William D Rice

Title: William D. Rice and a Fastener Cap Driving Tool

Introduction

William D. Rice is an inventor associated with West Chester, Ohio, and Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc. His patent work includes a tool designed to drive fasteners and caps efficiently in a single operation. Rice is credited with 1 patent.

Latest Patents

Rice’s patent, “Fastener Cap Driving Tool with Self-Reversing Lead Screw Cap Feeder,” describes a gas-powered tool that uses stored pressurized gas as a spring to propel a piston and driver toward a fastener. Rather than venting the gas after each stroke, the tool reuses it, while a motor-powered lifter returns the piston and driver for the next cycle.

The tool includes separate magazines for fasteners and caps. A second motor drives a self-reversing lead screw that feeds a collated strip of caps toward the tool’s exit. During each driving stroke, one fastener passes through one cap and secures both to the workpiece.

Career Highlights

Rice’s patent reflects an engineering approach focused on combining fastener driving, cap feeding, and component recovery in one tool. The design’s reuse of pressurized gas and motorized return mechanism supports repeated operation, while its separate cap-feeding system coordinates the cap with each fastener.

Collaborations

Rice is associated with Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc. His listed coworkers include Alexander D. Green and Braedon S. Flamm.

Conclusion

William D. Rice’s patented tool brings together a reusable gas-powered driving mechanism and a self-reversing cap feeder to fasten a cap and fastener to a workpiece in one operation.