Abstract: This powder actuated tool is designed to fire high power loads, such as 32 caliber blanks, to drive a member into a concrete surface. The tool has a housing and a reciprocating barrel mounted on the housing. The firing mechanism is contained in a breech block which is reciprocable in the housing. The cartridge chamber is disposed in the breech end of the barrel in a member which is freely slidably removable from the barrel in a breechward direction. The member is provided with empty external gas sealing grooves which prevent substantial breechward movement of the cartridge chamber member when the tool is fired. There is no mechanical lock between the breech block and the breech end of the barrel. Reciprocal movement of the barrel is controlled by guide lugs on the muzzle end of the housing and mating guide slots formed in the exterior of the barrel.

Abstract: This improved powder-actuated fastener driving tool includes a fastener-driving piston which is slidably housed in a reciprocating barrel. The barrel is contained in a housing member. The tool includes a movable firing pin slidably disposed in a movable breech member. A firing pin pawl is retained in a slot in the breech member to hold the firing pin in a cocked position. The firing pin is held in place in the breech member by a removable C ring disposed in a groove in the firing pin spring guide. Auxiliary gas-venting passages are disposed in the housing tool barrel adjacent a piston pawl return slot formed in the barrel. The tool includes a tapered muzzle bushing which reduces the possibility of air-firing the tool. The inner or breech end of the muzzle bushing is spaced from the muzzle end of the barrel to minimize the possibility of deformation of the muzzle bushing due to piston overdrive.

Abstract: This improved powder-actuated fastener driving tool includes a fastener-driving piston which is slidably housed in a reciprocating barrel. The barrel is contained in a housing member. The tool includes a movable firing pin slidably disposed in a movable breech member. A firing pin pawl is retained in a slot in the breech member to hold the firing pin in a cocked position. The firing pin is held in place in the breech member by a removable C ring disposed in a groove in the firing pin spring guide. Auxiliary gas-venting passages are disposed in the housing tool barrel adjacent a piston pawl return slot formed in the barrel. The tool includes a tapered muzzle bushing which reduces the possibility of air-firing the tool. The inner or breech end of the muzzle bushing is spaced from the muzzle end of the barrel to minimize the possibility of deformation of the muzzle bushing due to piston overdrive.

Abstract: A powder-actuated apparatus for determining the hardness of various homogeneous materials wherein the determination may be made in a manufacturing facility, warehouse, or in the field. The apparatus ensures that a constant driving force will be delivered to a testing probe without the need to carefully control the energy input source for the apparatus. Thus, conventional cased or caseless powder charges can be used as the initial energy source for the apparatus.

Abstract: A method is presented for making a penetration test of a homogeneous ceramic material which includes driving a cylindrical hardened steel probe pin of a predetermined configuration into the material to be tested. At the beginning of the test, the pin is snugly assembled in an enclosing tubular cylinder with a flattened end of the pin in registration with one end of the cylinder. After the pin is driven into the material to be tested by use of a closely controlled powder charge in a suitable gun, while holding the tubular cylinder, one may accurately measure the penetration where the flat end of the pin has penetrated the surrounding cylindrical tube. The novel probe pin assembly includes the probe pin assembled in an embracing tube member.