US2835894A - Explosion-operated tool - Google Patents

Description

May 27 1958 H. BEHREND 2,835,894

ExPLoswN-oPERATED Toor.

Filed Nov. 20, 1952 3/ 23 a 9 fa i5/5 ,f2/9

United States Patent C) EXPLOSION-OPERATED TOOL Herbert Behrend, Duesseldorf-Unterath, Germany Application November 20, 1952, Serial No. 321,626 Claims priority, application Germany November 21, 1951 9 Claims. (Cl. 144.5)

The invention relates to an explosion-operated tool or device for driving steel pins or bolts into construction parts, such as masonry, concrete, structural iron and steel, or other materials by means of gunpowder. There are known devices of this kind which, however, have many disadvantages. A principal diiiiculty is that all such devices may also be operated with their splinter-guard sleeve removed, which leads frequently to undesired accidents. Another disadvantage is that the barrel of the tool must be unscrewed or disassembled from the casing therefor for each operation or discharge, or else must be secured therein by a slide catch, which involves considerable loss of time.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the invention to provide means eliminating these disadvantages without sacrifice ofthe advantages of heretofore known explosionoperated devices.

The device according to the invention is held with its end or mouth pressed rmly against the wall to be worked upon, thereby displacing the casing relative to the barrel and an associated firing block and tensioning the firingpin spring so that the device is immediately ready for operation or discharge. According to the invention, how ever, this can happen only when the splinter-guard sleeve displaces an expansion or ball sleeve which would otherwise stop o1' impede the motion of the casing if the operator should omit the guard sleeve due to oversight or for purpose of convenience. The discharge could then not occur. Y V

Another feature of the invention is to provide means whereby the barrel, after insertion of the fastener and cartridge thereinto, may be pushed or inserted into the device without being threaded ithereinto. The locking or coupling of the block to the barrel for the discharge of a cartridge by means of a firing pin is likewise effected by an expansion or coupling sleeve which is fully actuated when the device is pressed against the wall to be worked upon. This results in the possibility of employing re peater, as well as single-short barrels, since it is now possible to rotate the barrel in normal position so as to bring one charge after another in front of the firing pin.

Other advantages of the device according to the invention are manifold, and only the more important ones will be here indicated. It has frequently happened that bolts driven into concrete have encountered pebbles beneath the surface of the wall and were then deflected, and emerged from the Wall immediately alongside `'the tool. When the guard-sleeve was not applied or in place, the operatorwas inevitably injured. In the device according to the invention, it is impossible `to produce the discharge without having the guard `sleeve `in place.

Still another important advantage ofthe device accordingto the invention is thatthe barrel need merely be inserted into the toolfthereby affording a far more rapid operation than heretofore experienced. This is especially soif a repeater barrel` is employed. 1

Theseand.otheradvantages of lthe invention will bej, 2,835,894 Patented May 27, 1958 "ice come apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

ln the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the loaded device made according to the invention, and shown in normal position together with the splinter-guard sleeve;

Fig. 2 shows the device according to Fig. 1, immediately before discharge;

Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention, without splinter-guard sleeve, with the barrel locked accordinsly;

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the barrel when used as a repeater;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of an expansion sleeve;

Fig. 6 shows a ball sleeve.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, Fig. l represents a loaded tool according to the invention and prior to its operation. The tool comprises a barrel 3 provided with a central bore or passageway, the barrel being shown to be loaded with a fastener 1 and a cartridge 2. The barrel is located within casing S and is maintained in position by the coaction of recess 20 in casing 5 with tapered or conical flexible jaws or lugs 22 of a rst eX- pansion sleeve f-l, said expansion sleeve being an extension of block'23 located against the inner end of the barrel.

