Nail magazine for a power nail-driving tool

Abstract

A nail magazine includes an elongated magazine unit which defines two elongated parallel channels, a first transverse channel intercommunicating the parallel channels so as to cooperatively form a U-shaped nail loading slot, and a second transverse channel extending from one of the parallel channels so as to cooperatively form an L-shaped nail loading slot therewith. A guide member is disposed on a front discharging end of the magazine unit, and cooperates with the front discharging end to define a stroke path of a driving member of a nail-driving tool. The guide member defines a guiding slot to guide a U-shaped nail to move along the stroke path. A guide bar is mounted in the guiding slot, and has a guiding portion configured to be raised to guide movement of an L-shaped nail, and can be depressed by the driving member to retreat into a retreat bore.

1 . A nail magazine for a power nail-driving tool which has a reciprocating driving member defining a stroke path, said nail magazine being adapted for accommodating a strip of U-shaped nails and a strip of L-shaped nails, and comprising:
 an elongated magazine unit which has a front discharging end adapted to confront the stroke path of the driving member, and which is elongated from said front discharging end in a lengthwise direction that is transverse to the stroke path of the driving member to terminate at a rear end, said magazine unit defining
 first and second parallel channels which are elongated in the lengthwise direction through said front discharging end, which are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction that is transverse to both the stroke path and the lengthwise direction, and which extend in a longitudinal direction parallel to the stroke path to terminate at two channel ends, 
 a first transverse channel which is elongated in the lengthwise direction through said front discharging end, which extends in the transverse direction to intercommunicate said channel ends, and which cooperates with said first and second parallel channels to form a U-shaped nail loading slot adapted to receive the strip of U-shaped nails therein and extending through said front discharging end such that the first U-shaped nail is extendable beyond said front discharging end and into the stroke path, and 
 a second transverse channel which is elongated in the lengthwise direction through said front discharging end, and which extends from said second parallel channel towards said first parallel channel in the transverse direction so as to cooperate with said second parallel channel to form an L-shaped nail loading slot adapted to receive the strip of L-shaped nails therein and extending through said front discharging end such that the first L-shaped nail is extendable beyond said front discharging end and into the stroke path; 
   a guide member which confronts said front discharging end of said elongated magazine unit and which cooperates with said front discharging end to define the stroke path of the driving member, said guide member having two guiding walls which extend in the longitudinal direction, and which define therebetween a guiding slot that is adapted to guide the reciprocating driving member to move along the stroke path, said guiding slot being dimensioned such that the first U-shaped nail is guided between said guiding walls so as to move along the stroke path, said guiding slot extending in the lengthwise direction to terminate at a sliding surface, said sliding surface defining a retreat bore which extends in the longitudinal direction; and   a guide bar having a secured end which is mounted in said retreat bore, and a guiding portion which extends from said secured end in the longitudinal direction and which is disposed to cooperate with one of said guiding walls to guide movement of the first L-shaped nail, said guide bar being configured such that said guiding portion is urged toward a guiding position, where said guiding portion is raised above said sliding surface, and such that said guiding portion is depressed to a retreating position, where said guiding portion is retreated into said retreat bore by a sweeping force imparted by a striking movement of the driving member along the stroke path.   
   
   
       2 . The nail magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated magazine unit includes
 a magazine body which is adapted to be secured to the power nail-driving tool and which has said front discharging end and said rear end, and   a sliding shell which is slidable relative to said magazine body in the lengthwise direction,   said magazine body having first and second parallel walls which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction to define said first parallel channel therebetween, said sliding shell having a lateral wall which is spaced apart from said first parallel wall to define said second parallel channel therebetween, and a top wall which is spaced apart from said first parallel wall to define said first transverse channel.   
   
   
       3 . The nail magazine of  claim 2 , wherein said elongated magazine unit includes a magnet which is disposed on said first parallel wall and which confronts said lateral wall to help hold the L-shaped nails in said second parallel channel. 
   
   
       4 . The nail magazine of  claim 2 , further comprising a locking mechanism which includes
 a retained member that is secured to said magazine body adjacent to said rear end, and   an engaging member that is disposed on said sliding shell, and that is releasably engaged with said retained member when said sliding shell approaches said front discharging end so as to retain said sliding shell relative to said magazine body.   
   
   
       5 . The nail magazine of  claim 4 , wherein said engaging member has a fulcrum pivoted to said sliding shell, and pressed and engaging ends opposite to each other, said locking mechanism further including a biasing member which is disposed to bias said pressed end to an engaging position, where said engaging end engages said retained member, and a push button which is operable manually to press said pressed end against a biasing action of said biasing member to enable said engaging end to disengage from said retained member. 
   
   
       6 . The nail magazine of  claim 2 , further comprising a nail pushing mechanism which includes a biasing unit that is received in said sliding shell, and a pusher plate that is disposed on and movable relative to said sliding shell and that is biased by said biasing member such that said pusher plate extends forwardly of said sliding shell into said second parallel channel so as to urge the first nail into the stroke path when said sliding shell approaches said front discharging end. 
   
   
       7 . The nail magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said guiding bar has a ramp segment which has an initial region that is disposed proximate to said secured end and below said sliding surface so as not to interfere with displacement of the first U-shaped nail in the stroke path.