US2430321A

US2430321A - Magazine and feed means for fastening machines

Info

Publication number: US2430321A
Application number: US512673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgar P Anstett
Original assignee: CARL J ANSTETT; DOLLY ANSTETT
Current assignee: CARL J ANSTETT; DOLLY ANSTETT
Priority date: 1943-12-01
Filing date: 1943-12-01
Publication date: 1947-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1964-11-04
Also published as: US2423821A

Description

Nov. 4, 11947. E. P. ANSTEITT 2,430,321

MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR FASTENI NG MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nbv. 4, 1947. E. P, ANSTETT' 2,430,321

MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR FASTENING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig;

2 J4 iq 15' 3 39 .10 /\\K Z I joe 73?" a a; .Zgarfflns 62" Nov. 4,1947. E. P. ANSTETT [2,430,321

- MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR FASTENING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR FASTENING MACHINES Application December 1, 1943, Serial No. 512,673

13 Claims.

This invention relates to nailing or stapling machines, and more particularly to such machines as are portable, being carried to the location where the nailin is to take place and operated by an impact imparted thereto by a mallet or the like or, in the case of staples, by an impact imparted thereto by the hand.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide such a machine which is simple but sturdy of construction so that it will not get out of order even when subjected to a good deal of violent mistreatment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nailing machine of the above mentioned character which is particularly adapted for use with thin nails and wherein the nail is maintained in its true position during the nailing operation without likelihood of buckling, and wherein the driving blade that drives the nail home is supported against buckling.

Consider, by way of example, a thin nail made of sheet metal of a thickness of the order of .050 inch. Such a nail, because of its thinness, should be supported against buckling during the driving operation. The nail driving blade being much longer than the nail is even more likely to buckle if means are not provided to prevent buckling. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a nailing machine of the above mentioned character wherein there is provided means for supporting the opposite faces of the driving blade against buckling during the nailing operation. This is accomplished by moving the stem of the blade in a groove of a thickness not substantially different from the thickness of the blade, so that the opposite surfaces of the groove support the blade against buckling in a forward direction and against buckling in a rearward direction.

It is a still further object of the present inventicn to provide a nailing machine the body of which may consist of two similar simple, sturdy castings suitably machined to provide a track for the nails and to provide space for the nail feeding mechanism, and yet so arranged that the sturdy castings provide the necessary protection for the nails and for the nail feeding spring mechanism.

The nailing machine of the present invention receives a stick of nails in which the respective nails are secured together in a row by a thin film of glue. During each operation of the machine the foremost nail of the stick of nails is severed from the stick of nails and driven in place. It is one of the objects of the present invention to pro- I vide an improved spring operated nail feeding 20 wood surface.

mechanism which will advance the stick of nails in a step by step manner each time the foremost nail of the stick is removed, each step being sufficient to bring the next nail into proper nailing position for the next nailing operation. The nail feeding mechanism preferablyincludes a plate which rides in the nail track and bears against the last nail of the stick of nails. A spring, or a plurality of springs, constantly presses the feeder plate against the stick of nails. During the commencement of the nailing operation the foremost nail which is being driven home is supported against buckling in one direction by a front plate of the machine and must be held against buckling in the opposite direction by the pressure exerted thereagainst by the succeeding nails of the stick of nails. This pressure may have to be appreciable if buckling is to be avoided, especially when the nail is being driven into a very hard It is therefore desirable that the feeder plate exert an appreciable pressure against the last nail of the stick of nails, which pressure is transmitted-through the stick of nails to the foremost nail bein driven into the wood and which pressure prevents rearward buckling of the driven nail.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a spring pressure nail feeding mechanism wherein an appreciable spring pressure may be exerted'against the nail feeding plate without the posite sides of the feeding plate so that each spring counteracts any tendency of the other spring to cause the feeding plate to bind.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a nailing machine of such a con- 40 struction as to permit refilling of the same quickly and easily. This is accomplished, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, by providing a releasable spring pressure magazine which may be quickly retracted from the machine to permit positioning of a stick of nails into the machine, and