The jaws of the expansion sleeve 4 are provided with internal grooves 29 which correspond with external grooves 3l) on the barrel 3. A second expansion sleeve 6 is positioned between the barrel and Ithe casing and abuts with its rear end against the adjacent ends of lugs 22 of expansion sleeve 4, while its lugs 22 rest in recess 21 of the casing. Immediately beyond expansion sleeve 6, the barrel 3 is provided with a short intermediate portion a of reduced diameter. Splinter guard sleeve 7 abuts at one end against forward extremity of lugs 22 of expansion sleeve 6 and fits snugly in the space between barrel 3 and the forward end of casing 5. The other end of splinter guard 7 is enlarged, as shown, in order to shield the operator from particles of gunpowder, mortar, etc.

Within casing 5, a tiring-pin releasing bolt or latch 8 isV positioned and held in position by a leafspring 9. The bolt has a central cylindrical opening which is normally out of alignment with the central cylindrical opening in block 23. A cup-shaped member 31 positioned within casing 5 abuts bolt or latch 8 and has a central opening aligned with that of block 23. Spring sleeve or housing 12 reaches at one end into member 31 and carries firing pin 10 which projects through the opening of member 31 and is provided with an impact tip 27 extending into the cen tral opening of bolt or latch 8. Enlarged head 23 is attached to the firing pin and limits forward movement of the firing pin relative to spring housing 12.

Firing-pin spring 11 is accommodated within spring housing 12 under slight compression, bearing at one end against enlarged head 28 and at the other end against perforated plate 19.

Sleeve 14, accommodated within casing 5, engages spring housing 12 and contains perforated plate 19 and a spring 13 which is provided to compensate for any unevenness in the wall. Thus, if there are any bulges or depressions in the wall W, the compressibility of spring permits some additional movement of splinter guard '7, casing 5 and its associated par-ts until the front edge of guard 7 is coplanar with the front face of barrel 3, as may be seen in Fig. 2. Spring 13 is held in place by pressure head 16 secured to the outside of casing 5. Spring 15 surrounds rings housing 12 and bears against member 31 and sleeve 14.

The firing-pin releasing means additionally comprise a leafspring 18 which lies inside casing 5 and extends from latch 8 to the area occupied by spring 15. Rivet 24 secures leafspring 18 to the casing. Latch actuating button 17 is fixed to leafspring 1S and extends movably through a lateral bore in casing 5.

In operation, the front end of barrel 3 is placed against a construction part, such as wall W, which is to bc pierced by bolt or pin 1, and pressure is then applied to head i6 to move casing 5 and sleeve i4 relative to barrel 3 and toward wall W. Since barrel 3, expansion sleeve d and associated block 23, latch ti, cup-shaped member 3l, and firing pin l0 remain stationary as casing 5 moves forward, spring is compressed between the front end of sleeve 14 and the rear end of member 3i.

Simultaneously, spring 13 tends to maintain the rear flanged end of spring housing il?, in engagement with the inner surface of the front end of sleeve ld. rl"hus, housing l2. moves with casing S and into the central open portion of cup-shaped member 3E, whereby firing pin. spring 11 is compressed between plate l@ and head Z3 of ring pin 1t).

Concurrently with the above described spring movements, flexible lugs 22 are moved radially of and toward barrel 3 by virtue of the camming action of the slanted wall of recess 29. This brings the cooperating grooves Z9 and 3d into engagement, coupling expansion sleeve l and block 23 rigidly to barrel in the meantime, expansion sleeve 6 moves with casing 5 and, therefore, pushes splinter-guard sleeve 7 ahead of it toward wall W.

The parts are so constructed that splinter-guard sleeve 7 abuts against wall W so as to impede any further forward movement of sleeve 6 just as the flexible lugs 22 of the latter are located opposite reduced portion or groove a of barrel 31, so that lugs 22 are deflected radially of and toward barrel 3 by virtue of the camming action of the slanted wall of recess 2i as casing 5 moves further toward wall W. When casing 5 finally abuts against splinter-guard sleeve 7 at b, the front end of spring housing 12 contacts the inner surface of the front end of member 31 at c (see Fig. 2) while button il? is now located opposite latch 3.

