with the support member, the closed end of the support member blocks any further movement along the lower surface of the fastening tool. Thus, the only way the support member can be attached to the tracks disposed on the fastening tool is by orienting the support member correctly relative to the fastening tool. 
     In another embodiment of the fastening tool of the present invention, the underside of the fastening tool or of the magazine, as the case may be, is provided with a plurality of detents on each track, corresponding to a plurality of locations along the track at which it is desired to retain the support member. 
     In this connection, yet another feature of the support member and fastening tool allows an operator, without using any tools, to compensate for changes in height of the contact trip occasioned by using an adjustable contact trip mechanism. If, for example, the contact trip were to be adjusted to be higher, then the contact trip drive axis would become skewed from the desired angle relative to a work surface. In the case of a concrete nailer, it is highly desirable to maintain that angle as close to 90° as possible. Accordingly, when using a mechanism to adjust the height of the contact trip (as, for example, when using differently—sized nails), the support member can simply be moved by hand from one position on the tracks determined by the location of one set of male detents, to another position determined, for example, by another set of male detents, until the support foot contacts the work surface at a location where the drive axis is once again perpendicular to the work surface. 
     The present invention accordingly yields a fastening tool and support foot fulfilling the need for an inexpensive, one-piece support member that can be quickly and easily attached to, and securely retained on, a fastening tool or magazine, and then quickly and easily removed, without using any tools. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a fastening tool and support foot of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged elevational detail view of a magazine of the fastening tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a detail of the circled region of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial elevational sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective detail view of the support foot of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5B and 5D  are side elevational views of the support foot of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 5C  is a top plan view of the support foot of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIGS. 5E and 5F  are elevational views taken from the rear and the front, respectively, of the support foot of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 5G  is an elevational sectional view taken along line  5 G- 5 G of  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 6A  is a partial exploded perspective view of the fastening tool and support foot of  FIG. 1 , showing an upper surface of the support foot being moved toward a lower surface of the fastening tool. 
         FIG. 6B  is an elevational sectional detail view taken along line  6 B- 6 B of  FIG. 6A . 
         FIG. 7A  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 6A , showing the support foot being moved along tracks of the fastening tool so that leading edges of the support foot begin to deflect away from male detents formed on the tracks. 
         FIG. 7B  is a horizontal sectional detail view taken along line  7 B- 7 B of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 7C  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 6B , taken along line  7 C- 7 C of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8A  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 7A  and showing the support foot having been moved on the tracks to a position where respective detents cooperate to retain the support foot in place. 
         FIGS. 8B and 8C  are views similar to those of  FIGS. 7B and 7C , respectively, but showing the support foot positioned as shown in  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 9A  is a partial perspective detail view of a support foot positioned on the lower surface of the fastening tool of  FIG. 1 , but oriented at an incorrect orientation relative to the fastening tool. 
         FIG. 9B  is a horizontal sectional detail view taken along line  9 B- 9 B of  FIG. 9A . 
         FIG. 9C  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 9A , but showing the support foot being blocked from traveling along the tracks. 
         FIG. 9D  is a horizontal sectional detail view taken along line  9 D- 9 D of  FIG. 9C . 
         FIG. 10A  is a partial elevational detail view of the fastening tool and support foot of  FIG. 1 , where the contact trip has a height H1. 
         FIG. 10B  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 10A , but where the contact trip height has been increased to H2. 
         FIG. 10C  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 10B , showing that the support foot has been positioned on the fastening tool of  FIG. 1  to compensate for the change in height of the contact trip. 
         FIG. 11A  is an enlarged elevational detail view of the lower surface of a second embodiment of the fastening tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11B  is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line  11 B- 11 B of  FIG. 11A , but showing the support foot attached to the fastening tool. 
         FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of a fastening tool and support foot of the present invention, in which the support foot is mounted directly upon a lower surface of the fastening tool housing. 
       Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any manner. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , a fastening tool  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing  12 , a motor  14  (shown in phantom) disposed in the housing, a battery pack  16  for providing power to the motor, and a drive system including a drive bar (not shown) configured for driving a fastener and being operatively associated with the motor, such as, for example, by use of a flywheel. The drive system further includes a drive track  18  and a contact trip  20 , disposed along a drive axis  22 , which is oriented at a desired angle A relative to a work surface  24 . 
