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A method and apparatus for fastening a first relatively soft structural component such as a wood panel to a second relatively hard structural component such as a steel angle iron using fasteners each having a forward self-drilling portion, a rearward, self-tapping portion, and an outwardly projectin

A method and apparatus for fastening a first relatively soft structural component such as a wood panel to a second relatively hard structural component such as a steel angle iron using fasteners each having a forward self-drilling portion, a rearward, self-tapping portion, and an outwardly projecting head. The fasteners are driven by a pneumatic rotary impact driver and the method comprises rotatively driving each fastener so as to cause its self-drilling portion to drill a first hole through the wood panel and thereafter rotatively driving and impacting that fastener so as to cause its self-drilling portion to drill a second hole in the angle iron and its self-tapping portion to form a screw connection with the angle iron around the second hole.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for use in attaching structural members to one another using fasteners comprising: a rotary impact driver having an output spindle, said driver being operable on command to rotate said spindle and to repetitively impact said spindle when said spindle encounters a pr

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for use in attaching structural members to one another using fasteners comprising: a rotary impact driver having an output spindle, said driver being operable on command to rotate said spindle and to repetitively impact said spindle when said spindle encounters a predetermined level of resistance to rotation; means connected to said spindle for supporting a tool bit in coaxial relation with said spindle so that rotational and rotary impact forces generated by said driver will be transmitted to said tool bit; a positioning plate, said positioning plate having a top end surface and a bottom end surface, a fastener drive bore extending between and through said top and bottom surfaces, said fastener drive bore being coaxial with said spindle; and telescoping means coupling said positioning plate to said driver so that said driver and said spindle can be moved toward and away from said top end surface of said positioning plate; whereby when said bottom end surface of said positioning plate is positioned on a first structural member that is to be attached to an underlying second structural member, said telescoping means permits said driver and spindle to be moved toward said first structural member to bring a tool bit attached to said spindle into engagement with the head of a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore, so that operation of said driver will cause said fastener to be driven through said first structural member into said second structural member under the rotational and impact forces transmitted to said spindle by said driver. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including biasing means urging said telescoping means in a direction to move said driver away from said top end surface of said positioning plate. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a tool bit attached to said spindle and extending into said fastener drive bore of said positioning plate. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said tool bit is attached to said spindle by a quick-release connection means. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a magazine attached to said positioning plate having means for holding a clip of fasteners arranged in single file and means for pneumatic means for urging said telescoping means to move in a direction to move said barrel and said drive shaft away from said top end surface of said positioning plate when said driver is coupled to a source of pressurized fluid; and means for advancing the clip so that each fastener in turn is disposed in said fastener drive bore in position for driving engagement by a tool bit attached to said drive shaft. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including travel limiting means for limiting the extent of movement of said driver relative to said fastener positioning plate. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said travel limiting means includes a member movable with said driver and engageable with said positioning plate, said member being adjustable to vary the distance that said driver can move toward said positioning plate. 8. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of said fasteners is pointed at one and has a head at its opposite end, with said head having a conically shaped side surface and a plurality of mutually spaced cutting blades protruding from said side surface for cutting a countersink for said head in a structural member when said each fastener is rotatively driven through said structural member. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said clip comprises a plastic strip having a top side and a bottom side and a series of holes extending between said top side and said bottom side, each hole having a plurality of internal ribs, and webs connecting said ribs at said top side of said strip, and further wherein each of said fasteners is disposed in one of said holes with its said head facing up and spaced from said top side of said strip and its said pointed end projecting below said bottom side of said strip, and said each fastener is gripped by the said ribs and webs of the hole in which it is disposed. 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including pneumatic means for applying a pneumatic force to said telescoping means so as to cause said telescoping means to move said driver and said spindle away from said top end surface of said positioning plate to a limit position. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including valve means for controlling application of said pneumatic driving force to said telescoping means, and manually operated means for operating said valve means so as to terminate application of said pneumatic force to said telescoping means. 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said driver is a pneumatic driver, and further wherein control means also controls operation of said pneumatic driver. 13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said positioning plate is provided with foot rest means for permitting an operator of the apparatus to apply foot pressure to hold said positioning plate in engagement with a structural member that is to be attached to another structural member. 14. Apparatus for use in connecting structural members together by means of fasteners, said apparatus comprising: a pneumatically powered rotary impact driver having a housing and an output spindle extending from said housing, said driver being adapted for connection to a source of pressurized fluid for powering the driver and being activatable, when connected to said source of pressurized fluid, to rotatively drive said spindle and also to repetitively impact said spindle when said spindle encounters a predetermined level of resistance to rotation; a torque and impact transmitting unit comprising an elongate barrel having first and second ends and an axial bore, means at said first end of said barrel for securing said barrel to said driver, and a drive shaft attached to and coaxial with said spindle so as to form an extension of said spindle, said drive shaft being disposed within said axial bore and having an outer end remote from said spindle; a positioning plate, said positioning plate having a top end surface and a bottom end surface, and a fastener drive bore extending between and through said top and bottom surfaces, said fastener drive bore being coaxial with said axial bore; telescoping means coupling said positioning plate to said barrel so that said barrel and said drive shaft can be moved toward and away from said top end surface of said positioning plate; pneumatic means for urging said telescoping means to move in a direction to move said barrel and said drive shaft away from said top end surface of said positioning plate when said driver is coupled to a source of pressurized fluid; connection means for coaxially attaching to said outer end of said drive shaft a tool bit that is adapted to make a locking engagement with the head of a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore; and means for deactivating said pneumatic means whereby to allow said telescoping means to move in a direction to move said barrel and said drive shaft toward said positioning plate, whereby when said bottom end surface of said positioning plate is positioned on a first structural member that is to be attached to a second underlying structural member, said torque and impact transmitting unit can be moved toward said member to bring a tool bit attached to said drive shaft into engagement with the head of a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore, so that operation of said driver will cause said fastener to be driven through said first structural member into said second structural member under the rotational and impact forces transmitted by said drive shaft and said tool bit. 