CA1246803A - Magazine system for a fastener driving tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A MAGAZINE SYSTEM FOR A
FASTENER DRIVING TOOL
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A manually attachable and detachable, interchangeable magazine system for use with fastener driving tools of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by multiple blows and of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by a single blow. Each magazine contains a plurality of fasteners and a driver therefor. Each magazine is removably affixable by hand to one of the tool housing and a carrier within the tool housing. In the instance of a multiple-blow tool, the magazine is shiftable with respect to the tool housing between a normal extended position and a retracted posi-tion within the housing. In the instance of a single-blow tool, the magazine is fixed with respect to the tool housing. Each magazine can be a refillable and reusable magazine, or a single-use, disposable magazine. Maga-zines containing different types of fasteners are inter-changeable within the system.

Description

~LZ~ 3 FASTENER DRIVING TOO
Carl T. Becht TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a magazine system for fas-tener driving tools, and more particularly to such a maga-zine system wherein the magazines are attachable and detachable manually with respect to the fastener driving tool; magazines containing different types of fasteners are interchangeable with respect to the fastener driving tool; and the magazines may be single-use, disposable magazines or multiple-use, refillable magazines.
BACKGROUND ART
-Prior art workers have devised many types of fastener driving tools. As used herein and in the claims, the term "fastener" is to be considered in the broadest sense, referring to substantially any fastener capable of being driven into a workpiece. Examples of such fasten-ers are headed nails, headless nails, staples and clamp nails (of the general type taught, for example, in U.S.
Patent No. 4,058,047).
Perhaps the most common form of fastener driving tool is a pneumatically actuated tool. Prior art workers have developed a multiplicity of pneumatically actuated fas-tener driving tools to a high degree of safety and sophis-tication, of which the tool taught in U.S. Patent No.
3,964,659 is exemplary.
More recently, there has ~een considerable interest in electro-mech~nlcal fastener drivin~ tools utili~ing a solenoid mechanism or ~ Elywheel mech~nism to drive the fasteners. Electro-mechanical astener driving tools are of particular interest for home use and industrial use where a source of compressed air i9 not readily avail-able. An example of such a tool is set forth in U.S.
Patent No. 4,298,072.

6~3

2 280~-94~

The faster driving tools thus far described are of the sin-gle-blow variety, wherein the fastener is driven home by a single impact of the driver.
Prior art workers have also developed various types of mul-tiple impact fastener driving tools, wherein the fastener is driven home by a plurality of impacts applied thereto by the driver.
The teachings of the present invention are applicable to both basic types of fastener driving tools, and the natuxe of 1~ the fastener driving tool, itself, does not constitute a limit-ation with respect to the present invention, except as set forth in the claims.
Interchangeable magazines for fastener driving tools are not, in and of themselves, new. Many prior art fastener driv-ing tools were capable of having different magazines applied thereto to affect a change in fastener size, or the like. How-ever, to make such a conversion from one magazine to another, required a number of tools and the changing of a number of parts and assemblies. In point of fact, the magazines of current prior art fastener driving tools are not easily interchanged.
One of the primary purposes of the present invention is to provide a magazin~ system whereby a ~inc~:le p~wer urlit can read~
ily acc~pt man~ di~Eererlt ma~azines, conta~ni.nq cliE;eererlt types of Easteners, which can be rnounted without the ald of too~s or any significant mechanical skill.
The magazine systern of the present invention has a number of advantages. As indicated above, the system can be used in conjunction with multiple impact-type fastener driving tools and ,~

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3 2804-949 with single impact-type fastener driving tools. A number of different types o~ fasteners can be driven by a single fastener dri.ving tool, by simply manually detaching one magazine (con-taining one type of fastener) from the tool and manually mount-ing another magazine (containing another type of fastener) in its place. Each magazine carries its own driver, which can be easily interfaced with the driver operating mechanism of the fastener driving tool and which is appropriate for the partic-ular type of fastener contained within the magaæine. Because of the simplicity of the magazine structure and the manner in which it is mounted to the fastener driving tool, the system can utilize single-use, disposable magazines or magazines desi-gned to be reloaded and reused.
In a single-blow fastener drivi.ng too]., the magazine should be rigidly affixable to the tool. In a mult:iple-blow tool, the magazine must be shiftable with respect to the tool housing to accommodate for the constant length of the driver and the dim-inishing length of that portion of the fastener remaining to be driven into the work-piece, during the driving operation. To meet these requirements, the present invention contemplates an improved magazine system.
S~MMARY O~ _~IE ~NVENTION
~ccordirl~ to one a~pect o:~ tho invention, there :i.8 prov:ided a magazine s~stem in combination with a ~astene:r driving tool, said tool being of the type having a housing with a ~orward end, a rearward end, sides and a driver operatiny mechanism within said housing, said magazine system compri.sing a plurality of magazines each having forward and rearward ends and each con-~24G~303

4 2804-94g taining a plurality of fasteners, the fasteners of each indiv-idual magazine being alike, characterized by said housing having an open bottom, said housing having first and second pairs of mirror image and opposed channels formed on said sides adjacent said open bottom, said first pair of channels being located near said forward end of said housing, said second pair of chan-nels being located near said rearward end of said housing, first and second pairs of oppositely directed laterally extending co-axial lugs in association with each of said magazine of said system, said first pair of lugs being located near the forward end of said magazine and said second pair of lugs being located near said rearward end of said magazine, said first pair of lugs being engageable in said first pa.ir of channels and said second pair of lugs being engageable in said second pair of channels facilitating manual attachement and detachment of said magazines to and from said tool, and a driver captively and re-ciprocally mounted in each of said magazines.
The magazi.nes can be refillable and reusable magazines, or they can be single-use, disposable magazines. Magazines containing different types of fasteners are fully interchange-able within the system.
~ F Dr~C~I~TI~ ~F Tll~ Wt~
Figure 1 :is a ~ragmentary, side ~ atiollal. view, partly in cross-section, and illustrating an exemplary multiple-blow tool with a magazine of the present inventlon removably attached directly to the tool hous.ing and shiftable within the tool housing.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the magazine of Figure 1.

