US2765464A - Nail-size extender for gas-actuated nail drivers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1956 J. w. WEICHOLD 2,765,454

NAIL-SIZE EXTENDER FOR GAS-ACTUATED NAIL DRIVERS Filed June 16, 1955 NAIL-SIZE EXTENDER FOR 'GA S-ACTUATED NAIL DRIVERS Jack William Weichold, Cincinnati,-hio, assignor t0 Chester Tietig, Covington, Ky.

Application June 16, 1955, Serial No. 515,824

6 Claims. (Cl. 1'44.5)

This invention relates to an improvement on a naildriving tool such as is described and shown in U. S. Patent 2,632,890, issued to Chester Tietig.

The object of the present improvement is to provide means to extend the range of sizes of nails that may be driven by the tool without changing the size or power of the cartridge that is used as the power source.

Another object is to provide this means in a form that is easily adjusted from one size of nail to another and which is not bulky, cumbersome or diflicult of access.

Briefly stated, the improvement comprises a collar which encircles the cylinder (marked 25 in the patent referred to). The collar is movable to a limited extent along the length of the sleeve 25 to cover or uncover a plurality of exhaust ports (marked 27 in the Tietig patent but here preferably positioned on the top of the sleeve). The degree of di'fiiculty with which the gases from the explosion of the cartridge make their exit from the ports 27 governs the amount of push given the piston (marked 28 in the Tietig patent). The more ports which are covered, the greater the push. Part of the present invention is the provision of ports which cannot be covered by the collar, thus constituting a safety measure to insure a sufficient exit for the gases at all times.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete tool shown partially in cross section.

Fig. 2 is an oblique view of the breech portion of the cylinder and collar. It shows the ports in the sleeve and fragmentary portions of the piston rod and fore-end.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cylinder with the preferred (screw fastened) form of collar shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 except that a threaded form of the collar is shown and the cylinder is shown in section. In this view all of the ports are uncovered.

Fig. 5 corresponds to Fig. 4 except that the collar is advanced on its cooperating threads and some of the ports are covered.

In this specification the same numbering of parts as in Patent 2,632,890 has been applied wherever possible so that the distinction between the old and the new will be more readily apparent. The improvement however resides in the combination with the collar, not the collar per se.

The following matter in quotation marks is quoted from the Tietig patent and constitutes a description of Fig. 1 with the exception of my improvement. A description of the latter follows the quoted matter. This basic description is necessary so that the improvement may be understood. The matter relating to the position of the ports 27 has been changed.

In Fig. 1 the firearm shown is a conventional bolt rifle 10, the stock 11 of which is shown with its middle portion deleted. In the rifle shown 12 is a bolt; 13 is the fore end; 15 is the trigger guard; 16 is the trigger; 17 is the bolt handle; 18 is a cap for a tubular magazine (not shown); 19 is a blank cartridge in the chamber 20, while 2,765,464 Fatented Oct. 9,

21 and 22 are the rear and front receiver rings, the front ring being adapted to receive the gun barrel 23.

The barrel 23 of my firearm comprises a conventional rearward section which is provided with a conventional smooth bore 24 preferably of .22 cal. The chamber 20 is preferablyof a size to accommodate the .22 long rifle blank cartridge, which will then also accommodate .22 long and .22 short blank cartridges.

Threadedly attached to the front portion of the barrel 23 there is a cylinder 25 of considerably less wall thickness than that of the conventional barrel 23. On the top of the cylinder 25 at a point a few inches to the front of the threaded joint 26 between the barrel and the cylinder there are a number of small perforations 27 which are gas and air exhaust ports and also for internal lubrication.

Surrounding the cylinder 25 just forward of the barrel receiver ring 22 there is a collar 50 which is rotatably adjustable on the barrel 23 either to cover or expose a selected number of the exhaust ports 27 in the cylinder. Since covering all of the ports 27 might create a dangerous condition in the tool owing to the inability of the gases to exhaust, I have provided an auxiliary port or ports 52 "further out along the cylinder 25 but still close enough to the breech so that the piston head 28 will pass the port 52 when strongly operated by a cartridge. Inasmuch as the length of the collar 50 is so chosen that it is impossible for it to cover ports 27 and 52 simultaneously, port 52 constitutes a safety device against blowing up the tool.

In Fig. 2, testing upon the hollowed fore-end 13, just forward=of the front 'barrel receiver ring 22 and the barrel 23, there is the knurled collar 56 shown encircling portions of both the barrel 23 and the cylinder 25. Some of the exhaust ports 27 are covered, but the greater number of them are shown uncovered. Within the cylinder 25 a sectioned end of the piston rod 23b is visible, together with a short length of the rod itself.

