Two-stage power driving system for powder actuated tools

A process for amplifying the driving power of a low velocity powder actuated tool having a barrel, a piston, and a first stage power load activating means for driving the piston through the barrel, and a lower tool end attached to the barrel, said process including;

• providing a lower tool end replacement in the form of a power amplifier adapted for receiving a power pill and penetration member, and further adapted to withstand the firing of the power pill,
• providing a power pill ignition means to be activated by impact of the piston, and providing the combination of power pill ignistion means, power pill and penetration member in stacked arrangement in the power amplifier for ejection of the penetration member out of the power amplifier, and
• activating the first stage power load activating means for driving the piston to impact and actuate the power pill ignition means, whereby the sequence of propulsion forces drives the penetration member into a work surface.

A process for power driving penetration members from a tool into a substrate and preventing recoil damage to the tool, which process comprises;

• providing a tool having a barrel, a piston slidable in the barrel, said barrel defining a fully retracted position for said piston, and means for driving the piston through the barrel toward the substrate, placing a stacked arrangement of a penetration member, an impulse igniting primer-less power load, and a shearing member in the barrel between the substrate and the piston, driving the piston from said fuly retracted position through the barrel and against the power load to impluse ignite the power load and generating thereby rapidly expanding gas to drive the penetration member into the substrate, allowing said piston to move in recoil action back up the barrel toward said fully retracted position, and further providing exhaust means in said barrel to exhaust the expanded gas during recoil action of the piston, said exhaust means being placed in said barrel at a position which will allow the expanded gas to exhaust from the barrel before the piston can reach the fully retracted position.