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2804~949 Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary, elevational views of the magazine rear lugs.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary, exploded view of the spring and spring guide which biases the magazine to its normal extended position illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary, exploded view of the magazine latch of Figure 1.
Figures 7 and 8 are fragmentary, elevational views, partly in cross-section, illustrating the manner in which the magazine is mounted in the housing.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary, elevational view, partly in cross-section and similar to Figures 7 and 8, illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention wherein the magazine is detachably affixed to a carrier mounted in guided, sliding relationship within the tool housing.
Figure 10 is a bottom view of the carrier of Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the carrier of Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the magazine of E`igure 9.
Figure 13 is a fragmentary, elevational view, partly in cross-section, illustrating a magazine of the type shown in Figure 2 fixedly mounted in the housing of a single-blow fastener driving tool.
DF.'r~II,ED nESC~I~TTON OF q'llF INVr:N'r~ON
While not intended to be so l:imited, as will be apparent hereinafter, the magazine system of the present invention will Eirst be described in its application to a multiple-blow Eastener driving tool. Briefly, a fastener drivi.ng tool of this type drives the fasteners into a workpiece by means of multiple impact ~ `

lZ4~ 3 6 28~4-949 blows applied to each fastener successively. The tool comprises a housing with a handle portion and a magazine. The magaæine is shiftable in directions parallel to the long axis of the driver between a normal extended position substantially outside the housing of the tool and a retracted position substantially within the tool housing. Means are provided to bias the magazine to its normal extended position.

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l A prime mover provides a rotating shaft, which is operatively connected to a mechanism for translating rotary motion into reciprocating motion. The translating mechanism comprises a flywheel, an impact member, an energy transfer member separate from but eng~geable with the impact member, and a resilient bumper to arrest the energy transfer member at the termination of its drive cycle. The impact member has at least one impacting sur-` face thereon and is attached to the flywheel, or consti-tutes an integral one-piece part thereof. The fastener driver is engageable by the energy transfer member.
A resilient member in the form of a rubber-like struc-ture or a ~pring normally biases the energy transfer member out of contact with the impact member. When the tool is abutted against a workpiece and pressure is applied by the operator, this resilient member is over-come and the at least one impacting surface of the impact member transmits blows to the energy transfer member, causing the energy transfer member and the driver associ-ated therewith to be forcibly accelerated away from theimpact member at a substantial velocity. This results in the driver applying short, hi~h-velocity drive strokes in rapid succession to the fastener being driven.
While not: so limited, a fastener driving tool of the type just described lends itself well to the consumer market for home use and the like. This is true because, as compared to the usual single-blow fastener driving tool, the multiple-blow tool can employ a lower power prime mover, i9 incapable of inaclvertcntly firlng a fas-tener over a conslderable dlstance with substantialforce, and is characterized by being quieter, less com-plex, more compact and of lighter weight construction.
Such a multiple-blow tool, in conjunction with the magazine system of the present invention, is even more desirable as a consumer product since it is vastly more 1 versatile. The consumer, with a single fastener driving tool, can drive a plurality of different types of fas-teners by simply interchanging magazines which can be refillable (and reusable) or disposable.
An exemplary multiple-blow tool is illustrated in Figure 1. The driver operating mechanism is not shown in Figure 1 since the nature of the driver operating mecha-nism does not constitute a limitation on the present invention. The tool 1 may be provided with any appropri-ate type of prime mover (not shown), such as an electric motor, an internal combustion motor, a hydraulic or pneu-matic motor, or the like. For purposes o an illustra-tion, the tool of Figure 1 may be considered to have a prime mover in the form of an electric motor, connectable to a source of electrical energy by means of a conven-tional cord set 2. The tool 1 has a housing 3 made up of two abutting halves 3a and 3b. The housing 3 has a handle portion 4.
A magazine 5 is shiftably mounted directly to housing 3 in a manner to be described. Reference is made to Figures 1 and 2. The magazine 5 comprises an elongated hollow member containing a plurality of fasteners (not shown). The magazine 5 is made up of a pair of side walls, one of which is shown at 6, a front wall 7, and a rear wall 8. The magazine 5 has a bottom 9 which slopes downwardly and forwardly, together with a top 10 which is substantially parallel to the bottom 5, ex~ept ~or a forward portion 11 whicLl is substantially hoci~ontal when the tool is h~ld in an upri~ht posi.tion as shown in Figure 1. The forwardmost end of bottom 9 terminates in a nose portion 12 which is adapted to contact and abut the workpiece into which one or more fasteners are to be driven. The nose portion 12 is substantially parallel to the forwardmost top portion 11. l~e nose portion 12 will have a perforation (not shown) therein through which the ... .

