IP Library Granted Patent US 12,569,966
Granted Patent B2
US 12,569,966 · App. 18/809,485 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Powered fastener driver

Inventor: Travis W. Leathrum (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
B25C1/008B25C1/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,569,966
App. No.
18/809,485
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A powered fastener driver includes a housing, a nosepiece extending from the housing, a workpiece contact bracket, a driver blade, and a dry-fire lockout lever. The dry-fire lockout lever is movable between a first bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and in which the dry-fire lockout lever is engaged with a first fastener adjacent the fastener driving channel, a second bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and in which the dry-fire lockout lever is engaged with a second fastener within the fastener driving channel, and a lockout position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is obstructed. The dry-fire lockout lever is entirely removed from the fastener driving channel when in the first bypass position. The dry-fire lockout lever is at least partially positioned within the fastener driving channel when in the second bypass position.

Claims (55)

1 . A powered fastener driver comprising:

a housing;

a nosepiece extending from the housing;

a workpiece contact bracket slidably disposed on the nosepiece;

a driver blade movable within the nosepiece between a top-dead-center (TDC) position and a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position;

a piston coupled to the driver blade for movement therewith;

a driver cylinder within which the piston is movable and in fluid communication with a pressurized gas acting on the piston;

a magazine coupled to the nosepiece in which collated fasteners are receivable;

a fastener delivery mechanism coupled to the nosepiece for individually transferring collated fasteners in the magazine to a fastener driving channel in the nosepiece;

a nosepiece access door pivotably disposed on the nosepiece to provide access to the fastener driving channel; and

a dry-fire lockout lever pivotably disposed on the nosepiece access door adjacent the fastener driving channel, wherein the dry-fire lockout lever is movable between

a first bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and in which the dry-fire lockout lever is engaged with a first fastener adjacent the fastener driving channel,

a second bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and in which the dry-fire lockout lever is engaged with a second fastener within the fastener driving channel, and

a lockout position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is obstructed,

wherein the dry-fire lockout lever is entirely removed from the fastener driving channel when in the first bypass position, and wherein the dry-fire lockout lever is at least partially positioned within the fastener driving channel when in the second bypass position.

2 . The powered fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein in the lockout position the dry-fire lockout lever prevents the workpiece contact bracket from sliding on the nosepiece.

3 . The powered fastener driver of claim 2 , wherein in the second bypass position, the driver blade contacts a portion of the dry-fire lockout lever as it moves to the BDC position.

4 . The powered fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein in the first bypass position, the driver blade does not contact the dry-fire lockout lever as it moves to the BDC position.

5 . The powered fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever includes at least one link connecting the dry-fire lockout lever to the nosepiece access door and the dry-fire lockout lever pivots on the at least one link.

6 . The powered fastener driver of claim 5 , wherein the at least one link is contacted by the first fastener adjacent the fastener driving channel to move the dry-fire lockout lever into a position clear of the driver blade.

7 . A powered fastener driver comprising:

a housing;

a nosepiece extending from the housing;

a workpiece contact bracket slidably disposed on the nosepiece;

a driver blade movable within the nosepiece between a top-dead-center (TDC) position and a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position;

a piston coupled to the driver blade for movement therewith;

a driver cylinder within which the piston is movable and in fluid communication with a pressurized gas acting on the piston;

a magazine coupled to the nosepiece in which collated fasteners are receivable;

a fastener delivery mechanism coupled to the nosepiece for individually transferring collated fasteners in the magazine to a fastener driving channel in the nosepiece;

a nosepiece access door pivotably disposed on the nosepiece to provide access to the fastener driving channel; and

a dry-fire lockout lever pivotably disposed on the nosepiece access door adjacent the fastener driving channel, wherein the dry-fire lockout lever includes a first bypass position in which a queued fastener adjacent the fastener driving channel engages the dry-fire lockout lever to prevent the dry-fire lockout lever from entering the fastener driving channel and the driver blade from contacting the dry-fire lockout lever as the driver blade moves toward the BDC position.

8 . The powered fastener driver of claim 7 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever includes at least one link connecting the dry-fire lockout lever to the nosepiece access door.

9 . The powered fastener driver of claim 8 , wherein the at least one link is contacted by the queued fastener to move the dry-fire lockout lever into a position clear of the driver blade.

10 . The powered fastener driver of claim 7 , wherein in the first bypass position, movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed.

11 . The powered fastener driver of claim 10 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever includes a second bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and the dry-fire lockout lever extends at least partially into the fastener driving channel.

12 . The powered fastener driver of claim 11 , wherein in the second bypass position, the dry-fire lockout lever engages a loaded fastener within the fastener driving channel.

13 . The powered fastener driver of claim 11 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever further includes a lockout position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is obstructed.

14 . The powered fastener driver of claim 13 , wherein in the lockout position, the powered fastener driver is empty of fasteners.

15 . A powered fastener driver comprising:

a housing;

a nosepiece extending from the housing;

a workpiece contact bracket slidably disposed on the nosepiece;

a driver blade movable within the nosepiece between a top-dead-center (TDC) position and a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position;

a piston coupled to the driver blade for movement therewith;

a driver cylinder within which the piston is movable and in fluid communication with a pressurized gas acting on the piston;

a magazine coupled to the nosepiece in which collated fasteners are receivable;

a fastener delivery mechanism coupled to the nosepiece for individually transferring collated fasteners in the magazine to a fastener driving channel in the nosepiece;

a nosepiece access door pivotably disposed on the nosepiece to provide access to the fastener driving channel; and

a dry-fire lockout lever pivotably disposed on the nosepiece access door adjacent the fastener driving channel,

wherein the workpiece contact bracket engages the dry-fire lockout lever in response to upward movement of the workpiece contact bracket relative to the nosepiece to maintain the dry-fire lockout lever in a first bypass position, in which the dry-fire lockout lever is prevented from entering the fastener driving channel to be contacted by the driver blade as it moves toward the BDC position.

16 . The powered fastener driver of claim 15 , wherein the workpiece contact bracket includes a cam portion that engages the dry-fire lockout lever as the workpiece contact bracket moves along the nosepiece.

17 . The powered fastener driver of claim 16 , wherein the cam portion rotates the dry-fire lockout lever into a position clear of the driver blade.

18 . The powered fastener driver of claim 15 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever includes a second bypass position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is not obstructed and the dry-fire lockout lever extends at least partially into the fastener driving channel.

19 . The powered fastener driver of claim 18 , wherein in the second bypass position, the dry-fire lockout lever is engaged with a loaded fastener disposed within the fastener driving channel.

20 . The powered fastener driver of claim 19 , wherein the dry-fire lockout lever further includes a lockout position in which movement of the workpiece contact bracket is obstructed and the powered fastener driver is empty of any fasteners.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2025
From: LEATHRUM, TRAVIS W.
To: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072927/0266 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63520672 · Aug 21, 2023
Related Publication 20250065481A1 · Feb 27, 2025
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