US2976538A - Implement for driving fasteners - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1961 J. s. KAMBORIAN IMPLEMENT FOR DRIVING FASTENERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1958 fwezvior (7300615; l'awzjorz'am M iii K9 March 28, 1961 J. s. KAMBORIAN 2,976,538

IMPLEMENT FOR DRIVING FASTENERS Filed Feb. 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j 445 2 //43 fla 1 hvem%0r 1721005 5. Iawzorz'aza March 28, 1961 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 2,976,538

IMPLEMENT FOR DRIVING FASTENERS Filed Feb. 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jacob S. Kamborian, West Newton, Mass. International Shoe Machine Corp., 292 Main St., Cambridge, Mass.)

Filed Feb. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 717,537

20 Claims. (Cl. 1-106) This invention relates to an implement for use in the manufacture of shoes and more especially to an implement for driving tacks during lasting operations, although it is to be understood that it can be used for any other purpose where it is desirable to drive tacks or similar fastening elements.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an implement for driving fastening elements, in which the individual elements are separated from a mass of elements and delivered in single file to the driving mechanism with less likelihood of jamming and of damage to the elements themselves, to provide an implement in which the separation of the elements from the mass is effected as an incident to the driving operation so that for each driving operation one or more elements are added to the file to replace the elements used, to provide an implement in which the driver may be trigger actuated or automatically actuated by the act of pressing the driver nozzle against the part into which the element is to be driven, to provide an implement in which the mass of elements can be seen at all times so that the user knows at a glance when it must be refilled, to provide an implement which is portable, but which may be suspended from a support for use in conjunction with a shoe machine or other machine where fastener elements are used as part of the operation, and to provide a device which is durable and efficient in operation.

As herein illustrated, the implement comprises in com bination a head carrying a nozzle and a driver, a track connected at one end to the head for supplying elements thereto in single file in a position to be driven through 4 the nozzle into the work, a hopper mounted on the other end of the track and within which said end of the track is located above the mass of elements in the hopper an air inlet located beneath the mass of elements in the hopper through which a jet of air under pressure may be ejected for propelling elements from the mass upwardly within the hopper, and means for catching some of the upwardly propelled elements and guiding them into the upper end of the track. The upward propulsion of the elements is assisted by a baffle spaced from the wall of the hopper so as to form therewith a vertical passage, the lower end of which is situated above the air jet and the upper end of which terminates just above the top of the guides.

In one form the means for catching and guiding the elements into the upper end of the track is constituted by concave guides inclined toward each other, one of which has a portion underlying the other which extends to a point adjacent the track and has in it a longitudinally extending slot for holding the elements upright and in single file as they slide toward the track. The driver is actuated by a piston within an air cylinder mounted on the head,'to which air under pressure is supplied through a normally closed air valve having a pair of ports, one of which is connected with the air cylinder and the other of which is connected with the air inlet at the bottom of the hopper. A sleeve slidably mounted on the cylinder, which constitutes a grip for holding the implement, is normally held against a cap at its upper end by a spring and is movable in opposition to the spring by downward pressing of the implement into contact with the work to eifect actuation of the valve.

In another form the means for catching and guiding the elements into the upper end of the track is constituted by converging guidesfastened to the opposite sides of the track which, in this form, extends upwardly into the hopper all the way to the baffle which forms the wall of the vertical passage. A finger is mounted above the track and there is means for effecting movement of the finger to cause it to enter the groove in the track to dislodge elements jammed therein. The driver is actuated by a piston within an air cylinder which is supplied with air under pressure through a normally closed air valve, the latter being shiftable to an open position by a trigger. The finger is also actuated by a piston operating in a cylinder and this cylinder is'supplied with air from the valve when it is opened to admit air to the driver. The valve contains an exhaust opening through which air exhausts from the cylinders, when the trigger is released, and there is means extending therefrom to the bottom of the hopper so that each time the trigger is'released a jet of air is admitted to the bottom of the hopper.

The invention will now be described in-greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the device;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a modified form of the device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the finger for dislodging the elements from the track;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the finger and its operating mechanism, as seen from the right-hand side of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line l01ii of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the support for the device;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of thesupport showing the arms of the support at several possible positions;

Fig. 13 is an elevation partly in section of the valve assembly illustrating the several valve passages; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are sections taken on the lines 14.14 and 1515 respectively, of Fig. 13.

