Machine for applying fasteners to sausage casing

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR WRAPPING A PLIABLE FASTENER AROUND AN OBJECT, COMPRISING AN UPPER DIE AND A LOWER DIE HAVING COMPLEMENTAL DIE FACES CONTOURED FOR BENDING AND GUIDING A FASTENER AROUND THE OBJECT HELD BETWEEN SAID DIES AS THE DIES ARE MOVED TOGETHER, A FRAME INCLUDING A BASE ON WHICH SAID LOWER DIE IS MOUNTED, AN UPPER DIE SUPPORT ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SAID LOWER DIE HAVING AN INLET PASSAGE FOR FASTENERS, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FASTENERS IN FILE FORMATION AND IN SUCCESSION INTO SAID PASSAGE MEANS MOUNTING AND RECIPROCATING SAID UPPER DIE IN SAID SUPPORT TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY FROM ITS UPPER POSITION TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PASSAGE AND ENGAGE AND SEPARATE THE LEADING FASTENER FROM SAID FILE FORMATION, CONVEY THE FASTENER TO SAID DIE FACE OF THE LOWER DIE IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE OBJECT ON THE LOWER DIE AND PRESS THE FASTENER BETWEEN SAID CONTOURED DIE FACES OF THE UPPER AND LOWER DIES TO WRAP THE FASTENER AROUND SAID OBJECT AND TO THEN RETURN TO ITS UPPER POSITION, SAID MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND RECIPROCATING SAID UPPER DIE INCLUDING A DIE HOUSING THAT IS RECIPROCABLE IN SAID SUPPORT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PASSAGE AND HAS A GUIDE-WAY IN WHICH SAID UPPER DIE IS RECIPROCABLE, MEANS YIELDINGLY FRICTIONALLY HOLDING SAID DIE HOUSING AGAINST MOVEMENT, MEANS TO MOVE SAID UPPER DIE RELATIVELY TO SAID DIE HOUSING AND COACTING MEANS ON SAID DIE HOUSING AND SAID UPPER DIE TO MOVE SAID DIE HOUSING UPWARDLY WITH SAID UPPER DIE TO AN UPPERMOST POSITION, SAID GUIDE-WAY HAVING A CUT-AWAY PORTION PROVIDING A CLEARANCE FOR THE LEADING FASTENER OF SAID FILE BENEATH THE DIE FACE OF THE UPPER DIE WHEN THE DIE HOUSING AND UPPER DIE ARE IN SAID UPPERMOST POSITION, SAID UPPER DIE BEING MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE DIE HOUSING TO ENGAGE AND SEPARATE THE LEADING FASTENER FROM THE FILE AND MOVE IT INTO THE END PORTION OF SAID GUIDE-WAY BELOW SAID CUT-AWAYPORTION, SAID END PORTION OF THE GUIDE-WAY FRICTIONALLY HOLDING SAID FASTENER, MEANS INCLUDING PARTS BETWEEN SAID UPPER DIE AND SAD DIE HOUSING TO CAUSE THE DIE HOUSING TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY WITH SAID UPPER DIE TO CONVEY THE FASTENER TO THE LOWER DIE, AND PERMIT THE UPPER DIE TO MOVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE DIE HOUSING AND PRESS THE FASTENER BETWEEN THE DIE FACES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER DIES.