which may be quickly reinserted into the machine to condition the machine for use. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the spring feeding mechanism comprises a tube split longitudinally from one end almost but not quite to the other end. This permits the tube to embrace a stick of nails, the individual nails extending into the slot of the tube. A feeder plate carried by the tube rides in the slot of the tube and is pressed forward by a pair of springs in the tube on opposite sides of the plate. The tube may be of any desired cross sectional shape, the preferred shape being rectangular, since with such a shape the tube may be formed of two open channels secured together at one end with the flanges of the channels facing one another and spaced apart to form the slit for the passageway of the nail feeding plate.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a nailing machine which, while exceedingly sturdy in construction, is not subject to cracking or bending. While the body of the machine may be made of cast steel, it is within the purview of the present invention to make the body of the machine of a molded, non-brittle plastic which i strengthened by having incorporated therein a, commingled mass of short cords or strands of cotton, or the like. These cords or strands are very short and are promiscuously commingled in the mass of molded material. This forms an excellent impact material.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in con junction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view. of a nailing machine embodying th present invention;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a, sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2 and showing the plunger in its normal position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the plunger in its extreme nail driving position;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plunger and driving blade;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the front end plate;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a guide plate for holding the stem of the plunger blade against buckling;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 3;

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the nail feeding mechanism, said view being taken along the line l0l0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along the line lI-|l of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along the lin |2--l2 of Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the nail feeding plate and connected springs;

Figure 14 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a nailing machine embodying a modified form of nail feeding mechanism;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the nail feeding mechanism of Figure 14; and

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken along the line I6l6 of Figure 15.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the machine of Figure 1. The machine, indicated in general by the reference numeral I, includes two

similar castings

2 and 3 secured together in face to face relationship. The castings may be of any suitable material, such as, for instance, steel, although a preferred mate rial is a non-brittle, hard, thermoplastic which has incorporated therein a commingled mass of short cords or strand of cotton, rayon, or the 'in the casting 2.

like, which are promiscuously commingled in the mass of molded material. This forms an excellent impact material not subject to cracking or crystallization.

Th castings

2 and 3 are perfectly aligned by dowel pins 5-5 which make snug fits in corresponding hole in the two castings, and the castings are then held together by screws 8 the heads of which extend into countersunk holes in the casting 3 and thread into tapped holes The bottoms of the castings '2 and 3 are perfectly flat. At the forward end of the machine each casting 2 and 3 has an enlarged head which i an integral part of the casting. Ahandle part ll extends from the head to the base part of the casting and provides means for gripping the machine.

Each enlarged head l9-l9 has a vertically extending, channel-shaped groove [2 therein, the

grooves in the contacting faces of the heads [0-- l9 being opposite one another so that together they form a vertically extending square or rectangular hol for receiving a rectangular shaped driving plunger M of steel, which has an enlargement :5 at its upper end that is embedded in the head it. The head It is preferably of impact material such as was described above and is adapted to receive the blow of a hammer or mallet for moving the plunger I to drive a nail, in a manner to be more fully set forth as this description proceeds. The plunger I4 is constantly urged to its uppermost position by a coiled spring I8 which extends into a bore in the plunger and bears at its lower end against the

castings

2 and 3 at the base of the opening that receives the plunger it. One face of the plunger has an elongated slot 29 that receives the stem of a screw 2! threaded in the machine. The slot 29, by engagement with the screw 2|, limits the upper movement of the plunger under the action of the spring !8.

A fiat nail driving blade 24 of steel fits over one face of the plunger l4 and bears at its upper end against the enlargement i5 of the plunger so that upon downward movement of the plunger M the enlargement l5 forces the blade 24 also to move downward. A short pin 25, which extends through a hole in the blade and is embedded in the plunger It, serves to raise the blade upon upward movement of the plunger. The plunger H! with the blade 24 together make a snug sliding fit in the hole 52-!2 in the head [0.