~2~6~3~3 l fasteners are driven. The forward top portion 11 has a perforation or slot 13 therein through which a driver extends. The driver is fragmentarily shown at 14 in Figures l and 2. The driver constitutes a part of maga-zine 5, is captively mounted therein by lateral legs 14aand 14b, and is capable of shifting in both directions parallel to its long axis. The nature of driver 14 will depend, of course, on the type of fasteners contained within magazine 5, which it is intended to drive.
The magazine 5 will be provided with suitable means (not shown~, as is well known in the art, to urge and advance the supply of fasteners toward the forward end 7 of the magazine so that when driver 14 is in its retracted position, the forwardmost fastener will be located thereunder in position to be driven thereby. The forw~rdmo~t portion of magazine 5, including the nose por-tion 12 and that portion in which the driver is recipro-cally mounted, is equivalent to and serves the same pur-pose as the conventional guide body of a typical prior art fastener driving tool, guiding both the fastener being driven and the driver. It will be understood that the type of fastener contained within magazine 5, the nature of the means constantly urging the supply of -fasteners forwardly within the magazine, and the configu-ration of driver 14 do not constitute parts of the pre-sent invention.
A pair of lugs or pins 15 and 16 extend transversely from the sides of magazine 5 near the top portion 11.
Pins 15 and 16 are preEerably o~ circular cros9-section and are coaxial. The purpose of pins 15 and 16 will be described hereinafter.
At its rearward end, the magazine 5 is provided with an upward extension 17. A pair of laterAl lug9 18 and 19 are mounted on extension 17, directly opposite each other. The lug 18 is best shown in Figure 3 and ~2~ 303 1 comprises a flat forward face 20, which is substantially vertical, as viewed in Figures 1-3. The lug 18 has an arcuate rearward surface 21 terminating in an upwardly and forwardly directed surface 22 and a downwardly and forwardly directed surace 23. The lug 19 is identical to lug 18 having a flat, substantially vertical forward face 24, an arcuate rearward surface 25, an upwardly and forwardly extending surface 26, and a downwardly and for-wardly extending surface 27. The purpose of lugs 18 and 19 will be apparent hereina~ter.
Reference is again made to Figure 1. Near its for-ward end, the inside surface of housing half 3a has a flange 28 formed thereon, together with another short flange 29. The flanges 28 and 29 define a rectilinear guide channel 30 substantially parallel to driver 14.
The flanges 28 and 29 also define a short lateral channel 31 beginning at the bottom edge of housing half 3a and connecting with channel 30 near its lowermost end, as viewed in Figure 1. The guide channels 30 and 31 are adapted to just nicely receive pin 15 of magazine 5. It will be understood that the housing half 3b will be pro-vided with flanges (not shown) on its interior surface constituting a mirror image of flanges 28 and 29 and defining guide channels equivalent to channels 30 and 31 for the receipt of pin 16 of magazine 5.
Near its rearward end, the housing half 3a is pro-vided with another flange 32 defining a rectilinear guide channel 33 substantially parallel to guide channel 30 and extending from the lowermo~ t edge o~ housing half 3a.
30 The guide channel 33 is adapted to just nicely receive the magazine lug 18. Again, housin~ half 3b will be pro-vided with a flange constituting a mirror image of fl.qnge 32 and defining a guide channel equi.valent to guide channel 33 for the receipt of magazine lug 19.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that 12~Ç~8~3 1 when magazine pin 15 and magazine lug 18 are located in guide channels 30 and 33, respectively, in housing half 3a, and when magazine pin 16 and maga~ine lug 19 are mounted in guide channels equivalent to guide channels 30 and 33 in housing half 3b, the magazine 5 will ~e shift-ably mounted on housing 3. The guide channels 30 and 33, and their counterparts in housing half 3b, guide the move-ment of magazine 5. Maga~ine 5 is shiftable between a normal extended position illustrated in Figure 1 and a fully retracted position within housing 3, determined by the abutment of pins 15 and 16 and lugs 18 and 19 with the upper ends (as viewed in Figure 1) of their respec-tive guide channels in housing halves 3a and 3b. Alter-natively, the fully retracted position of the magazine 5 could be determined by abutment of the magazine, itself, with stop surfaces appropriately located wi~hin the housing 3. This shifting of magazine 5 accommodates for the fact that, during the driving process, the length of driver 14 remains constant, but the length of that por-tion of the fastener above the workpiece (into which itis being dri.ven) diminishes as the fastener is driven.
The magazine 5 is biased to its normal, extended position (as shown in Figure 1) by a compression spring 34. The upper end of compression spring 34 is appro-priately anchored within housing 3. The lower end ofcompression spring 34 is anchored on a spring guide 35 which abuts the top portion 11 of magazine 5, enabling the spring 34 to constantly urge the ma~a~ine S to Its extended position. Re~erence is made to Figure 5, wherein compression spring 34 and spring guide 35 are more clearly shown. The spring guide 35 comprises a block-like body having an upstanding peg 36 formed on its upper surface. The peg-like member 36 is surrounded by an annular groove 37. The adjacent end of spring 34 is adapted to surround peg 36 and enter annular groove 37.

