Patent Abstract:
An adaptor ( 10 ) for a fastening tool ( 12 ) having an attachment portion ( 18 ) for coupling the adaptor ( 10 ) to the fastening tool and a support ( 14, 16 ) for coupling a mounting bracket ( 26 ) to the adaptor ( 10 ), arranged so as to hold the mounting bracket ( 26 ) relative to a substrate and allow a fastener from the tool to be driven through the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket to the substrate ( 52 ). A holder for holding an item to facilitate attachment of said item to a substrate by a fastener, wherein the holder magnetically retains the item in a position to receive the fastener from a fastener tool. A method of securing a mounting bracket to a substrate including the steps of coupling the mounting bracket ( 26 ) to an adaptor ( 10 ) which is arranged so as to hold the mounting bracket relative to a fastening tool ( 12 ), supporting the mounting bracket in position relative to the substrate ( 52 ), and operating the tool to drive a fastener through a mounting portion of the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket to the substrate.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an adaptor for a tool and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an adaptor for a fastening tool to facilitate attachment of a bracket or other item to a substrate. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It has been previously proposed to house electrical wires within a conduit in the form of a plastic tube or piping for running the wires between locations. For example, electrical wires conducting mains electricity may be run along the outside wall of a building between power points and/or fixed electrical fittings in this way. The wires are commonly sheathed within PVC piping or some other form of conduit to protect and insulate the wires. The conduit is commonly mounted to a substrate by mounting brackets fastened to the substrate at spaced intervals. Mounting brackets used for this purpose typically have a holding portion and a mounting portion integrally attached to the holding portion. The holding portion is shaped such that, in use, the holding portion extends around the conduit so as to hold the conduit in place between the mounting bracket and the substrate. The mounting portion is provided with an aperture through which a fastener can be inserted so as to fasten the mounting bracket to the substrate. The fastener may be in the form of, for example, a nail, bolt or screw. When the fastener is in the form of a screw, an anchor (for example a plastic anchor) may be used to assist in retaining the screw within the wall, particularly in the case where the wall is of a material (Such as brick, concrete or plaster) susceptible to failure when an axial load is applied to the screw. 
         [0003]    Typically, mounting brackets of the above type are installed by manually supporting the mounting bracket over the conduit with the holding portion of the mounting bracket extending around an outside surface of the conduit so as to locate the conduit and mounting bracket in position ready for fastening. The fastener is then inserted through the aperture of the mounting bracket and into the substrate behind the mounting bracket, thus fastening the mounting bracket to the substrate. It is dangerous to use a powered fastening tool, such as a gas-actuated or powder-actuated fastening tool, to fasten mounting brackets in this way as, with the mounting bracket being supported manually in position during driving of the fastener through the mounting bracket, there exists a risk of accidentally driving a fastener through the hand used to support the mounting bracket in place. It is safer to manually insert a fastener through the aperture in the mounting bracket such as by manually driving a screw through the aperture and into the substrate of the wall using a screwdriver, however such manual insertion of fasteners is slow. Moreover, the fastening of mounting brackets in this way commonly requires two people, a first person to hold the mounting bracket and conduit in place and a second person to insert the fastener, making the process time-consuming and labour-intensive. 
         [0004]    Examples of the present invention seek to overcome or at least alleviate one or more disadvantages of conventional methods of fastening wires housed in a conduit to a substrate. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided an adaptor for a fastening tool having an attachment portion for coupling the adaptor to the fastening tool and a support for coupling a mounting bracket to the adaptor, arranged so as to hold the mounting bracket relative to a substrate and allow a fastener from the tool to be driven through the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket to the substrate. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the attachment portion is fitted to a nosepiece of the tool. More preferably, the attachment portion includes an aperture which receives the nosepiece of the tool. More preferably, the adaptor is provided with a lock for releasably locking the adaptor to the nosepiece of the tool. Preferably, the lock is selectively operable to engage with an annular groove formed in an outer surface of the nosepiece. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the adaptor is arranged to align an aperture of the mounting bracket with a nosepiece bore of the tool. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the adaptor has a plurality of supports. More preferably, the supports are configured differently so as to be suitable for use with different mounting brackets. More preferably, the adaptor has a plurality of differently-sized supports which are suitable for use with differently-sized mounting brackets. 