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including means for introducing fasteners into said fastener drive bore in position for driving engagement by a tool bit attached to said drive shaft. 16. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said barrel has a pair of longitudinally extending slide bores, and said telescoping means comprises a pair of slide rods slidably received in slide bores, with said slide rods having outer ends attached to said positioning plate. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said slide rods have inner ends disposed in said slide bores, and said pneumatic means comprises means for injecting pressurized fluid into said slide bores so as to pneumatically force said slide rods to move in said slide bores toward said positioning plate. 18. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including adjustable stop means for limiting movement of said barrel and said drive shaft toward said positioning plate. 19. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including a tool bit attached to said outer end of said drive shaft by said connection means for engagement with a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore. 20. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said driver has a handle, and further including an auxiliary handle attached to said torque and impact transmitting unit adjacent to said driver, whereby said apparatus may be held by an operator's two hands when used to drive fasteners. 21. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including a magazine attached to said positioning plate having means for holding a strip of fasteners arranged in single file and means for feeding those fasteners into said fastener drive bore in position for driving engagement by a tool bit attached to said drive shaft. 22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said magazine is adapted to support a fastener clip comprising a plastic strip and a plurality of fasteners disposed within and supported by said strip. 23. Apparatus according to claim 14 further including a multi-port control valve means for controlling application of pressurized fluid to said pneumatic means and said driver, and further wherein said means for deactivating said pneumatic means comprises manually-operable means for controlling operation of said control valve means. 24. Apparatus according to claim 14 comprising additional pneumatic means for urging said telescoping means to move in a direction to move said barrel and said drive shaft toward said top end surface of said positioning plate when said driver is coupled to a source of pressurized fluid, and means for deactivating said additional pneumatic means when said first-mentioned pneumatic means is activated. 25. Apparatus for use in connecting structural members to one another by means of fasteners, said apparatus comprising: a rotary impact driver having a housing and an output spindle extending from said housing, said driver being operable on command to rotate said spindle and to repetitively impact said spindle when said spindle encounters a predetermined level of resistance to rotation; a torque and impact transmitting unit coupled to said driver, said unit comprising an elongate barrel having first and second ends and an axial bore, an attachment means at said first end of said barrel for securing said barrel to said driver, and a drive shaft attached to and coaxial with said spindle so as to form an extension of said spindle, said drive shaft being disposed within said axial bore and having an outer end remote from said spindle; a positioning plate, said positioning plate having a top end surface and a bottom end surface, a fastener drive bore extending between and through said top and bottom surfaces, said fastener drive bore being coaxial with said drive shaft; telescoping means coupling said positioning plate to said barrel so that said barrel and said drive shaft can be moved toward and away from said top end surface of said positioning plate; and means for coaxially attaching to said outer end of said drive shaft a tool bit that is adapted to make a locking engagement with the head of a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore, whereby when said bottom end surface of said positioning plate is positioned on a member that is to be attached to an underlying substrate, said torque and impact transmitting unit can be moved toward said member to bring a tool bit attached to said drive shaft into engagement with the head of a fastener positioned in said fastener drive bore, so that operation of said driver will cause said fastener to be driven through said member into said substrate under the rotational and impact forces transmitted by said drive shaft and said tool bit. 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 further including biasing means for urging said telescoping means in a direction to move said barrel and said drive shaft away from said top end surface of said positioning plate. 27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said biasing means comprising mechanical spring means. 28. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said biasing means comprises pneumatic means. 29. Apparatus according to claim 25 further including a magazine attached to said positioning plate having means for holding a strip of fasteners arranged in single file and means for feeding those fasteners into said fastener drive bore in position for driving engagement by a tool bit attached to said drive shaft. 30. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said driver is a pneumatic rotary impact driver. 31. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said telescoping means comprises a pair of longitudinally extending slide bores in said barrel, and a pair of slide rods slidably received in slide bores. 32. Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said slide rods have heads slidably disposed in said slide bores and said slide bores and said heads form cylinder/piston arrangements, and further wherein said biasing means comprises means for delivering a pressurized fluid to and removing pressurized fluid from said slide bores, whereby pneumatic forces may be applied to or removed from said heads to vary the position of said slide rods in said slide bores. 33. Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said biasing means includes means for causing automatic delivery of pressurized fluid to said slide bores when said barrel and said drive shaft have moved a predetermined distance toward said positioning plate. 34. Apparatus according to claim 31 further including manually operated means for terminating application of pressurized fluid to said slide bores. 35. Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said biasing means comprises springs disposed in said slide bores and acting on said slide rods.