Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Norbert K Kolodziej

Cheryl L Panasik

Yongping Gong

Kevin M Tucker

James W Robinson

Robert B Fischer

Andrea M Basalay

Michael C Dill

Louis Thomas

Richard G Bodin

Larry Reinebach

Mark Ross

Martin J Nilsen

Robert G Kobetsky

An anchor assembly structured for use in connection with ceiling or roofing structures for hanging industrial or commercial components, such as, for example, electrical conduits, heating units, water pipes for automatic water sprinkler systems, and the like. The anchor assembly is easy and quick to install, and also provides enhanced swivel capabilities or angular ranges of movement so as to accommodate various system and spatial requirements in connection with the suspension of the components. Suspension and lateral restraint systems are also disclosed.

Anchor assembly with large range of motion suspension members, and restraint systems for suspended components

A universal suspended anchor system is configured for attaching to a frame having a first vertical wall and a second vertical wall having first and second bearing surfaces, respectively adjacent to and aligned with one another and defining a gap formed between the adjacent bearing surfaces. The universal suspended anchor system includes a bracket and a threaded block affixed to the bracket. The anchor is inserted into the gap and rests on the bearing surfaces. The anchor enables suspension of building service lines including water, HVAC and electrical services.

Universal suspended anchor system

A pneumatic fastener driving tool is configured to drive a threaded fastener using both linear and rotational motion. The tool allows a fastener to first be driven linearly, without rotation, through a surface material and into a substrate material, preferably to a depth that causes the fastener to at least pierce the substrate material. The tool then rotates the threaded fastener and causes it to fully engage the substrate material, thereby fastening the surface material to the substrate material. The tool has sufficient linear force to drive a fastener into relatively hard substrate materials, such as steel studs, and has a stationary air motor assembly to reduce recoil generated during the driving process. The tool further comprises a gear reducer assembly that uses a compound planetary gear in order to reduce the overall length of the tool.

Pneumatic fastener driving tool

A housing for a power tool having a power source, includes a fuel cell chamber configured for attachment to the power source and dimensioned for operationally receiving a fuel cell in either one of a first orientation and a second orientation.

Fuel cell compartment for combustion-powered tool

The installation tool for a mushrooming expandable anchor has a hollow cylindrical sleeve with an inside diameter, the top having slots for engaging the base of the mushrooming component and a means for engaging and turning a threaded component, which compresses the mushrooming component. The means for turning the threaded component can be a socket, which rotates inside of the sleeve and engages a hex head at the base of the threaded component or alternatively the means for turning the threaded component can be a threaded rod for threading into the base of the threaded component until it reaches the end of the threads in the base. Another means of turning the threaded component is a screwdriver engaging a slot in the treaded component. All of the means for turning the treaded component may be by a powered drill with a connective adapter.

Mushrooming expandable anchor installation tool

Portion of a tool housing

A new and improved fastener, uniquely adapted for securing together vertically oriented stud members and horizontally oriented track members of wall framework structures, comprises a forwardly extending pointed tip portion having a tangent ogive configuration so as to facilitate fast and accurate penetration into and through thin gauge sheet metal members without causing any excessive enlargement of the apertures formed within the thin gauge sheet metal member, and a shank portion which comprises a lower, spiral-threaded shank portion which facilitates the ease of penetration of the fastener into and through the thin gauge sheet metal members, and which causes a mating thread to effectively be extruded within the thin gauge sheet metal members. The upper shank portion may alternatively comprise a plurality of axially contiguous, annular flute members, or a plurality of nibs interposed between the spiral threads, which have oppositely disposed or oriented faces for facilitating the penetration of the fastener into and through the apertured thin gauge sheet metal members, and for engaging the annular rim regions of the thin gauge sheet metal members, which surround the apertures formed within the thin gauge sheet metal members, so as to significantly enhance the clamping forces and pull-out resistance values of the fastener with respect to the thin gauge sheet metal members.

