Setting tool assembly, setting tool, and metering head for the setting tool

Abstract

A setting tool assembly for driving fastening elements in constructional components includes a combustion energy-operated setting tool ( 10 ), a fuel source ( 11 ), a metering head ( 20 ) for metering a predetermined amount of liquid fuel or gaseous fuel stored in the fuel source ( 11 ) into the combustion chamber ( 12 ) of the setting tool ( 10 ), the metering head ( 20 ) having an inlet ( 23 ) communicating with the fuel source ( 11 ), at least two outlets ( 42, 52, 62, 72 ), and at least two metering valves ( 40, 50, 60, 70 ) which connect the inlet ( 23 ) with respective outlets and which have different volumes of metering chambers ( 41, 51, 61, 71 ), and a device for selectively connecting the outlets of the metering head ( 20 ) with the combustion chamber ( 12 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A setting assembly for driving fastening elements in constructional components, comprising: 
 a combustion energy-operated setting tool ( 10 ) having at least one combustion chamber ( 12 );    a fuel source ( 11 );    a metering head ( 20 ) for metering a predetermined amount of one of liquid fuel and gaseous fuel stored in the fuel source ( 11 ) into the at least one combustion chamber ( 12 ) of the setting tool ( 10 ), the metering head ( 20 ) having at least one inlet ( 23 ) communicating with the fuel source ( 11 ), at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ),.and at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) connected with the at least one inlet ( 23 ) and respective ones of the at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) and having different volumes of respective metering chambers ( 41 ,  51 ,  61 ,  71 ) thereof; and    a device ( 25 ) for selectively connecting the at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of the at least two metering valves ( 41 ,  51 ,  61 ,  71 ) with the at least one combustion chamber ( 12 ).    
     
     
         2 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the selectively connecting device has an operational member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 .) associated with at least one of metering head ( 2 ) and the combustion chamber ( 12 ) and having fuel passages ( 33 ;  34 ,  35 ) with stops ( 39 ) for supporting at least one of the at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of the metering head ( 20 ) and blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) for receiving another one of the at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) without actuating a respective metering valve ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ), and wherein the selectively connecting device ( 25 ) is displaceable between different indexing positions ( 27 ,  28 ) in which a respective other one of the fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and the blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) is associated with each of the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ).  
     
     
         3 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein in each indexing position ( 27 ,  28 ) of the selectively connecting device ( 25 ), different fuel passages ( 33 ,  35 ,  36 ) and blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) are associated with the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ).  
     
     
         4 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the operational member ( 26 . 2 ) is formed as a slide ( 38 ) displaceably supported on a combustion chamber wall ( 18 ) for displacement relative to the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) from one indexing position ( 27 ) of the selectively connecting device ( 25 ) to another indexing position ( 28 ) thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the operational member ( 30 . 2 ) forms an integral part of a combustion chamber wall ( 18 ), and the metering head ( 20 ) with the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) is displaceably arranged opposite the member ( 30 . 2 ).  
     
     
         6 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising an actuation device ( 90 ) for displacing the metering head ( 20 ) from an off-position ( 21 ) thereof in which the metering head ( 20 ) is spaced from the member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) and the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) are closed, to an operational position ( 22 ) thereof in which at least one of the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of a respective one of the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) extends into a respective fuel passage ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and at least one of the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) which is associated with the respective fuel passage ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) is actuated.  
     
     
         7 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) are arranged on the metering head ( 20 ) in a row, and the fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and the blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) are likewise arranged in a row located opposite the row of the meeting valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ).  
     
     
         8 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising electromechanical adjusting device ( 80 ) for displacing the metering head ( 20 ) and the member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) relative to each other from one indexing position ( 27 ) in another indexing position.  
     
     
         9 . A setting tool assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the member ( 30 . 2 ) is fixed on the setting tool ( 10 ), and the metering head ( 20 ) is displaceable between at least two indexing position ( 27 ,  28 ) relative to the fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ),  35 ) and blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ).  
     
     
         10 . A setting tool for driving fastening elements in constructional components, comprising: 
 at least one combustion chamber ( 12 ) having a plurality of inlet openings provided in a combustion chamber wall ( 18 ) and connectable with a fuel source ( 11 ); and an operational member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) associated with the combustion chamber and having a plurality of fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) with stops ( 39 ) for supporting outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ), which connect the inlet openings of the combustion chamber ( 12 ) with the fuel source ( 11 ), and a plurality of blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) for receiving the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ). without actuating same.    
     
     
         11 . A setting tool according to  claim 10 , wherein the operational member ( 30 . 1 ) is formed as a slide ( 38 ) displaceably supported on the combustion chamber wall ( 18 ) and displaceable relative to the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ). of the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) from one indexing position ( 27 ) into at least one further indexing position ( 28 ) thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A setting tool according to  claim 10 , wherein the operational member ( 30 . 2 ) forms an integral part of the combustion chamber wall ( 18 ), and the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) are arranged in a metering head ( 20 ) displaceably arranged opposite the operational member ( 30 . 2 ).  
     
     
         13 . A setting tool according to  claim 12 , further comprising an actuation device ( 90 ) for displacing the metering head ( 20 ), which is arranged on the setting tool, from an off-position ( 21 ) in which the metering head ( 20 ) is spaced from the member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) and all of the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) are closed, into an operational position ( 22 ) in which the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) extend into respective fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ), with the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,. 60 ,  70 ) the outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) of which extend into the fuel passages being actuated.  
     
     
         14 . A setting tool according to  claim 10 , wherein the fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and the blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ) are arranged on the operational member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) in a row, and the metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) are arranged in a metering head ( 20 ) also in a row located opposite the row of fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and the blind bores ( 35 ,  37 ) on the operational member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ).  
     
     
         15 . A setting tool according to  claim 14 , further comprising an electromechanical adjusting device ( 80 ) for displacing one of the operational member ( 30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 ) and the metering head ( 20 ) from one indexing position ( 27 ) to another indexing position ( 28 ).  
     
     
         16 . A setting tool according to  claim 12 , wherein the metering head ( 20 ) is displaceable between two indexing position ( 27 ,  28 ) relative to the fuel passages ( 33 ,  34 ,  35 ) and the blind bores ( 36 ,  37 ).  
     
     
         17 . A metering head for metering a metered amount of one of liquid fuel and gaseous fuel into a combustion chamber of a setting tool ( 10 ), the metering head comprising: 
 an inlet ( 23 ) connectable with a source of fuel ( 11 );    at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,. 72 );    at least two metering valves ( 40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70 ) connecting the inlet ( 23 ) with a respective one of the at least two outlets ( 42 ,; 52 ,  62 ,  72 ) and having metering chambers ( 41 ,  51 ,  61 ,  71 ) with different volumes; and    means ( 25 ) for selectively connecting the at least two outlets ( 42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72 ) with the combustion chamber ( 12 ) of the setting tool ( 10 ).