GB2328173A

GB2328173A - Nail gun

Info

Publication number: GB2328173A
Application number: GB9717234A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Searle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-15
Filing date: 1997-08-15
Publication date: 1999-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-15
Also published as: GB9717234D0; GB2328173B

Abstract

A device for inserting nails or screws into a surface such that an amount of sealant material is drawn with the nail or screw to close the hole created by it in penetrating the surface. The device incorporates a discharge chamber 7 with a feeder passage F through which the nail or screw N is discharged. A container (8, fig 4) is supplied with sealant which is fed under pressure to a filler chamber 18 via a passageway 15. A regulator 17 controls the flow of sealant to discharge chamber 7. As the nail or screw passes along feeder passage F it draws a quantity of sealant from filler chamber 18 which plugs the space adjacent the head of the nail or screw.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices for firing projectiles at a rapid rate into constructional elements such as nails into wood and in particular to a nail gun for use in the construction of wooden crates, pallets, fencing, fumiture and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When using machines of the above type, as with traditional methods of hammer and nail, the depressions left by the nail after penetrating the wood and driven to the depth required are unacceptably unsightly. This is particularly so when laying floor boards or in the construction of a garden shed. Consequently the depressions have to be filled with a wood filler and in some cases sanded off.

This is a labour intensive and time consuming process and as a result increases the cost of the finished article to the ultimate consumer.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to address and solve this problem thereby to reduce constnrctional costs and improve profitability to the manufacturer, by providing means for filling the holes and depressions formed during nail penetration simultaneously with the firing of the nail gun.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a device for firing a projectile such as a nail or screw into a constructional element comprising a magazine for containing the projectile, a firing mechanism for firing the projectile from the magazine and supply means for a sealant material arranged to interpose the sealant material in the path of travel of the projectile such that said sealant material is drawn along by the travelling projectile to close the hole left behind by the projectile penetrating the constructional element.

In a preferred form the supply means includes a discharge chamber which feeds into the feeder shaft forming the path of travel for the projectile from the magazine.

The sealant material may be contained in a separate vessel in communication with the pressurised supply line for operating the device.

Alternatively the sealant material may be housed in a pressurised container which may be manually operated as by a trigger mechanism to feed tbe discharge chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention taken with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of a device for firing a projectile, in this case a nail gun, modified in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an alternative modification of the nail gun of Fig. 1 in accordance with the invention; Fig. 3 is a further preferred form of a modified nail gun in accordance with the invention; Fig. 4 is a still further modification of a nail gun in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sealant material discharge chamber for the modified nail gun shown in Figs. 1 through 4.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The standard type of nail gun shown in the accompanying drawings comprises an operating head 1 to which is attached an operator's hand grip 2.

The operating head 1 is provided with a vertical shaft 3 forming a centrally located nail feeder passageway (not shown). Nails to be fired from the gun are held in a magazine 4 strung between the end handle grip 2 and the vertical shaft 3 as shown.

The nails are spring loaded in the magazine 4 such that they are fed sequentially into the feeder passageway when the nail gun is in operation The nail gun is operated by means of the application of pressurised air supplied to the head 1 through supply line 5 attached to the hand grip 2. Pressurised air is selectively released into the feeder passageway by means of a trigger mechanism 6 as shown.

When using the nail gun with a constructional material such as wood, the end of the vertical shaft 3 is held against the surface of the wooden workpiece and the nail is fired into the wood by operation of the trigger mechanism 6. At the same time another nail is delivered into the feeder passageway of the vertical shaft 3 from the magazine 4 for subsequent release at another fixing position on the workpiece.

The nail gun as shown in Fig. 1 is modified in accordance with the invention by the indusion of a discharge chamber 7 for a sealant material such as wood filler or mastic in communication with the feeder passageway of the vertical shaft 3. The discharge chamber 7 may incorporate an intermittently operable shut off valve for the sealant material (not shown) operable by the trigger mechanism 6.

A container 8 for containing sealant material such as wood filler or mastic is attached to the frame 9 of the nail gun. Container 8 is in communication through line 10 with the discharge chamber and line 11 with the compressed air supply line 5 thereby to pressurise the sealant material in the container 8 and in tum the chamber 7. In this way the feeder passageway of the vertical shaft 3 is provided with a constant supply of sealant material during operation of the gun until the container 8 is empty and replacement is necessary.

