Automatic nailing apparatus

Claim 2

In a mobile floor laying apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area along an adjacent run of endwise-positioned floor members for progressively securing the floor members of the run on under-support members in an alignedsidewise-engaging complementary-fitting relation along outer side edges of a previously laid floor member run of the floor area, a mobile floor member securing unit for back and forth movement along the adjacent line across the floor area, means cooperating with said securing unit for positively guiding it in an aligned relation during its back and forth movement, motor means carried by said securing unit for periodically moving it back and forth across the floor area while aligned by said guiding means, means carried by said securing unit for periodically securing floor members of the adjacent run on the under-support members in an aligned fitted relation along the outer side edges of the previously laid floor member run of the floor area, and means actuated in a timed relation to the back and forth movement of said securing unit for periodically actuating said securing means.

Claim 3

In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, said means for positively guiding said securing unit being a backwardly positioned control unit, connector means connecting said securing unit in a forwardly spaced relation to said control unit, a guide rail secured on and extending along the previously laid floor area, and means carried by said control unit and having a rolling-guided relation with said guide rail for positively guiding said control unit during the back and forth movement of said securing unit.

Claim 4

In an apparatus as defined in claim 2, motor means carried by said control unit for moving it back and forth across the floor area with said securing unit, and means operating the motor means of said securing unit in a timed relation with respect to the motor means for said control unit.

Claim 5

In an apparatus as defined in claim 3, means for automatically stopping said respective motor means when an end of a floor member of the adjacent run is reaChed.

Claim 6

In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, means cooperating with said securing unit for tilting it backwardly to allow insertion of a new run of floor members along a previously laid run.

Claim 7

In an apparatus as defined in claim 2, said connector means having means for advancing the spacing between said units one step for each back and forth movement of said units to accommodate said securing unit to a new lengthwise run of floor members to be laid.

Claim 8

In apparatus as defined in claim 6, said means for advancing the spacing constituting a pair of longitudinal members, and latch means and spaced-apart latch-receiving slot portions adjustably connecting said members together with respect to each other.

Claim 9

In an apparatus as defined in claim 7, said latch means having a fluid motor for moving it into and out of latching engagement with aligned slot portions.

Claim 10

In an apparatus as defined in claim 6, means associated with said space advancing means for sensing an improperly positioned floor member of a run to be secured in position.

Claim 11

In an apparatus as defined in claim 9, hammer means carried by said securing unit and actuated by said sensing means for driving the improperly positioned floor member into a properly aligned position.

Claim 12

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, said periodic actuating means comprising wheel means that is rotated during the back and forth movement of said securing unit, and said wheel means carrying a cam-operated electrical switch that is adapted to energize said floor member securing means when it is closed.

Claim 13

In apparatus as defined in claim 1, a control unit for back and forth movement across the floor area in a backwardly positioned aligned relation with said securing unit, a telescopic connecting bar member assembly between a rear end of said securing unit and said control unit, a motor-driven reciprocating bar member carried by said control unit and connected to a rear end of said connector bar assembly, a first member of said connector bar assembly defining latching recess portions in a spaced relation therealong, and latching means operatively positioned on a second member of said connecting bar assembly and adapted to selectively latch-engage with said latching recess portions of said first member.

Claim 14

In apparatus as defined in claim 12, a latch actuating unit operatively carried by said second member of said bar assembly and adapted to move said latching means into and out of engagement with aligned latching recess portions of said first member, said reciprocating bar member of said control unit being adapted to advance said first and second members one additional space with respect to each other when said securing unit has made one traversal of the floor area, and said latch actuating unit being adapted to move said latching means out of engagement with an aligned recess portion before said reciprocating bar member advances said first and second members one additional space and thereafter to move said latching means into engagement with a successive recess portion when said first and second members of said assembly have been advanced in spacing one space with respect to each other.

Claim 15

In a mobile floor securing apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area along a lengthwise run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members of the run on spaced-apart support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary-fitting relation along an outer side edge of a previously laid floor board member run that is secured on the support members, a mobile board securing frame unit, motor means for actuating said securing frame unit for back and forth movement along the floor area, and means carried by said unit for de-energizing said motor means when said securing frame unit approaches the end of a board member of the run being laid.

Claim 16

In a mobile floor securing apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area along a lengthwise run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members of the run on spaced-apart support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary-fitting relation along an outer side edge of a previously laid floor board member run that is secured on the support members, a mobile board securing frame unit, motor means for actuating said securing frame unit for back and forth movement along the floor area, and means carried by said unit for de-energizing said motor means when said securing frame unit approaches the end of a board member of the run being laid.

Claim 17

In an apparatus as defined in claim 14, board securing means and hammer means operatively carried by saiD securing frame unit, cam means carried by said securing frame unit and controlled by the back and forth movement of said unit for periodically actuating said board securing means when said frame unit reaches a properly aligned relation with respect to a support member on which a board member of the run is to be secured, and said hammer means having a hammer head to deliver a blow to a floor board member of the run being laid for properly aligning it with respect to the outer side edge of a floor board member of the previously laid run.

Claim 18

In a mobile floor laying apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area long a lengthwise run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members of the run on spaced-apart cross-extending support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary-fitting relation along an outer side edge of a previously laid floor board member run that is secured on the cross-extending support members, a mobile board securing frame unit and a mobile guide frame unit, means coupling said units respectively in a front and back aligned relation with respect to each other for coordinated back and forth movement along the floor area, motor means for actuating each of said frame units for synchronous back and forth movement along the floor area, and means carried by one of said units for de-energizing said motor means when said nailer frame unit approaches the end of a board member of the run being laid.

