WO2006068460A1

WO2006068460A1 - Assembly for driving in nails

Info

Publication number: WO2006068460A1
Application number: PCT/NL2004/000906
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fernando Smit
Original assignee: Jolink, Lambertus, Johannes
Priority date: 2004-12-23
Filing date: 2004-12-23
Publication date: 2006-06-29

Abstract

Assembly for driving in nails, comprising an elongated guiding element (1) and a striking element (2) which is guidable by the guiding element, wherein the striking element is manually movable with respect to the guiding element for hammering a nail (3) from the guiding element during use. The invention also provides a method for driving in nails in a second object (B) extending behind an opening (H) of a first object (A), wherein a guiding element is placed into the opening, such that an end of the guiding element is positioned near or onto said second object, wherein the guiding element is provided with a nail, wherein the nail is hammered from the guiding element and into the second object using the movable striking element.

Description

Title: Assembly for driving in nails

The present invention relates to a new type of tool for driving in nails.

In the art, nails are usually driven in manually, using a hammer. A disadvantage of a hammer is, that it can not or only with difficulty be used, when the nail has to be driving in on a spot which is out of reach of the workman handling the hammer. Firstly, he will encounter a problem of positioning the nail onto the desired spot of a nail receiving object. Besides, he may have problems in striking the nail with the hammer. The problem arises, for example, during the construction of reinforced concrete foundations (for buildings) with wooden encasings. In that case, reinforcement structures are mounted in front of wooden formworks. Nails are used in the setting of the encasings, for example in combination with suitable wooden setting supports. After a reinforcement structure has been mounted, the wooden formwork can not be reached anymore by the builders for driving in setting nails. Presently, the builders solve this problem by applying nails in the wooden encasing first, before they mount the reinforcement structures.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems. Particularly, the present invention aims to provide an improved means and method for driving in nails, wherein the nails are to be forced into difficult to reach locations.

To this aim, the invention provides an assembly for driving in nails, comprising an elongated guiding element and a striking element which is guidable by the guiding element, wherein the striking element is manually movable with respect to the guiding element for hammering a nail from the guiding element during use. It has been found that with this surprisingly simple assembly, nails can easily be driven into remote locations, which locations are hard to reach using conventional hammering tools. The present assembly can be made of a relative small number of components, for instance just two, consisting of the guiding element and the striking element. Besides, the present manually operable assembly can be made relatively cheap.

Preferably, in a simple embodiment of the invention, the guiding element consists of a tube, having a first open end for inserting the striking element, and an opposite second open end for dispensing said nail. Besides, the driving element can comprise a simple rod which can be guided by the guiding element to and from the nail.

During use, a workman can simply apply at least the following steps, in a suitable order, for manually driving in one or more nails: - placing a nail in a suitable location of the guiding element; -positioning the guiding element onto or in front of a nail receiving surface of an object, wherein the guiding element is preferably being held manually; and

-manually forcing the striking element a number of times onto the nail to drive the nail from the guiding element into the object, during which the striking element is being guided by the guiding element.

The invention is, for instance, well suited to drive in nails in objects which are not directly reachable, for example when access to the object is at least partially blocked by other objects extending nearby.

For example, the invention provides an advantageous use, wherein said guiding element is being placed into an opening of a first object, for example, a wall and/or frame, wherein a nail is being driven from the guiding element -using said striking element- into at least a second object extending behind said opening of the first object.

Thus, the nail can still be driven into second, remote, object, although normal access to the second object is being hindered by the first object. The guiding element also can provide a desired, relatively precise positioning of the nail with respect to that second object.

Further embodiments of the present invention are described in the accompanying claims. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts.

Fig. IA is a schematic longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. IB is a cross-section over line IB-IB of Fig. IA;

Fig. 2 is side view of the nail shown in Fig. IA;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the guiding tube of the embodiment shown in fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the striking element of the embodiment shown in fig. IA; and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-section of a use of the embodiment shown in fig. IA.

Figures IA, IB schematically depicts an embodiment of an assembly for driving in nails according to the invention. The overall assembly consists of only two main parts, and is portable by a single person. The assembly comprises an elongated guiding tube 1 and an elongated striking element 2 extending through the tube 1. The striking element 2 is manually movable with respect to the tube 1 for hammering a conventional nail 3 out of the tube 1. Figures 2-4 shown the nail 3, tube 2 and striking element 1 respectively.

