Fastener presentation device

• US 4,592,136 A
• Filed: 02/14/1985
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emhart Industries, Inc. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: USM Corporation
• Inventors: Hirsch, Richard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, Howard N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nichols, Steven
• Application Number:
  US06/701,924
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 221/167, 29/809, 29/818, 72/391
• US Class Current: 29/812.5
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/32 Devices for inserting or holding rivets in position with or without feeding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B27F 7/13 Nail feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1478 by means of pick-up devices, the container remaining immobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53496 comprising driver for snap-off-mandrel fastener; e.g., Pop [TM] riveter

Abstract

A device for automatically presenting fasteners in a predetermined disposition comprising a container for the fasteners which presents the fasteners to a rotary drum which raises the fasteners upwardly for deposit into a chute. The fasteners are fed down the chute to a ramp which positions individual fasteners in a predesired position in a feed barrel for receipt by a fastener tool. An escapement mechanism is positioned between the chute and the ramp so that a single fastener at one time falls down the ramp into the feed barrel.

Claims

1. A device for automatically positioning a fastener in a predetermined, desired disposition and automatically inserting the fastener into an application tool comprising:

a. support means;

b. a housing mounted on said support means for receiving a bulk quantity of fasteners;

c. a vertically disposed rotary drum adapted to receive fasteners from said housing and having means to transport the fasteners upwardly during rotation of said drum;

d. platform means carried on said support means and adapted to receive fasteners from said transport means;

e. chute means coacting with said platform means and adapted to transport the fastener;

f. a ramp means for receiving the fastener from said chute means and placing the fastener in a predetermined, desired disposition in a feed barrel; and

g. drive means coacting with said feed barrel to automatically insert the fastener into the application tool.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing is an enclosed container having sides inclined toward said drum to feed the fasteners into the drum.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said drum transport means comprises axially extending vanes to pick up the fasteners and deposit the fasteners on said platform.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said chute means comprises spaced inclined ramps adapted to support the fastener in a vertical position.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein escapement means is positioned between said chute means and said ramp means which

6. The device of claim 1 including switch means adapted to be actuated by a fastener application tool to cause said drive means to insert the fastener into the tool.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said escapement means is activated at the time of activating said drive means.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the tool actuates said escapement means to cause only a single fastener to pass down said ramp.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said chute includes spaced inclined ramps adapted to hold the head end of the fastener with the fastener stem end received in the space.

9. A device for orienting a headed fastener obtained from a bulk supply to position the fastener head and stem ends in desired positions for further processing, comprising:

a. a vertically disposed rotary drum for transporting fasteners upwardly during rotation;

b. an inclined chute for receiving the fasteners from said drum and positioning said fasteners in a predetermined disposition;

c. ramp means disposed along said chute for receiving a fastener in the predetermined disposition and orienting the fastener for further processing; and

d. escapement means positioned between said chute and said ramp means permitting only a single fastener at a time to be received into said ramp means.

11. The device of claim 9 including means for further processing the fastener which activates said escapement mechanism.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said further processing means includes a fastener application tool.

13. The device of claim 9 including a feed barrel receiving the fastener from said ramp means and adapted to present the fastener for further processing.