6~ 3 1 Spring guide 35 is provided with a pair of opposed ears 38 and 39. As is shown in Figure 5, the inside surface of housing half 3a is provided with a flange 40 which defines a guide channel 41 for the spring guide ear 38.
It will be understood that the inside surface of housing half 3b will be provided with a si~ilar flange (not shown) defining a similar guide channel (not shown) for spring guide ear 39. As indicated above, the spring guide 35 is adapted to abut the top portion 11 of maga-zine 5, enabling spring 34 to constantly urge magazine 5to its normal, extended position. During a driving opera-tion, as the magazine 5 shifts upwardly into housing 3 (as viewed in Figure 1) spring 34 will be compressed and directed by spring guide 35 riding in i~s pair of guide channels, one of which is shown at 41 in Figure 5.
To complete the structure of the first embodiment of the present invention, a latch is mounted at the rearward end of tool 1 to lock the magazine 5 thereon. Reference is made to Figures 1 and 6.
The latch 42 comprises a U-shaped member having a pair of parallel legs 43 and 44 joined by a base portion 45. The legs 43 and 44 are additionally joined at their bottom ends by a web 46. The web 46 mounts an upstanding U-shaped member 47, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.
The latch 42 is enlarged as at 48 and 49 adjacent the junctures of legs 43 and 44 with base portion 45. The enlargements 48 and 49 are conigure~ to se~v~ as finger grlps.
At the lower Eorward ends of legs 43 and 44, there are latch extensions 50 and 51, respectively. The latch extension 50 has an upper latch surface 50a and a lower cam surface 50b. Similarly, latch extension Sl has an upper latch surface 51a and a lower camming surface 51b.
The latch 42 is completed by the provision of an upper .

~L2~8~33 1 pair of coaxial, laterally extending pins 52 and 53 on legs 43 and 44, respectively, and a lower pair of co-axial, laterally extending pins 54 and 55 on legs 43 and 44, respectively. The purpose of pins 52 through 55 will be apparent hereinafter.
Figure 6 also shows the inside surface of the lower rearward portion of housing half 3a. The housing half 3a is provided with a notch 56 adapted to accommodate the enlarged finger grip portion 48 of latch 42. It will be understood that housing half 3b will be similarly notched to accommodate the finger grip portion 49 of latch 42.
Adajacent guide channel 33, the inside surface of housing half 3a is provided with a pair of slots 57 and 58, ; adapted to receive latch pins 52 and 54, respectively, of leg 43. Again, it will be understood that housing half 3b will be provided with similar slots (not shown) to accommodate latch pins 53 and 55 of latch leg 44.
Finally, housing half 3a supports a downwardly depend-ing plate 59 which constitutes an integral, one-piece portion of housing half 3a. As is most apparent from Figure 1, it will be noted that plate 59 is slightly inset forwardly, to accommodate for the base portion 45 of latch 42. At its lower end, plate 59 has a in-turned flange 60 supporting a pair of upstanding walls 61 and z5 61a, spaced to receive U-shaped member 47 therebetween.
When housing halves 3a and 3b are assembled, the latch legs 43 and 44 straddle plate 59 and their forward portions are located within housing halve~ 3a and 3b.
Pins 52 and 54 on l~tch le~ 43 are located in sLots 57 and 58 of housing half 3~. Similarly, pins 53 and 55 are located in equivalent slots ~not shown) in housing half 3b. In this manner, the latch is shiftable forwardly and rearwardly, with respect to housing 3.
A compression spring 62 is provided (see Figures 1 and 6). The compression spring is held captive between ~IL2~6803 l the latch U-shaped member 47 and the plate 59. As a result, compression spring 62 constantly urges the latch 42 to its forwardmost position with respect to housing 3, as illustrated in Figure 1.

- 5 Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the manner in which the magazine 5 is quickly and easily affixed to tool housing 3. Turning first to Figure 7, the magazine 5 is tilted slightly with respect to housing 3 so that the forward end o the magazine first approaches the housing. Maga-zine pin 15 is caused to enter lateral channel 31 in housing half 3a, and magazine pin 16 is caused to enter the corresponding lateral channel (not shown) in housing half 3b. The magazine is shifted slightly upwardly and rearwardly (as viewed in the Figures), causing magazine pin 15 to pass through lateral channel 31 into guide chan-nel 30, the magazine pin 16 passing through its respec-tive lateral channel equivalent to channel 31 (not shown) and into its respective guide channel (not shown) in housing half 3b equivalent to channel 30. At this point, the position of the magazine is as shown in Figure 7.
Thereafter, the operator of the tool need only pivot the rearward end of magazine 5 upwardly about magazine pins 15 and 16. This will cause the upper surfaces 22 and 26 of magazine rear lugs 18 and 19 to engage the cam surfaces 50b and 51b, respectively, of latch 42. This engagement will cause the latch to shift rearwardly against the action of compression spring 62, enabling magazine lug 18 to enter lt~ guide channel 33 in housing halE 3a and l-lg l9 to enter its equivalent guide channel (not shown) in body hal~ 3b. Fig~re 8 illustrates latch 32 being cammed rearwardly by magazine lug 18 and maga-zine lug 19 (not shown).
Once ~agazine lug 18 has entered its guide channel 33 and magazine lug l9 has entered its equivalent guide channel (not shown), the magazine lugs 18 and l9 will be

