Tacker magazine with multiple cartridges for fasteners

Abstract

A magazine for holding multiple fasteners and feeding a tacker for fixing pipes on a substructure with the multiple fasteners. The tacker has a loading unit for receiving a fastener from the magazine and a duct having a punch at its bottom section. The punch is configured for tacking the fastener on the substructure when the duct is moved downwards. The magazine has multiple cartridges each holding a stack of fasteners. The magazine is arranged in a carrousel-like radial configuration of cartridges. The cartridge has an opening at the bottom allowing a fastener to leave the cartridge. The cartridge can be positioned before the loading unit, thereby allowing the leaving fastener to enter the loading unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a tacker for tacking fasteners on a substructure, more particular for tacking fasteners for fastening a pipe of an substructure such as underfloor heating. More particular the invention relates to a magazine for such a tacker, configured for accommodating the fasteners.BACKGROUND

[0002] Pipes for underfloor heating are laid on heat-insulating panels, the surface of which is usually covered with a lamination. Before the pipes are poured into a screed, they must be fixed to the insulating panels. For this fixation, fasteners are used with two legs that can be inserted into the insulation on both sides of the pipe and are connected by an arch that extends over the pipe when installed. The legs are usually equipped with barbs that are intended to prevent the fastener from being pulled out of the insulation.

[0003] Application of the fasteners is usually done by using a tacker. A magazine, configured for being filled with multiple fasteners stacked one on top of the other is attached to the tacker. The tacker is usually held vertically and is provided with a feeding mechanism for a fasteners from the magazine and / or a loading unit configured for receiving a fastener from the magazine.

[0004] The tacker is further provided with a vertically oriented duct, with a handle on the top and having a punch at its bottom section. The punch is configured for hammering (hereinafter referred to as "tacking") the received fastener on the substructure when the handle is moved downwards. To facilitate ergonomic handling of the tacker, the duct is usually long enough for a user to operate the tacker in a standing position when the tacker is held more or less in the vertical position.

[0005] By having an automatic feeding mechanism of the fasteners towards the punch, the tacker provides for tacking a sequence of multiple tacks in an efficient and quick manner. The main interruption of the work is caused by the magazine running out of fasteners: This forces the user to stop work temporarily for refilling the magazine.

[0006] Hereinafter, types of tackers and fasteners are discussed as published in patents or patent applications.

[0007] International patent application WO 2012 / 119705 A2 by Rettig ICC BV is summarized as a fastener, magazine and setting tool for securing a pipe of an underfloor heating system. The fastener has a front and a rear barbed hook and an internal barbed hook serving as a wedge when driven into an insulation layer for anchoring of the front and rear barbed hook in the insulation layer. For magazining purposes, both sides of a row of fasteners have continuous frame stays. Each fastener is connected thereto on the outer side by means of a weaker separation web. The setting tool has a magazine rod from which stops protrude into the fall path of the magazine, against which the frame stays rest when pushed onto the magazine rod.

[0008] European patent application EP3670089 A1 by Tia Spolka z.o.o. is summarized as a pneumatic tacker for fixing pipes or cables on a substructure, comprising a housing with a punch, a handle and a pneumatic duct which consists of at least a proximal part being an internal conduit shaped inside the handle and provided at its proximal end with a proximal pipe joint for pipe connection to external source of pressurized gas. The duct has a stop valve operated by pressing a button. The internal conduit has a gas outlet hole located between the stop valve and a distal end of the internal conduit provided with a distal pipe joint. The button opens the gas outlet hole and a pneumatic actuator driving a punch to insert a staple into the substructure around the upper part of the pipe or cable surface.DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a tacker which is easy to use and enables a continuous and reliable workflow as much as possible. The object is realized by the following aspect(s) and embodiments.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The figures show views of embodiments in accordance with the present invention. FIGURE 1shows a perspective view of the invented magazine positioned in a tacker. FIGURE 2shows a side view of the tacker with magazine of figure 1. FIGURE 3shows a front view of the tacker with magazine of figure 1. FIGURE 4shows a perspective view of a magazine carousel filled with strings of fasteners. FIGURE 5shows a string of fasteners. FIGURE 6shows a front view of the magazine carousel of figure 4 FIGURE 7shows a top view of the magazine carousel of figure 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The invention is now described by the following aspect and embodiments, with reference to the figures.

[0012] For ease of reading, the following is a list of used references and a short description. 100The invented magazine 101Rotation axle of magazine 100 102Slit for visual inspection of content of a cartridge 103a-dCartridges 201Upper holding means 202Lower holding means 203Loading unit 204Punch 205Punch bottom end 206Duct 207Enclosure of duct 206 208Coil spring 209Handle 300Strip / stack of fasteners 301Fastener 1001Rotation direction of magazine carousel 101 1002Linear two-way direction of duct 206

[0013] FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the invented magazine 100 positioned in a tacker 200. Tacker 200 is provided with a handle 209 attached to duct 206. Duct 206 is movably attached to punch 204. Such punch is known in the state of art. The known method of tacking, i.e., tacking a fastener into a substructure, such as a floor supporting a floor heating system using pipes, is the following. A user places a bottom end 205 of punch 204 around and on top of a pipe which lays on the substructure. Punch's bottom end has for this purpose an arc-shaped recess which fits pipes of the floor heating system. When a user of tacker 200 grabs handle 209 and pushes duct 206 downward in downward direction of arrow 1002, duct 206 activates a punching mechanism inside punch 204 by first building up tension and beyond a threshold of tension, a fastener positioned in the punch's bottom end 205, is tacked around the pipe and into the substructure.

