Elongated-member-driving apparatus

SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION

Introductory Notes

(1) Note. This is a restricted class for the art of elongated-member-driving apparatus as defined above. For original placement of a patent in this class, its claimed disclosure should meet the minimum requirements of the class definition, and should fall within the boundaries expressed in the sections "Scope of the Class", "Other Classes With Elongated Member Driving Means", "Relationship to Combination Classes," "Relationship to Subcombination Classes", and "Other Class Relationships" below.

(2) Note. The term "member", appearing throughout this class definition, is a defined term in this class (see Glossary), denoting an elongated object to be driven; usually, but not necessarily disclosed as a nail, stud, staple, or the like.

(3) Note. Terms followed by an asterisk (*) will be found defined in the Glossary. Throughout this class definition, certain very frequently appearing terms, such as work, product, member, and driver, are accompanied by the asterisk only where the exact meaning of the term is deemed particularly important. Main Class Definition This class provides for a device comprising a pushing or driving element, disclosed as being guided for movement in a predetermined path and as being effective (1) to engage a member, or end portion of indeterminate length material, and (2) to impart translatory motion to the same with respect to a workpiece, or to engage a workpiece and to translate the same or a portion thereof with respect to a member; said member or said end portion comprising a pointed and/or generally elongated rod-like or tubular projection substantially aligned with the direction of such translatory motion, said pushing or driving element serving, in either case, to initiate and/or increase a penetrating relationship between said workpiece and member (or workpiece and end portion); and further comprising at least one of the following: means to (a) modify, (b) position or (c) support, a workpiece or member. Scope of the Class The subject matter of this class relates to apparatus for applying a member (having an elongated rod-like or tubular projection) to one or more workpieces by relative movement between the member and the workpiece generally in the direction of a projection of the member. A patent claiming apparatus for driving a member may be excluded from the class because of additional claimed subject matter, not expressly covered in the subclass titles and definitions. See Lines With Other Classes, below