The face of the plunger i4 that is engaged by the blade 25 is cut away from the bottom upwardly, as indicated at 26. The length of this cut is somewhat in excess of the stroke of the plunger. The depth of the cut is made equal to the thickness of a nail to be used in the machine. The purpose of this cut away part 26 will be apparent as this description proceeds. The lower end of the blade 29 has a stem 28 which is of a width and thickness approximately equal to the width and thickness of the head of a nail to be driven by the machine. The length of the stem 28 is in excess of the stroke of the plunger.

An anti-buckling guide plate 39, of a thickness equal to the thickness of a nail to be driven by the machine, is secured to the bottom front part of the castings .2-3 as by screws 31 that pass through holes 32J2 in the plate Short dowel pins 33, passing through holes 33 in the plate 39, accurately position the plate in the machine. The guide plate is of a width at its lower part equal to the thickness of the lower part of the

castings

2 and 3 and includes a part 34, of reduced width, that extends into the plunger receiving slot and enters into the cut away part 26 between the plunger l4 and the blade 24. The upper part of the plate 30 is supported by the lower part of the plunger l4 and, as the plunger descends, the upper part of the plate continues to hold the stem of the blade 24 against rearward buckling, while the surfaces 35 of the

castings

2 and 3 hold the blade against forward buckling. The lower part of the plate 30 has a T-shaped slot 36 therein of the same shape as the shape of a nail to be driven by the machine.

A front facing plate 4|! is secured to the lower part of the machine by the screws 3|. The front facing plate fill extends from the bottom of the machine to the bottom of the head Ill. The inner face of the plate 40 has a vertically extending channel 4| formed therein at the center thereof, which channel is of a width equal to the width of the web or head of the T-shaped nail. The channel 4i is of a depth equal to the thickness of the stem 23 and equal to the thickness of a nail being driven by the machine. In the descent of the plunger the stem 23 rides in the channel ll andis supported at its lower end against forward and sideward buckling by the walls of the channel 4|. At the same time the lower end of the stem is held by the plate 35 against rearward buckling.

The machine is adapted to receive a stick of fiat nails each of which is of a T-shape, as shown more particularly in my patent application Serial No. 510,417, filed Nov. 15, 1943. The nails are superimposed one upon another and are held together by a thin film of glue. Because the nails are T-shaped, the guideway for the nails is of a corresponding cross section. If the machine were designed for using nails of a different shape the guideway for the nails would be made of a shape required to receive such nails.

An explanation will now be given of the manner of holding the nails in the machine and of advancing them step by step as each foremost nail is driven home. A straight, horizontal nailreoeiving groove is formed between the contacting faces of the two castings 2-3. Since the nail to be used in the machine is a T-shaped nail the groove is T-shaped in cross section. Half of the groove is formed in each of the castings 2-3. To that effect each casting 2 and 3 has a very shallow but wide groove 35 therein (Fig. 11) which is of a depth approximately equal to half of the width of the nail and of a height equal to the height of the nail. At the top of each groove 44 there is a deeper groove 45 of a depth equal to half of the width of the nail head. The grooves 4445 in each casting 23 are of substantially inverted L-shape and together form the T-shaped guideway for receiving the nails. The groove 44 is extended a short distance above the groove 45,

as indicated at #5, to provide a guideway for the top of a nail feeding plate, as will be more fully set forth as this description proceeds. Each groove 44 has a deeper groove 48 formed therein approximately half way between the top and the bottom of the groove 44. The two grooves 48 in the castings 2-3 extend horizontally the full lengths of the castings 23. These grooves together form a horizontally extending rectangular bore for receiving a spring operated, nail feeding mechanism.

