Patent Abstract:
A carrier strip system includes a plurality of discrete carrier strips respectively receptive of fasteners of substantially different dimensions. The strips have internal features that engage the fasteners. The strips further substantially identical external dimensions such that the external dimensions are engageable with a single setting tool magazine such that fasteners with differing dimensions have consistent alignment within a single setting tool magazine.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     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.  
         [0002]     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  
       [0003]     Disclosed herein is a carrier strip system which includes a plurality of discrete carrier strips respectively receptive of fasteners of substantially different dimensions said strips having internal features and configured to complementarily engage said fasteners, said strips further having substantially identical external dimensions such that said plurality of discrete carrier strips are receivable into a single setting tool magazine.  
         [0004]     Further disclosed herein is a method enabling receipt of different dimension fasteners in a single setting tool magazine constructing discrete carrier strips having substantially identical external dimensions and distinct internal dimensions complementary to respective fasteners having different dimensions; loading said fasteners having said substantially different dimensions into said respective carrier strips having said substantially identical external dimensions and distinct internal dimensions complimentary to said respective fasteners, said external dimensions facilitating receipt of said respective strips in a single setting tool magazine. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a large diameter carrier strip assembly of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the carrier strip assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of a small diameter carrier strip assembly of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the carrier strip assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     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.  
         [0011]     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.  
         [0012]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , each head-end segment  5  has a hole  12  there through and each point-end segment  7  has a hole  14  there through. 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.  
         [0013]     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 . Axial 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 from the head-end of segment  7  and radial surface  20  is formed from 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.  
         [0014]     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.  
         [0015]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , each head-end segment  25  has a hole  42  there through and each point-end segment  27  has a hole  44  there through. 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.  
         [0016]     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.  
         [0017]     Therefore, segments  27  that 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.  
         [0018]     Similarly, the diametrically registering surfaces match as well. Specifically, diameters  28  of segments  25  match the diameters  8  of the large diameter fasteners shank  8 . The fact that diameters  28  are formed as part of the segments  25  whereas diameters  8  are formed as part of the fasteners  2  will not effect the registration within the magazine as long as the diameters are equal.  
         [0019]     The other diametrically registering surfaces from the large diameter carrier strip  1  are diameters  9  of the large diameter fasteners shank  8 . Therefore, diameters  29  of segments  27  match that of diameters  9  of large diameter fasteners  2 .  
         [0020]     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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5