6~3~3 1 above latch extensions 50 and 51 of latch 42, enabling compression spring 62 to return the latch to its normal, forward position. In this normal, forward position, the latch surfaces 50a and 51a of latch extensions SO and 51 will engage the lswer surfaces 23 and 27 of magazine lugs 18 and 19, locking the magazine to the tool housing 3.
This having been accomplished, the tool is ready for use.
To remove magazine 5 ~rom tool housing 3, it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the finger grip por-tions 48 and 49 of latch 42 and pull the latch rearwardly with respect to housing 3, against the action of compres-sion spring 62. As a result of this, the magazine lugs 18 and 19 will no longer be blocked by the latching sur-faces 50a and 51a of latch extensions 50 and 51 and can be removed from their respective guide channels. Once magazine lugs 18 and 19 have been released from housing 3, the forward end of magazine 5 can be shifted slightly upwardly, forwardly and then downwardly to cause magazine pin 15 to exit from guide channel 30 into lateral channel 31 and thence out of engagement with housing half 3a.
The magazine pin 16 will similarly shift along and out of its equivalerlt channels (not shown) in housing half 3b and the magazine is then completely detached from tool housing 3. Xf the magazine 5 is empty and disposable, a new magazine may be attached to the tool. Alternatively, the magazine 5 may be replaced by another similarly con-figured magazine containing a different type of a~tener.
If the magazine is refillable, it can be refllled while remaining mounted on the tool 1.
A second embodiment of the present invention is illus-trated in Figures 9-12. Attention is first directed to Figure 9. The embodiment of Figure 9 difers from that o~ Figure 1 primarily in that a guided, shiftable carrier is mounted in the tool housing and the magazine is manu-ally attachable and detachable with respect to the 46~3~3 carrier .
The overall tool is again indicated generally at 1 and differs from the tool of Figure 1 only in a few respects, as will be set forth hereinafter. The tool again comprises a housing 3 made up of two cooperating halves, one of which is fragmentarily shown at 3a. A
first difference between the tools of Figures 1 and 9 lies in the fact that the embodiment of Figure 9 does not require a latch equivalent to latch 42 of Figure l. A
second difference lies in the fact that the inside sur-face of housing half 3a is provided with a flange 63 defining a guide channel 64. The guide channel 64 is similar to guide channel 30 of Figure 1 with the excep-tion that there is no lateral channel equivalent to channel 31 of Figure 1. The inside surface of housing half 3a, near its rearward end, is provided with a flange 65 defining a guide channel 66. The guide channel 66 is substantially equivalent to guide channel 33 oE Figure l, differing only in that its bottom end (as viewed in Figure 9) is closed (i.e., is not open at the bottom edge of tool housing half 3a). It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the other tool housing half (not shown) will be provided with flanges corresponding to flanges 63 and 65, defining guide channels corresponding to guide channels 64 and 66.
The carrier is generally indicated at 67. The car-rier is best shown in Figures 10 and ll. The carrier is made up of a pair o substan~ially mirror lma~e side frames 68 ~nd 69 ~oined thro~ghout the m~jority of their length by a connecting web 70.
The majority of side frame 68 slopes downwardly and forwardly, conforming generally to the downward and forward slope of the bottom edge of housing half 3a. At its forward end, carrier side frame 68 terminates in a hook-shaped portion 71 which is angularly related to the ~, 1 remainder of the side frame 68 so as to be substantially horizontal when the tool 1 is held in an upright position as shown in Figure 9. At its rearward end, the carrier side frame 6g has an upstanding portion 72. The purpose of this portion will be apparent hereinafter.
The side frame 69 of carrier 67, as indicated above, is a mirror image of side frame 68, terminating at its forward end in a hook-shaped portion 73 and at its rear-ward end at an upstanding portion 74. The hook-shaped portions 71 and 73 are substantially identical, as are the upstanding portions 72 and 74.
The web portion 70 of carrier 67, which joins side frames 68 and 69, extends substantially centrally of the side frames to positions just short of the upstanding members 72 and 74 at the rear of the carrier and just short of the hook-shaped portions 71 and 73 of the car-rier at its forward end. Near its forward end, the web portion 70 has a portion 75 which is substantially hori-zontal when the tool is held in an upright position as shown in Figure 9. The portion 75 supports an upstanding peg 76. As is clear from Figure 9, the portion 75 and peg 76 serve as a seat for the lower end of compression spring 34. The springs 34 in Figures 1 and 9 are identi-cal. However, with the provision of carrier 67, the spring guide 35 of Figure 1 and its guiding chann~ls in the housing halves (one of which is shown at 41 in Figure 5) can be eliminated.
Carrier side frame 6~, near hook-shaped portion 71, carries a laterally extendin~ pin 77. Carrler side frame 69 mounts an identical pin 78, coaxlal wlth pin 77.
Similarly, the rearward upstanding portion 72 of side frame 68 supports a lateral pin shown in Figure 11 in broken lines at 79. The upstanding rearward end 74 of side frame 69 mounts an identical, coaxial pin 80.