The spring operated, nail feeding mechanism illustrated more fully in Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12, includes two oppositely facing spaced channels l-fil secured together at one end by a block 53 and a pair of rivets 54. The block 53 is of such sizeas to provide a space between the flanges of the channels 5I5| so that in efiect the nail feeding 'mechanism Si] is a slotted rectangular tube wherein the slot extends longitudinally of the tube from one end thereof almost to the other end. The width of the slot 56 between the channels is slightly in excess of the width of a nail so that the nail feeding mechanism may straddle a stick of nails, with the shanks of the nails extending vertically through the slot 56, as may be seen from Figure 11. At the forward end of each channel 5| there is journalled a short grooved pulley 59. Each channel 5| further has a spring 60, one end of which is secured to the block 53, and each of which extends from the block 53 to the forward end of the channel and around the pulley 58. The opposite end of the spring is then secured to a nail pusher plate 62 which is of a thickness equal to the width of the nails and which extends through the slot 56 and is movable therein. The opposite faces of the nail pusher plate 62 have spring guide blocks 63 extending therefrom, which blocks are molded as an integral part of the plate. Each block has a horizontal, semi-circular groove 64 thereacross through which the spring extends. The free end of each spring is connected to the associated block 63. It is thus apparent that the two springs 60-6U constantly pull the nail pusher plate 62 forward. One of the springs 60 is secured to the nail pusher plate below the center of the nail and the other spring is secured to the nail pusher plate a somewhat lesser distance above the center of the plate. The two springs tend to hold the plate in a truly vertical position and prevent any tendency for the plate to skew or bind in the guideway, and the line of the center of pressure exerted by the foremost edge 69 of the plate 52 against the nails is a short distance below the center of the nails. The upper end of the plate 62 rides in the guideway 45 and also acts as a limiting stop to limit the forward movement of the nail pusher, as will be presently described.

The group of nails in the guideway is indicated at 68. The stems of the nails are in the cooperating grooves 44-44 of the castings 2-3, and the heads of the nails are in the grooves 45. Since the heads of the nails are in the grooves 45 the nails are held against vertical displacement when the machine is inverted. The edge surface 69 of the nail pusher 62 bears against the stem of the last nail of the stack. The surface 69 is cut back at 10 to provide an offset. The depth of this off set is equal to the thickness of one nail. The offset 10 is at an elevation not above the top of the nails. The nail pusher plate 62, acted on by the springs Gil-6B, exerts a constant pressure against the last nail and, acting through the stick of nails 68, always maintains the first nail firmly in the channel 4| of the front facing plate 40.

When the plunger 14 is forcibly driven downwardly, as by a mallet or hammer blow against the head I 6, the stem 28 of the blade 24 moves downwardly in the channel 4| of the front facing plate, and engages the head of the nail therein and forces the nail downwardly. After the nail has moved a very short distance the point of the nail engages the surface 1'5 (Fig. 4) into which the nail is to be driven, and from then on resistance to driving is encountered. If the surface is a hard wood it will offer a great resistance to the nail. Buckling of the nail is, however, prevented because the front surface of the nail is in engagement with the web of the channel 4| of the front facing plate and therefore the nail cannot buckle forward. The back of the nail is held against buckling due to the spring pressure exerted thereagainst by the next nail in the machine, which is being pressed forward by the nail feeder 62. The center of pressure of the springs 60 on the plate 62 is somewhat below the middle of the nail, to place the center of pressure in horizontal alignment with that part of the foremost nail which has the maximum tendency to buckle. The spring pressure exerted by the nail pusher 62, together with the inertia effects of the stick of nails and the nail feeder 62, is sufiicient to prevent the foremost nail from buckling rearwardly. The stroke of the plunger may be any desired amount and may even countersink the nail, as illustrated in Figure 4.

