Fastener inserting machine

Claim 2

A fastener attachment insertion device which includes a cylinder, a telescoping member having a needle at one end with a slot therethrough for permitting a portion of a fastener attachment member to be forced through said slot by a plunger means supported by said telescoping member, and an indexing means positioned in said telescoping member to position one at a time fastener attachment members in position to be forced through said needle, said indexing means having an indexing wheel having a plurality of teeth, an indexer member having a tooth engaging portion to move said wheel, a rod supported by said telescoping member and positioned to engage said indexer member to cause it to move said wheel, said rod having an end extending from said telescoping member, and stop means supported by said cylinder and positioned to engage said rod end when said telescoping member is positioned in one location within said cylinder.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 in which a holder means is provided for engaging one tooth of said wheel to prevent it from normally rotating in one direction, and means for moving said holder away from said wheel and at the same time cause said indexer member to rotate away from said wheel.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 in which said indexing means is positioned within a cavity formed in said telescoping member, said cavity having a first portion shaped to slidably guide said holder means, a second portion shaped to slidably guide a portion of said indexEr member, a third portion shaped to retain a spring for resiliently biasing said indexer member towards said plunger and a fourth portion shaped to retain a spring for resiliently biasing said holder means towards said wheel.

Claim 5

In a fastener attachment injecting mechanism which includes means for feeding attachment members through a needle or the like, an indexing mechanism having an indexing wheel with a plurality of teeth, said wheel mounted for rotation to position successive attachment members in front of the needle for feeding therethrough the improvement comprising, an indexer member mounted for movement towards and away from said indexing wheel, said indexer member having a finger for engaging a tooth of said wheel and thereby causing it to rotate about its axis, means for pushing said indexer member to engage said wheel, said indexer member having a curvelinear surface at the rear thereof opposite said finger, indexer member guide means in which said indexer member is positioned, said indexer member guide means having a curvelinear surface for mating with said curvelinear surface of said indexer member, means resiliently biasing said indexer member curvelinear surface against the curvelinear surface of said indexer member guide means, and means for rotating said indexer member curvelinear surface against the curvelinear surface of said indexer member guide means in a direction to permit said indexing wheel to rotate free of said indexer finger.

Claim 6

In a fastener attachment injecting mechanism which includes means for feeding attachment members through a needle or the like, an indexing mechanism having an indexing wheel with a plurality of teeth, said wheel mounted for rotation to position successive attachment members in front of the needle for feeding therethrough the improvement comprising, an indexer member mounted for movement towards and away from said indexing wheel, said indexer member having a finger for engaging a tooth of said wheel and thereby causing it to rotate about its axis, means for pushing said indexer member to engage said wheel, said indexer member having a curvelinear surface at the rear thereof opposite said finger, indexer member guide means in which said indexer member is positioned, said indexer member guide means having a curvelinear surface for mating with said curvelinear surface of said indexer member, means resiliently biasing said indexer member curvelinear surface against the curvelinear surface of said indexer member guide means, and means for rotating said indexer member curvelinear surface against the curvelinear surface of said indexer member guide means in a direction to permit said indexing wheel to rotate free of said indexer finger.

Claim 7

In a mechanism according to claim 4 in which a holder means is provided for engaging a tooth of said wheel to prevent from rotating in one direction, and in which a finger member is supported by said holder which slidably engages said indexer member.

Claim 8

In a mechanism according to claim 5 in which actuating means is provided to move said holder means to force said finger member to slide against said indexer member to cause it to rotate away from said wheel.

Claim 9

In a mechanism according to claim 5 in which said actuating means comprises a lever having one end for engaging said holder means.

Claim 10

For attaching a fastener of the type having a flexible filament with a transverse bar on one end of the filament, a device comprising a casing, a telescoping member slidably supported by said casing, a needle having a central slot, the forward end of the needle being pointed and the rearward end having means for securing said needle to said telescoping member, said slot being shaped to permit said bar to slide therethrough with said filament extending above said slot, a plunger supported by said telescoping member for movement in and out of said needle slot, and an indexing mechanism for positioning one at a time said bars at the rear of said needle and in front of said plunger, said indexing comprising an indexing wheel having a plurality of teeth, an indexer member for engaging the teeth of said wheel to rotate it, a rod slidably supported by said telescoping member and extending therefrom, means for limiting the movement of said rod within said telescoping member, said rod being positioned to engage said indexer member, and means for engaging the rod and forcing it towards said indexing member when the telescoping member is supported in one position by the casing.

Claim 11

For attaching a fastener of the type having a flexible filament with a transverse bar on one end of the filament, a device comprising a casing, a telescoping member slidably supported by said casing, a needle having a central slot, the forward end of the needle being pointed and the rearward end having means for securing said needle to said telescoping member, said slot being shaped to permit said bar to slide therethrough with said filament extending above said slot, a plunger supported by said telescoping member for movement in and out of said needle slot, and an indexing mechanism for positioning one at a time said bars at the rear of said needle and in front of said plunger, said indexing comprising an indexing wheel having a plurality of teeth, an indexer member for engaging the teeth of said wheel to rotate it, a rod slidably supported by said telescoping member and extending therefrom, means for limiting the movement of said rod within said telescoping member, said rod being positioned to engage said indexer member, and means for engaging the rod and forcing it towards said indexing member when the telescoping member is supported in one position by the casing.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8 in which a holder means supported by said telescoping member is provided which engages a tooth of said wheel to prevent rotation in one direction.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 9 in which means interconnecting said holder and said indexer member is provided to rotate said indexer member wherein means is provided for moving said holder away from said wheel, said last mentioned means causing said indexer member to rotate away from said wheel.