     Continuing to refer to  FIG. 1 , a fastener magazine  40  is attached to an underside  26  of the housing  12 , and a support member or foot  60  of the present invention is removably attached to the magazine. Although the fastening tool  10  is depicted as having a magazine  40  to which the support foot  60  is attached, it is important to note that the support foot may also be directly attached to the underside  26  of the fastening tool, in the event the fastening tool does not have a magazine, or in the event that the fastening tool magazine is disposed in a location on the housing  12  other than at the underside. Such an embodiment of the fastening tool  200  is shown in  FIG. 12 . Consequently, for the purposes of this description, a “lower surface”  28  of the fastening tool  10  is defined generally to include not only the underside  26  of housing  12 , but also to include the magazine  40 , so that it can be seen that the support foot  60  is readily usable with either type of fastening tool (see bracketed region  28  in  FIG. 1 ). 
     As is also shown in  FIG. 1 , one purpose of the support foot  60  is to maintain a desired orientation of the fastening tool drive axis  22  at an angle A with a work surface  24 . Accordingly, it should also be noted that, although an embodiment of the present invention is described in connection with an electric-powered concrete nailer, the magazine  40  and support foot  60  may be used with any type of fastening tool, including without limitation staplers and other nailers. Furthermore, such fastening tools may use other types of drive systems, including without limitation hydraulic, pneumatic, combustion/gas, and explosive/powder-actuated systems. Therefore, regardless of the type of fastening tool, the magazine  40  and support foot  60  will be operative to maintain the desired orientation at an angle A. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 1- 3 , the magazine  40  is configured to hold nails  27  oriented in parallel with the drive axis  22 , and defines an engagement portion  42  of the lower surface  28  that cooperates with the support foot  60  to retain the support foot on the fastening tool  10 . The engagement portion  42  includes a track  44  disposed on each side of the magazine  40 , each track defining a male detent  46  and a stop  48 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , magazine  40  is also equipped with a retaining guard  50 . 
       FIG. 1  shows the support foot  60  disposed on the track  44  so that the support foot engages the stop  48 . At this location of the support foot  60  on the lower surface  28 , various elements of the support foot and the magazine  40  cooperate to releasably retain the support foot in the position shown in  FIG. 1 . This cooperation maintains the orientation of the fastening tool drive axis  22  at the angle A relative to work surface  24 . 
       FIGS. 5A-5G  detail the features of the support foot  60 , which defines an upper surface  62  and a work surface-engaging portion  64  disposed at the bottom of the support foot. The upper surface  62  in turn defines two opposed parallel slots or channels  66 , each having an open front end  68  and a closed rear end  70  ( FIG. 5G ). The upper surface  62  further defines two opposed female detents  72  and a leading edge  74 . In one embodiment of the support foot  60 , the support foot is manufactured from glass-filled nylon so that the support foot has a slight amount of resiliency. 
     A method of releasably attaching the support foot  62  to the lower surface  28  of the fastening tool  10  is illustrated in  FIGS. 6A through 8C . The support foot  60 , oriented at a desired orientation  71  relative to the fastening tool  10 , is moved toward the magazine  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , so that the upper surface  62  of the support foot engages the lower surface  28  of the fastening tool. Then, as shown particularly in  FIG. 7A , the support foot  60  is moved along the lower surface  28  until respective channels or slots  66  in the support foot engage corresponding tracks  44  on the lower surface. The fastening tool operator continues to move the support foot  60  in the direction shown by the arrow in  FIG. 7A  until male detents  46  cause the leading edges  74  of the support foot to deflect slightly away from the male detents  46 , as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 7B , and by the phantom line positions of the support foot in  FIG. 7C . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8A through 8C , the fastening tool operator continues to slide the support foot  60  along the track  44  until respective male detents  46  become nested in their corresponding female detents  72 . Stops  48  may also engage respective leading edges  74  of the support foot  60  to prevent the support foot from traveling past the position shown in  FIG. 8B . It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present invention, the magazine  40  is manufactured from glass-filled polypropylene. Consequently the process depicted so far shows the support foot  60  deflecting away from detents  46  formed on the magazine  40 . However, if desired, the magazine can be manufactured so that a portion of the magazine, namely, the male detents  46 , deflect inwardly away from the leading edges  74  of the support foot, instead. In this case, for example, the magazine detents may be formed of a suitable plastic such as DELRIN® plastic, or nylon without glass fill. 