When the hammer is removed from the head is the plunger I4 rises under the action of the spring l8. When the bottom of the stem 28 of the blade 24 clears th top of the nails the entire stick of nails is moved forward by the nail pusher plate 62 by an amount equal to the thickness of a nail, thereby bringing the next foremost nail into the channel M of the front facing plate. This action is repeated until the last nail has been moved into the channel M of the front facing plate. At that time the edge 69 of the nail pusher 62 has entered the T-shaped slot 36 in the antibuckling plate 38, and the surface 69 is flush with the front surface of the plate 30. At this same time the edge '53 of the plate 62 is in engagement with the rear surface of the plate 30. When the last nail in the machine is driven home and the plunger [4 rises to the position illustrated in Figure 2, the nail feeding plate 62 cannot move forward because the surface l3 thereof is in engagement with the back surface of the plate 30 immediately above the web of the T-shaped slot 36 therein. This is of importance because if the plate 62 were permitted to move forward upon discharge of the last nail from the machine then the forward edge of the plate would come into the path of the reciprocation of the stem 28 of the nail feeding blade so that if another hammer blow is then struck on the head It of the plunger the stem 28 would be forcibly driven into engagement with the plate 82 and might injure either the plate 82 or the stem 28. By the present arrangement this is not possible. It is also important that the cut away portion at 10 be provided r so that the plate 62 may enter the slot 36 of the plate 30 for if this were not possible then there would be no force tending to hold the last nail in the channel H, which would make a nail driving action uncertain when there is only one nail left i in the machine. By the present arrangement this is obviated.

An explanation will now be given of the manner of holding the nail feeding mechanism 50 in place in the machine. Before the nail feeding mechanism 50 is inserted intothe machine a stick of nails is positioned therein by sliding the nails into place from the back of the machine, with the heads of the nails riding in the guideway 45 and the shanks or stems riding in the guideways 4'4. Thereafter the nail feeding mechanism is inserted by pushing the same into place from the rear of the machine. As the nail feeding mechanism is being inserted, the channels 5l5l straddle the stick of nails, as may be seen from Figure 11, and the last nail engages the surface 69 of the plate 62 and pushes the plate 62 rearwardly against the action of the springs 6ll6[l. The tube 50 is pushed into the machine until the end 15 thereof is flush with the end of the machine.

At that time a hole 76 which is formed in the webs of the channels 5I5l and through the block 53 is in alignment with corresponding holes il in the

castings

2 and 3. A short pin 18 is then slipped through the holes H in the

castings

2 and 3 and through the hole 76 in the block 53. The holes l'6'|l are of the same diameter to permit the pin to be positioned. The pin fits snugly in the holes H but has a reduced shank portion l9 which is of appreciably less diameter than the diameter of the hole 16. After the pin has been positioned the operator releases the finger pressur which the operator had maintained on the right hand end of the feeder mechanism 50. The springs 60, acting on the plate 62 which presses against the last nail of the stick of nails 68, now forces the feeder mechanism 50 to move to the right until the edge of the hole 16 of the feeder mechanism comes into engagement with the shank 79 of the pin 18. The pin now prevents further rearward movement of the tube 50. At the same time the tube 50 prevents retraction of the pin 18. When the last nail of the stick has been used the feeder mechanism may be removed by merely exerting a pressure against the slightly outwardly projecting end of the tube 50, thus forcing the tube inwardly in the machine to bring the hole f6 back into alignment with the hole 11. This then permits withdrawal of the pin 18, after which the tube '50 may be retracted to refill the machine.

Reference may now be had to Figure 14 which shows another and different form of nail feeding mechanism. The nail driving arrangement of Figure 14 is the same as that of Figure 2, so a further description thereof is unnecessary. In this construction the stick of nails rides in a T-shaped slot or guideway formed in the two