In Fig. 3, the preferred form of the collar 50 is shown in section having a fairly close fit about a fragment of the cylinder 25. A set screw 51 is provided in the collar 50. The fit of the collar 50 relative to the cylinder 25 should be free thereby allowing the collar 50 to he slid and rotated, yet not so loose as to fail to obturate most of the gas from the covered holes 27. The set screw may be hand-settable or screw-driver settable. Indicia (not shown) may be provided on the cylinder 25 to indicate proper positions of the collar for various sizes of cartridges, nails or both. The rest of the construction, i. e. the breech, may be built as shown and described as follows in regard to Figs. 4 and 5.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the same elements are present as in Figs. 2 and 3, with the addition of a return spring 31 for the piston 28 and its rod 281). in Figs. 4 and 5, a thread 53 is provided on the outer surface of the barrel 23 or cylinder 25 or both. The inner surface of collar 56) is threaded to mesh with thread 53 so that by rotating the collar, it may be advanced or retracted over as many of the ports 27 as may be selected. The fore-end i3 is sufficiently hollowed under the collar to enable the latter to turn freely.

Fig. 4 shows the collar in the retracted position, i. c. with ports 27 open. Fig. 5 shows it advanced, i. c. with many of the ports closed.

Fig. 4 shows a modification in which the ports 27 are in the upper surface of the barrel 23 and that the cylinder 25 is threadedly attached to the forward end or muzzle of the barrel. In this modification the piston 28 lies normally in the barrel 23 just ahead of the cartridge chamber, thus economizing length.

In Fig. 5 the barrel 23 and the cylinder 25 are made integral, the external thread 26 being common to both so that the collar 50 can hold them together.

Fig. 3 represents the preferred modification because the collar 50 is most readily tightened and loosened and because the thread 53 is not necessary. Fig. 4 is a strong compact construction and Fig. 5 is the strongest possible, but quite expensive.

Fig. 1 illustrates any of the modifications shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In the matter of Fig. 3 the screw 51 might be dispensed with or mounted on the far side of the collar 50 so that it would not show in Fig. 1.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gas-actuated nail driver having a nail driving piston, a cylinder for the piston having a plurality of gas exhaust ports in a position slightly forward of the normal resting position of said piston, a collar encircling a substantial part of the circumference of said cylinder at the area of said ports, said collar being radially adjustable and adapted to be advanced or retracted to cover selectively said ports partially or entirely, and means for maintaining the position of the collar at which it is set, during operation of the nail driver, thereby regulating the number of ports from which gas may be unobstructedly exhausted and obturating the remainder of said ports.

2. In a nail driver of the piston type, a cylinder providing a path for the actuation of the piston to drive a nail, said cylinder having a plurality of exhaust ports, means encircling said cylinder near said ports comprising an advanceable and retractable cover operable to obstruct substantially the flow of gas, produced by the operation of the nail driver, from a selected number of ports determined by the extent to which said cover is adjusted, and means for holding the cover in the adjusted position.

3. A gas-actuated nail driving tool comprising, a barrel, a cylinder attached to said barrel, a piston assembly actuable in said cylinder to drive a nail which is positioned on the outer end of said assembly, said cylinder having a plurality of ports through its walls, said ports being positioned a short distance beyond the inner point of rest of the piston of said piston assembly, and a cover advanceably and retractably held on said cylinder whereby to cover a selected number of said ports.

4. A tool according to claim 3 in which the cover is a collar, encircling said cylinder, an internal thread on said collar, and an external thread on said cylinder meshing with said internal thread.

5. A tool according to claim 3 in which the cover is a collar encircling said cylinder, and a set-screw in said cylinder whereby the later may be locked upon said cylinder.

6. In a gas-actuated nail driver of the type in which a nail-driving piston is contained in a cylinder which i attached to a source of high pressure gas, the improvement which comprises an obturating sleeve mounted on the cylinder just forward of the position within the cylinder and of the piston while the latter is at rest, said cylinder being provided with a multiplicity of perforations leading to the atmosphere, so proportioned that a substantial portion but not the totality thereof may be covered by said sleeve to obturate the covered perforations, and means for positioning said sleeve adjustably about said cylinder to-obturate a preselected number of perforations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 819,834- Zalinski May 8, 1906 2,003,290 Gurney June 4, 1935 2,632,890 Tietig Mar. 31, 1953 2,677,823 Magnuson May 11, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 505,746 Belgium Sept. 29, 1951

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