Abstract: A composite decking board constructed from a thermoplastic polymer material including one or more reinforcing filaments located within and embedded in at least a lower portion of the board to impart and enhance structural stiffness and rigidity. A method is provided in which the board is formed by extruding molten material through a die and continuously feeding reinforcement filament in the molten thermoplastic feed material simultaneously. The reinforcement filament is disposed substantially within the cross section of the extruded board and can generally be disposed in the lower portion of the board.

Abstract: A composite decking board constructed from a thermoplastic polymer material including one or more reinforcing filaments located within and embedded in at least a lower portion of the board to impart and enhance structural stiffness and rigidity. A method is provided in which the board is formed by extruding molten material through a die and continuously feeding reinforcement filament in the molten thermoplastic feed material simultaneously. The reinforcement filament is disposed substantially within the cross section of the extruded board and can generally be disposed in the lower portion of the board.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon. A staple driving blade is mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface. A staple magazine is carried on the housing for containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade. A cap supply and feeding arrangement is mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, which arrangement includes a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps, and inertia energy activated feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap into the discharge position.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon; a staple driving blade mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface; a staple magazine carried on said housing and containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade; and a cap supply and feeding arrangement mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, the arrangement including a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps disposed in adjacent and joined edge-to-edge relationship to define a connected strip of caps, and an impact activated feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap of the strip into the discharge position.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon. A staple driving blade is mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface. A staple magazine is carried on the housing for containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade. A cap supply and feeding arrangement is mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, which arrangement includes a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps, and inertia energy activated feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap into the discharge position.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon. A staple driving blade is mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface. A staple magazine is carried on the housing for containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade. A cap supply and feeding arrangement is mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, which arrangement includes a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps and inertia energy activated feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap into the discharge position.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon; a staple driving blade mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface; a staple magazine carried on said housing and containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade; and a cap supply and feeding arrangement mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, the arrangement including a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps disposed in adjacent and joined edge-to-edge relationship to define a connected strip of caps, and a manual feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap of the strip into the discharge position.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon; a staple driving blade mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface; a staple magazine carried on said housing and containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade; and a cap supply and feeding arrangement mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, the arrangement including a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps disposed in adjacent and joined edge-to-edge relationship to define a connected strip of caps, and an impact activated feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap of the strip into the discharge position.

Abstract: An automatic washer feeder for an automatic nail gun comprises a washer storage container that stores a coil of washers interconnected together edge-to-edge and a feeding mechanism that uncoils the washers and feeds them one at a time into a position wherein the washers are in alignment with nails being driven by the nail gun. The feeding mechanism is synchronized with the nail in driver such that one washer is placed in line with each nail before it is driven. The washers are attached together edge-to-edge by a breakable linkage which is broken or cut whet a washer is driven into contact with a substrate surface being nailed by the action of the nail gun. The linkage can be an adhesive tape that breaks when the tape is pierced by a nail and the washer is driven into a substrate. Alternatively, the linkage can be formed by integrally molding the washers with an interconnecting link or by string collation.

Abstract: A manually swingable hammer-type stapling tool having an elongate housing having a striker movably mounted thereon; a staple driving blade mounted on the housing and movable relative to the striker along a staple discharge path when the striker impacts against a surface; a staple magazine carried on said housing and containing a clip of staples so that a leading staple of the clip is disposed in a staple discharge path below the driving blade; and a cap supply and feeding arrangement mounted on the housing for positioning a cap in a discharge position wherein it is disposed below the leading staple, the arrangement including a cap magazine containing a significant number of individual caps disposed in adjacent and joined edge-to-edge relationship to define a connected strip of caps, and a manual feeding mechanism for advancing a leading cap of the strip into the discharge position.

Abstract: A process for forming an elongate strip defined by a plurality of adjacent but sidewardly spaced pressure caps used for securing an underlayment to a substrate. A plurality of essentially identical strip segments, each containing a plurality of substantially identical pressure caps disposed in sidewardly spaced relationship along a row, are molded of a plastics material, with the endmost cap of each strip being molded with an outwardly cantilevered securing tab. A plurality of strip segments, after removal from the mold, are positioned in adjacent end-to-end relationship and the connecting tab on the end of one strip is mechanically joined to the endmost cap associated with a second strip, with a plurality of such strips being joined in aligned end-to-end relationship to define the elongate strip, which strip can be suitably packaged as a coil.

Abstract: A cap assembly for an automatic cap feeder and fastener driver comprises a plurality of relatively thin, domed metal discs that can be pierced by fasteners discharged from a fastener driver such as a nail gun without bending the nail or jamming the driver, with the caps being connected together by a paper backed adhesive tape mounted on the undersides of the concave caps, with the caps having outer edges that are sufficiently sharp that they sever the tape from the strip of caps when the caps are driven into a substrate after a fastener has penetrated the caps. The fastener driver includes improved feeder teeth and an anti-backup pawl that extend into recesses in the track. A cover encloses an open edge of a cap storage basket.

