Clip gun with pneumatic feed

• US 8,322,006 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dayton Superior Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kodi Klip Corporation
• Inventors: Kodi, Jon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US12/762,409
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 292/435.6, 292/435.5, 292/435.7, 292/435.26, 298/09, 298/112, 298/16, 298/18
• US Class Current: 29/243.56
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/008 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/04 operated by fluid pressure , e.g. by air pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/188 Arrangements at the forward end of the barrel, e.g. splinter guards, spall minimisers, safety arrangements, silencers, bolt retainers
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/163 the reinforcements running in one single direction
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/167 Connection by means of clips or other resilient elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/122 Machines for joining reinforcing bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53478 with magazine supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53522 Means to fasten by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53752 having rotary drive mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53778 Pipe joiner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53783 Clip applier

Abstract

A safety shield is provided for a clip applying apparatus which applies plastic clips to connect rebar. The safety shield prevents operation of the apparatus unless a forward end of the apparatus is properly placed against the bars which are to be joined. Other features may include a safety latch which prevents operation if a cover door of the apparatus is open. Another feature which may be included is an anti-jamming mechanism that prevents operation of the apparatus if a string of clips is not properly received within the clip applying apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying a clip to first and second reinforcing bars, comprising:

a barrel having a distal end and a clip receiving cavity;

an alignment head defined on the distal end of the barrel, the alignment head having first and second pairs of notches for positioning the barrel against the first and second reinforcing bars when the bars are oriented transversely to each other, the first pair of notches being deeper than the second pair of notches;

a hammer received in the barrel;

a main drive, connected to the hammer, for reciprocating the hammer within the barrel;

a clip track connected to the barrel, the clip track aligned with the cavity for guiding a string of frangibly connected clips into the cavity;

a safety shield, connected to the barrel, including a forward portion extending distally beyond the alignment head and an actuation arm extending proximally from the forward portion, the safety shield including at least one notch aligned with the first pair of notches of the alignment head; and

a trigger assembly, connected to the main drive, to actuate reciprocation of the hammer, the trigger assembly including a safety release operably associated with the actuation arm of the safety shield.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the clip track has a longitudinal axis extending transversely from the barrel; and

the first pair of notches of the alignment head are aligned with each other in a first alignment direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clip track.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the barrel has a rectangular cross-section including four sides; and

the forward portion of the safety shield includes at least three sides overlying three of the four sides of the barrel adjacent the distal end of the barrel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the barrel has a rectangular cross-section including four sides; and

the forward portion of the safety shield includes at least three sides overlying three of the four sides of the barrel adjacent the distal end of the barrel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the actuation arm of the safety shield immediately proximal of the forward portion of the safety shield extends alongside the barrel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a removable cover attached to the barrel, the cover having a closed position and an open position, the open position permitting a clip string to be advanced along the clip track and through the cavity to remove the clip string from the apparatus; and

,

a safety latch, connecting the cover to the safety shield, the latch having a safety position that prevents proximal movement of the safety shield relative to the barrel unless the cover is in its closed position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

the safety shield defining a safety slot thereon;

the safety latch having a release pin for engaging the safety slot when the cover is in the open position to prevent proximal movement of the safety shield relative to the barrel; and

the release pin having a first extended end and a second extended end, the first extended end engaging the removable cover when the cover is in the closed position, the second extended end engaging the safety slot in the safety shield when the cover is in the open position preventing proximal movement of the safety shield relative to the barrel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an anti-jamming mechanism connected to the barrel, the anti-jamming mechanism including a latch having a first position for engaging the safety shield when a clip string is not fully advanced into the clip receiving cavity to prevent rearward movement of the safety shield and a second position out of engagement with the safety shield.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

the safety shield having a safety step for engaging the anti-jamming mechanism when a clip string is not fully advanced into the clip receiving cavity; and