The tube 1 and striking element 2 can be arranged in various ways, with various dimensions and shapes. In the present embodiment, the tube 1 is a simple cylindrical, straight tube, having a circular inner cross-section. The tube 1 has a first end 11 for receiving said striking element 1, and a second end 12 for delivering said nail 3. The length L of the tube 1 can be, for example, at least about 15 or 30 cm, for instance about 0.5 m or 1.0 m or more, or otherwise, depending for example on a distance to be bridged by the assembly during use. The diameter D of the tube 1 can be, for example about one or several cm, or any other suitable diameter, depending for example on the transversal dimensions of the nail 3.

The striking element 2 comprises a rod 5 extending at least partially through the tube 1 during use. Preferably, the length of the rod 5 is at least the same as the length of the tube 1, so that the rod 5 can extend all the way through the tube 1 for hammering a nail 3 completely out of the tube 1. Preferably, the striking element 2 comprises a hand-grip part 4 which extends outside the tube 1 during use, and serves the hold the striking element manually. In the present embodiment, the grip part 4 is located onto a first end 21 of the rod 5, opposite a striking end 22 thereof. The grip part 4 is arranged to provide a firm grip for manually operating the striking element 2. The grip part 4 of the striking element can be arranged in various ways, for instance ergonomically, as will be clear to the skilled person. Besides, preferably the overall striking element 2 is relatively heavy. For example, the striking element 2 may have a mass of at least 1 kg. This mass can be distributed in various ratios between the rod 5 and grip part 4, depending for example on the dimensions and composition of the rod 5 and grip part 4. For instance, the mass of the grip part 4 can be at least about 1 kg. The mass of the overall assembly 1, 2 should preferably not be too large, for upholding the manual portability of the assembly 1, 2. Besides, the mass of the striking element can also be somewhat smaller than 1 kg, for instance in the range of 0,5- 1 kg. This depends for example on the amount of hammering energy which will be needed for driving in the nails efficiently.

In the present embodiment, the tube 1 can simply be held at any suitable location of its outer surface during use. However, the tube 1 may also be provided with a specific grip part, for instance having an ergonomic form, for providing extra manual grip to a user. Such a specific tube grip is shown in figure 3 by dashed lines 6.

Preferably, the guiding tube 1 and/or striking element 2 is arranged for holding said nail 3 in a suitable position near the second end 12 of the tube 1, which position is particularly suitable for the nail 3 to being driven from the tube 1 by the striking element 2. For instance, the assembly 1, 2 may comprise a removable and/or breakable blocking means for at least partially blocking the second end of said tube 1. Such blocking means serves to retain and/or position a nail 3 in the tube 1 at the second tube end 12 before the use of the striking element 2. Such a blocking means is schematically shown in figure 3 by dashed lines 7. The blocking means 7 may be, for instance, a thin plastic or paper covering of the second end of the tube, which covering can be breached by the nail 3 during operation of the striking element 2. Besides, it is advantageous when said tube and/of striking element comprises a magnetic part for retaining and/or positioning a suitable nail 3 in said suitable position in the tube 2, near the second tube end 12. For example, as is shown in fig. 4 by reference sign 8, the striking end 22 of the striking element 2 may be provided with such a magnetic part 8. Figure 5 shows the use of the present embodiment, for driving in a nail 3 into remote objects B, C which extend behind a first object A, viewed from a user location P. For instance, the first object A can be a reinforcement grid, whereas the remote objects B, C, which are positioned near the first object A, are part of a formwork for concrete. In that case, the objects A, B, C can be used in a method for the manufacture of reinforced concrete. Besides, said objects may be, for instance, walls, frames and/or the-like.

As is shown in figure 5, the first object A substantially blocks access to the second object B, such that a nail can not be driven into the second object utilizing a common hammer. The assembly 1, 2 according to the present invention overcomes this problem, as clearly follows from fig. 5.

During use, the tube 2 is simply held manually, and inserted into an opening H of the first object, such that the second end 12 of the tube 1 is positioned near, and preferably onto a nail receiving surface of said second object B. The tube 1 is provided with a loose, dispensable nail 3. Optionally, the nail 3 is being held near the second tube end 12 by suitable holding means, such as said blocking means 7 and/or magnetic part 8.

The nail 3 is then simply being dispensed from the tube 1 and into a desired spot of the second object B, under influence of hammering action of the movable striking element 2. To this aim, the rod 4 of the striking element 2 is inserted in the tube 2, and is being moved manually to and from the nail 3 under guidance of the tube 2.

The striking element 2 is being forced manually a number of times with the striking end 8 onto the nail 3 to drive the nail 3 into the second object B, and subsequently also into the third object C. Striking movements of the striking element 2 are shown by arrow M.

