Setting tool

Details Setting tool Setting tool

2002-02-13

2002-12-10

Smith, Scott A. (Department: 3721)

Elongated-member-driving apparatus

Explosive-type driving means

With plunger

C227S009000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06491199

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a setting tool comprising a housing, a handle projecting laterally from the housing, an actuator switch, a firing device, a piston guide with a cartridge chamber and a guide channel for feeding and guiding a strip-shaped cartridge magazine to the cartridge chamber. The guide channel opens into a discharge opening in the housing. The firing device and the piston guide are displaceable against the force of at least one spring in a direction opposite a setting direction. A length (L) extends between a setting-side inside wall of the discharge opening and a setting-side front face of the firing device in the starting position. Because of the particular design of the discharge opening the used cartridge magazine can bend towards the housing in an end zone of the setting tool facing away from the setting direction. The inclined position indicates to the user that the user must insert a new cartridge magazine through the handle into the housing of the setting tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,239,267 discloses a prior art setting device comprised of a housing and a handle projecting laterally from the housing. An axially displaceable piston guide with a cartridge holder is arranged in the housing of the setting device. Also arranged inside the housing is a trigger device displaceable opposite to the setting direction and against the force of a spring. A guide channel for receiving and guiding a belt-shaped cartridge magazine extends through the handle and through the housing, between the piston guide and the ignition unit. A discharge opening, into which the guide channel opens and through which the spent cartridge magazine can exit the housing, is disposed on a side of the housing situated opposite the handle.
This known setting tool has the disadvantage, however, that the user cannot quickly identify whether all cartridges of the cartridge magazine have already been used. The user can only determine whether all the cartridges have been used by counting all of the used cartridges and comparing the number so determined with the number of cartridges still on the cartridge magazine. In practice, the user will usually realize the depletion of the cartridge magazine only after firing the last cartridge. Specifically, upon pressing the setting tool onto a surface and actuating the actuator switch, the user will find that there are no more cartridges in the magazine. Particularly, in setting tools that are equipped with a magazine holder for strip-type nail magazines having a transport assembly, the conveyor assembly cooperating with the nail magazine must be disengaged on subsequent application and a new cartridge magazine must be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a setting tool, in which the strip-shaped cartridge magazine, after the last cartridge is fired, can assume an inclined position relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide channel, that indicates securely and easily, on the display, that a new cartridge magazine must be installed in the setting tool.
This object is achieved by the setting tool of the present invention. The setting tool comprises a housing, a handle projecting laterally from the housing, an actuator switch, a firing device, a piston guide with a cartridge chamber and a guide channel. The guide channel extends perpendicularly to a setting direction through the handle and through the housing, between the firing device and the cartridge magazine. The guide channel feeds and guides a strip-shaped cartridge magazine to the cartridge chamber and opens into a discharge opening in the housing, wherein the discharge opening is arranged on the side of the housing opposite the handle. The firing device and the piston guide are displaceable against the force of at least one spring in a direction opposite the setting direction. A length (L) extends between a setting-side inside wall of the discharge opening and a setting-side front face of the firing device in the starting position. The length (L) is initially between 15 mm to 20 mm and then corresponds to the greatest path by which the firing device (
10
) can be displaced.
Because of the particular design of the discharge opening the used cartridge magazine can bend towards the housing in an end zone of the setting tool facing away from the setting direction. The inclined position indicates to the user that the user must insert a new cartridge magazine through the handle into the housing of the setting tool.
The used cartridge magazine can lean towards the housing even in the setting end zone of the setting tool. Specifically, the distance between an inside wall of the discharge opening facing away from the setting direction and the front end facing the setting direction of the firing device in the starting position corresponds to least 0.4 times the length between the inside wall of the discharge opening facing, in the setting direction, and the front end of the firing device, on the setting direction side.
The guide channel opening into the discharge opening has a feed zone extending up to the cartridge magazine. A discharge zone is disposed on the feed side. The discharge zone, for example, has a larger cross-section than the feed zone. As a result, the cartridge magazine can assume an inclined position immediately after firing the last cartridge and after removing the setting tool from a surface.
It is beneficial to the user if the cartridge magazine can incline not only laterally on a plane extending parallel to the setting direction but also on a plane extending perpendicular to the setting direction. To make this arrangement possible, the width of the discharge opening extending perpendicular to the setting direction corresponds to 0.6 to 1.2 times the length between the inside wall, of the discharge opening facing in the setting direction, and the front end of the firing device, on the setting side.
The inclined cartridge magazine lies flat in the peripheral zone of the discharge opening. Preferably, the discharge opening widens towards the outer contour of the housing. Such a widening discharge opening can be disposed, advantageously, at the end zones that define the extension of the discharge opening, in at least one of a direction running parallel to the setting direction and at the lateral zones defining the greatest width of the discharge opening. The widening zones are designed as surfaces, at an incline to the longitudinal axis of the guide channel, on which the cartridge magazine can rest.
There will be sufficient inclination of the cartridge magazine if the discharge opening preferably widens at less that a total angle of 30° to 100°.
The discharge opening can be closed at least partly with a cover that forms a chippings shield and can securely retain the used and inclined disposed cartridge magazine, on a ceiling, so that it does not fall onto the user. If the cover, for example, covers the entire discharge opening, then the cover has at least one passage for the cartridge magazine. The cover is at least partially constructed of an elastic or resilient material, such as rubber. It is also possible to provide the peripheral zone of the passage with soft bristles that can be in lateral contact with the cartridge magazine.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4114792 (1978-09-01), Pomeroy
patent: 5363736 (1994-11-01), Huang
patent: 5429291 (1995-07-01), Thompson
patent: 5829661 (1998-11-01), Hirtl et al.
patent: 6062455 (2000-05-01), Giannuzzi et al.
patent: 6126055 (2000-10-01), Gantner et al.

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