Tool for supplying and driving a sequence of threaded fasteners

Claim 1

A tool for driving a threaded fastener having a central axis, wherein said fastener includes an axially-extending array of driving surfaces that have a smaller envelope than the largest part of the fastener, said tool comprising: a reference sleeve having an axis, said reference sleeve having an axial cylindrical inner wall; a tubular drive spindle having an axis co-linear with the axis of the reference sleeve, and having an axial cylindrical inner wall, co-axial cylindrical outer wall, and a radially extending ball-retaining port between said walls of said drive spindle, said drive spindle being rotatably and axially reciprocably fitted in said reference sleeve; a ball in said port having a diameter greater than the wall thickness of the drive spindle; a peripheral groove formed in the inner wall of the reference sleeve, whereby, as a function of the relative axial position of the spindle and reference sleeve, the ball is either pressed inwardly inside the spindle to engage and drive said array of a fastener held co-axially in said drive spindle, or withdrawn into the groove to permit said largest part of the fastener to pass, and for said fastener to rotate freely relative to said drive spindle; and metering means axially restraining a fastener in the spindle and adapted to permit the passage of fasteners one-by-one, said reference sleeve and spindle being adapted to be mounted to a tool, said tool including power means to rotate said drive spindle around its axis.