Coated staple and fastening tool for the same

Abstract

Insulated or coated staple and a fastening tool for driving the same into a substrate. The tool includes a housing and a driver reciprocally mounted in the housing and moveable with respect to the housing, the driver having a driving surface for engaging a fastener such as a coated staple. A magazine assembly is associated with the housing for positioning and aligning the coated fastener in the path of the driver so that when actuated, the driver strikes the fastener and forcibly ejects it from the magazine into the substrate on which the object to be fastened is to be secured. Suitable fasteners include coated staples (of various sizes and configurations), nails, brads, rivets, etc.

1 . A fastening tool and at least one fastener, said tool comprising: 
 a housing;    a driver associated with said housing;    an actuator for actuating said driver;    means for holding at least one fastener associated with said housing, said means for holding said at least one fastener containing at least one individually, coated fastener formed from uniformly coated material, including a forwardmost fastener;    means for aligning one of said at least one fastener with said driver.    
   
   
       2 . The fastening tool and at least one fastener of  claim 1 , wherein said tool is adapted to fasten an object to a substrate.  
   
   
       3 . The fastening tool and at least one fastener of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener is a staple.  
   
   
       4 . The fastening tool and at least one fastener of  claim 2 , wherein said object to be fastened to a substrate is a wire.  
   
   
       5 . A fastener which: 
 is formed from a uniformly coated material, which coating remains uniform once cured and remains on the fastener after it is formed;    comprises a bight portion and a pair of legs extending from said bight portion, each leg terminating in a free end.    
   
   
       6 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said fastener is a staple.  
   
   
       7 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said fastener is for securing an object to a substrate.  
   
   
       8 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein said fastener is for securing an object to a substrate.  
   
   
       9 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein said object is a wire.  
   
   
       10 . The fastener of  claim 8 , wherein said object is a wire.  
   
   
       11 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said coating and said fastener form an integral unitary structure.  
   
   
       12 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein said coating and said fastener form an integral unitary structure.  
   
   
       13 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said coating has a thickness of from about 0.001 inches to about 0.050 inches.  
   
   
       14 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein said coating has a thickness of from about 0.001 inches to about 0.050 inches.  
   
   
       15 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein the coated material is bright or galvanized steel.  
   
   
       16 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein the coated material is bright or galvanized steel.  
   
   
       17 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein each said free end terminates in an angled cut to facilitate penetration into said substrate.  
   
   
       18 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said coating is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, PVC, CPVC, ABS and PVDF.  
   
   
       19 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein said coating is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, PVC, CPVC, ABS and PVDF.  
   
   
       20 . The fastener of  claim 5 , wherein said coating is nylon.  
   
   
       21 . The fastener of  claim 6 , wherein said coating is nylon.  
   
   
       22 . A method for forming a fastener, comprising: 
 providing a material with a uniform coating thereon, which coating remains uniform when cured; and    forming said material into a staple body with a bight portion and a pair of legs extending from said bight portion, each leg terminating in a free end.