The implement which forms thesubject matter of this invention is for driving fastening elements through the lasting margin of a shoe upper into the bottom and when so used will ordinarily be suspended from an overhead support, at the lower end of a flexible member, which may include a yieldable element, so that the implement can be moved about freely to bring its nozzle into engagement with the work into which a fastening element is to be driven. It is to be understood however that the suspension of the implement is only for convenience in the shoe making art and similar operations, such as the covering of panels and upholstery and that the implement is equally useful for driving fastening elements wherever parts are susceptible of attachment by such means.

As herein shown, there is a head carrying a nozzle 10, and a driver 12 which operates in the nozzle to drive fastening elements supplied to the head through the nozzle into the work. The fastening elements are supbeing a transparent plate.

plied to the head when the driver is retracted, as will appear hereinafter, one after another, by an inclined track 14, one end of which is in communication with the head near the upper part of the nozzle and the other end of which enters a hopper 16 which contains a mass of fastener elements.

The driver 12 is fastened to a piston 18 slidable in a cylinder 20 fastened to the head and is normally held in an elevated position by a spring 22, against a yieldable abutment 24 within the cylinder. The piston 18 is driven downwardly in the cylinder by air under pressure supplied to the upper end of the cylinder through a port 26, into which is threaded a nipple 30 which connects it by way of a valve 28 mounted thereon to an air pressure line 34. The valve contains a valve element 36 which is normally held closed by a spring 38.

A sleeve 40 is slidably mounted on the cylinder 20 and constitutes both a handle for holding the implement and means for operating the valve element 36 to admit air to the upper end of the cylinder 20. To this end the sleeve 40 is normally yieldably held'in an up wardly displaced position by means of a coiled spring 42 situated between its lower end and the head which carries the nozzle. A bracket 44 is fastened to the upper end of the sleeve and has a portion 45 which overlies the valve 28, and carries a threaded element 46, the lower end of which is aligned with and abuts the upper end of the valve element 36. As thus constructed, when the implement is placed with its nozzle in engagement with work to be operated upon and the grip 40 is pressed downwardly, as would normally be done to press the parts of the work together for fastening, the downward movement of the sleeve through the element will open the valve 28 so as to admit air under pressure to the A supplied to the head by way of an inclined track 14, the

lower end of which terminates adjacent the vertically disposed passage within which thedriver operates. A cam actuated latch 48 controls the feeding of one ele ment at a time to the driver and since this mechanism and its operation are Well-known in the art and do not form the substance of applicants invention they will not be described further herein.

The track 14 has a narrow inclined slot for receiving, as shown herein, the shanks s of tacks 1 so that they slide single file along the track toward the head. A cover plate 50 lies over the slot so as to keep the tacks from falling out when the implement is tilted. The form of the track may, of course, be modified for feeding such other fastening elements as staples. A portion of the upper end of the track projects into and carries the hopper 16.

The hopper 16 is of substantially rectangular crosssection, having upwardly diverging bottom walls 52 and 54 from which rise vertical end walls 56 and 58. The bottom and end walls are joined at their lateral edges by vertically extending side walls 60 and'62, the latter A cover 64 is connected to the top of the hopper by hinges at one side and is releasably held closed by a spring latch 66 at the opposite side. The upper end of the track 14 is connected to the upwardly inclined bottom wall 54 well above the lowermost part of the hopper.

. A port opening 68 is formed in the bottom wall 54 close to the lowermost part of the hopper and into this port there is threaded a nipple 74 which is connected by a flexible hose 72 to the valve 28, heretofore mentioned. Above the port opening 68 there is disposed an upwardly extending baffle 74 which forms with the uprow, upwardly extending passage 76. The lower end of the bafiie 74 is spaced from the bottom 54 so that fastening elements poured into the hopper and settling in the lower part thereof are free to gravitate under the lower end of the baffle into the lower end of the passage 76 directly above the port 68. A screen is fastened over the port to prevent the fastening elements from falling into the nipple. The upper end of the baffle extend somewhat beyond the top of the hopper into the cover but terminates short of the inner side of the cover so as to leave a space through which the elements propelled upwardly through the passage '76 may spill over into the main part of the hopper. To assist in deflecting the upwardly projected elements the inner surface of the cover 64 is smoothly curved as at 78, adjacent the upper end of the passage 76. Thus when a jet or blast of air is permitted to enter the bottom of the hopper through the port 68 fasteners from the mass of fasteners col lected at the bottom, which are directly above the port, are driven or propelled upwardly through the passage 76 and deflected laterally at the upper end by the surface 78 into the hopper to the left of the baflie 74, as shown in Fig. l.