Upon movement of button 8 inwardly of casing 5, latch 8 s moved across casing 5 against the force of leaf spring 9 until the central opening of the latch is aligned with the bore in barrel 3, the opening in block 23, and the opening in the front end of member 3ft through which firing pin it) projects. As soon as this alignment is brought about, spring ill impels firing pin iti forwardly into Contact with cartridge 2 to exploded the latter and fire pin or bolt l. into wall W. lnFig. 2, the firing pin is shown in its forward or advanced position immediately prior to firing, fastener l still being present in the bore of barrel 3.

When the device is removed from the wall W after discharge, spring 15, which was compressed during the forward motion of casing 5, forces member 3i as well as bolt 8, block 23, barrel 3, expansion sleeves ft and 6, and splinter-guard sleeve 7 outwardly or forwardly of the casing and bach into normal position as shown in l. The lugs of both expansion sleeves 6 and i again engage the recesses 2i and 20, respectively, in casing 5, and if sleeve 12 was displaced at all it is pushed back to normal position by spring 13 carried in sleeve lli. Another operation cycle may now ltake place.

The same cycle of operation occurs in the use of the device with a repeater barrel 3. in such a modification, of course, the firing pin and/or its impact tip will be arranged ecceiurically of the casing S, the holes in member 3l, bolt or latch 8, and block 23 being arranged accordingly. Such a construction will be self-evident -to those skilled in the art and thus does not appear to require further amplification or illustration. Since in the device according to the invention, the barrel is readily rotatable in normal position, the several charges may now be brought in front of the firing-pin without diiiculty by rotation of Vthe barrel. Suitable notches or like means e (Fig. A4) are provided to aid in locating the exact positions. tllbviously, l

the rotation may alternatively be accomplished automatically.

The repeater device is prepared for the next discharge by rotating the barrel, while in the single-shot device the barrel is removed and reloaded.

Fig. 3 illustrates the use of splinter-guard sleeve 7 as a safety means and shows how failure to employ said splinter-guard sleeve prevents operation of the device. Barrel 3 is placed against the wall and, under pressure applied to head 16, casing 5 moves along the barrel until the front end of expansion sleeve 6 contacts the barrel at a', which would not have been possible had the splinterguard been present. It is, therefore, evident that casing 5 is never disconnected or disengaged from expansion sleeve 6, the lugs 22 of sleeve 6 remaining in recess 21.

Since lugs 22' of sleeve 6 can neither move past portion l of barrel 3 nor be dislodged from recess 21, casing 5 cannot move forward any further. Therefore, spring housing 12 cannot contact member 31 at c. The dimensions of the various elements are so chosen that firing cannot take place unless the device is in the position of 2. Spring 11 is compressed to a limited extent, but when button 17 is pressed to align the central openings of block 23, latch or bolt 8, and member 3l, firing pin 10 cannot be propelled forwardly through the latch sufficiently to contact cartridge 2, so that no explosion results, The fastener is consequently not propelled into the wall.

ln lieu of an expansion sleeve as shown in Figs. 1-3 and 5, a ball sleeve as shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. Such a ball sleeve comprises a body member 25 in radial bores of which balls 26 are resiliently mounted, which balls are radially movable, but are secured against falling out. In a further modification, not shown, block 23 and sleeve 4, rather than being integral as in Figs, l, 2 and 3, may be separate elements connected or joined by suitable fastening means.

