Abstract: A contact trip assembly for a power nailer, wherein a contact member includes a curved portion that loops rearwardly towards a handle of the nailer. Also provided is an adjustment assembly including an adjustment plate and a pinion gear, a trigger that is slidably engageable within a housing of the tool, a trigger lock including a ring element, an anti-discharge mechanism including a stop member, and a contact trip lock.

Abstract: A fastener tool includes a housing comprising a nosepiece and a magazine connected to the housing for storing a fastener. A driving mechanism is disposed within the housing for driving the fastener into a workpiece. A trigger assembly is pivotally attached to the housing for activating the driving mechanism. A nosepiece cover is pivotally attached to the nosepiece. A latch is pivotally attached to the nosepiece cover. A latch wire is pivotally attached to the latch for engaging at least one hook disposed on the nosepiece. The latch wire has a portion extending between the latch and the hook, the portion having at least two bends.

Abstract: A contact trip assembly for a power nailer, wherein a contact member includes a curved portion that loops rearwardly towards a handle of the nailer. Also provided is an adjustment assembly including an adjustment plate and a pinion gear, a trigger that is slidably engageable within a housing of the tool, a trigger lock including a ring element, an anti-discharge mechanism including a stop member, and a contact trip lock.

Abstract: A power tool generally includes a housing and a motor assembly connected to a transmission assembly. The motor assembly and the transmission assembly are secured against rotation in the housing. A plurality of protrusions extends from a component of the transmission assembly. The power tool further includes an output spindle and a spindle lock assembly that connects the output spindle to the transmission assembly. The spindle lock assembly includes an anvil, an outer ring member and a plurality of roller members. The roller members and the protrusions are disposed between the anvil and the outer ring member. An indicator member extends from the outer ring member. A compliant member connects the outer ring member to an interior portion of the housing. A scale is connected to an exterior portion of the housing, wherein the indicator member moves relative to the scale to indicate a value of torque at the output spindle.

Abstract: A chuck for a drill/driver. The chuck can include an input shaft having a cavity, a chuck actuating shaft and a chuck actuating screw. The chuck actuating shaft can be received in the cavity and can be rotatable about a chuck axis. The chuck actuating shaft can have a threaded aperture. The chuck actuating screw can have a threaded portion that is threadably engaged to the threaded aperture. The jaws can be received in the cavity and can engage the input shaft. The jaws can be coupled to the chuck actuating screw such that rotation of the chuck actuating shaft relative to the chuck actuating screw translates the jaws so that the jaws converge toward or diverge from the chuck axis. The chuck further includes a device coupled to at least one of the chuck actuating screw, the chuck actuating shaft and the input shaft for limiting elastic elongation of the chuck actuating screw in an axial direction when the jaws are positioned in a fully opened condition.

Abstract: The fastener tool includes a nosepiece, a nosepiece cover pivotally attached to the nosepiece, a latch pivotally attached to the nosepiece cover, a latch wire pivotally attached to the latch for engaging at least one hook disposed on the nosepiece, wherein the latch wire has a portion extending between the latch and the hook, the portion having at least two bends.

Abstract: A control scheme is provided for a power tool having a rotary shaft. The control scheme includes: monitoring rotational motion of the tool generally about a longitudinal axis of the shaft; detecting a condition of the tool based on the rotational motion of the tool; and controlling torque imparted to the shaft upon detecting the tool condition, where the torque is inversely related to an angular displacement of the tool about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A hammer drill/driver with a motor having an output member, a planetary transmission, a clutch assembly and a clutch bypass. The planetary transmission, which includes a ring gear, receives rotary power from the output member and produces a rotary output. The clutch assembly has a clutch profile, which is coupled to the ring gear, and a first pin assembly having a first follower, a first pin member and a first spring that biases the first follower into contact with the clutch profile. The clutch bypass has a bypass profile, which is coupled to the ring gear, and second pin assembly having a second follower, a second pin member, a second spring, which biases the second follower away from the bypass profile, and a third spring, which biases the second follower away from the second pin member. A method for operation of a hammer drill/driver is also provided.

Abstract: A contact trip assembly for a power nailer, wherein a contact member includes a curved portion that loops rearwardly towards a handle of the nailer. Also provided is an adjustment assembly including an adjustment plate and a pinion gear, a trigger that is slidably engageable within a housing of the tool, a trigger lock including a ring element, an anti-discharge mechanism including a stop member, and a contact trip lock.

Abstract: A magazine is connectable to the nosepiece of a fastener tool having a driving mechanism for driving a fastener into a workpiece. The magazine defines a fastener channel for storing one or more fasteners, and a pusher channel that receives a pusher assembly for pushing the fasteners towards the nosepiece. The pusher assembly slides along the pusher channel and includes a pusher for contacting the fastener and pushing the fastener towards the nosepiece, and a spring for biasing the pusher towards the fastener channel. The pusher has a camming surface to bypass fasteners inserted into the magazine assembly when the pusher assembly is moved towards the end of the magazine assembly farthest from the nosepiece. The magazine also has a locking mechanism near the end of the magazine assembly farthest from the nosepiece for latching the pusher.