[0014] The invention is directed to a more efficient manner of feeding tacker 200. A magazine 100 configured as a carousel, which is configured for holding multiple strings or stacks of fasteners at once. In the figure the carousel is configured with four parallelly positioned cartridges i.e., tubes, each configured for holding a string or stack of fasteners. This way, the number of fasteners which may be carried by the user and used with no need for refilling or replacing a cartridge, is multiplied by four. This increases work efficiency, and leads to much less interruptions. Interruptions for getting a new string of fasteners are undesirable for many reasons: First of all, the reason as stated before: this leads to less work efficiency and loss of time. Secondly, every time a user needs to get a new string of fasteners, the user has to walk on the substructure, therefor risking damaging the floor heating system. Carrying multiple cartridges as an alternative is also undesirable because the mobility of the user may be hindered, and still, refilling of a single cartridge takes time.

[0015] The invented magazine carousel solves above problems or at least reduces the workload and work inefficiency of the user. Tacker 200 is provided with an upper holding means 201 and a lower holding means 202. Holding means 201,202 are configured for holding magazine carousel 100 and allowing it to rotate around axle 101 in direction 1001. Whenever a cartridge is empty, the user may rotate the magazine carousel in direction 1001 to arm tacker 200 with a full cartridge. Rotating clockwise like in figure 1 is preferred, but a counter clock wise rotation may be configured as well. Having one rotational direction possible prevents that a previously emptied cartridge is again rotated towards punch 204.

[0016] Magazine carousel 100 may have an open top, which allows to insert a new string of fasteners at location, or refilling the carousel completely before starting work.

[0017] Further features of tacker 200 comprise a loading unit 2023 which leads fasteners from a cartridge to punch 204.

[0018] A coil spring 208 may be provided around duct 206 in enclosure 207, which is configured to move duct 206 upward after release. Tacker 200 is then returned in starting position for tacking the next fastener.

[0019] FIGURE 2 shows a side view of the tacker 200 with magazine 100 of figure 1. This way the positioning and orientation of magazine carousel 100 is better visible.

[0020] FIGURE 3 shows a front view of the tacker 200 with magazine 100 of figure 1 to further clarify the configuration of the tacker with magazine carousel 100.

[0021] FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of a magazine carousel 100 filled with strings of fasteners 300. In the example magazine carousel 100 four cartridges 103a-d are provided. A magazine carousel may also be configured with 2, 3 or 5 or more cartridges, but having four cartridges is a preferred option. A magazine carousel may be placed or removed from holding means 201,202. Even a single cartridge magazine may be placed in said holders 201,202. A vertical longitudinal slit 102 in a cartridge is provided for visual inspection of the content of the cartridge.

[0022] FIGURE 5 shows a string of fasteners 300. An individual fastener 301 is referred to.

[0023] FIGURE 6 shows a front view of the magazine carousel 100 of figure 4. Slit 102 indicates the opening in a cartridge for visual inspection of the content. When a user sees that all fasteners in a cartridge are all used or about to be used, the user can anticipate and timely rotate the carousel, so the next full cartridge is positioned before loading unit 203.

[0024] FIGURE 7 shows a top view of the magazine carousel 100 of figure 4 to get a further insight in the configuration of the magazine carousel 100.

[0025] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that a person skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb "to comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The article "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The article "the" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

1. A magazine for holding multiple fasteners, the magazine configured for feeding a tacker for fixing pipes on a substructure with the multiple fasteners, the tacker comprising a loading unit configured for receiving a fastener of the multiple fasteners from the magazine, a handle connected to a duct having a punch at its bottom section, the punch configured for tacking the fastener on the substructure when the handle is moved downwards, characterized in that, the magazine comprises multiple cartridges arranged in a carrousel-like radial configuration, whereby: - a cartridge of the multiple cartridges is configured for holding a set of fasteners of the multiple fasteners, said fasteners configured for being stacked in the cartridge; - the cartridge is configured with an opening for inserting the set of fasteners; - the cartridge is configured with an opening at the bottom configured for a fastener of the set of fasteners to leave the cartridge; - the cartridge is configured for being positioned before the loading unit, said position allowing the leaving fastener to enter the loading unit.

2. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the magazine is configured for being positioned vertically, with the fasteners arranged for being stacked one on top of the other, whereby the fasteners descend towards the opening at the bottom under the influence of gravity.

3. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple cartridges are centered around and attachable to a central rotatable axis, thereby allowing a user to move a first cartridge at least partly filled with one or more fasteners of the multiple fasteners in a position wherein the loading unit is fed with the first in line of the set or stack of fasteners.

4. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the loading unit comprises a conduit connected on one side to the opening at the bottom of the magazine and connected on the other side to the punch.

5. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that a cartridge of the multiple cartridges is configured for being removed from the magazine and for being inserted into the magazine.

6. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the magazine and / or the tacker is configured for detecting that the current cartridge positioned before the loading unit is empty, and upon said detection automatically rotating a next cartridge filled with at least one fastener of the multiple fasteners into a position before the loading unit.

7. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that the magazine is configured for being filled with fasteners appropriate for fastening a pipe to an underfloor heating.

8. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that a cartridge of the multiple cartridges is configured as a tube, having the opening for inserting the set of fasteners at the top of the tube.

9. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that a cartridge of the multiple cartridges comprises a longitudinal slit or window configured for allowing inspection of the amount of fasteners present in the cartridge.

10. The magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that a cartridge of the multiple cartridges is configured with a spring pressure piece with head ball, said head ball configured to snap into a center recess on the tacker thereby centering the cartridge before the loading unit.

11. A tacker for fixing pipes on a substructure, the tacker is configured for being fed by fasteners accommodated in a magazine in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

12. A fastener for fastening pipes or cables on a substructure, configured for being used with a magazine in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

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