Claim 14

A machine for dispensing fastener attachments, said machine comprising clamping means adapted to relatively move together to hold material therebetween, a slotted needle adapted to relatively move with respect to said clamping means in order to penetrate material held by said clamping means, a plunger movable to force a head portion of a fastener attachment member positioned with respect to said needle through said needle, support means for positioning a ticket or the like so that the needle must pass therethrough as it moves relative to the clamping means and means operable to cause said clamping means to close, force said needle to relatively move with respect to said clamping means and extend through the material and the ticket or the like and cause said plunger to move into said slotted needle to force the head portion through the needle, the ticket or the like and the material.

Claim 15

A machine for dispensing fastener attachments, said machine comprising clamping means adapted to relatively move together to hold material therebetween, a slotted needle adapted to relatively move with respect to said clamping means in order to penetrate material held by said clamping means, a plunger movable to force a head portion of a fastener attachment member positioned with respect to said needle through said needle, support means for positioning a ticket or the like so that the needle must pass therethrough as it moves relative to the clamping means and means operable to cause said clamping means to close, force said needle to relatively move with respect to said clamping means and extend through the material and the ticket or the like and cause said plunger to move into said slotted needle to force the head portion through the needle, the ticket or the like and the material.

Claim 16

A machine according to claim 11 in which the clamping means comprises two jaws and in which the support means positions the ticket or the like between the two jaws.

Claim 17

A machine according to claim 11 in which the support means comprises guide means constructed to align two edges of the ticket or the like with respect to the needle.

Claim 18

A machine according to claim 13 in which resilient biasing means is provided to retain the ticket or the like in position to permit the needle to pass through it.

Claim 19

In a machine or the like for dispensing fastener attachment members, said machine having a needle with a tip for penetrating through material or the like, means for positioning and then forcing a fastener attachment member through the needle, the improvement comprising support means constructed to hold a ticket or the like in front of the tip of the needle so that the ticket or the like can be attached to material, means supporting the needle for movement within the machine, and means for moving the needle from a first to a second position to pass through the ticket or the like and the material or the like prior to forcing a fastener attachment member through the needle.

Claim 20

In a machine or the like for dispensing fastener attachment members, said machine having a needle with a tip for penetrating through material or the like, means for positioning and then forcing a fastener attachment member through the needle, the improvement comprising support means constructed to hold a ticket or the like in front of the tip of the needle so that the ticket or the like can be attached to material, means supporting the needle for movement within the machine, and means for moving the needle from a first to a second position to pass through the ticket or the like and the material or the like prior to forcing a fastener attachment member through the needle.

Claim 21

In a machine according to claim 15 in which the support means is coupled to the machine and includes means positioned in front of a tip of the needle.

Claim 22

In a machine according to claim 16 in which resilient biasing means is provided to retain a ticket or the like in position to permit the needle to pass through it.

Claim 23

In a device for ticketing material, said device comprising a housing, a slotted needle supported by the housing and movable with respect to the housing, first means coupled to the housing for initially positioning the needle away from the material to be ticketed, ticket support means for supporting a ticket between the material to be ticketed and the needle, plunger means for forcing the head of an attachment member through the slotted needle and out of the end thereof, second means for moving the needle with respect to the housing and towards the first means so that it will pass through the ticket and the material, and third means for moving said plunger means to force the head through the needle, the ticket and the material in order to attach the ticket to the material.

Claim 24

In a device for ticketing material, said device comprising a housing, a slotted needle supported by the housing and movable with respect to the housing, first means coupled to the housing for initially positioning the needle away from the material to be ticketed, ticket support means for supporting a ticket between the material to be ticketed and the needle, plunger means for forcing the head of an attachment member through the slotted needle and out of the end thereof, second means for moving the needle with respect to the housing and towards the first means so that it will pass through the ticket and the material, and third means for moving said plunger means to force the head through the needle, the ticket and the material in order to attach the ticket to the material.

Claim 25

In a device according to claim 18 in which said plunger means is moved in the same direction as the needle to eject the head of an attachment member from the needle.

Claim 26

In a device according to claim 18 in which a support member movable within the housing supports the needle.

Claim 27

In a device according to claim 19 in which a support member movable within the housing supports the needle.

Claim 28

In a device according to claim 21 in which said first means has an opening therethrough through which the needle extends when moved to pass through the ticket and the material.

Claim 29

In a device according to claim 21 in which said first means comprises a plurality of members for clamping material therebetween.

Claim 30

In a device according to claim 18 in which resilient biasing means is provided as part of said ticket support means to retain the ticket in position to permit the needle to pass through it.

Claim 31

In a device according to claim 19 in which resilient biasing means is provided as part of said ticket support means to retain the ticket in position to permit the needle to Pass through it.