Nail guide mechanism for a nail gun

Abstract

A nail guide mechanism, suitable for use with a wide variety of nail guns, having a mounting bracket to permit ready attachment and/or removal in the field. The guide mechanism, when mounted, is oriented about the channel defined by the nose of the nail gun. The guide mechanism includes a partially pre-compressed spring that induces a bias on a pivoting arm such that the arm is caused to protrude at least partially into the channel. The arm is thus positioned to continuously exert a force on the nails as they are driven down the channel past the arm. Because the spring is only partially pre-compressed, the positioning of the arm is responsive to changes in conditions inside the channel, such as when the head of a nail passes by the arm. The force exerted by the arm, under the influence of the spring, acts substantially along the radial axis of the nail, and is exerted on the nail during at least a portion of the time that the nail is being impelled by the driving mechanism of the nail gun. The result of the force thus exerted is that every nail is pushed to a desired position in the channel, thereby ensuring consistent orientation of the nails as they exit the nail gun. The guide mechanism also includes a pilot which, when the mechanism is mounted, is located immediately adjacent to the channel. The pilot has a small tip that is inserted into the nail hole so as to provide assurance that the nail gun is properly located. The pilot thereby cooperates with the arm to ensure accurate and consistent placement and orientation of each nail as it exits the gun.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.