A pair of downwardly converging guides 80 and 82 are mounted respectively on the inner side of the baffie 74 and the wall 58 so as to catch the fastening elements ejected from the upper end of the passage 76. The guides 80 and 82 correspond in transverse width to the width of the hopper and are arranged so that a portion of the guide 80 underlies the guide 82. Thus elements falling on the guide 82 gravitate toward its lower end onto the guide 80 and from thence downwardly below the lower end of the guide 82 toward the upper end of the track 14. The guides 8i; and 82 are upwardly concave so that tacks falling onto their surfaces slide to their longi" tudinal centers. The lower guide 80 has along its longitudinal center line a slot 84.- into which the prongs of the fastener elements can fall so that the elements which are here shown as tacks line up single file and slide one after another, downwardly toward the upper end of the track 14. The lower end of the guide St? terminates adjacent the upper end of the track 14 and, as will be seen, the portions of the guide 80 at opposite sides of its slot at its lower end are reversely bent so as to be downwardly sloping, thereby to allow tacks which do not become engaged in the slot to slide off and fall back into the bottom of the hopper.

Each time the valve 28 is operated to admit air to the upper end of the cylinder 20 by pushing downwardly on the handle grip 40, air is also supplied through the hose 72 and nipple 7i) to the port 63, so as to eject a blast of air into the lower end of the passage 76. This blast of air being confined between the baffle 74 and the wall 56 produces a jet which impels the fasteners upwardly in the passage 76 and through its upper end onto the guides and 82 where some of them gravitate into the slot 84 and so are lined up for entrance into the upper end of the track 14 and some slide off and are returned to the bottom of the container.

As was previously pointed out, the wall 62 of the container is transparent and is preferably made of a plastic such as Lucite which is not fragile and will permit the user of the implement to quickly see when it is desirable to refill it with a new supply of fastener elements. The cover 64 is latched in place and may be easily swung Sack to till the container when it is found desirable to It is evident from the foregoing that operation of the placing its nozzle against the work and pressing downwardly and that as often as this is done a fastening element will be driven into the work.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, there is shown a driver which is trigger operated and which has means for clearingthe track of fastening elements which maybecome jammed .therein. The device comprises a head driver is retracted, as will appear hereinafter, one after another, by an inclined track 104, one end of which is in communication with the head near the upper part of the nozzle and the other end of which enters a hopper 106, which contains a mass of fastening elements.

The driver 102 is fastened to a piston 108, slidable in a cylinder 110, fastened to the head and is normally held in an elevated position by a spring 112, against a yieldable abutment 114 within the cylinder. The piston 108 is driven downwardly in the cylinder by air under pressure supplied to the upper end of the cylinder through a port 116, which opens into a valve block 118, mounted on the upper end of the cylinder 110. The valve block 118 contains a pressure chamber 120 and a threaded opening .122 for reception of a flexible hose 124 for supplying air .under pressure to the implement.