         [0009]    In a preferred form, the adaptor has a body which includes the attachment portion and the lock, and a pair of supports extending outwardly from opposite sides of the body, each of the supports being in the form of a curved arm having a different radius of curvature to enable contact between one of the arms and associated differently shaped mounting brackets. 
         [0010]    Preferably, each support has a magnetic member for magnetic attraction with the mounting bracket so that the mounting bracket is able to be carried by the adaptor. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the mounting bracket is for securing a conduit housing wires to a substrate. 
         [0012]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adaptor for a tool having an attachment portion for coupling to the tool, and a magnetic holder for holding a work piece with which the tool is arranged to operate. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the adaptor is arranged to assist positioning of the work piece relative to the tool. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the attachment portion includes a structure to engage with a nosepiece of the tool. Preferably, the structure has an aperture which receives the nosepiece of the tool. More preferably, the adaptor is provided with a lock for releasably locking the adaptor to the nosepiece of the tool. Preferably, the lock is selectively operable to engage with an annular groove formed in an outer surface of the nosepiece. 
         [0015]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing a mounting bracket to a substrate including the steps of: 
         [0016]    coupling the mounting bracket to an adaptor which is arranged so as to hold the mounting bracket relative to a fastening tool; 
         [0017]    supporting the mounting bracket in position relative to the substrate; and 
         [0018]    operating the tool to drive a fastener through a mounting portion of the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket to the substrate. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the method includes the step of coupling the adaptor to the fastening tool prior to the step of supporting the mounting bracket in position relative to the substrate. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the method includes the step of uncoupling the adaptor from the secured mounting bracket. 
         [0021]    Preferably, where the mounting bracket has two mounting portions, one at either side of a holding portion, after the step of operating the tool to drive a fastener through a mounting portion of the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket to the substrate, the method further includes the steps of: 
         [0022]    pivoting the adaptor about substantially 180 degrees relative to the mounting bracket so as to align the tool for driving a second fastener through the other mounting portion of the mounting bracket; and 
         [0023]    operating the tool to drive the second fastener through the other mounting portion to further secure the mounting bracket to the substrate. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of an adaptor for a fastening tool; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first side of the adaptor shown in  FIG. 1 , together with various mounting brackets shown secured to a piece of wood; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a second side of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the adaptor shown as being coupled to a half-saddle type mounting bracket; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is an end perspective view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the adaptor shown as being coupled to a full-saddle type mounting bracket; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the adaptor shown as being coupled to a half-saddle type mounting bracket; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , a lock of the adaptor being shown in a disengaged condition; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the lock of the adaptor being shown in an engaged condition; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is perspective view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7 , the adaptor shown as being coupled to a fastening tool; 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of an alternative adaptor for a fastening tool; 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  is a side view of a side of the adaptor shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 9 to 11 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 13  is a side perspective view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 9 to 12 ; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 14  is a top/end perspective view of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 9 to 13 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0039]    An adaptor  10  for a tool  12  having an attachment portion  18  for coupling to the tool  12  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The attachment portion  18  includes a structure having an aperture  20  which receives a nosepiece  24  of the tool  12 . In the particular example of the adaptor  10  shown in the drawings, the aperture  20  is for receiving a nosepiece of a fastening tool  12 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . When the nosepiece  24  is received within the aperture  20  as shown in  FIG. 8 , fasteners pass through the aperture  20  when they are driven through the nosepiece  24 . 
         [0040]    The adaptor  10  is able to be engaged in place on the nosepiece  24  of the fastening tool  12  by virtue of the adaptor  10  having a selectively operable lock  22 . The lock  22  cooperates with a groove in the nosepiece  24  to positively locate the adaptor  10  in place on the nosepiece  24 . 
         [0041]    In the example shown, the adaptor  10  is configured to carry an article in the form of a work piece, and more particularly a mounting bracket  26  with which the fastening tool  12  is arranged to operate. 
         [0042]    The adaptor  10  shown also includes a first support  14  on one side of the attachment portion  18 , and a second, larger, support  16  on the opposite side of the attachment portion  18 . By being arranged in this way, the adaptor  10  is able to assist in positioning of a mounting bracket  26  relative to the tool  12 . Each of the supports  14 ,  16  is provided with a magnetic member  28  for attracting a mounting bracket  26  so that the mounting bracket  26  is able to be carried by the adaptor  10 . Such attraction of the mounting bracket  26  to the adaptor  10  serves to retain the mounting bracket  26  in place on the adaptor so that the mounting bracket  26  is able to be carried and located in place by manipulation of the adaptor  10  itself, or by manipulation of the fastening tool  12  to which the adaptor  10  is coupled. 