Abstract: A cap assembly for an automatic cap feeder and fastener driver comprises a plurality of relatively thin, domed metal discs that can be pierced by fasteners discharged from a fastener driver such as a nail gun without bending the nail or jamming the driver, with the caps being connected together by a paper backed adhesive tape mounted on the undersides of the concave caps, with the caps having outer edges that are sufficiently sharp that they sever the tape from the strip of caps when the caps are driven into a substrate after a fastener has penetrated the caps. The fastener driver includes improved feeder teeth and an anti-backup pawl that extend into recesses in the track. A cover encloses an open edge of a cap storage basket.

Abstract: A fastening system for driving fasteners through fastener caps. The fastening system includes a nail gun, an actuator system and a fastener cap dispenser, all mounted on a rolling chassis. The actuator system includes a wheel and an actuator in communication with the nail gun. As the wheel rotates, it intermittently engages the actuator which in turn fires a nail along a path. Drive air from the nail gun is vented to the fastener cap dispenser, which dispenses a fastener cap. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser includes a picker including two pairs of movable teeth that engage two sides of two adjacent fastener caps to feed the fastener caps at high speeds. In a more preferred embodiment, the fastening system includes a fastener cap regulator that provides a constant feed of fastener caps to the dispenser, thereby preventing jamming of the same.

Abstract: A fastening system for driving fasteners through fastener caps. The fastening system includes a nail gun, an actuator system and a fastener cap dispenser, all mounted on a rolling chassis. The actuator system includes a wheel and an actuator in communication with the nail gun. As the wheel rotates, it intermittently engages the actuator which in turn fires a nail along a path. Drive air from the nail gun is vented to the fastener cap dispenser, which dispenses a fastener cap. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser includes a picker including two pairs of movable teeth that engage two sides of two adjacent fastener caps to feed the fastener caps at high speeds. In a more preferred embodiment, the fastening system includes a fastener cap regulator that provides a constant feed of fastener caps to the dispenser, thereby preventing jamming of the same.

Abstract: An automatic washer feeder for an automatic nail gun comprises a washer storage container that stores a coil of washers interconnected together edge-to-edge and a feeding mechanism that uncoils the washers and feeds them one at a time into a position wherein the washers are in alignment with nails being driven by the nail gun. The feeding mechanism is synchronized with the nail gun driver such that one washer is placed in line with each nail before it is driven. The washers are attached together edge-to-edge by a breakable linkage which is broken or cut when a washer is driven into contact with a substrate surface being nailed by the action of the nail gun. The linkage can be an adhesive tape that breaks when the tape is pierced by a nail and the washer is driven into a substrate. Alternatively, the linkage can be formed by integrally molding the washers with an interconnecting link or by string collation.

Abstract: A fastener applying device for causing a driven staple to be driven through a disk-like cap to create a staple-cap fastener for securely attaching flexible or deformable materials to a substrate. The device includes an automatic stapler capable of automatically driving a staple into the substrate. The device also has a cap feeding device including a magazine containing a reel of caps positioned generally edge-to-edge and joined in a continuous strip, such as by an adhesive tape. The cap strip is fed from the reel into a guide track which feeds the leading cap of the strip into a driving region disposed below the discharge end of the staple driver. The guide track defines thereon stops which straddle the driving region, and which positionally contact the structure into which the fastener is to be driven.

Abstract: A cap assembly for an automatic cap feeder and fastener driver comprises a plurality of relatively thin, domed metal discs that can be pierced by fasteners discharged from a fastener driver such as a nail gun without bending the nail or jamming the driver, with the caps being connected together by a paper backed adhesive tape mounted on the undersides of the concave caps, with the caps having outer edges that are sufficiently sharp that they sever the tape from the strip of caps when the caps are driven into a substrate after a fastener has penetrated the caps. The fastener driver includes improved feeder teeth and an anti-backup pawl that extend into recesses in the track. A cover encloses an open edge of a cap storage basket.

Abstract: An improved roofing nail having a cap which is held captive near the nail point for the purpose of attaching roofing felt to a wooden roof. The nail point extends slightly below the lower surface of the cap allowing the point of the nail to be manually engaged into the roofing felt. The cap positioned at the end of the nail provides support to hold the nail in an upright position until the nail is driven through the cap and into engagement with the roof substructure, after the hand of the user has been removed.

Abstract: A resilient molded pressure plate formed of polypropylene or the like is provided for a roofing nail in engagement with a sheet of roofing felt to increase the retention of the felt. The underside of the plate is concave in the undeflected form, and is provided with a central boss that limits the downward diaphragm deflection as a nail is driven through a central opening. The peripheral rim of the plate is serrated with concentric ridges disposed initially at progressively increasing distances from the plane of the outer ridge, proceeding radially inward. As the plate is deflected on driving of the nail through the central opening, these ridges come into coplanar relationship, providing the maximum intensity of engagement with the sheet of felt material.