The invention has heretofore been described from the standpoint of a barrel which is stationary during operation while the casing moves relative to it. It will, however, be readily seen that the reverse can easily be true, i. e., that the casing is held stationary while the barrel and associated parts move relative to the casing. Thus, except for the change of reference or datum point, the operation of the stationary casing-movable barrel embodiment of the invention would be substantially the same as the operation of the stationary barrel-movable casingl embodiment of the invention described hereinabove.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and shown in the drawing, it should be noted that the invention may be realized in modified form and adaptations of the arrangements herein disclosed may be made as may readily occur to persons skilled in'V the art without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Thus it will he seen that there has been provided, in accordance with the broadest aspect of the invention, a tool for driving a steel pin, bolt or like object into a construction part, comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against said construction part during driving of said object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and said object to be driven, a casing comprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion and surrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from the front end of the latter, means for supporting a firing pin within said casing and positioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said firing pin as said casing is moved forward relative to said barrel upon application of pressure against said handle portion, a guard member having a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to be received in the front portion of said casing, and means in said casing interposed between the latter, said Y` barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence of said guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to the front end of said barrel for cocking said firing pin, but operable to prevent such movement in the absence of said guard member.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt, and like object into a construction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against said construction part during driving of said object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with a bore extending longitudinally therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and for said object to be driven, a hollow, elongated casing surrounding said barrel and movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of the latter, respectively, a firing pin disposed within said `casing rearwardly of said barrel and in alignment with said bore and movable longitudinally thereof, resilient means in said casing and operatively connected to said firing pin for exerting a forward biasing force on said firing pin, releasing means in said casing and manually actuatable from without the latter for releasably restraining said liring pin against longitudinal movement toward said barrel bore under the force of said resilient means, a splinterguard sleeve slidably disposed within said casing and surrounding one portion of said barrel adjacent said front end thereof and having a front part and a rear part, sleeve means disposed within said casing and surrounding another portion of said barrel positioned rearwardly of said splinter-guard sleeve, said sleeve means having its forward extremity abutting against said rear part of said splinter-guard sleeve, and means releasably connecting said sleeve means with said casing for forward movement therewith toward said front end of said barrel, whereby said splinter-guard sleeve may be moved by said casing and said sleeve means toward and for abutment against said construction part, said splinter-guard sleeve being operable, upon abutment against said construction part, toimpedesaid forward movement of said sleeve means and to disconnect the latter from said casing to thereby permit said casing to move further toward said front end of said barrel and cause said resilient means to exert said forward biasing force on said tiring pin, whereby, upon actuation of said releasing means, said tiring pin is forced toward said barrel for contact with said cartridge.

2. A tool according to claim l, said sleeve means being an expansion sleeve and having at least one part movable radially of said casing and said barrel, said casing being provided with an internal recess for accommodating said part prior to movement of said casing toward said front end of said barrel.

3. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt, and like object into a construction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end and an intermediate portion of reduced diameter, said front end of said barrel abutting against said construction part during driving of said object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with at least one bore extending longitudinally therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and for said object to be driven, a hollow, elongated casing surrounding said barrel and movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of the latter, respectively, a ring pin disposed within said casing rearwardly of said barrel and in alignment with said bore of said barrel and movable longitudinally thereof, resilient means in said casing and operatively connected to said ring pin for exerting a forward biasing force on said firing pin, a firing pin latch in said casing for releasably restraining said firing pin against movement toward said barrel under the action of said resilient means, means on said casing for operating said latch and releasing said firing pin for movement toward said barrel, a splinterguard sleeve slidably disposed within said casing and surrounding a portion of said barrel adjacent said front end thereof and having one front part and a rear part, and an expansion sleeve disposed within said casing and surrounding another portion of said barrel disposed rearwardly of said splinter-guard sleeve, said casing having a recess in its internal surface, said expansion sleeve being provided with lleXible lugs normally resting in said recess and detlectible by said casing toward said portion of reduced diameter of said barrel upon movement of said casing toward said front end of said barrel, the forward extremities of said lugs abutting against said rear part of said splinter-guard sleeve, whereby said eX- pansion sleeve is releasably connected with said casing for forward movement therewith toward said front end of said barrel and said splinter-guard Sleeve may be moved by said casing and said expansion sleeve toward and for abutment against said construction part, said splinterguard sleeve being operable, upon abutment against said construction part, to impede said forward movement of said expansion sleeve and to disconnect the latter from said casing to thereby permit said casing to move further toward said front end of said barrel and cause said resilient means to exert said forward biasing force on said firing pin, whereby, upon operation of said latch said firing pin is released and forced toward said barrel for contact with said cartridge.