is formed in the valve block, within which there is mounted a three-way valve unit 128. The valve unit 128 has a horizontal passage 130 through it, one end of-which is in communication with the port 116,'at the upper end of the cylinder 110, and the other end of which is in communication with a port 132, which connects the valve chamber to the pressure chamber. The valve has a passage 134 at right angles to the passage 132 and this is in communication with a passage 136 in the block, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. There is a vertical passage 138 in the valve (Figs. 13 to 15) which contains a slide 140, having a passage 142 in it, from side to side, and a passage 144 which enters one side and leaves another side at right angles to its point of entrance. The slide 140 normally rests on a pivoted arm 143 and is held in a downwardly displaced position by pressure within the chamber 120. In this downwardly displaced position passages 142 are out of registration with the passages 130 and accordingly air is blocked by the valve. At this time the passage 144 registers with the passage 136 so that the cylinder 110 is exhausted through a conductor 162 to the atmosphere. A trigger 145 is pivoted on the block, adjacent the barrel 110, in a convenient of registration with the passage 136 so that air admitted to the cylinder 110 does not enter the conductor 162 and as s A valve chamber 126 hence the hopper. As soon as the trigger is released the receiving fastening elements so that they may slide single file along the track toward the head. That part of the track external to the hopper is closed by a cover-plate 146, while that part of the track within the hopper is open. In this form of the invention the track extends through the hopper wall from its near side toward its far side, terminating close to that side and dispensing with the need of a separate track mounted within the hopper as employed in theform shown in Figs. 1 to 3. V The hopper (Fig. 4 is of substantially rectangular cross-section, having end and side walls 148 and 150 7 (Fig.5), a stepped. inclined bottom152, which 1185.8 curved depressed pocket 154 at one end, and an open top to which there is hinged a cover 156, the latter being held closed by a spring finger 158. A port is formed in the bottom near the bottom of the pocket 154, into which there is fitted one end of a conductor 162. The opposite end of the conductor 162 is connected to the passage 136 in the valve block 118. Above the port opening 160 and the depressed pocket 154, there is disposed an upwardly extending baflie 164 which forms with the end wall a narrow, upwardly extending passage 166. The lower end of the batlie is flared and spaced from the bottom 152 so that fastening elements resting on the inclined bottom 152 can gravitate into the pocket 154, below the lower flared end of the bafile, and pile up against the port opening 160. The upper end of the baflie extends up to the top of the hopper but short of the cover 156 and the inner side of the latter is curved so that elements propelled upwardly through the passage 166 will be deflected downwardly into the main part of the hopper, to the left of the bafiie, as seen in Fig. 4.

The downwardly falling elements will fall onto the uncovered portion of the track within the hopper. To assist in catching the elements a pair of flaring guide plates 168 are fastened to the opposite sides of the track and collectively form an upwardly facing trough which guides them into the groove in the track. A bafiie 170 is fastened to the underside of the cover 156 so as to extend transversely of the hopper, between the guide plates 168, to prevent the fastening elements from being propelled so far to the left (Fig. 4), as to interfere with the clearing finger that is to be described hereinafter. The lower end of the baffle plate 170 terminates far enough above the surface of the track to permit the fastening elements to slide beneath it. Below the track there are vertically spaced, downwardly inclined baffies 172 and 174. The baflie 172 is adapted to catch fastening elements which escape from the track and guide them downwardly onto the bottom 152.

A partition 176 is provided in the hopper parallel to and spaced from one of its side walls 150 and provides with the side walls a vertical passage 178, at the lower end of which there is an opening 180, between the baffies 172 and 174. Thus, fastening elements poured into the upper end of the passage 178 enter the hopper below the baffle 172 and above the batfle 174 and are guided by the latter onto the inclined bottom 152.-

The track 104, as previously explained, has a groove in it for receiving the fastener elements and guiding them one after another to the driver. Sometimes afastener element will become jammed in the groove, particularly at the place where it enters the part of the track which is covered. Accordingly, in this form of the hopper there is provided a finger 182 which is operable to enter the groove at predetermined intervals to eject elements which have become jammed inthe groove and hence to clear the track. It is to be understood that this same finger ad the mechanism for operating it may .be used in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Thefinger 182 is supported in a sleeve 1S4 (Figs. 6 and 7), for movement axially of the sleeve and is supported therein by a pin 186 which extends through the finger and has its ends engaged with slots 188 in the sleeve. The sleeve has a lateral boss 190 pinned to a shaft 192. The shaft 192 is journaled in a bracket 194 fastened to a leg 196 extending downwardly from the valve block 118. A split clamp 198 is adjustably mounted on the shaft 192 and secured thereto by a screw bolt 200. The clamp 198 has oppositely extending arms 202 and 204.. Behind the arm 202 there is a spring .206 which bears against the arm and is seated within a recess .208 in the forward end of a block 210, also fastened to the leg 196 The spring 206 yieldably holds the lower I arm 204 against a rod 212, extending forwardly from a piston 214 mountedin a cylinder 216, fastened to the lower end of the leg 196, the cylinder being in communication with a passage extending through the leg'upwardly to a passage 219 in the valve block. Movement of the piston 214 forwardly in the cylinder 216 will rock the clamp bracket 198 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 8, so as to swing the finger 182 in an anti-clockwise direction, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6. vMovement of the finger in a counterclockwise direction causes its lower end to enter the groove in the track and to dislodge any, fastening elements which may be jammed therein. the finger advances it may, because of the inclination of the track, press against a tack lodgedin the groove,

and it is to prevent jamming that the finger. is loosely mounted in the sleeve so that it can yield upwardly.