         [0043]    More particularly, the adaptor  10  has a body  32  including the attachment portion  18  and the lock  22 , and the pair of supports  14 ,  16  which extend outwardly from opposite ends of the body  32 . Each of the supports  14 ,  16  is in the form of a curved arm  34 ,  36 , each of the two arms having a different radius of curvature to enable contact between the arm  34 ,  36  and curved holding portions  38  of different mounting brackets  26 . In the adaptor  10  shown in the representations, the first support  14  has a radius of curvature suitable such that the first support  14  is able to contact the curved holding portion  38  of a 20 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket  26   a  (see  FIG. 2 ), and the second support  16  has a radius of curvature to enable contact between the second support  16  and the curved holding portion  38  of a 25 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket  26   b  (see  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ). As such, a single adaptor  10  is provided which can be used with two common sizes of mounting bracket  26 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 2  shows a side perspective view of a first side of the adaptor  10  of  FIG. 1 , and clearly shows the second support  16  as having a greater radius of curvature than the first support  14 . This photograph also shows bulges  40  on the top surfaces of the supports  14 ,  16  which bulges house the magnetic members  28 . In this Figure the lock  22  is in an engaged condition, as evident by the protrusion of button  42  from the body  32 . Button  42  is pushed inwardly to move the lock  22  to its disengaged condition, which condition is evident by the protrusion from the body  32  of opposite button  44  (see  FIG. 6 ). Positive engagement of the lock  22  in engaged and disengaged conditions is achieved by virtue of the sprung point  46  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7 ) and the corresponding two indentations  48 ,  50  in the body  32  which receive the sprung point  46 , and correspond to the engaged condition and disengaged condition, respectively. 
         [0045]    Also shown in  FIG. 2  are several mounting brackets  26 ,  26   a ,  26   b  shown as being secured to a substrate in the form of a piece of wood  52  by fasteners  54 . The mounting brackets  26 ,  26   a ,  26   b  are all either of the “half-saddle” type, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a curved holding portion  38  with an integrally formed substantially planar mounting portion  56  at only one side of the holding portion  38 , or are of the “full-saddle” type (see  FIG. 4 ) which comprises a curved holding portion  38  with a substantially planar mounting portion  58  at either side of the holding portion  38 . 
         [0046]    The curved holding portions  38  of the mounting brackets  26 ,  26   a ,  26   b  shown in the representations are for holding conduits housing one or more wires relative to a substrate. More particularly, the one or more wires are contained in a conduit and the curved holding portion  38  of the mounting bracket  26  is shaped to correspond with the shape of an outside surface of the conduit so that, when the mounting bracket  26  is fastened to the substrate, the curved holding portion  38  extends at least partially around the outside surface of the conduit to hold the conduit to the substrate. In one particular form, the conduit is in the form of cylindrical PVC piping and the curved holding portion  38  of the mounting bracket  26  is correspondingly curved to contact with the outside surface of the PVC piping. In turn, as shown in  FIG. 3  which depicts the adaptor  10  when coupled to a mounting bracket of the “half-saddle” type, the profile of the second support  16  closely corresponds to the profile of the curved holding portion  38 . 
         [0047]    Although mounting brackets of the types shown commonly have a pre-formed aperture in the mounting portion  56 ,  58 , it is also possible for there to be no pre-formed aperture and instead for the aperture to be formed in the mounting portion by the fastener as it is driven through the mounting bracket and into the substrate. As seen from the top view of  FIG. 5 , when the 25 mm mounting bracket  26   b  is coupled to the adaptor  10 , by virtue of the relative placement of the second support  16  and the aperture  20 , the aperture  20  is aligned with the location on the mounting portion at which the fastener is to be driven through the mounting bracket and into the substrate, whether that be at the pre-formed aperture or at the location at which the aperture is to be formed by the fastener  54 . In the case of  FIG. 5 , the fastener  54  has already been driven through the mounting bracket  26   b  and into the piece of wood  52 . Similarly, when a 20 mm mounting bracket  26   a  is coupled to the adaptor  10 , by virtue of the relative placement of the first support  14  and the aperture  20 , the aperture  20  is aligned with the location on the mounting portion at which the fastener is to be driven through the mounting bracket  26   a.    