With the arrangement shown the nail gun now has the capability both to fire a nail into a workpiece and then to seal the holes left by nail penetration in a single operation. Thus as the nail travels down the feeder passageway of the vertical shaft 3 it draws a quantity of sealant material along with it as it passes through the discharge chamber 7. This drawn off material automatically occupies the hole or depression left by the nail penetrating into the wood.

By virtue of the fact that the end of the vertical shaft 3 is held against the work piece when firing takes place the sealant material which fills the holes or depressions left by the penetrating nail, may be finished flush or substantially flush with the surface of the wood.

In those cases where aesthetic appearance is paramount sanding may be required.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the sealant material is held in a trigger operable pressurised container 12 strapped to the operating head 1 of the nail gun and operation of this arrangement is as with the Fig. 1 embodiment. The trigger of the pressurised container 12 is coupled by means not illustrated in the drawings, to the trigger 6 of the nail gun so that the depression of the trigger 6 automatically triggers the pressurised container 12.

In the altemative arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 the sealant material is contained in a pressurised throw-away container 13 which can be attached directly to the discharge chamber 7.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 in that the sealant material is held in a separate container 14 which is not attached to the machine but can be connected between the discharge chamber 7 and the compressor (not shown) providing pressurised air to the head 1 of the nail gun.

This arrangement has the advantage that the gun can be used for longer periods between sealant material fill-ups because larger containers of filler material can be employed which would otherwise, if attached to the nail gun frame, make the gun too heavy to handle.

A more detailed illustration of the discharge chamber 7 is shown in Fig. 5.

The discharge chamber 7 includes the feeder passage F for nails N being fired from the gun.

A circular passageway 15 upwardly inclined to the axis of the feeder passage F is formed in the body of the discharge chamber 7.

The air hose 11 from the operating compressor for the nail gun is inserted in the passageway 15 by a screwed connection 16 as shown with a regulator 17 positioned upstream of the connection 16 for controlling the flow of the sealant material to the chamber 7.

A concave annular recess 18 is formed in the feeder passage F. The sealant material is ejected into the feeder passage F at the recess 18 and fills the recess 18 to provide an availability of sealant material for the nail N as it passes along the feeder passage F.

The nail gun modified in accordance with the invention as above described leads in practice to many advantages some of which are given below.

Thus for example in the construction of a wooden pallet, it would no longer be necessary to use expensive galvanised nails, because ordinary nails would no longer be exposed to the atmosphere after installation.

Again for example in the construction of a garden shed where it is present practice generally speaking to leave the penetration holes untouched for cost reasons, employment of the invention would improve the aesthetic appeal of the product at no appreciable extra cost.

In addition the product would have a longer life span because the nails used, which are not normally galvanised, would be protected from the atmosphere.

Claims

1 A device for firing a projectile such as a nail or screw into a constructional element comprising a magazine for containing the projectile, a firing mechanism for firing the projectile from the magazine and supply means for a sealant material arranged to interpose the sealant material in the path of travel of the projectile such that said sealant material is drawn along by the travelling projectile to close the hole left behind by the projectile penetrating the constructional element.

2 A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supply means includes a discharge chamber which feeds into the feeder shaft forming the path of travel for the projectiles from the magazine.

3 A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sealant material is contained in a separate container connected to the pressurised supply for operating said firing mechanism.

4 A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealant material is housed in a pressurised container feeding the discharge chamber.

5 A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pressurised container is operable by a trigger mechanism.

6 A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealant material is contained in an independent container for connection to the discharge chamber, the independent container being connectable to a compressor preferably the compressor for operating the firing mechanism of the device.

7 A method of firing projectiles such as nails into a workpiece comprising storing the nails in a magazine, firing the nails from the magazine into the workpiece, and interposing a sealant material in the path of travel of the projectile such that the sealant material is drawn along by the travelling projectile to close the hole left behind by the projectile penetrating the workpiece.

8 A device for firing projectiles into a workpiece substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9 A method of firing projectiles into a workpiece substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.