Pneumatic cable tie tool

A tool for installing a cable tie, said cable tie having a head portion and an elongate tail portion extending therefrom, said tool comprising:

• a housing;
• a tensioning mechanism for tensioning said cable tie to a predetermined tension setting, said tensioning mechanism operatively supported by said housing, said tensioning mechanism including a linearly reciprocating tension rod and a reverse single acting cylinder;
• a cutting mechanism for severing an excess portion of said tail from said tensioned cable tie, said cutting mechanism operatively supported by said housing;
• a restraining mechanism including a ball detent assembly, said restraining mechanism being in communication with said reverse single acting cylinder and being generally axially aligned with said linearly reciprocating tension rod and said reverse single acting cylinder, said restraining mechanism for effecting a predetermined tension setting on said reverse single acting cylinder;
• and
• a manually actuable external power delivery system for actuating said tensioning and cutting mechanisms, said power delivery system including a pneumatic power source, a trigger, and a three-way pneumatic valve;
• whereby when said trigger is manually actuated, pneumatic pressure forces said reverse single acting cylinder to rearwardly pull said linerly reciprocating tension rod, thereby simultaneously restraining movement of said cutting mechanism and tensioning said cable tie until said predetermined tension setting effected by said restraining mechanism is reached in said cable tie, after which said reverse single acting cylinder is released from said pneumatic pressure such that said reverse single acting cylinder is thrust forwardly to activate said cutting mechanism to sever said cable tie.