When the tool housing halves are assembled, the ~Z46~3~3 1 carrier 67 is located therebetween with its forward pin 77 located in guide channel 64 in housing half 3a and its rearward pin 79 located in guide channel 66 of housing half 3a. It will be understood that carrier pins 78 and 80 will similarly be located in corresponding guide channels (not shown) in the other body half o~ the tool (not shown). The engagement of the carrier pins 77-80 in their respective guide channels within the tool body halves serves a number of purposes. First of all, the carrier is captively held within tool housing 3.
Secondly, the carrier is shi~table with respect to tool housing 3 between a nor~al extended position illustrated in Figure 9 and a retracted position within housing 3 determined by the abutment of pins 77-80 with the upper ends of their respective guide channels or by abutment of the carrier, itself, with appropriate stop surfaces in the housing 3. Furthermore, each of pins 77-80 cooper-ates with its respective guide channel to control and guide the shifting of the carrier between its normal extended and its retracted positions. The carrier 67 is biased to its normal extended position shown in Figure 9 by compression spring 34, in the same way that ~agazine 5 is so biased by compression spring 34 in Figure 1.
To complete carrier 67, the upper ends of the rear-ward upstanding side frame portions 72 and 74 are joined by a transverse web 81. Depending from web 81, centrally thereof, is a resilient latch member 82 terminatlng at its lower edge in M ~ulbous l~tching surface 83. rrhe purpose of l~ch member 82 will be descrlbed hereinafter.
The carrier 67 may be made of any appropriate mate-rial, such as metal or the like. It lends itself well, however, to be molded of plastic as an integral one-piece structure.
An exemplary magazine to be used with the carrier of Figures 9-11 is illustrated in Figure 12 (and Figure 9 in ~G~3~3 1 broken lines) and is generally indicated at 84. The maga-zine 84 comprises a pair of sides, one of which is shown at 85, a front wall 86, a rear wall 87, a bottom 88 and a top 89. As is evident from Figure 9, when the tool is held in an upright position, the front wall 86 and rear wall ~7 are substantial~y vertical7 while the bottom 88 and top 89 of the magazine are substantially parallel and slope downwardly and forwardly with respect to the tool 1.
The forwardmost portion of the magazine, generally indicated at 90, is enlarged both upwardly and down-wardly. This forwardmost portion 90 terminates in a bottom surface 91 which is substantially horizontal when the tool is held in an upright position as shown in Figure 9 and which constitutes the workpiece contacting nose of the tool. At its upper end, the forward portion 90 terminates in a top surf&ce 92, substantially parallel to the bottom surface 91. The top surface 92 is provided with an opening or slot 93 through which the driver 94 extends. Adjacent the rearward end of the top surface 92, the magaz:ine 84 is provided with a pair of coaxial, laterally extending pins 95 and 96. To complete the struc.ture, the top surface 89, near the rearward end of the rnagazine, is provided with an upstanding hook-shaped lug 97. The lug 97, in turn, is provided with a camming surface 98.
As in the case of the magazine 5 of Figure 2, the Eor-ward portion 90 of rnagazlne 84 captively mounts driver 94 for reciprocating movement. In addLtion, the Eorward portion 90 constitutes the guide body of the tool 1, guiding both the driver 94 and a fastener being driven thereby. The surface 91 will have an opening (not shown) therein through which the fastener being driven passes.
Furthermore, as in the case of the magazine 5 of Figure 2, the magazine 84 will contain a plurality of fasteners, ~2~61!303 1 together with means to advance the fasteners forwardly within the magazine 84 so that a forwardmost one of the fasteners will always be urged to a position to be driven by driver 94. The nature of the fasteners contained within magazine 84, as well as the nature of the driver and the nature of the fastener urging means, does not constitute a part of the present invention. The magazine 84, as is the case with the magazine 5 of Figure 2, can be refillable and reusable, or it can be a single-use, disposable structure.
The carrier 67 and magazine 84 having been described in detail, their mode of operation will now be described.
The forward portion 90 of the magazine is caused to approach the hook-shaped portions 71 snd 73 of the car-lS rier 67, and the magazine pins 95 and 96 are engaged inthe hook-shaped carrier portions 71 and 73, respectively.
The rearward end of magazine 84 is thereafter pivoted about magazine pins 95 and 96 toward the carrier until the cam surface 98 on the hook-shaped magazine lug 97 engages the bulbous latch surface 83 of the carrier latch member 82. The cam surface 98 will cause the latch member 82 to shift rearwardly until the bulbous latch surface 83 can engage the hook-shaped portion of magazine lug 97 with a snap fit. This having been accomplished, the tool is ready for use. As a fastener is being driven into a wor~piece, the magazine will shift from an extended position shown in Figure 9 to a retracted posi-tion within the tool housin~ 3, ~8 deterwined a~ld gulded by carrler 67. At the end of a drivin~ cycle, the tool l is raised from the workpiece ~nd the carrier 67, together with magazine 84, will be returned to their normal extended positions under the influence of compression 9pring 34.
To remove the magazine 84 from carrier 67, it is only necessary to pull downwardly on the rearward end of the ~L'29~ 3 1 magazine until the hook-shaped lug 97 of the magazine 84 is disengaged fro~ the bulbous latch surace 83 of the carrier latch member 82. At this stage, the carrier pins 95 and 96 can be released from the hook-shaped members 71 and 73 of carrier 67 and the magazine 84 is then free of tool 1. ~te magazine 84 can be replaced with another similar magazine containing a different type of fastener.