a spring for biasing the latch toward the first position.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the latch extends into the clip receiving cavity when the latch is in the first position so that receipt of a clip in the clip receiving cavity will move the latch to the second position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pneumatic clip feed assembly, operably associated with the main drive so that, upon reciprocation of the hammer, the clip feed assembly may advance the clip string along the clip track into the cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pneumatic clip feed assembly further comprises:

a cylinder connected to the barrel for receiving compressed gas, the cylinder having an axis extending laterally outward from the barrel;

a piston slidably received in the cylinder;

a compression coil return spring disposed in the cylinder and engaging the piston, the return spring biasing the piston toward the barrel; and

a clip catch connected to the piston for pushing the clip into the clip receiving cavity.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pneumatic clip feed assembly further comprises:

a pneumatic clip feed housing having a slot therein;

a clip feed piston slidably received in the pneumatic clip feed housing; and

a clip feed finger for urging a clip into the clip receiving cavity, the finger having a first end connected to the clip feed piston and a second end extending outward through the slot in the pneumatic clip feed housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the pneumatic clip feed drive further comprises a coil compression return spring positioned in the pneumatic clip feed housing, the return spring engaging the clip feed piston to bias the piston toward the clip receiving cavity.

15. An apparatus for applying a clip to first and second reinforcing bars, comprising:

a barrel having a distal end and a clip receiving cavity;

an alignment head defined on the distal end of the barrel, the alignment head having first and second pairs of notches for positioning the barrel against first and second transverse reinforcing bars, the first pair of notches being deeper than the second pair of notches;

a hammer received in the barrel;

a main drive, connected to the hammer, for reciprocating the hammer within the barrel;

a clip track connected to the barrel, the clip track having a longitudinal axis extending transversely from the barrel and aligned with the cavity for guiding a string of frangibly connected clips into the cavity, the longitudinal axis of the clip track being parallel to an alignment direction defined by the first pair of notches of the alignment head;

a safety shield connected to the barrel, including a forward portion extending distally beyond the alignment head and an actuation arm extending proximally from the forward portion; and

a trigger assembly, connected to the main drive, to actuate reciprocation of the hammer, the trigger assembly including a safety release operably associated with the actuation arm of the safety shield.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the barrel has a rectangular cross-section including four sides; and

the forward portion of the safety shield includes at least three sides overlying three of the four sides of the barrel adjacent the distal end of the barrel.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the first pair of notches of the alignment head are sufficiently deep to extend over the first and second reinforcing bars when the bars are oriented parallel to each other.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the forward portion of the safety shield includes at least one notch aligned with the first pair of notches of the alignment head.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the at least one notch of the safety shield is located in a middle one of the at least three sides of the forward portion of the safety shield.

20. An apparatus for applying a clip to first and second reinforcing bars, comprising:

a barrel having a distal end and a clip receiving cavity;

an alignment head defined on the distal end of the barrel, the alignment head having first and second pairs of notches for positioning the barrel against the first and second reinforcing bars when the bars are oriented transversely to each other, the first pair of notches being deeper than the second pair of notches;

a hammer received in the barrel;

a main drive, connected to the hammer, for reciprocating the hammer within the barrel;

a clip track connected to the barrel, the clip track aligned with the cavity for guiding a string of frangibly connected clips into the cavity;

a safety shield, connected to the barrel, including a forward portion extending distally beyond the alignment head and an actuation arm extending proximally from the forward portion, the safety shield including at least one notch aligned with one of the notches of the alignment head;

a trigger assembly, connected to the main drive, to actuate reciprocation of the hammer, the trigger assembly including a safety release operably associated with the actuation arm of the safety shield;

an anti-jamming mechanism connected to the barrel, the anti-jamming mechanism including a latch having a first position for engaging the safety shield when a clip string is not fully advanced into the clip receiving cavity to prevent rearward movement of the safety shield and a second position out of engagement with the safety shield; and

a pneumatic clip feed assembly, operably associated with the main drive so that, upon reciprocation of the hammer, the clip feed assembly advances the clip string along the clip track into the cavity.