Push-on support member for fastening tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325235-B2
Application number	US-201615195095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2016
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A fastening tool of the present invention includes a housing having an underside. The fastening tool also includes a magazine and a support foot connected to one of the housing underside and the magazine. Using a system of cooperating detents formed on the support foot and housing underside (or magazine, as the case may be), the support foot can be quickly and easily removably secured to the fastening tool without using any tools.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fastening tool, comprising:
a housing having an underside;
a fastener drive system disposed in the housing, the fastener drive system including a drive track disposed along a drive axis;
a magazine containing fasteners, the magazine connected to the housing and configured to present fasteners to the drive track to be driven by the drive system into a work surface;
a pair of tracks disposed in parallel on opposite lateral sides on one of the underside and the magazine between the drive axis and a fixed stop member on each track; and
a support member having an upper surface defining slots arranged in parallel that engage one of the underside and the magazine, the support member formed of a single unitary body having a detent portion that, in a first position of engagement with one of the underside and the magazine, deflects away from the pair of tracks, and in a second position of engagement with one of the underside and the magazine, deflects toward and engages the pair of tracks to releasably secure the support member to one of the underside and the magazine, the support member being repositionable along the pair of tracks to maintain a desired angle of the drive axis relative to the work surface,
wherein at least one of the underside-and the magazine is deformable upon contact with the slots arranged in parallel to retain the support member in a desired position, and
wherein the slots arranged in parallel are deformable upon contact with one of the underside and the magazine, to retain the support member in the desired position.

2. The fastening tool claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support member is retained in the desired position, tool free.

3. The fastening tool claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the slots are engageable with respective tracks, and
wherein the support member is slidable along the tracks.

4. The fastening tool claimed in claim 3 , wherein the tracks and slots define respective cooperating detents such that the support member may be retained at a desired position on the tracks.

5. The fastening tool claimed in claim 4 , wherein each track defines a plurality of male detents,
wherein each slot defines a plurality of female detents cooperating with respective male detents, and
wherein the support member may be retained at a plurality of desired positions on the tracks corresponding to the respective positions of the plurality of male detents.

6. The fastening tool claimed in claim 4 , wherein the fixed stop member is formed at one end of each track to limit the distance that the support member may be moved along the tracks.

7. The fastening tool claimed in claim 4 , wherein each slot defines an open front end and a closed rear end such that the support member is blocked from moving along the tracks by the closed rear end when the support member engages the fastening tool with the closed rear end closer to the tracks than the open front end.

8. The fastening tool claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper surface further defines a leading edge of the support member, and
wherein the leading edge deflects to increase the distance between the slots arranged in parallel when the support member is releasably secured to one of the underside and the magazine.

9. A fastening tool, comprising:
a housing having an underside defined between the fastening tool and a work surface;
a fastener drive system disposed in the housing, the fastener drive system including a drive track disposed along a drive axis;
a magazine containing fasteners, the magazine connected to the housing and configured to present fasteners to the drive track to be driven by the drive system into a work surface;
a pair of tracks disposed in parallel on opposite lateral sides on one of the underside and the magazine between the drive axis and a fixed stop member on each track;
at least one detent on one of the underside and the magazine; and
a support member formed of a single unitary body having a tool engaging portion defined by slots arranged in parallel having at least one support member detent that engages the at least one detent on one of the underside and the magazine to releasably secure the support member thereto, the support member being repositionable along the pair of tracks to maintain a desired angle of the drive axis relative to the work surface,
wherein at least one of:
the at least one detent on one of the underside and the magazine is deformable against the support member detent, to retain the support member in the desired position, and
the at least one support member detent is deformable against the at least one detent on one of the underside and the magazine, to retain the support member in the desired position.

10. The fastening tool claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fixed stop member is formed at one end of each track to limit the distance that the support member may be moved along the tracks.

11. The fastening tool claimed in claim 9 , wherein each slot defines an open front end and a closed rear end such that the support member is blocked from moving along the tracks by the closed rear end when the support member engages the fastening tool with the closed rear end closer to the tracks than the open front end.

12. The fastening tool claimed in claim 9 , wherein the support member includes an upper surface that further defines a leading edge of the support member, and
wherein the leading edge deflects to increase the distance between the slots arranged in parallel when the support member is releasably secured to one of the underside and the magazine.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Meyer Jeffrey J
• Garber Stuart E
• JASKOT Erin Elizabeth

Classifications

• B25C7/00 Primary

  Accessories for nailing or stapling tools, e.g. supports (for tools operated by detonation of a cartridge B25C1/18) · CPC title

• B25C1/06

  operated by electric power · CPC title