         [0048]    The mounting bracket  26  is secured to the substrate  52  by coupling the adaptor  10  to the fastening tool  12  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Although the adaptor  10  depicted is removably coupled to the fastening tool  12 , it is foreseen that an alternative adaptor may be integrally formed on the nosepiece of the fastening tool. Returning to the arrangement shown in  FIG. 8 , the adaptor  10  is fitted to the nosepiece  24  of the tool  12  by inserting the nosepiece  24  through the aperture  20  of the adaptor  10  with the lock  22  in its disengaged condition, and by operating the lock  22  by way of button  44  so as to engage the lock  22  with an annular groove formed around the periphery of the nosepiece  24 . The mounting bracket  26  is then coupled to adaptor  10  with the curved portion  38  of the mounting bracket  26  in contact with the appropriate one of the supports  14 ,  16 , and with the mounting portion  56 ,  58  of the mounting bracket  26  under the body  32  of the adaptor  10 . If necessary, the tool  12  is then moved so that the mounting bracket  26  is supported in position relative to the substrate  52 , with the holding portion  38  of the mounting bracket  26  extending about a conduit to be secured to the substrate, and the tool  12  is operated so as to drive a fastener through the mounting portion  56 , 58  of the mounting bracket  26  to secure the mounting bracket  26  to the substrate  52 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show bottom views of the adaptor  10 , with the lock in disengaged and engaged conditions, respectively. 
         [0050]    Where the mounting bracket  26  is in the form of a full-saddle having a mounting portion  58  at either end of a curved holding portion  38 , after operating the tool so as to drive a first fastener through one mounting portion  58  of the mounting bracket  26 , the adaptor  10  is then pivoted about substantially  180  degrees relative to the mounting bracket  26  so as to align the tool  12  for driving a second fastener through the other mounting portion  58  of the full-saddle type mounting bracket  26 . The tool  12  is then operated to drive the second fastener through that other mounting portion  58  to further secure the mounting bracket  26  to the substrate  52 . 
         [0051]    Advantageously, by use of the adaptor as described above, the mounting bracket  26  is able to be secured efficiently to the substrate to hold a conduit to the substrate without manually holding the mounting bracket in position relative to the substrate during fastening, thus removing or at least reducing the danger of injury from a fastener being accidentally driven into a user&#39;s hand. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 9 to 14  show an alternative adaptor  10   a , which is similar in general configuration and operation to the adaptor  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 8 . Accordingly, features of the adaptor  10   a  of  FIGS. 9 to 14  which are alike features of the adaptor  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 8  are indicated with like reference numerals. 
         [0053]    One difference of the adaptor  10   a  of  FIGS. 9 to 14  when compared to the adaptor  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 8  is that the body  32  has laterally-protruding feet  60  on either side which assist in achieving stable abutment of the adaptor  10   a  against a mounting bracket  26  before and during fastening of the mounting bracket to a substrate  52 . The laterally-protruding feet are also provided with indicators in the form of indentations  62  which are aligned with a centre of the aperture  20  to assist a user in correctly aligning the adaptor  10   a  and mounting bracket  26  relative to the substrate  52  so as to ensure a correct fastened position of the mounting bracket on the substrate  52 . 
         [0054]    The feet  60  are also marked with dimensioned indicators  64  which give the relative distances of the centre of the aperture  20  to relevant reference positions  66 . In the example shown, the reference positions  66  are the centres of the saddles of the mounting bracket, and the dimensioned indicators  64  are labelled “ 21 ” and “ 31 ” at either end of the body  32  to correspond with the distance in millimetres of the centre of the aperture  20  relative to the centre of the respective saddle. 
         [0055]    A further difference of the adaptor  10   a  of  FIGS. 9 to 14  is that the bulges  40  on the top surfaces of the supports  14 ,  16  which house the magnetic members  28  are marked with dimensions  68  corresponding to the diameter of mounting bracket  26  for which the respective supports  14 ,  16  are sized. Accordingly, as can be seen with reference to  FIG. 12 , one support  14  is sized for use with a 20 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket and the other support  16  is sized for use with a 25 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket. Other adaptors may be sized for use with other sizes of mounting bracket. In particular, the Applicant foresees a further adaptor having a first support sized for use with a 16 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket and a second support sized for use with a 32 mm diameter saddle type mounting bracket. 
         [0056]    The above adaptors have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. In particular, it is to be understood that the adaptor may be of other kinds, and is not limited to being an adaptor for supporting a mounting bracket.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1