4. A tool according to claim 3, further including additional resilient means in said casing and tensioned by movement of said casing toward said front end of said barrel, whereby said casing, said barrel, said latch, said expansion sleeve, and said splinter-guard sleeve are returned to their normal positions with respect to each other upon withdrawal of said barrel and said splinter-guard sleeve from said construction part.

5. A tool according to claim 3, further comprising an additional expansion sleeve within said casing and surrounding a portion of said barrel rearwardly of said rst named expansion sleeve, said casing having an additional internal recess spaced longitudinally and rearwardly of said lirst named recess, said additional expansion sleeve having flexible lugs normally resting in said additional recess and deectible by said casing out of said additional recess and toward the periphery of said barrel upon movement of said casing toward said front end of said barrel, said additional expansion sleeve having an aperture aligned with said bore in said barrel, and cooperative means on said barrel and on said flexible lugs of said additional expansion sleeve for coupling said additional expansion sleeve to saidbarrel when the exible lugs of said additional expansion sleeve are deflected out of said additional recess upon abutment of said front end of said barrel against said construction part and subsequent move-- ment of said casing toward said front end of said barrel.

6. A tool for driving a steel pin, bolt or like object into a construction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against said construction part during driving of said object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and said object lto be driven, a casing comprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion and surrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from the front end of the latter, means for supporting a ring pin within said casing and positioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said tiring pin as said casing is moved forward relative to said barrel upon application of pressure against said handle portion, a guard member having a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to be received in the front portion of said casing, and means in said casing interposed between the latter, said barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence of said guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to the front end of said barrel for cooking said tiring pin, but operable to prevent such movement in the absence of said guard member.

7. A tool according to claim 6, said casing being provided with a recess in its inner surface, said barrel being provided with an annular peripheral groove, said means interposed between said casing, said barrel and said sleeve portion comprising an expansion sleeve having a part normally engaged in said recess and deflectible out of said recess and into said groove upon movement of said casing toward said front end of said barrel and upon abutment of said part against said sleeve portion of said guard member.

8. An explosion operated tool, comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against a construction part during driving an object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and an object to be driven, a casing comprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion, said casing surrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of said barrel, said casing having a recess therein, a iirst expansiole sleeve about said barrel, said rst expansible sleeve having tapered tlexible jaws coacting with said recess to maintain said barrel in position in said casing, means for supporting a tiring pin within said casing and positioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said tiring pin as said casing is moved for- Ward relative to said barrel upon application of pressure against said handle portion, a guard member having a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to be received in the front portion of said casing, and a second expansible sleeve in said casing interposed between the casing, said barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence of said guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to the front end of said barrel for cooking said firing pin, operable to prevent such movement in the absence of said guard member.

9. An explosion operate tool for driving an object into a construction part; comprising an elongated barrel having a front end and a rear end, said front end of said barrel abutting against a construction part during driving of an object thereagainst, said barrel being provided with a longitudinal bore extending therethrough to form a passageway for a cartridge and an object to be driven, a casing comprising an elongated front portion and a handle portion, said casing surrounding said barrel, said casing being movable longitudinally relative to said barrel toward and away from said front end of said barrel, said casing having a first recess therein, a rst expansible sleeve about said barrel, said tirst expansible sleeve having tapered flexible jaws coacting with said first recess to maintain said barrel in position in said casing, means for supporting a tiring pin within said casing and positioned rearwardly of said barrel, means for cooking said tiring pin as said casing is moved forward relative to said barrel upon application of pressure against said handle portion, a guard member having a sleeve portion for surrounding said front end of said barrel and adapted to be received in the front'portion of said casing, said casing having a second recess therein, a second expansible sleeve in said casing interposed between said barrel and said sleeve portion and inoperable in the presence of said guard member to prevent movement of said casing relative to the front end of said barrel for cooking said tiring pin, but operable to prevent such movement in the absence of said guard member, said second exible sleeve having tapered flexible lugs coacting with said second recess to hold said second expansible sleeve with respect to said casing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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