The driver and the finger 182 for clearing the track are operated simultaneously. When the trigger 145 is pulled air is supplied through a port 217 at the same side of the valve as the port 116 to a passage 219 and hence to the cylinder 216. The conductor 162 is'supplied with air after the trigger 145 is released by way of a 7 port 134, which exhausts the residual pressure from the cylinder 110.

The implement in either of its forms may be used and conducting separated ones of the elements in single file ,to the nozzle, a single valve at the upper end of the support operable to admit air under pressure to both 7 the driver and the hopper, and a sleeve slidably mounted j onthe support, sa'id sleeve being operable by downward movemerit relative to the support when the nozzle is pressed against the work to actuatethe valve.

2, An implement for driving tacks comprising a cylinder adapted to be held in the hand, a nozzle at the lower end of. the cylinder, a driver situated in the nozzle, a

piston in the cylinder operable to effect movement of the driver, a sleevemounted on the cylinder and movable I axially thereof, said sleeve constituting a grip for holding the implement, a stop at the upper end of the cylinder,

Ia spring normally holding the sleeve against the stop,

said sleeve being movable downwardly by pressing the nozzle against the work, an air valve for. supplying air to the upper end of the cylinder, said valve being normally closed and being operated by downward movement of the sleeve on the cylinder, a track for conducting tacks in single file to the nozzle ahead of the driver, a

without supporting means, however, if it is to be em-,

, ployed in combination with a machine where the work j 222 and 224 pivotally connected to the bracket 218 and to each other. The arm 222 has at its opposite ends shackles 226 which are connected respectively by shackle pins 228 to the bracket 218 and to an end of the arm 224, so that the arms are adapted to swing bodily in a horizontal plane relative to the bracket 218 and relative to each other. 'At the distal end of the arm 224 there is a vertically disposed sleeve 230 in which there is slidably mounted a'spindle 232. At the lower end of the spindle there is a universal coupling assembly 234. A collar 236 is fastened to the spindle below the lower end of the sleeve and has connected to it a cable 238 which is entrained about a pulley 240 mounted on the arm 224 and has its inner end connected to a'spring 242 which operates yieldabiy to hold the spindle 232 elevated with the collar 236 bearing against the lower end of the sleeve. A rod 244 having a ball at its upper end for engagement with the coupling is suspended from the a coupling and has at its lower end a threaded portion 246, by means of which it may be bolted to a part of the driver, for example the cover of the pressure chamber v of the driver shown in Fig. 4. With the driver suspended from the support, asthus described, it is possible to swing it in a horizontal plane with reference to the post 220 in arcs about the axis of the shackle pins 228, which permit it to be. moved to and from the post 220,as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 12. Additionally the driver may be drawn downwardly-from the support and may be swung an-gularly in perpendicular planes.

It should be understood that the present 'disclosureis for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications. and equivalents which within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: a 1. An implement for driving fastening elements comfall prising in combination an elongate support adapted to be held uprigit in thehand, a nozzle at the lower end i of the support, a driver operable in the support to drive fastenin' elements from the nozzle, a hopper fastenedto the support for holding amass of fastening elements hopper mounted on the track with the track extending into it, means connecting the valve to the hopper for supplying air under pressure to the hopper beneath the mass therein to separate tacks from the mass at the same time that the valve is opened to actuate the driver and guide means in the hopper for catching and conducting tacks propelled upwardly within the hopper into the end of the track.

3. In combination with an implement for driving fastening elements, a device for supplying fastening elements from a mass of fastening elements to the implement, comprising a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements, a track extending from the implement to the hopper andhaving an end within the hopper, said track containing a groove for receiving the elements in .single file, valve controlled means for supplying ajet or air under pressure to the mass to propel fasteners 'from the mass upwardly, guide means for catching the upwardly propelled fasteners and conducting them into the groove, means arranged to enter the groove operable to clear the groove of elements jammed therein, and a tening elements, a device for supplying fastening ele- 'ments from a mass of fastening elements to the implement comprising a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements, a track extending from the implement to the hopper and having anlend within the hopper containing a groove for receiving the elements in single file, valve controlled means for supplying a jet of air under pres .sure to the mass to propel fasteners from the mass upwardly, guide means for catching and conducting the upwardly propelled fastening elements into the groove,

a finger situated above the groove so that fastening ele- 'ments properly engaged with the track slide beneath it,

a single manually actuable control means for moving the finger into and out of the groove to intercept the fastening elements improperly seatedon the track and to eject them from the track and for controlling said valve to efiect the. supplying of the jet ,of air.

