Magazine for fastener driving tool

Claim 2

A fastener driving tool (12) including a housing (14,16) containing a nose assembly (18) and a magazine assembly (22) for successively feeding fasteners (24) to be driven by said tool (12), the improvement characterized in that means (40,42,44,45,46,47,50,52,54) are provided for securing said magazine assembly (22) relative to said housing (14,16) to allow movement of said magazine (22) between a fastener (14,16) feeding position closely adjacent said nose assembly (18), and a release position spaced therefrom to permit removal of a fastener (24) that may be jammed in the nose assembly (18), said securing means comprising cooperating aligned guide pins (4) and openings (42) between the nose assembly (18) and one end of the magazine (22), and interlocking means (44,45,46,47, 50,52,54) between the housing and other end of the magazine.

Claim 3

A fastener driving tool as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the guide pins (40)are part of the magazine and the aligned openings (42) are defined by said nosepiece (18).

Claim 4

A fastener driving tool as set forth in claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the interlocking means between the housing (14,16) and said other end of the magazine and housing (16) comprises cooperating serrated segments (44,45,46,47) and a knob assembly (50,52) for retaining the segments (45,47) together in the desired position.

Claim 5

A fastener driving tool as set forth in claim 3 characterized in that one of said housing (16) or magazine (22) defines a slot (54) through which said knob assembly (50,52) extends whereby the magazine (22) can be affixed in position relative to said housing (16) by said knob assembly (50,52) when the magazine (22) is located immediately adjacent said nose assembly (18) or spaced therefrom as desired.

Claim 6

A portable fastener driving tool (12) comprising a housing (14) including a nose assembly (18), a cylinder in said housing (14), a piston (32) in said cylinder, a driver (34) attached to said piston (32) and extending into said nose assembly (18), a magazine assembly (22) secured to said housing (14) adjacent said nose assembly (18) including means (26) for supplying fasteners (24) into position to be driven by said driver (34), means (30) for operating said tool to move said piston (32) to drive a fastener (24) into a workpiece, a work sensitive probe assembly (36) slidably supported relative to said nosepiece (18) for controlling said tool operating means, the improvement characterized in that it includes means (60,64,65) on said magazine (22) disposed adjacent said nosepiece (18) and proble assembly (36) responsive to the means (26) for moving fasteners into position to be driven for limiting movement of said work sensitive probe assembly (36) to prevent operation of said driving tool (12) when a small number of fasteners remain in said magazine (22).

Claim 7

A portable fastener driving tool (12) comprising a housing (14) including a nose assembly (18), a cylinder in said housing (14), a piston (32) in said cylinder, a driver (34) attached to said piston (32) and extending into said nose assembly (18), a magazine assembly (22) secured to said housing (14) adjacent said nose assembly (18) including means (26) for supplying fasteners (24) into position to be driven by said driver (34), means (30) for operating said tool to move said piston (32) to drive a fastener (24) into a workpiece, a work sensitive probe assembly (36) slidably supported relative to said nosepiece (18) for controlling said tool operating means, the improvement characterized in that it includes means (60,64,65) on said magazine (22) disposed adjacent said nosepiece (18) and proble assembly (36) responsive to the means (26) for moving fasteners into position to be driven for limiting movement of said work sensitive probe assembly (36) to prevent operation of said driving tool (12) when a small number of fasteners remain in said magazine (22).

Claim 8

A portable fastener driving tool as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that the work sensitive probe assembly (36) includes a generally tubular member (66) disposed about said nosepiece (18) that is normally spring biased outwardly with respect to said nosepiece (18) and in which the means for moving the fasteners into position to be driven includes a spring biased fastener follower (26) and the means limiting movement of the work sensitive probe assembly (63,68) comprises a lockout bracket (60) movably secured relative to said magazine and positioned to be engaged by said follower (26) and moved into blocking engagement with said work.sensitive probe (36) to prevent operation of said driving tool when a small number of fasteners (24) remain in said magazine (22).

Claim 9

A fastener driving tool as set forth in claim 6 characterized in that the lockout bracket (60) is connected to said magazine by a fastener (63) extending through an elongated slot (68) defined by said bracket (60) which permits movement of said bracket (60) relative to said magazine (22) and the bracket is normally biased out of blocking engagement with said work sensitive probe (36) by a spring (61) extending between the magazine and a flange (64) on said bracket (60) which flange is positioned to be engaged by said follower (26) shortly before the magazine (22) runs out of fasteners (24).

Claim 10

A portable fastener driving tool comprising a housing (14) including a nose assembly (18), a cylinder in said housing (14), a piston (32) in said cylinder, a driver (34) attached to said piston (32) and extending into said nose assembly (18), a magazine assembly (22) secured to said housing (14) adjacent said nose assembly (18) including spring biased follower means (26) for supplying fasteners (24) into position to be driven by said driver, means (30) for operating said tool to move said piston (32) to drive a fastener (24) into a workpiece, a work sensitive probe assembly (36) slidably supported relative to said nosepiece (18) for controlling said tool operating means, the improvement characterized in that it includes means (60,64,65) on said magazine (22) disposed adjacent said nosepiece (18) and probe assembly (36) responsive to the follower means (26) for limiting movement of said work sensitive probe assembly (36) to prevent operation of said driving tool (12) during - transport or when the tool is not in use.

Claim 11

A portable fastener driving tool comprising a housing (14) including a nose assembly (18), a cylinder in said housing (14), a piston (32) in said cylinder, a driver (34) attached to said piston (32) and extending into said nose assembly (18), a magazine assembly (22) secured to said housing (14) adjacent said nose assembly (18) including spring biased follower means (26) for supplying fasteners (24) into position to be driven by said driver, means (30) for operating said tool to move said piston (32) to drive a fastener (24) into a workpiece, a work sensitive probe assembly (36) slidably supported relative to said nosepiece (18) for controlling said tool operating means, the improvement characterized in that it includes means (60,64,65) on said magazine (22) disposed adjacent said nosepiece (18) and probe assembly (36) responsive to the follower means (26) for limiting movement of said work sensitive probe assembly (36) to prevent operation of said driving tool (12) during - transport or when the tool is not in use.