Abstract: An apparatus and method for fastening a wood panel to a high structural strength steel frame member using self-drilling, self-tapping screws. An electrically powered rotary driver with an attached screw driver bit is carried by a pneumatically-powered telescoping driver support/fastener-positioning unit that includes a fastener positioning plate, telescoping members attached to the fastener positioning plate, and a pair of foot plates for the operator to stand on whereby to hold the apparatus down during a screw-driving operation. The driver and the driver support/fastener-positioning unit are controlled by an electro/pneumatic system.

Abstract: Fastening system for anchoring wood floors to a base includes a fastener having a pointed distal end and a proximal head end, a sleeve for retaining structural members, the sleeve having a central bore therethrough, a countersink extending from a proximal end of the sleeve coaxially with the central bore, and an annular flange extending outwardly from the sleeve proximal end. The system further includes a driver for driving the fastener through the sleeve bore and into the base, the driver including a nozzle having a bore for receiving the fastener, the nozzle being adapted to enter the sleeve countersink. The driver further includes a hammer disposed in the nozzle and movable to engage the head of the fastener and to drive the fastener into locking engagement with the base, to fix the sleeve to the base, and thereby fix the structural members to the base.

Abstract: A clip of fasteners for use in attaching a structural panel to a metal substrate comprises a plastic strip with openings characterized by inwardly-extending ribs for gripping and supporting fasteners that comprise a forward self-drilling portion and a rearward self-tapping thread portion. Each fastener has a head with a top surface adapted for driving engagement by a driver tool for rotatively driving the fastener, and a tapered surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting edges that function to (a) cut away the ribs supporting the fastener as the fastener is rotatively driven through the structural panel to secure the panel to the substrate and (b) also create a countersink in the structural panel. The cutting edges are formed by provided a plurality of first and second alternately-occurring relief sections in the tapered surface of the, with the cutting edges extending at an acute angle to said shank in a first direction and also in a second direction.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An improved method for anchoring to a concrete base a wood floor attachment member having top and bottom sides, a number of passthrough holes, and compressible pads attached to its bottom side. The method uses pointed fasteners having radially projecting heads and sleeves that are inserted in the passthrough holes. Each sleeve has an annular flange at its proximal end that overlies the attachment member and its center bore has a counterbore at the proximal end. The method also comprises use of a fastener driver having a nozzle sized to enter said sleeve counterbore but not said center bore, a hammer bore for receiving a fastener, and a hammer in the nozzle bore that is powered to engage the fastener head and drive the fastener into locking engagement with the base via said center bore, whereby to fix the sleeve surrounding the fastener, and the floor attachment member, to the base.

Abstract: A clip of fasteners for use in attaching a structural panel to a metal substrate comprises a plastic strip with openings characterized by inwardly-extending ribs for gripping and supporting fasteners that comprise a forward self-drilling portion, a rearward self-tapping thread portion and cutting blade means formed integral with the self-drilling portion. Each fastener has a head with a top surface adapted for driving engagement by a driver tool for rotatively driving the fastener, and a tapered surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting edges that function to cut away the ribs supporting the fastener as the fastener is rotatively driven through the structural panel to secure the panel to the substrate and create a countersink in the structural panel.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A clip of fasteners for use in attaching a structural panel to a metal substrate comprises a plastic strip with openings characterized by inwardly-extending ribs for gripping and supporting fasteners that comprise a forward self-drilling portion, a rearward self-tapping thread portion and cutting blade means formed integral with the self-drilling portion. Each fastener has a head with a top surface adapted for driving engagement by a driver tool for rotatively driving the fastener, and a tapered surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting edges that function to cut away the ribs supporting the fastener as the fastener is rotatively driven through the structural panel to secure the panel to the substrate and create a countersink in the structural panel.

Abstract: A standoff sleeve/fastener assembly and a powered driver are provided for anchoring a subfloor component of a hard wood floor system to a concrete slab. The sleeve has a peripheral flange and a countersink at a first end. The fastener is disposed in the sleeve and has an enlarged head that is adjacent to but spaced from the first end of the sleeve. The driver has a nozzle with a striker bore sized to receive the head of the fastener and a recess sized to accommodate the peripheral flange of the sleeve. The subfloor component is anchored by (1) positioning the sleeve/fastener assembly in a hole in that component with the bottom end of the sleeve contacting the concrete slab, (2) positioning the driver nozzle so that the fastener head and the flange of the sleeve reside in its striker bore and recess respectively, and (3) operating the driver whereby its striker impels the fastener to (a) pierce and penetrate the concrete slab and (b) lock the sleeve between the concrete slab and the head of the fastener.