If disposable and empty, the magazine 84 can be disposed of and replaced by another identical ~Itagazine. If refill-able, the magazine 84 can be refilled without being removed from tool 1.
In the description thus far set forth, the fastener driving tool 1 has been described as being of the multiple-~low type. The magazine system of the present invention is equally applicable to a tool of the single-blow type, as will now be described.
Reference is made to Figure 13, wherein a single-blow tool is generally indicated at 99. The nature of the driver operating mechanism within tool 99 does not con-stitute a part of the present invention or a limitationthereon. The tool 99 has a housing 100 having a handle portion 101. The housing 100 is made up of two cooper-ating halves lOOa and lOOb. The housing 100 is shown supporting a magazine identical to that shown in Figure 2. Since the magazine of Figure 13 is identical to that of Figure 2, like parts of the magazine have been given like index numerals.
The primary difference between the tool ~ o~ Figure 13 and the tool 1 o~ Figure 1, insofar as the present invention is concerned, lies in the Eact that tlte tool drives each fastener home with a single blow o~ driver 14. As a result, magazine 5 must be rigidly affixed to housing 100 and does not shift between normal extended and retracted positions. As a result, there is no need for a compression spring 34 and spring guide 35, as shown ~Z~6~303 1 in Figure 1.
The inside surface of housing half lOOa, near the for-ward end thereof, is provided with a flange 102 defining an L-shaped channel 103. Near its rearward end, the inside surface of housing half lOOa is provided with a flange 104, defining a channel 105. The channel 105 is of a length to just nicely receive magazine flange 18.
It will be understood that housing half lOOb will be provided with flanges corresponding to flanges 102 and 104, de~ining channels equivalent to channels 103 and 105. To complete the structure, the lower rearward end of tool housing 100 is provided with a latch mechanism identical to that described with respect to Figures 1 and 6, and like parts have been given like index numerals.
When it is desired to affix the magazine 5 to tool housing 100, it is only necessary to cause the forward portion of magazine 5 to approach housing 100 and to engage the magazine pins 15 and 16 in the L-shaped slot 103 of housing half lOOa and the corresponding slot (not shown) in housing half lOOb. When the pins 15 and 16 are fully seated within their slots, the rearward end of magazine 5 is pivoted toward tool housing 100 causing the upper surfaces 22 and 26 of magazine lugs 18 and 19 to contact the cam surfaces 50b and 51b of latch 42, shift-ing the latch rearwardly against the action of compres-sion spring 62 until the magazine lugs 18 and 19 are fully seated within the channel 105 of housing half lOOa and the corresponding channel in housin~ h~lE lOOb~ At this point, the latch 42 returnq to its normal position and the magazine lugs 18 and 1~ are locked within their respective channels by the latching surfaces 50a and 51a of latch 42.
To remove magazine 5 ~rom tool housing 100, it is only necessary to pull rearwardly on latch 42, against the action of compression spring 62, to release magazine ~2~6~3 l lugs 18 and 19 from their respective channels. The maga-zines can then be shifted slightly forwardly to release magazine pins lS and 16 from their respective channels.
The magazines can then be either disposed of or replaced by a magazine containing different types of fasteners.
If refillable, the magazines can be refilled while mounted on tool 99.
The magazine-carrier system of Figures 9-12 can also be applied to a single-blow tool. Returning to Figure 9, it will be apparent that if the flanges 63 and 65 on the inside surface of housing half 3a were so configured as to provide holes so sized as to just nicely receive carrier pins 77 and 79, rather than channels 64 and 66, and if the corresponding flanges on the inside surface of the other body half were similarly configured, the carrier 67 would be rigidly af~ixed between the housing halves. Under these circumstances, there would be no need for compression spring 34 or spring mount 76. It would also be within the scope of the present invention to have carrier 67 constitute an integral, one-piece part of the housing 3. For example, i~ could con~stitute a one-piece, integral part of either one of the housing halves, or both of the housing halves, if the carrier itself was made in two parts. The manner in which the magazine 84 would be attached to and removed from the stationary carrier would be identical to that described above with respect to Figure 9.
From the description of the embodimellts o~ ~he pre-sent lnvention, lt will be apparent that a magazine system has been provided for both multiple-blow and single-blow fastener driving tools wherein a magazine can be mounted on ~nd detached from the fastener driver with-out the ~id oE tools or any significant mechanical skill.
The magazines can be refillable and replaceable, or they can be disposable, single-use magazines. A plurality of 1 magazines, containing different types of fasteners, can be interchanged on the tool as desired, with the result that a single fastener driving tool can be used to drive a number of different types of fasteners.
As used herein and in the claims, such words as "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "vertical" and "hori-zontal", are used in conjunction with the drawings for purposes of clarity. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that in use, the tool can be held in any appro-priate orientation, and the above noted words are not intended to be limiting.
Modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of it.

