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US 5,443,196 AGranted
Fastener applicator
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorGeoffrey M. Burlington
Life of this patent
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AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorGeoffrey M. Burlington
Estimating the term…
A fastener applicator, for example for cable clips, uses the kinetic energy of a flywheel rotated by a prime mover, preferably a battery driven electric motor, to drive a striker for firing a fastener into a support. An actuator which strikes the striker may be a fixed projection on the flywheel or be an element on the flywheel movable relative to the flywheel by centrifugal force to project the actuator from an inoperative position to an operative position for striking the striker. The drive from the prime mover to the flywheel is through a clutch or releasable drive coupling which temporarily disconnects the drive when the actuator strikes the striker so that the kinetic energy at the flywheel alone drives the striker and the prime mover is protected from the impact. A micro-processor measures the rotational speed of the flywheel and stops the prime mover when a pre-determined speed for the necessary kinetic energy is achieved.
A fastener applicator comprising a body, a prime mover in said body, a flywheel driven by said prime mover, an actuator rotatable with said flywheel, a fastener striker guided in said body for movement between a retracted position and a fired position to which it is urged by said actuator rotating with said flywheel and striking said striker, and releasable transmission means operative between said prime mover and said flywheel, said transmission means causing said flywheel to be disconnected from said prime mover each time said actuator strikes said striker such that kinetic energy developed at said flywheel by its rotation is used to drive said striker to said fired position, wherein said actuator comprises a movable element on said flywheel movable relative to said flywheel between an inoperative position and an operative position and which as said flywheel rotates is moved under centrifugal force from its said inoperative position to its said operative position to engage with said striker.
A fastener applicator comprising a body, a prime mover in said body, a flywheel driven by said prime mover, an actuator rotatable with said flywheel for movement along an arcuate path, a fastener striker guided in said body for movement between a retracted position and a fired position to which it is urged by said actuator rotating with said flywheel and striking said striker, said fastener striker being further angularly movable, relative to its direction of movement between said retracted and fired positions, from said retracted position to a withdrawn position in which said striker is located out of the arcuate path of movement of said actuator, loading means acting on said striker for urging said striker from said withdrawn position to said retracted position, and releasable transmission means, operative between said prime mover and said flywheel, said transmission means causing said flywheel to be disconnected from said prime mover each time said actuator strikes said striker such that kinetic energy developed at said flywheel by its rotation is used to drive said striker to said fired position.
A fastener applicator comprising a body, a prime mover in said body, a flywheel driven by said prime mover, an actuator rotatable with said flywheel and having a striking surface, a fastener striker guided in said body for movement between a retracted position and a fired position to which it is urged by said actuator rotating with said flywheel so that said striking surface of said actuator strikes said striker, releasable transmission means operative between said prime mover and said flywheel, said transmission means causing said flywheel to be disconnected from said prime mover each time said actuator striking surface strikes said striker such that kinetic energy developed at said flywheel by its rotation is used to drive said striker to said fired position, and means on said body for retaining at least one fastener in position to be driven by said striker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.