Nail guide mechanism for a nail gun

Abstract

A nail guide mechanism, suitable for use with a wide variety of nail guns, having a mounting bracket to permit ready attachment and/or removal in the field. The guide mechanism, when mounted, is oriented about the channel defined by the nose of the nail gun. The guide mechanism includes a partially pre-compressed spring that induces a bias on a pivoting arm such that the arm is caused to protrude at least partially into the channel. The arm is thus positioned to continuously exert a force on the nails as they are driven down the channel past the arm. Because the spring is only partially pre-compressed, the positioning of the arm is responsive to changes in conditions inside the channel, such as when the head of a nail passes by the arm. The force exerted by the arm, under the influence of the spring, acts substantially along the radial axis of the nail, and is exerted on the nail during at least a portion of the time that the nail is being impelled by the driving mechanism of the nail gun. The result of the force thus exerted is that every nail is pushed to a desired position in the channel, thereby ensuring consistent orientation of the nails as they exit the nail gun. The guide mechanism also includes a pilot which, when the mechanism is mounted, is located immediately adjacent to the channel. The pilot has a small tip that is inserted into the nail hole so as to provide assurance that the nail gun is properly located. The pilot therby cooperates with the arm to ensure accurate and consistent placement and orientation of each nail as it exits the gun.

1. In conjuntion with a framing nail gun having a nose portion defining a substantially U-shaped channel through which nails are propelled, the substantially U-shaped channel including an open side and a bottom, a fastener guide mechanisms for adapting the framing nail gun for use in mounting metal members, the fastener guide mechanism being removably attached about the nose portion and comprising:
 (a) an attachment portion removably secured about the nose portion of the framing nail gun, said attachment portion including a substantially U-shaped sleeve which defines an opening that is substantially aligned with the open side of the substantially U-shaped channel when said attachment portion is secured about the nose portion;  
 (b) a guide portion joined to said attachement portion and including a pivot arm connected to a spring, said spring biasing said pivot arm so that at least  a portion of said pivot arm extends through said opening in said substantially U-shaped sleeve of said attachment portion and through the open side of the substantially U-shaped channel of the nose portion so as to be received in the substantially U-shaped channel, and said pivot arm transmitting an orienting force to the nails passing through the substantially U-shaped channel.  
 
     
     
       2. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 1 , wherin said spring is pre-compressed. 
     
     
       3. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 1 , further including a pilot. 
     
     
       4. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 1 , wherein said guide portion is removably joined to said attachment portion so as to facilitate repositioning of said guide portion relative to said attachment portion. 
     
     
       5. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a stop for facilitating positioning of the fastener guide mechanism with respect to the nose of the nail gun. 
     
     
       6. The nail gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherien said guide portion is integral with said attachment portion. 
     
     
       7. A nail gun connectable to a power source and comprising:
 (a) a body including a receptacle portion configured to hold at least one nail, and said body including a nose portion defining a channel through which nails are propelled, said channel having a bottom as well as an open side through which said nails enter from said receptacle portion;  
 (b) a drive mechanism at least indirectly attached to said body, said drive mechanism propelling said nails and said drive mechanism being at least indirectly impelled by the power source; and  
 (c) a fastener guide mechanism removable secured to the nail gun, comprising: 
 (i) an attachment portion disposed about said nose portion of the nail gun, said attachment portion including a sleeve which defines an opening that is substantially aligned with said open side of said channel when said fastener guide-mechanism is attached to the nail gun; and  
 (ii) a guide portion jointed to said attachment portion and including a transfer element connected to a resilient member, said resilient member biasing said transfer element so that at least  a portion of said transfer element extends into said opening defined by said sleeve of said attachment portion and through said open side of said channel of said nose portion so as to be at least partially received in said channel.  
 
 
     
     
       8. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said resilient member is integral with said transfer element. 
     
     
       9. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said resilient member comprises a spring. 
     
     
       10. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said transfer element comprises a pivot arm. 
     
     
       11. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a pilot attached to said fastener guide mechanism. 
     
     
       12. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the nail gun shoots a first type of nail when said fastener guide mechanism is not present on said nose portion, and wherein the nail gun is capable of shooting a second type of nail when said fastener guide mechanism is attched to said nose portion. 
     
     
       13. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said guide portion is removably joined to said attachment portion so as to facilitate repositioning of said guide portion relative to said attachment portion. 
     
     
       14. The nail gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said guide portion is integral with said attachment portion. 
     
     
       15. The nail gun recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a stop for facilitating positioning of said fastener guide mechanism with respect to said nose portion of the nail gun. 
     
     
       16. For use in conjunction with a nail gun configured to drive a first type of nail, the nail gun having a nose portion defining a channel through which nails are propelled, and the channel including an open side and a bottom, a fastener guide mechanism for adapting the nail gun to drive a second type of nail when the fastener guide mechanism is attached to the nose portion, the fastener guide mechanism comprising:
 (a) an attachment portion configured to be removably secured to the nail gun, said atachement portion including a sleeve which defines an opening that is substantially aligned with the open side of the channel when said attachment portion is attached to the nail gun; and  
 (b) a guide portion joined to said attachment portion and including a transfer element connected to a resilient member, said resilient member biasing said transfer element so that at least  portion of said transfer element extends into said opening defined by said sleeve of said attachment portion and through the open side of the channel of the nose portion so as to be at least partially received in the channel.  
 
     
     
       17. The fastener guide mechanism as recite in  claim 16 , wherein said guide portion is removably joined to said attachment portion so as to facilitate repositioning of said guide portion relative to said attachment portion. 
     
     
       18. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said guide portion is integral with said attachment portion. 
     
     
       19. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said resilient member is integral with said transfer element. 
     
     
       20. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said resilient member comprises a spring. 
     
     
       21. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said transfer element comprises a pivot arm. 
     
     
       22. The fastener guide mechanism as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a pilot. 
     
     
       23. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a stop for facilitating positioning of the fastener guide mechanism with respect to the nose of the nail gun. 
     
     
       24. The fastener guide mechanism recited in  claim 16 , wherein said sleeve is substantially U-shaped.