Abstract: A method for assembling an activation arm assembly for a power tool, such as a fastening tool or nailer. The method includes the mounting of various components of the activation arm assembly on pivot pins and positioning of a pair of arm members to load a spring that biases one of the arm members relative to another of the arm members.

Abstract: A fastening tool having a contact trip switch, a trigger switch, a driver, a motor assembly and a controller. The controller is configured to selectively operate the motor assembly in response to inputs received from the contact trip switch and the trigger switch. The controller includes a mode selector switch having a first switch setting, which can permit bump-feed operation of the fastening tool, and a second switch setting, which prohibits bump-feed operation of the fastening tool.

Abstract: A hand-held power tool with a housing with a handle arranged along an axis, a trigger disposed in the housing and configured to operate the hand-held power tool, first and second sets of guide tracks coupled to one of the housing and the trigger and first and second sets of guides coupled to the other. The trigger, which includes a contact surface that is configured to be contacted by a finger of a user of the hand-held power tool, is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The first and second sets of guide tracks guide the first and second sets of guides, respectively, such that movement of the trigger from the extended position to the retracted position causes the contact surface to move in a substantially constant direction having a first directional component and a second directional component, the first directional component being generally perpendicular to the axis of the handle and the second directional component being generally parallel to the axis of the handle.

Abstract: A fastening tool including a housing, a magazine connected to the housing for storing a fastener, a driving mechanism disposed within the housing for driving the fastener into a workpiece, a trigger assembly pivotally attached to the housing for activating the driving mechanism, the trigger assembly comprising a main trigger, pivotally attached to the housing and a supplemental trigger pivotally attached to the main trigger; and a contact trip assembly comprising an upper contact trip contacting the supplemental trigger, a lower contact trip connected to the upper contact trip, wherein the upper and lower contact trips have teeth that mesh together for locking the upper and lower contact trips.

Abstract: A fastening tool including a housing, a magazine connected to the housing for storing a fastener, a driving mechanism disposed within the housing for driving the fastener into a workpiece, a trigger assembly pivotally attached to the housing for activating the driving mechanism, the trigger assembly comprising a main trigger, pivotally attached to the housing and a supplemental trigger pivotally attached to the main trigger; and a contact trip assembly comprising an upper contact trip contacting the supplemental trigger, a lower contact trip connected to the upper contact trip, wherein the upper and lower contact trips have teeth that mesh together for locking the upper and lower contact trips.

Abstract: A fastening tool including a housing, a magazine connected to the housing for storing a fastener, a driving mechanism disposed within the housing for driving the fastener into a workpiece, a trigger assembly pivotally attached to the housing for activating the driving mechanism, the trigger assembly comprising a main trigger, pivotally attached to the housing and a supplemental trigger pivotally attached to the main trigger; and a contact trip assembly comprising an upper contact trip contacting the supplemental trigger, a lower contact trip connected to the upper contact trip, wherein the upper and lower contact trips have teeth that mesh together for locking the upper and lower contact trips.

Abstract: The fastener tool includes a nosepiece, a nosepiece cover pivotally attached to the nosepiece, a latch pivotally attached to the nosepiece cover, a latch wire pivotally attached to the latch for engaging at least one hook disposed on the nosepiece, wherein the latch wire has a portion extending between the latch and the hook, the portion having at least two bends.

Abstract: A fastening tool including a housing, a magazine connected to the housing for storing a fastener, a driving mechanism disposed within the housing for driving the fastener into a workpiece, a trigger assembly pivotally attached to the housing for activating the driving mechanism, the trigger assembly comprising a main trigger, pivotally attached to the housing and a supplemental trigger pivotally attached to the main trigger; and a contact trip assembly comprising an upper contact trip contacting the supplemental trigger, a lower contact trip connected to the upper contact trip, wherein the upper and lower contact trips have teeth that mesh together for locking the upper and lower contact trips.

Abstract: A production assembly tool for securing fasteners to a workpiece such as an automobile body. The production assembly tool of the present invention includes a housing which encases a motor, a transmission, a clutch mechanism and a control module. The control module controls the running and braking of the motor and prevents both over and under securing of a fastener caused by falsely detected tool clutch conditions. An improved clutch sensor switch is operatively associated with the control module for detecting clutch disengagement. The clutch mechanism is designed to drive the fastener until the clutch sensor switch detects clutch disengagement and signals the control circuit to stop drive and start braking. The production assembly tool further includes a system for ensuring accurate placement of the power tool motor in the power tool housing subsequent to motor servicing or repair.