Since the striking element 2 is relatively heavy, it can provide sufficient kinetic hammering energy for driving the nail 3 completely into the objects B, C. Besides, the guiding tube 1 provides a proper guidance to the striking element 2, and can also serve to position the nail 3 onto a desired spot of the second object B before the nail 3 is being driven in.

As a result, the difficulty accessible second and third object B, C are being attached to each other by the nail 3, using a relatively easy to operate and efficient assembly 1, 2.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be appreciated that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as described. The description is not intended to limit the invention.

For instance, the various parts of the assembly may be made from various materials, for instance, one or more metals, steel, plastic, wood and/or the-like. Both the striking element 2 and tube 1 can be rigid parts, which can provide a robust and durable assembly.

Besides, said guiding element 1 and/or striking element 2 can be is arranged for holding said nail 3 in various ways, for by way of magnetic material 8, removable and/or breakable blocking means 7, means for detachably retaining a nail 3 in or on the guiding element, clicking means, a detachable or controllable retaining element, and/or the-like.

Besides, the guiding element 1 may be arranged to hold one or more nails 3 during use. For instance, the guiding element may be provided with a magazine which is arranged to hold a plurality of nails, wherein the magazine is arranged to release one nail 3 at a time into a suitable location of the guiding element, so that the nail 3 can subsequently be driven from the guiding element 1 by the movable striking element 2.

Furthermore, the guiding element can be arranged in various ways. For example, the guiding element can be a tube 1, a suitable frame, rails and/or the-like.

Said guiding tube 1 can have, for instance, a substantially closed longitudinal tube wall, or a tube wall having a number of longitudinal openings (not shown in the drawings). Such an opening can be used, for example, for inserting nails 3 into the tube 1. Also, such an opening could be used for inserting the striking element into the tube 1, for instance in case the tube 1 has not been provided with an open first end 11.

Besides, clearly, various of types of nails 3 can be driven in by the assembly according to the invention.

Claims

1. Assembly for driving in nails, comprising an elongated guiding element (1) and a striking element (2) which is guidable by the guiding element (1), wherein the striking element (2) is manually movable with respect to the guiding element (1) for hammering a nail (3) from the guiding element (1) during use.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guiding element consists of a tube (1), having a first open end (11) for inserting the striking element (2), and an opposite second open end (12) for dispensing said nail

(3).

3. Assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said striking element

(2) comprises a grip part (4) which extends outside the guiding element (1) during use, for manually operating the striking element (2).

4. Assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the striking element (2) comprises a mass of at least 1 kg.

5. Assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the striking element (2) comprises a rod (5) which is guidable by the guiding element (1) during use, wherein the length of the rod (5) is at least the same as the length of the guiding element (1).

6. Assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein said guiding element (1) and/or striking element (2) is arranged for holding said nail (3) at least before the nail (3) is being driven in.

7. Assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the guiding element (1) comprises a removable and/or breakable blocking means (7) for retaining and/or positioning a nail (3) with respect to the guiding element (1).

8. Assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said ^guiding element (1) and/of striking element (2) comprises a magnetic part (8) for retaining and/or positioning a suitable nail with respect to the guiding element (1).

9. Assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the length of the guiding element (1) is at least about 15 cm.

10. Assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the overall assembly (1, 2) is portable by a single person.

11. Assembly according to any of the previous claims, wherein the guiding element (1) comprises a grip part (6), which is preferably ergonomically formed.

12. Use of an assembly according to any of the preceding claims for manually driving in one or more nails, comprising: - placing a nail (3) in a suitable location of the guiding element (1); -positioning the guiding element (1) onto or in front of a nail receiving surface of an object, wherein the guiding element (1) is preferably being held manually; and

-manually forcing the striking element (2) a number of times onto the nail (3) to drive the nail (3) from the guiding element (1) into the object, during which the striking element (2) is being guided by the guiding element (1).

13. Use according to claim 12, wherein said guiding element (1) is being placed into an opening (H) of a first object (A), for example, a wall and/or frame, wherein a nail (3) is being driven from the guiding element (1) -using said striking element (2)- into at least a second object (B) extending behind said opening (H) of the first object (A).

14. Method for the manufacture of reinforced concrete, wherein a reinforcement grid and a formwork for concrete are positioned near one another, wherein nails are being driven into the formwork using the assembly according to any of claims 1-11, and/or by a use according to claim 12 or 13.