Pneumatic mallet

Abstract

A hand tool in the form of a pneumatically actuated mallet. The tool comprises a conventional pneumatic motor of the type employed in pneumatic fastener driving tools, including a tool body having a main cylinder, a piston/driver assembly, trigger-actuated control valve means, and means for connection to a source of air under pressure. A guide body is affixed to the tool body beneath the main cylinder and has a longitudinal bore to slidably guide the driver. A housing is supported by the free end of the guide body and comprises a closed first end adjacent the guide body with a perforation for passage of the driver therethrough, a peripheral wall and an open second end. A mallet is provided having a body portion and a slightly larger head portion with a shoulder formed therebetween. A retainer is affixed to the housing wall partially closing the second end of the housing. The mallet head portion is reciprocally mounted in the housing with its body portion extending through an opening in the retainer. A spring biases the mallet head shoulder into abutment with the retainer, in which position the mallet head is just out of reach of the driver. The mallet body mounts a nose piece. When the nose piece is pressed against a work piece and the trigger is actuated, the piston/driver assembly accelerates forwardly and impacts the mallet head, generating a push force in the mallet and its nose piece.