     The support foot  60  is prevented from being attached to the lower surface  28  backwards. In this event, when the support foot  60  is positioned against magazine  40  at an incorrect orientation  71 ′, as illustrated in  FIGS. 9A-9D , such that the closed rear end  70  of the support foot is placed closer to the tracks  44  than the open front end  68  of the support foot, the closed front end is blocked by the tracks (see  FIGS. 9B and 9D ). This prevents the support foot  60  from being moved along the tracks  44 , and thus prevents the support foot from being attached to the lower surface  26  of the fastening tool  10  at the incorrect orientation  71 ′ (namely, backwards). 
       FIGS. 10A-10C  illustrate a method for compensating for the use of a height-adjustment system to change the height of the contact trip  20  relative to the work surface  24 .  FIG. 10A  shows the angle A1 of the drive axis  22  when the height of the contact trip is set at H1, and when the location of the work surface-engaging portion  64  of the support foot  60  is at L1. If the contact trip height is increased to H2, as shown in  FIG. 10B , the drive axis  22 ′ becomes skewed to form a different angle A2 relative to the work surface  24 . Also, a portion of the work surface-engaging portion  64  is lifted slightly off the work surface  24 . To compensate for the increase in contact trip height, and to bring the angle of the drive axis  22 ′ relative to the work surface  24  back to angle A1, the fastening tool operator merely moves the support foot  60  by hand along the tracks  44  in a first direction shown by the arrow in  FIG. 10C , until the respective male and female detents  46 ,  72  are disengaged. The operator then continues to move the support foot  60  along the lower surface  28  until the support foot reaches a location L2 where the work surface-engaging portion  64  of the support foot engages the work surface  24 , such that the drive axis  22  is oriented once again at angle A1. 
     If it is desired to retain the support foot  60  at the position shown, for example, in  FIG. 10C , the lower surface  28  of the fastening tool  10  may be modified as shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . Here the magazine  40 ′ now defines first and second male detents  46 ′,  46 ″ which cooperate with the female detents  72  of the support foot  60 , in the same manner as is shown in  FIG. 8B  when a single set of male detents  46  are used, so that the support foot can be retained at two different locations relative to the fastening tool  10 . Using no tools, the operator merely moves the support foot  60  as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 11A  so that the support foot engages the lower surface  28  (in this case, of magazine  40 ′), then moves the support foot along the lower surface until the support foot engages the track  44 , as was previously described. The operator then slides the support foot  60  along the track  44  until the support foot is retained in place either by male detents  46 ′ or by male detents  46 ″. To remove the support foot  60 , the operator simply reverses the process. The operator, using hand pressure only, simply slides support foot  60  in the opposite direction along the tracks  44  until the support foot is disengaged from the male detents  46 ′,  46 ″. Then, the operator continues to move the support foot  60  until the support foot clears the tracks  44 . At that point, all the operator has to do is move the support foot  60  away from the lower surface  28  of the fastening tool  10 . Of course, if desired, more than two detents  46  may be used. 
     The support foot  60  may also be mounted directly to a lower surface  228  of another embodiment of the fastening tool  200  of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 12 . Here, fastening tool  200  includes a housing  220  which defines an underside  226 , upon which are formed tracks  244 , detents  246 , and stops  248 , which are configured similarly to their respective counterparts  44 ,  46  and  48  previously described. The support foot  60  thus similarly maintains a drive axis  222  oriented at a desired angle A relative to the work surface  24 . 
     It can now be seen that various embodiments of the fastening tool, magazine and support foot of the present invention fulfill the need for an inexpensive system for easily but securely attaching a support foot to a fastening tool, so that the support foot can be removably retained at a desired location on the fastening tool, all without the use of any tools whatsoever. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limitations of the appended claims.