Pin fastener for achieving metal-to-metal connections

A new and improved fastener for fastening together thin gauge sheet metal components comprises a forwardly extending pointed tip portion having a tangent ogive configuration so as to facilitate the fast and accurate penetration of the fastener into and through the thin gauge sheet metal components without causing any excessive enlargement of the apertures formed therein, and a shank portion which comprises a lower, spiral thread shank portion which continues to facilitate the ease of penetration of the fastener into and through the thin gauge sheet metal components, and at the same time causes a mating thread to effectively be extruded within the thin gauge sheet metal components so as to effectively develop or generate enhanced surface areas or regions for ultimate contact with an upper shank portion of the fastener when the fastener is fully driven and seated within the thin gauge sheet metal components. The upper shank portion comprises a plurality of axially contiguous, annular flute members having oppositely disposed or oriented faces for facilitating the penetration of the fastener into and through the apertured thin gauge sheet metal members, and for engaging the annular rim regions of the thin gauge sheet metal members, which surround the apertures formed therewithin, so as to significantly enhance the clamping forces and pull-out resistance values of the fastener with respect to the thin gauge sheet metal members. The fasteners are uniquely adapted for securing together vertically oriented stud members and horizontally oriented track members of wall grids or framework structures.

A driver blade for use in a combustion-powered fastener-driving tool includes an elongate tubular body having a combustion end and a driving end, the combustion end being configured for attachment to a piston, and the driving end having a substantially solid cross-section. The tubular body is in fluid communication with a tool combustion chamber.

Driver blade with auxiliary combustion chamber for combustion powered fastener-driving tool

A housing for a power tool includes a primary handle configured for accommodating a primary hand used to control the operation of the tool, the handle having a first end closer to a power source of the tool, and a second end distal of the power source, a secondary handle configured for accommodating a secondary hand, being associated with the distal end and defining a distal extremity of the tool offsetting the power source.

Primary and secondary handles for power tool

A cage and upper probe assembly for use in a fastener-driving tool includes a cage including a base and a plurality of arms configured for attachment to a valve sleeve, a probe configured for direct attachment to the cage and having at least one lobe formation for receiving an impact operationally generated by a pusher rod, and the probe being attached to the cage so that the impact of the pusher rod upon the probe is directly transmitted to the cage.

Cage and offset upper probe assembly for fastener-driving tool

A combustion tool having a gas actuated magazine advance includes a combustion chamber defined in part by a cylinder, a valve sleeve axially reciprocating relative to the cylinder and an upper surface of a piston, a pneumatically actuated magazine fastener mechanism, and an exhaust driven actuation feed tube having a first end configured for insertion into an opening in the cylinder in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and a second end connected to the magazine fastener advance mechanism.

Gas driven actuation feed tube for combustion powered fastener-driving tool

A self-anchoring fastening device for installation in supports for hanging pipes wires or other articles in ceilings is shaped for a socket to drive the device for an easy installation process. The device comprises a collapsible anchoring portion having radially expanding anchoring strips, which will not pull out of a hole drilled in a support. A drill drills a hole in a support and an expandable anchor is inserted through the hole. Threads internal to the expandable anchor cooperate with threads on a screw inserted therein to collapse the expandable anchor, providing anchoring strips over the hole such that the expandable anchor cannot be pulled out of the hole. A threaded portion of the base of the screw is suitable for attaching the article to be hung. The base may be a swivel head type. The drill may be on the expendable anchor assembly.

Mushrooming expandable anchor

A support device for use within a fastener driving tool is fixedly attached to the tool's workpiece contact element so as to be movable therewith between extended and retracted positions. When the workpiece contact element, and the support device mounted thereon, are moved to the retracted position, a pocket or recessed portion of the support device will envelop a tip portion of a second uppermost fastener disposed within the tool magazine, while the first uppermost fastener is disposed within the tool drive bore, such that the second uppermost fastener, as well as the remaining fasteners within the magazine, is properly supported and stabilized such that shock and vibrational forces, attendant the driving of the first uppermost fastener, are effectively prevented from being transmitted to the second uppermost and remaining fasteners. In addition, the pocket or recessed portion serves to partially close the magazine opening through which the fasteners are serially advanced such that the first uppermost fastener will be maintained coaxially aligned within the tool drive bore, and an upstream leading edge of the pocket or recessed portion also defines a shearing edge for properly shearing those portions of the collation strip which interconnect adjacent pairs of the fasteners within the collated strip of fasteners.

Growing community of inventors

Park Ridge, IL, United States of America

Norbert K Kolodziej