5, Incornbination with an implement for driving fastening elements, a device for supplying fastening elements hopper, said track having an end within the hopper and containing a groove for receiving the elements in single file, means for supplying air under pressure to the mass to propel the fastening elements therefrom upwardly,

f guide means for catching and guiding the fastening clements into the, groove a finger mounted above the track with an end elevated with respect to the track so that a rees 9 properly seated elements are free to slide beneath it along the track and means for periodically moving the end of the finger into the groove, upwardly along the groove and out of the groove to intercept and eject elements jammed therein.

6. In combination with an implement for driving fastening elements, a device for supplying fastening elements from a mass of fastening elements to the implement, comprising a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements, a track extending from the implement to the hopper, said track having an end within the hopper, and an open groove for receiving the elements in single file, means for supplying air under pressure to the mass to propel the fasteners from the mass upwardly, guide means for catching and conducting the elements into the groove, a finger mounted above the track with an end elevated with respect to the track so that properly seated elements are free to slide beneath it along the track, pressure responsive means operable to move the finger into and out of the groove to intercept and dislodge elements jammed in the groove, and means for supplying pressure to said pressure responsive means simultaneously with the supply of the jet to the mass within the hopper.

7. In combination with an implement for driving fastening elements, a driver, means for supplying air pressure to the driver to effect operation thereof, a device for supplying fastening elements from a mass of fastening elements to the implement, comprising a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements, a track extending from the implement to the hopper, said track having an end within the hopper and an open groove for receiving the elements in single file, means for supplying air under pressure to the mass to propel fasteners therefrom upwardly, guide means for catching and directing the upwardly projected elements into the groove, a finger, means pivotally supporting the finger for movement of its lower end from a position above the groove into and out of the groove, means normally holding the lower end of the finger above the groove and means operable simultaneously with the admission of air to the driver to effect a movement of the finger into and out of the groove to intercept and dislodge fastening elements jammed in the groove.

8. The combination with a. pressure operated driver for inserting fastening elements, comprising a cylinder containing a piston carrying a driver, a hopper for containing a mass of fastening elements, said hopper having a port in it below the mass of elements therein, a track connecting the hopper to the driver for supplying elements in single file from the hopper to the driver, a finger operable at that portion of the track in the hopper to keep the latter clear of elements jammed therein, means responsive to pressure to effect operation of the finger, a normally closed air valve, a trigger operable to shift the valve to admit air under pressure to the upper end of the cylinder and to the means for effecting operation of the finger, and an exhaust port uncovered by closing of the valve to exhaust air from the cylinder at the end of the driving operation through the port into the hopper.

9. An implement for driving fastening elements comprising in combination: a head, a driver reciprocable in the head to drive fastening elements, a hopper for bolding a mass of the fastening elements, track means extending from the hopper to the driver for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the hopper into the path of movement of the driver, means for reciprocating the driver to cause it to impel a fastening element into the work, valve controlled means for supplying a jet of air pressure to the hopper beneath the mass to propel fastener elements from the mass upwardly within the hopper, guide means in the hopper arranged to deflect some of the upwardly projected fastening elements onto the track means, and a single manually manipulative conit) trol means operative to actuate the driver reciprocating means and to actuate said valve.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the track means includes an inclined track having a narrow slot for receiving the fastening elements shanks down, and the guide means comprises downwardly converging guides located in a position to catch the upwardly projected fastening elements and to guide them in line, shanks down, to the slot in the upper end of the track.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein one of the guides contains a narrow slot aligned with the slot in the track for lining up the fastening elements and guiding them to the upper end of the track.

12. A device according to claim 10, wherein the lower end of one of the guides underlies the other and contains a narrow slot which is in alignment with the slot in the track for conducting fastening elements thereon into the upper end of the track.