Abstract: Fastening system for anchoring wood floors to a base includes a fastener having a pointed distal end and a proximal head end, a sleeve for retaining structural members, the sleeve having a central bore therethrough, a countersink extending from a proximal end of the sleeve coaxially with the central bore, and an annular flange extending outwardly from the sleeve proximal end. The system further includes a driver for driving the fastener through the sleeve bore and into the base, the driver including a nozzle having a bore for receiving the fastener, the nozzle being adapted to enter the sleeve countersink. The driver further includes a hammer disposed in the nozzle and movable to engage the head of the fastener and to drive the fastener into locking engagement with the base, to fix the sleeve to the base, and thereby fix the structural members to the base.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A clip of fasteners for use in attaching a structural panel to a metal substrate comprises a plastic strip with openings characterized by inwardly-extending ribs for gripping and supporting fasteners that comprise a forward self-drilling portion and a rearward self-tapping thread portion. Each fastener has a head with a top surface adapted for driving engagement by a driver tool for rotatively driving the fastener, and a tapered surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting edges that function to cut away the ribs supporting the fastener as the fastener is rotatively driven through the structural panel to secure the panel to the substrate and create a countersink in the structural panel.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A clip of fasteners for use in attaching a structural panel to a metal substrate comprises a plastic strip with openings characterized by inwardly-extending ribs for gripping and supporting fasteners that comprise a forward self-drilling portion and a rearward self-tapping thread portion. Each fastener has a head with a top surface adapted for driving engagement by a driver tool for rotatively driving the fastener, and a tapered surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting edges that function to cut away the ribs supporting the fastener as the fastener is rotatively driven through the structural panel to secure the panel to the substrate and create a countersink in the structural panel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for fastening a first structure to a second structure comprising a fastener having a head disposed at a proximal end of a shaft and a pointed tip disposed at a distal end of that shaft, and a plastic sleeve surrounding a portion of the shaft in coaxial-relation thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the first structure is a metal floor panel having means for receiving the fastener and the sleeve. The receiving means keeps the sleeve in substantially perpendicular-relation to a support portion of the second structure, with the pointed tip of the shaft disposed adjacent to the support portion. In this arrangement, when a driving force is applied to the head of the fastener, the fastener moves axially relative to the sleeve through the first structure into engagement with the second structure.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for effecting separation of plastic components from associated metal components where the plastic and metal components are attached to one another by fasteners, e.g., effecting separation of plastic components from a discarded manufactured product such as an automotive vehicle. The improved method comprises impacting the heads of the fasteners in a direction leading from the plastic component to the metal component, so as to cause the plastic component to rupture around the fasteners and thereby free the plastic component from the metal component. The improved apparatus is a pneumatically-powered striker device that is designed for easy alignment of its striker with the heads of the fasteners and is capable of driving its striker against said fasteners with sufficient force and acceleration to cause rupture of the plastic component around the fasteners so as to free the plastic component from the metal component.

Abstract: A pneumatic fastener-applying tool is provided with a novel pneumatic safety mechanism to prevent accidental firing of the tool.

Abstract: An article of manufacture is provided which enables nails to be fed serial fashion to a nail-driving device. The article of manufacture comprises a nail-supporting strip in the form of interconnected sleeves, each sleeve having a plurality of radially-extending ribs that define a nail-receiving passageway, and an end wall that is formed integral with the ribs. The sleeves are connected to each other by narrow webs that permit the sleeves to be sheared off from one another. The strip is adapted to receive and support a plurality of nails, with each nail being received and supported by a separate sleeve. The resulting combination of strip and nails forms a nail clip that is adapted to be loaded into the nail-receiving magazine of a nail-driving device.

Abstract: A magazine for accommodating propellant charges in the form of a thin metal disk. The disk is of circular form and is provided with a plurality of spaced orifices located adjacent the periphery of the disk for retaining the propellant charges. A reinforcement is provided on the disk to prevent the creation of disruptive vibrations that might cause sympathetic firing of charges. The reinforcement is in the form of an undulation which in one form creates an annular groove on one side of the disk and a circular rib on the other side of the disk; and in another form comprises a series of radially extending ribs of like configuration.

Abstract: A magazine for accommodating propellant charges in the form of a thin metal disk. The disk is of circular form and is provided with a plurality of spaced orifices located adjacent the periphery of the disk for retaining the propellant charges. A reinforcement is provided on the disk to prevent the creation of disruptive vibrations that might cause sympathetic firing of charges. The reinforcement is in the form of an undulation which in one form creates an annular groove on one side of the disk and a circular rib on the other side of the disk; and in another form comprises a series of radially extending ribs of like configuration.