Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A powder charge feed strip for introducing explosive powder cartridges into an explosive powder-actuated fastener-driving tool, comprising: an elongated body made of a thermoplastic material having first and second oppositely facing flat face surfaces and first and second oppositely facing side edge surface extending between said face surfaces; a plurality of circular holes in said elongated body extending through said first and second face surfaces, said holes being aligned lengthwise of said elongated body; and a plurality of annular grooves in said first face surface concentrically surrounding and spaced from said holes and coacting with said holes so as to define sleeve portions in said elongated body which act as cartridge-receiving chambers, said grooves being shaped in cross-section so that said elongated body has tapered circularly extending surfaces in spaced and surrounding relationship with said sleeve portions; and explosive powder cartridges disposed in said holes with the rims of said cartridges engaged with said elongated body on the side opposite said first face surface, said holes having a diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims, so that said sleeve portions tightly surround and grip the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
A powder charge feed strip for introducing explosive powder cartridges into an explosive powder-actuated fastener-driving tool, comprising: an elongated body made of a thermoplastic material having first and second oppositely facing flat face surfaces and first and second oppositely facing side edge surface extending between said face surfaces; a plurality of circular holes in said elongated body extending through said first and second face surfaces, said holes being aligned lengthwise of said elongated body; and a plurality of annular grooves in said first face surface concentrically surrounding and spaced from said holes and coacting with said holes so as to define sleeve portions in said elongated body which act as cartridge-receiving chambers, said grooves being shaped in cross-section so that said elongated body has tapered circularly extending surfaces in spaced and surrounding relationship with said sleeve portions; and explosive powder cartridges disposed in said holes with the rims of said cartridges engaged with said elongated body on the side opposite said first face surface, said holes having a diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims, so that said sleeve portions tightly surround and grip the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A strip according to claim 1 wherein said each of said holes has an enlarged counterbore on the second face surface side of said elongated body, and said rims are disposed in said counterbores flush with said second face surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A strip according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve portions have end surfaces which are substantially flush with said first face surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A strip according to claim 1 having a plurality of notches in at least one side edge surface of said body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A strip according to claim 1 further including at least one opening extending between the base of each groove and said second face surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A strip according to claim 4 wherein said grooves are tapered so as to be widest at said first face surface, and further including a plurality of notches in each of said first and second side edge surfaces to facilitate feeding of said strip into a powder actuated fastener-driving tool.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A strip according to claim 1 further including at least two openings in said elongated body adjacent each of said holes, each of said openings intersecting said second face surface and one of said grooves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A strip according to claim 7 having only two of said openings adjacent each of said holes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A strip according to claim 8 wherein said two openings are displaced 180 degrees from one another along a diameter of said each hole.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A strip according to claim 4 having notches in said first and second side edge surfaces with the notches in said first side edge surface being with the notches in said second side edge surface, and the spacing between said holes is identical to the spacing between said notches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A strip according to claim 10 wherein the notches in said first and second side edge surfaces are aligned with one another between said holes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
A cartridge strip according to claim 10 further including a plurality of explosive powder cartridges disposed in said holes so that the rims of said cartridges are on the second face surface side of said elongated body, each of said cartridges comprising a cylindrical casing and a rim at one end of the casing, said holes being formed with a diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims, whereby said tubular sleeves tightly surround the casings of said cartridges adjacent said rims.