Claim 19

In a mobile floor laying apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area long a lengthwise run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members of the run on spaced-apart cross-extending support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary-fitting relation along an outer side edge of a previously laid floor board member run that is secured on the cross-extending support members, a mobile board securing frame unit and a mobile guide frame unit, means coupling said units respectively in a front and back aligned relation with respect to each other for coordinated back and forth movement along the floor area, motor means for actuating each of said frame units for synchronous back and forth movement along the floor area, and means carried by one of said units for de-energizing said motor means when said nailer frame unit approaches the end of a board member of the run being laid.

Claim 20

In an apparatus as defined in claim 16, said means for de-energizing said motor means being operatively carried by said board securing frame unit in an extending relation from a side thereof in the direction of movement of said frame units along the floor area.

Claim 21

In an apparatus as defined in claim 16, means for advancing said board securing frame unit in a step-by-step manner forwardly with respect to said guide frame unit after each completed movement of said frame units across the floor area.

Claim 22

In an apparatus as defined in claim 18, said coupling means having a pair of cooperating slide bar members one of which is connected to extend backwardly from said board securing frame unit and the other of which is connected to extend forwardly from said guide frame unit, latch and slot means between said slide bar members, and said means for advancing said board securing frame unit cooperating with said latch and slot means for at each step advancing said board securing frame unit about the width of a board member that is to be nailed in position.

Claim 23

In an apparatus as defined in claim 18, said coupling means having a complementary slidably interfitting pair of connector members between said board securing frame unit and said guide frame unit, latch and slot means for retaining said connector members in a preset cooperating position with respect to each other, means for releasing said latch and slot means from retention of said connector members, means carried by said guide frame unit for thereafter drawing back one of said connector members with respect to the other, said latch and slot means being adapted to then connect said connector members in a new advanced relation with respect to each other, and said drawing means being adapted to then move said board securing frame unit forwardly a distance corresponding to the distance of the previous draw back of said one connector member.

Claim 24

In an apparatus as defined in claim 16, a wheeled control unit adapted to be detachably mounted to alternatively extend sidewise from opposite sides of said board securing frame unit, said board securing frame unit having a nailer carried thereon for periodically nailing advanced portions of a board member of the run being laid to the cross-extending support members while the apparatus is being moved back and forth along the floor area, and means carried by said control unit for energizing said nailer at periodic intervals corresponding to the location of the support members.

Claim 25

In an apparatus as defined in claim 21, means carried by said control unit for energizing and de-energizing said motor means in accordance with the presence or absence of an endwise-extending floor member to be nailed in position.

Claim 26

In a mobile floor laying apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area along an adjacent run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members on under-support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary fitting relation along outer side edges of a previously laid floor member run of the floor area, a mobile floor member securing unit and a mobile guide frame unit for back and forth movement across the floor area, coupling means connecting a back end of said securing unit to a front end of said guide unit in a swingably maintained spaced-apart relation with respect to each other, means cooperating with the previously laid floor area for positively guiding said mobile guide unit across the room, reversible motor means on said mobile securing unit for alternately moving it back and forth along the floor area, reversible motor means on said guide unit for alternately moving it back and forth along the floor area, switch means operatively carried by said mobile guide unit for actuating its said motor means in the same direction as said motor means of said securing unit, said switch means having an open central position and right and left hand closed positions, and means cooperating with said coupling means for closing said switch means after said securing unit has moved a short distance to the right or left and for moving said switch means to its open central position when said securing unit has stopped in its movement.

Claim 27

In a mobile floor laying apparatus for back and forth movement on a previously laid floor area along an adjacent run of floor board members being laid endwise for progressively securing the floor board members on under-support members in an aligned-sidewise-engaging complementary fitting relation along outer side edges of a previously laid floor member run of the floor area, a mobile floor member securing unit and a mobile guide frame unit for back and forth movement across the floor area, coupling means connecting a back end of said securing unit to a front end of said guide unit in a swingably maintained spaced-apart relation with respect to each other, means cooperating with the previously laid floor area for positively guiding said mobile guide unit across the room, reversible motor means on said mobile securing unit for alternately moving it back and forth along the floor area, reversible motor means on said guide unit for alternately moving it back and forth along the floor area, switch means operatively carried by said mobile guide unit for actuating its said motor means in the same direction as said motor means of said securing unit, said switch means having an open central position and right and left hand closed positions, and means cooperating with said coupling means for closing said switch means after said securing unit has moved a short distance to the right or left and for moving said switch means to its open central position when said securing unit has stopped in its movement.

Claim 28

In an apparatus as defined in claim 23, nailing means operatively carried by said securing unit for periodically nailing the floor members in position, hammer means on said securing unit for hammering floor members to be laid into an aligned closely fitting relation with outer side edges of the floor members of the previously laid run, locating means carried by said guide unit and cooperating with said coupling means for advancing said securing unit forwardly with respect to said guide unit for operating on a new run of floor members to be laid, and switch means carried by said guide unit and cooperating with said locating means for actuating said hammer.

Claim 29

In an apparatus as defined in claim 24, said locating means cooperating with said coupling means for expanding it by one position each time said securing unit has moved in one direction across the floor area, and said coupling means having latching means cooperating with said locating means for advancing said securing unit one step with respect to said guide unit after each across-the-floor movement of said securing unit.

Claim 30

In an apparatus as defined in claim 24, said locating means comprising a reciprocating fluid motor swingably secured on said guide unit and operatively connected to said coupling means.