Claims (19)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A magazine system in combination with a fastener driv-ing tool, said tool being of the type having a housing with a forward end, a rearward end, sides and a driver operating mech-anism within said housing, said magazine system comprising a plurality of magazines each having forward and rearward ends and each containing a plurality of fasteners, the fasteners of each individual magazine being alike, characterized by said housing having an open bottom, said housing having first and second pairs of mirror image and opposed channels formed on said sides adjacent said open bottom, said first pair of chann-els being located near said forward end of said housing, said second pair of channels being located near said rearward end of said housing, first and second pairs of oppositely directed laterally extending coaxial lugs in association with each of said magazine of said system, said first pair of lugs being lo-cated near the forward end of said magazine and said second pair of lugs being located near said rearward end of said mag-azine, said first pair of lugs being engageable in said first pair of channels and said second pair of lugs being engageable in said second pair of channels facilitating manual attachment and detachment of said magazines to and from said tool, and a driver captively and reciprocally mounted in each of said mag-azines.

2. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said magazines are reusable and refillable.

3. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said magazines are single-use disposable magazines.

4. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said driver operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a work-piece by multiple blows, said first and second pairs of channels being configured to permit relative movement of said magazine with respect to said housing between an extended ready position wherein the major-ity of said magazine is located outside said housing and re-tracted fastener driven position wherein the majority of said magazine is located within said housing, and means to bias said magazine to said extended ready position.

5. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said driver operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a work-piece by a single blow, said first and second pairs of channels being so configured as to fixedly mount said magazine to said housing.

6. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said fasteners are chosen from the class con-sisting of nails, staples and clamp nails.

7. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second pairs of lugs are re-leaseably retained in said first and second pairs of channels respectively by a manually actuable latch.

8. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second pairs of lugs comprise an in-tegral part of each of said magazine.

9. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 8 wherein said first and second pairs of lugs are releasably retained in said first and second pairs of channels respectively by a manually actuable latch.

10. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 8 wherein said driver operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a work-piece by multiple blows, said first and second pairs of channels being configured to permit relative movement of said magazine with respect to said housing between an extended ready position wherein the majority of said magazine is located outside said housing and a retracted fastener driven pos-ition wherein the majority of magazine is located within said hous-ing, and means to bias said magazine to said extended ready pos-ition.

11. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 10 wherein said housing comprises a pair of matable housing halves, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface near its forward end one of said channels of said first pair with closed ends and extending substantially parallel to the direction of said blows, together with a lateral channel leading from the lower portion of said channel of said first pair to the lower edge of said housing half, each of said housing halves hav-ing formed on its inside surface near its rearward end one of said channels of said second pair substantially parallel to said channel of said first pair and having a closed upper end and an open lower end at said lower edge of said housing half, said first pair of magazine lugs being engageable and slidable within said lateral channels and said channels of said first pair, said first pair of lugs being shiftable through said lateral channels into said chan-nels of said first pair, said second pair of magazine lugs being engageable and slidable in said second pair of channels, said hous-ing having latch means to close said open lower ends of said second pair of channels to releasably lock said second pair of lugs there-in, said first and second pairs of channels comprising guide chan-nels for said shiftable magazine, said means to bias said magazine to said extended position comprising a compression spring anchored at one end within said housing and mounted at its other end to a spring guide abuttable against said magazine, said spring guide being engaged in channels in said housing halves parallel to said first and second pairs of channels.

12. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 8 wherein said driver operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a work-piece by a single blow, said first and second pairs of channels being so configured as to fixedly mount said magazine to said housing.

13. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 12 wherein said housing comprises a pair of matable housing halves, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface near its forward end one of said channels of said first pair having an L-shaped with one leg extending from the bottom edge of said housing half in a direction parallel to the direction of said blows and the other leg extending at substantially a right angle thereto toward the rear of said housing half, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface near its rear-ward end one of said channels of said second pair extending from the bottom edge of said housing half in a direction substantially parallel to said blows and having an open lower end and a closed upper end, said first pair of magazine lugs being engageable within said first pair of channels, said second pair of channels being so sized at to just nicely receive said second pair of magazine lugs when said first pair of magazine lugs are in said first pair of channels, said housing having latch means to close said open lower ends of said second pair of channels to lock said second pair of magazine lugs therein, whereby said magazine is rigidly affixed to said housing.

14. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 1 including a carrier, said first and second pairs of lugs comprise an integral part of said carrier to which each of said magazines is releasably attachable.

15. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 14 wherein said first and second pairs of lugs are captively and non-releasably engaged in said first and second pairs of chan-nels respectively.

16. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 14 wherein said driver operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a work-piece by multiple blows, said first and second pairs of channels being configured to permit relative movement of said carrier and an attached magazine with respect to said housing between an extended ready position wherein the major-ity of said magazine is located outside siad housing and a retrac-ted fastener driven position wherein the majority of magazine is located within said housing, and means to bias said carrier and attached magazine to said extended ready position.

17. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 16 wherein said housing comprises a pair of matable housing halves, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface near its forward end one of said channels of said first pair with closed ends and extending substantially parallel to the direction of said blows, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface near its rearward end one of said channels of said second pair substantial closed ends, said first pair of carrier lugs being captive and slidable within said first pair of channels, said second pair of carrier lugs being captive and slid-able within said second pair of channels, said first and second pairs of channels comprising guide channels for the shifting of said carrier and an attached magazine as a unit between said ex-tended and retracted positions of said magazine, said means to bias said magazine to said extended position comprising a compression spring anchored at one of its ends within said hosing and at the other of its ends to said carrier.

18. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 14 wherein said drive operating mechanism is of the type for driving a fastener into a workpiece by a single blow, said first and second pairs of channels being so configured as to fixedly mount said carrier and an attached magazine to said housing.

19. The magazine system and fastener driving tool claimed in claim 18 wherein said housing comprises a pair of matable body halves, each of said housing halves having formed on its inside surface a channel of said first pair near its forward end and a channel of said second pair near its rearward end, each of said channels of said first and second pairs being so sized as to just nicely receive said carrier lugs of said first and second pairs thereof respectively to rigidly affix said carrier to said hous-ing.