Center feed driver assembly

Claim 2

A center feed driver assembly for threaded members comprising a rotatable driver having a center bore for receiving threaded members, feeder means for feeding threaded members singly into one end of said bore, gripper means carried by said driver having a face for entering the bore at the other end thereof for gripping a first member at a location with its end portion projecting beyond the other end of the bore, a positioning rod longitudinally movable to a first position in said bore for positioning a member in said bore at said location to be gripped by said gripper means, stop means carried by said driver having an abutment for entering the bore to block the bore behind said first member, said positioning rod blocking said bore at said one end thereof when in its first position to prevent entry of a second member into said bore, and means for producing relative movement between said driver and said positioning rod so that the latter is moved to a position to unblock said bore whereby a second member from said feeder means can be released into said bore.

Claim 3

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein said feeder means includes an escapement mechanism for releasing a threaded member prior to the occurrence of the relative movement of the positioning rod to unblock the bore.

Claim 4

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein said gripper means and said stop means are pivotally mounted on said driver to permit entry of said face and said abutment into said bore.

Claim 5

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein spring means urge said gripper means and said stop means into said bore.

Claim 6

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein said gripper means and said stop means have inclined portions, engageable by a member advancing through said bore for urging said gripper means and said stop means out of said bore.

Claim 7

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein a sleeve is mounted on said driver for longitudinal movement between a lock position in which said gripper means and said stop means are held with said face and said abutment in said bore and a release position in which said gripper means and said stop means can be moved out of said bore.

Claim 8

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 6, wherein a sleeve actuating mechanism is coupled to said sleeve for moving the latter between its lock position and its release position and control means are provided for said actuating mechanism for moving said sleeve to its lock position after said positioning rod has moved to its first position.

Claim 9

A center feed driver assembly as is defined in claim 1, wherein said means for producing relative movement between said driver and said positioning rod comprises first means for moving said positioning rod from said first position to a second position longitudinally spaced from said first position so that said abutment can enter said bore, and second means for advancing said driver independently of said positioning rod in the direction that the end portion of the first member projects.

Claim 10

A center feed driver assembly for threaded members comprising a rotatable driver having a center bore for receiving threaded members, feeder means for feeding threaded members singly into one enD of said bore, gripper means carried by said driver having a face for entering the bore at the other end thereof for gripping a first member at a location with its end portion projecting beyond the other end of the bore, a positioning rod longitudinally movable to a first position in said bore for positioning a member in said bore at said location to be gripped by said gripper means, stop means carried by said driver having an abutment for entering the bore to block the bore behind said first member, means for moving said positioning rod from said first position to a second position longitudinally spaced from said first position so that said abutment can enter said bore, said positioning rod blocking said bore at said one end thereof when in its second position, and means for moving said driver longitudinally relative to said positioning rod for driving said first member into a workpiece, said positioning rod being moved thereby relative to its second position to release a second member from said feeder means into said bore.

Claim 11

A center feed driver assembly for threaded members comprising a rotatable driver having a center bore for receiving threaded members, feeder means for feeding threaded members singly into one enD of said bore, gripper means carried by said driver having a face for entering the bore at the other end thereof for gripping a first member at a location with its end portion projecting beyond the other end of the bore, a positioning rod longitudinally movable to a first position in said bore for positioning a member in said bore at said location to be gripped by said gripper means, stop means carried by said driver having an abutment for entering the bore to block the bore behind said first member, means for moving said positioning rod from said first position to a second position longitudinally spaced from said first position so that said abutment can enter said bore, said positioning rod blocking said bore at said one end thereof when in its second position, and means for moving said driver longitudinally relative to said positioning rod for driving said first member into a workpiece, said positioning rod being moved thereby relative to its second position to release a second member from said feeder means into said bore.

Claim 12

A center feed driver as is defined in claim 9, wherein a lock mechanism is associated with said gripper means and said stop means for locking said gripper means and said stop means in place when their face and abutment are in said bore and for releasing said gripper means and said stop means in advance of said positioning rod moving to said first position.

Claim 13

A center feed driver assembly for threaded members comprising a rotatable driver having a center bore for receiving threaded members, means for moving said driver longitudinally between an advanced position and a retracted position, feeder means responsive to said driver being in its advanced position for feeding a threaded member into the one end of said bore corresponding to the retracted position of the driver, gripper means carried by said driver having a face for entering said bore at the other end thereof for gripping a first threaded member at a location with its end portion projecting beyond the other end of the bore, a positioning rod longitudinally movable between a first position in said bore for positioning a member at said location to be gripped by said gripper means and a second position at the one end of the bore blocking a second member from entering said bore, means responsive to movement of said driver to its retracted position to move said positioning rod to its first position and after a time delay to return the positioning rod to its second position, stop means carried by said driver having an abutment for entering the bore to block the bore behind said first member after return of said positioning rod to its second position, lock means operable to lock said gripper means and said stop means with their face and abutment in said bore and responsive to said driver reaching its advanced position to release said gripper means and said stop means, said positioning rod being supported independently of said driver so that when said driver moves toward its advanced position relative movement will occur between said driver and said positioning rod to unblock the bore to allow the second member to enter said bore.

Claim 14

A center feed driver assembly for threaded members comprising a rotatable driver having a center bore for receiving threaded members, means for moving said driver longitudinally between an advanced position and a retracted position, feeder means responsive to said driver being in its advanced position for feeding a threaded member into the one end of said bore corresponding to the retracted position of the driver, gripper means carried by said driver having a face for entering said bore at the other end thereof for gripping a first threaded member at a location with its end portion projecting beyond the other end of the bore, a positioning rod longitudinally movable between a first position in said bore for positioning a member at said location to be gripped by said gripper means and a second position at the one end of the bore blocking a second member from entering said bore, means responsive to movement of said driver to its retracted position to move said positioning rod to its first position and after a time delay to return the positioning rod to its second position, stop means carried by said driver having an abutment for entering the bore to block the bore behind said first member after return of said positioning rod to its second position, lock means operable to lock said gripper means and said stop means with their face and abutment in said bore and responsive to said driver reaching its advanced position to release said gripper means and said stop means, said positioning rod being supported independently of said driver so that when said driver moves toward its advanced position relative movement will occur between said driver and said positioning rod to unblock the bore to allow the second member to enter said bore.