Fastener, installation tool and related method of use

摘要

A fastener installation tool including a guide that guides a fastener into a side of a work piece at an angle, while optionally restraining the fastener from wobbling due to rotation, even upon initial entry into the work piece. The guide can define an angled bore including a fastener entrance opening and a fastener exit opening which is adapted to be positioned immediately adjacent the work piece. The guide can include a material ejection port between the openings, through which material bored from the work piece can be evacuated from the angled bore to prevent binding of the material with the fastener. The tool can include a clamp assembly that clamps opposing sides of the work piece to precisely align and steadily hold the angled bore as a fastener is being installed in a side surface. Related methods of using the tool to install fasteners also are provided.

主权项

1. A method of installing a fastener with a tool to join work pieces, the method comprising:
providing a first work piece including a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and substantially parallel to the top surface, and first and second side surfaces joined with the top surface and the bottom surface, the first and second side surfaces being substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces, the first and second side surfaces being positioned on opposite sides of the first work piece; placing the bottom surface of the first work piece over a second work piece; providing a tool including a first spacer that extends downwardly and is adapted to occupy a first space adjacent the first side surface of the first work piece, a second spacer that extends downwardly and is adapted to occupy a second space adjacent the second side surface of the first work piece, the tool including a guide defining an angled bore extending along an axis adapted to be placed at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the first side surface of the first work piece, the angled bore including a first opening adapted to enable a fastener to enter the angled bore and a second opening adapted to enable the fastener to exit the angled bore immediately adjacent the first side surface of the first work piece; placing the frame of the tool atop the top surface of the first work piece so that the first spacer extends downwardly into the first space adjacent the first side surface of the first work piece, so that the second spacer extends downwardly into the second space adjacent the second side surface of the first work piece, and so that the second opening is immediately adjacent the first side surface of the work piece, with the angled bore disposed at the non-orthogonal angle relative to the first side surface of the first work piece; moving at least one of the first spacer and the second spacer toward the other of the first spacer and the second spacer to clamp the first work piece therebetween, with the first spacer engaging the first side surface and the second spacer engaging the second side surface; rotating the fastener within the angled bore; and advancing the fastener along the axis of the angled bore so that the fastener enters the first side surface immediately after exiting the second opening, the fastener advancing at least partially through the first work piece and into the second work piece to join the first work piece and the second work piece.