Apparatus for dispensing individual plastic fasteners from continuously connected ladder stock

• US 5,320,269 A
• Filed: 11/02/1992
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Backholm, Philip G., Deschenes, Charles L., Cooper, William J., Davignon, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RADA, RINALDI I
• Application Number:
  US07/970,060
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 227/26, 227/67, 227/70, 227/71, 227/73, 227/76, 227/99, 227/100, 227/69, 227/72
• US Class Current: 227/67
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 7/005 Portable tools

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from continuously connected ladder stock including an elongated side member having a plurality of T-bars interconnected by severable connectors. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a hollow, gun-shaped casing having a barrel portion and a handle portion. The front end of the barrel portion has an opening into which a hollow slotted needle is removably mounted. A triggering mechanism, which includes a pivotally-mounted trigger, is connected to the handle portion of the casing. A slider assembly, which is actuated by squeezing the trigger, includes a slider adapted to travel along longitudinally extending rails formed along the inside of the barrel portion of the casing. Movement of the slider is coupled to a feeding/severing/ejecting assembly, which collectively functions to feed a T-bar disposed at one end of the elongated side member into the hollow slotted needle, to break the severable connector connecting the inserted T-bar to the remainder of the elongated side member, and to eject the inserted T-bar from the hollow, slotted needle. In a preferred embodiment, the severable connector is broken by pivoting the rear portion of the connector away from the front portion of the connector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from continuously connected ladder stock including an elongated side member, said elongated side member having a first T-bar at one end thereof, said first T-bar being interconnected to a second T-bar by a severable connector, the apparatus comprising:

a) a hollow casing, said hollow casing having a front end;

b) a hollow, slotted needle mounted on said front end of said hollow casing;

c) a triggering mechanism;

d) means coupled to said triggering mechanism for advancing the continuously connected ladder stock so that said first T-bar is fed into said needle;

e) means coupled to said triggering mechanism for severing the severable connector connecting said first T-bar to said second T-bar, said severing means comprising means for pivoting said second T-bar away from said first T-bar until the severable connector breaks; and

f) means coupled to said triggered mechanism for ejecting said first T-bar from said hollow, slotted needle.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising anti-forward means for preventing the continuously connected ladder stock from advancing when said triggering mechanism is at rest.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising anti-back means for preventing the continuously connected ladder stock from traveling in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising ladder stock supply means mounted on said hollow casing for holding a supply of ladder stock.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow casing has an opening formed in said front end and wherein said hollow slotted needle includes a shank portion and a base portion, said base portion being sized and shaped for insertion into said opening, said base portion having a first tab which is a spring tab for releasably securing said base portion within said opening.

6. An apparatus for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from continuously connected ladder stock, the continuously connected ladder stock including an elongated side member, said elongated side member having at one end thereof a first T-bar and a second T-bar, said first T-bar having a rear portion and said second T-bar having a front portion, said rear portion of said first T-bar and said front portion of said second T-bar being interconnected by a severable connector, said severable connector, said rear portion of said first T-bar and said front portion of said second T-bar collectively forming a notch, the apparatus comprising:

a) a hollow casing having a front end, said hollow casing comprising an elongated barrel portion and a handle portion;

b) a hollow, slotted needle mounted on said front end of said elongated barrel portion of said hollow casing;

c) a triggering mechanism, said triggering mechanism comprising a trigger mounted on said handle portion of said hollow casing;

d) a carriage disposed within said elongated barrel portion of said hollow casing;

said carriage being adapted for pivotal movement;

e) a feeder mounted on said carriage and adapted for both longitudinal and pivotal movement relative thereto, said feeder also being adapted to pivot with said carriage, said feeder having a pawl adapted to engage a notch, said feeder also having an elongated groove, said elongated groove being shaped to define a path to be traveled by said feeder, said path comprising a first portion wherein said feeder is first moved both longitudinally and pivotally so that said pawl engages said notch, a second portion wherein said feeder is moved longitudinally so that said pawl pushes said first T-bar into said hollow, slotted needle, and a third portion wherein said feeder and said carriage are pivoted so as to cause said pawl to pivot said second T-bar away from said first T-bar until the severable connector breaks;

f) an ejector rod adapted for insertion into said hollow, slotted needle; and

g) a slider assembly coupled to said triggering mechanism, said slider assembly comprising a slider adapted to travel longitudinally across said elongated barrel portion of said hollow casing, said slider comprising;

i) a peg engageable within said elongated groove of said feeder for driving said feeder along said path,

ii) a projection adapted to temporally engage said carriage so as to prevent the pivoting thereof until after the T-bar at one end of the elongated side member has been inserted into said hollow, slotted needle, and

iii) means for inserting said ejector rod into said hollow, slotted needle after the severable connector has been broken.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising means coupled to said feeder for regulating forward movement of the continuously connected ladder stock.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a cover plate fixedly mounted on said carriage, said cover plate and said carriage jointly defining a feed track.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said cover plate includes a spring articulating arm adapted to permit the continuously connected ladder stock to move forwardly but not rearwardly in said feed track.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said front end of said barrel portion includes an opening and wherein said hollow, slotted needle includes a shank portion and a base portion, said base portion being sized and shaped for insertion into said opening, said base portion having a first tab for releasably securing stud base portion within said opening, said first tab being a spring tab.