13. An implement for-driving fastening elements comprising in combination: a head, a nozzle at the lower end of the head, a driver reciprocable in the nozzle to drive fastening elements through the nozzle into the work, a hopper for holding a mass of the fastening elements, track means extending from the hopper to the driver for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the hopper into the path of movement of the driver, means for reciprocating the driver to cause it to impel a fastening element into the work, means for supplying a jet ,of air pressure to the hopper beneath the mass to propel fastening elements from the mass upwardly with the hopper, guide means in the hopper arranged to deflect some of the upwardly projected fastening elements onto the track means, an elongate sleeve adapted to be held in the hand slidably mounted on the head, and control means connected to the sleeve for actuating the air pressure supply means and the driver reciprocating means, whereby when the nozzle is pressed for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the hopper into the path of movement of the driver, air operated means for reciprocating the driver, means for supplying a jet of air pressure to the hopper beneath the mass to propel fastening elements upwardly within the hopper, guide means in the hopper arranged to deflect some of the upwardly deflected fastening elements on to the track means, an elongate sleeve adapted to be held in the hand slidably mounted on the head, a valve for controlling the admission of air to the driver recipro eating means and to the hopper, and a valve actuating element connected to the sleeve and positioned to open the valve during relative sliding movement between the valve and head, whereby when the nozzle is pressed against the work the sleeve will slide relative to the head and the valve actuating element will open the valve to cause the driver to impel a fastening element into the work and to cause a jet of air pressure to be suppliedto the hopper.

15. An implement for driving fastening elements comprising in combination: a head, a driver reciprocable in the head to drive fastening elements into the work, a hopper for holding a mass of the fastening elements, track means extending from the hopper to the driver for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the hopper into the path of movement of the driver, means for reciprocating the driver to cause it to impel a fastening element into the work, means for supplying a jet of air pressure to the hopper beneath the mass to propel fastening elements from the mass upwardly within the hopper, guide means in the hopper arranged to deflect lsome of the upwardly projected fastening elements on to the track means, a manually actuable trigger movably mounted on the head, and controls meanspperative in response to manual manipulation of the trigger for actuating the air pressure supply means and the driver reciprocating means.

16. An implement for driving fastening elements com- I prising in combination: a head, a nozzle at the lowerend of the head, a driver reciprocable in the nozzle to drive fastening elements through the nozzle into the work, a

, hopper into the path of movement of the driver, air oper- .track means extending from the hopper to the driver for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the ,hopper into the path of movement of the driver, air operated means for reciprocating the driver, means for supplying a jet of air pressure to the hopper beneath the mass to propel fastening elements upwardly within the hopper, guide means in the hopper arranged to deflect some of the upwardly deflected fastening elements on to the track means, a valve for controlling the admission of air to the driver reciprocating means and to the hopper, a manually actuable trigger mounted on the head,

,means responsive to actuation of the trigger for causing the valve to be shifted to admit air to, and thereby actuate, the driver reciprocating means, and means responsive to release of the trigger for causing the valve to be shifted to supply a jet of air to the hopper.

17. An implement for driving fastening elements comprising a driver, a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements, a grooved track extending from the hopper to the driver, said groove being adapted to guide the fastening elements in seriatim with their shanks extending downwardly therein and their heads resting on the track at the sides of the groove, a finger mounted above the track for movement into and out of the groove, said finger being narrower than the groove, and means for moving the finger into and out of the groove.

18. An implement in accordance with claim 17, where- V, in the finger is loosely mounted in a sleeve so that it can yield upwardly in the sleeve during the movement of the finger into and out of the groove.

. 19. An implement for driving fastening elements comprising a driver, a hopper for holding a mass of fastening elements,.a grooved track extending from the hopper to the driver, said groove being adapted to guide the fastening elements in seriatim with their shanks extending downwardly therein and their heads resting on the track at the sides of the groove, a finger pivotally mounted above the track for swinging movement into and out of the groove, said finger being narrower than the groove, and means for swinging the finger into and out of the groove.

20. An implement in accordance with claim 19, wherein the finger is loosely mounted in a sleeve so that it can yield upwardly during the swinging movement of the finger into and out of the groove.

References Eited in the file of this patent want- "0.-

UNITED STATES PATE T eEETeE g CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIGN Patent No, 2,976538 March 28, 1961 Jacob So Kamhorian 'It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 11 line l3 after hopper insert for holding amasspf the fastening elements, trash rneans extending from the hopper to the driver for guiding the fastening elements in seriatim from the hopper Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 1961..

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDEE I DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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