castings

2 and 3, corresponding to the guideways i l-45 of Figure 11. In this construction the tube receiving grooves 68 of Figure 11 are omitted. Above the T-shaped groove M-45 in the two castings 2 and it there is formed a longitudinally extending circular groove 85, the bottom of which is a continuation of the top of the groove 55. A nail pusher plate 38, which corresponds to the nail pusher plate 62 of Figure 13, rides in the nail guideway. The plate 88 is of a generally T-shaped cross section, the same as the cross section of the nail, and has a sleeve 89 at the top thereof and forming an integral part therewith. The sleeve 89 rides in the circular groove 85. A guide rod 99 extends through the sleeve 89 and has a flat button ill at the forward end thereof, which button bears against the rear face of the anti-buckling plate 30 thereby limiting the extent of insertion of the guide rod 98 into the machine, A coiled spring 94 surrounds the guide rod and at its forward end bears against the rear of the nail pusher plate 88. At its opposite end the guide rod 90 threads into a knurled nut 95 which in turn threads into tapped threads formed at the rear of the bore 85, thus positioning the guide rod 90 in the machine. As each nail is progressively used the nail pusher plate 88 pushes the stick of nails in the machine forward until, when the last nail of the stick is in the channel 4|, the edge 91 of the nail pusher plate 88 is flush With the front surface of the plate 38. The forward surface 98 of the sleeve G9 terminates short of the surface 97 by an amount exactly equal to the combined thickness of the button Eli and the plate 30 so that when the surface 91 of the nail pusher is flush with the front surface of the plate 30 the surface 98 of the sleeve abuts against the back of the button! and limits further movement of the nail pusher. It is thus apparent that when the last nail is driven home the nail pusher does not advance beyond the position occupied "by it when the last nail had been positioned in the channel 4! for subsequent use. Here, as in the constructicnpreviously described, the nail pusher plate 38 there-- fore never reaches a position in the path of movement of the nail driving stem 28.

When it is necessary to reload the machine the knurled nut 95 is merely threaded out of the machine, thereby allowing withdrawal of the guide rod 90 and the nail pusher plate 88. A stick of nails may then be inserted in the machine from the rear thereof, after which the guide rod 98 with the plate 88 thereon may be reinserted into the machine. When the surface 91 of the plate 88 engages the last nail of the stick the plate 88 can then move forward no further and upon continued insertion of the guide rod 9% into the machine the guide rod slides through the sleeve 89 until threads on the knurled nut 95 are threaded into the machine and the button hi comes into engagement with the back surface of the plate 36.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

What is considered new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves each of the shape of an inverted L and together forming a T-shaped guideway for receiving a stack of nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings each a continuation of the associated L-groove and together forming a space for a spring mechanism, and a spring mechanism in said space, said spring mechanism extending across the nail space and having a central longitudinal slot therein for the movement of nails therethrough.

2. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the con tacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves each of the shape of an inverted L and together forming a T-shaped guideway for receiving a stack of'nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings each extending along the side of the associated L-groove and together forming a space for a spring mechanism, a longiudinally slotted spring mechanism in said space, and a nail pusher in the nail guideway and, extending in said slot, said spring. mechanism exerting a force against the pusher for continuously urging the pusher into pressure engagement with a stack of nails and advancing the pusher as the number of nails in the stack is diminished.

3. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves to ether forming a guideway for receiving a stack of nails, a nail pusher, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings on opposite sides of the first mentioned grooves and together forming a space for a spring mechanism, and a spring mechanism in said space and continuously urging the pusher into 10 pressure engagement with a stack of nails and advancing the pusher as the number of nails in the stack is diminished, said sprin mechanism having a longitudinally extending slot therein through which the nails and the pusher extend.

4. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves together forming a, guideway for receiving a stack of nails, a spring operated nail feeding mechanism, said feeding mechanism being retractible from the machine, and a, releasable pin for holding the mechanism against retraction, said pinhaving a notch therein, and said mechanism engaging the notch and maintained in engagement with the notch by the spring'of the mechanism for releasably holding the pin against retraction,

5; A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves together forming a guideway for receivin a stack of nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings together forming a space for a spring mechanism, a spring operated nail feeding mechanism in the space provided by said grooves, said feeding mechanism being retractible from the machine, and a releasable pin for holding the mechanism against retraction, said pin having a notch therein, and said mechanism engaging the notch and maintained in engagement with the notch by the spring of the mechanism for releasably holding the pin against retraction.

6. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves together forming a guideway for receiving a stack of nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings together forming a space for a spring mechanism, the grooves being located in the respective guideways between the upper and lower edges thereof, and a spring operated nail feeding mechanism, said feeding mechanism being retractible from the machine, and a releasable pin for holding the mechanism against retraction, said pin having a notch therein, and said mechanism engaging the notch and maintained in engagement with the notch by the spring for releasably holding the pin against retraction.

7. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwis extending straight grooves together forming a guideway for receiving a stack of nails, a spring operated nail feeding mechanism said feeding mechanism being retractible from the machine, and a releasable pin for holding the mechanism against retraction, said pin having a notch therein, and said mechanism engaging th notch and maintained in engagement with the notch by the spring for releasably holding the pin against retraction.

8. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together, the contacting faces having cooperating lengthwise extending straight grooves together forming a guideway for receiving a stack of nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings together forming-a space for a spring mechanism, the grooves being located in the respective guideways between the upper and lower edges thereof, and a spring operated nail feeding mechanism comprising a tube in the space provided by said grooves, said tube having a longitudinally extending slot from one end thereof to permit the tube to straddle nails in said guideway, a nail pusher member in said tube, spring means in the tube on opposite sides of the slot for advancing the pusher member, said feeding mechanism being retractible from the machine, and a releasable pin for holding the mechanism against retraction, said pin having a notch therein, and said mechanism engaging the notch and maintained in engagement with the notch by the spring for releasably holding the pin against retraction.

9. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together and having a space therein for receiving a stack of nails, and a spring operated nail feeding mechanism comprising a tube having a longitudinally extending slot from one end thereof to permit the tube to straddle nails in the machine, a nail pusher member in said tube, and spring means in the tube on O posite sides of the slot for advancing the pusher member.

10. A nailing machine including two similar face to face castings secured together and having a space therein for receiving a stack of nails, cooperating lengthwise extending grooves in the two castings together forming a space for a spring mechanism, and a spring operated nail feeding mechanism comprising a tube in the space provided by said grooves, said tube having a longitudinally extending slot from one end thereof to permit the tube to straddle nails in the machine, a nail pusher member in said tube, and spring means in the tube on opposite sides of the slot fo advancing the pusher member.

11. In a nailing machine having means for receiving a stack of nails, a split spring guide tube adapted to straddle the stack of nails, a pusher member in the tube for advancing the nails, and spring means in the tube on opposite sides of the nails straddled thereby and exerting a force on the pusher to advance the nails.

12. In a nailing machine, a nail feeder comprising a slotted tube, a pusher member carried by the tube and riding in the slot, and spring means in the tube on opposite sides of the slot for advancing the pusher member.

13. In a nailing machine, a nail feeder comprising a slotted tube, a pusher member carried by the tube and riding in the slot, spring means in the tube on opposite sides of the slot for advancing the pushe member, said nailing machine having a guideway in which the feeder is slidable, a pin extending into the machine and through the feeder for holding the feeder against retraction from the machine, said pin having a notch therein, and spring means carried by the feeder for urging the feeder into engagement with the notch in the pin for holding the pin against retraction.

EDGAR. P. ANSTETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 163,456 Carver May 18, 1875 333,812 Beal Jan. 5, 1886 1,146,105 Sabelman July 13, 1915 2,268,102 Attula Dec. 30, 1941 59,984 Dutcher Nov. 27, 1866 337,061 Higgins et a1 Mar. 2, 1886 147,027 Smith Feb. 3, 1874 2,160,514 Polzer May 30, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,944 Great Britain May 26, 1898 641,073 Germany Jan. 19, 1937 7,097 Austria Mar. 26, 1902