Fastener attaching tool

Claim 2

A fastener attaching tool for attaching a fastener to a desired article, the fastener comprising a flexible filament and a pair of transverse bars disposed at opposite ends thereof, said fastener attaching tool comprising: a) a body having a front end, a rear end having an opening, and a longitudinal channel extending inward from said opening in said rear end, said front end having a pair of mounting pins; b. a pair of needles projecting forward from the front end of the body, one needle being pivotally mounted on one of said mounting pins, the other needle being mounted on the other mounting pin, each of said needles having a front end adapted for insertion into the article and a longitudinally extending bore appropriately dimensioned to permit one of the transverse bars of the fastener to slide therethrough, said longitudinally extending bore being slotted to permit the end of the filament adjacent to the transverse bar to extend therethrough; and c. an ejector mechanism slidably mounted in said channel and extending through said opening in said rear end for pushing the transverse bars of the fastener into and through said longitudinally extending bores into the desired article.

Claim 3

The fastener attaching tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said other needle is pivotally mounted on said other mounting pin.

Claim 4

The fastener attaching tool of claim 2 wherein each one of said pair of mounting pins is circular in cross-section.

Claim 5

The fastener attaching tool of claim 3 wherein each needle has an opening for mounting said needle on said mounting pin.

Claim 6

The fastener attaching tool of claim 4 wherein said mounting pins are press fit into holes in said front end of said body.

Claim 7

The fastener attaching tool of claim 5 wherein said front end of said body is provided with means to limit pivotal movement of each needle to about 3° plus or minus about 1°.

Claim 8

The fastener attaching tool of claim 1 wherein said other needle is mounted on said other pin so that it cannot pivot.

Claim 9

The fastener attaching tool of claim 1 wherein said other needle is pivotally mounted on said other mounting pin.

Claim 10

A fastener attaching tool for attaching a fastener to a desired article, the fastener comprising a flexible filament and a transverse bar disposed at one end thereof, the transverse bar being severably connected on its side to a runner bar by a connector post, said fastener attaching tool comprising: a. a body having a channel and a rear end, said rear end having an opening in communication with said channel, b. a needle projecting out from the front of the body, said needle having a front end adapted for insertion into the article, a longitudinally extending bore appropriately dimensioned to permit the transverse bar of the fastener to slide therethrough, said longitudinally extending bore being slotted to permit the end of the filament adjacent to the transverse bar to extend therethrough, and a knife edge appropriately positioned on the side of said longitudinally extending bore to cut the connector post as the transverse bar passes by; c. an ejector mechanism supported in said body, said ejector mechanism being manually movable back and forth in said channel and extending through said opening in said rear end of said body for pushing the transverse bar of the fastener into and through said longitudinally extending bore into the desired article, and d. a spring disposed in said channel in said body between said ejector mechanism and a front portion of said body for pushing said ejector mechanism rearwardly, e. said body and said ejector mechanism having means to prevent automatic rearward movement of said ejector mechanism from its forwardmost position in said channel when forward pressure on said ejector mechanism is removed, said means comprising a pair of flexible fingers and a post.

Claim 11

A fastener attaching tool for attaching a fastener to a desired article, the fastener comprising a flexible filament and a transverse bar disposed at one end thereof, the transverse bar being severably connected on its side to a runner bar by a connector post, said fastener attaching tool comprising: a. a body having a channel and a rear end, said rear end having an opening in communication with said channel, b. a needle projecting out from the front of the body, said needle having a front end adapted for insertion into the article, a longitudinally extending bore appropriately dimensioned to permit the transverse bar of the fastener to slide therethrough, said longitudinally extending bore being slotted to permit the end of the filament adjacent to the transverse bar to extend therethrough, and a knife edge appropriately positioned on the side of said longitudinally extending bore to cut the connector post as the transverse bar passes by; c. an ejector mechanism supported in said body, said ejector mechanism being manually movable back and forth in said channel and extending through said opening in said rear end of said body for pushing the transverse bar of the fastener into and through said longitudinally extending bore into the desired article, and d. a spring disposed in said channel in said body between said ejector mechanism and a front portion of said body for pushing said ejector mechanism rearwardly, e. said body and said ejector mechanism having means to prevent automatic rearward movement of said ejector mechanism from its forwardmost position in said channel when forward pressure on said ejector mechanism is removed, said means comprising a pair of flexible fingers and a post.

Claim 12

The fastener attaching tool as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ejector mechanism has a rear portion and wherein said ejector mechanism is manually movable forward from the opening in the rear end of said body by pushing forward on said rear portion.

Claim 13

The fastener attaching tool of claim 9 wherein said flexible fingers are on said body and said post is on said ejector mechanism.

Claim 14

A tool for dispensing individual fasteners from a fastener clip into a desired article, the fastener clip comprising a pair of generally parallel runner bars and one or more fasteners, said pair of generally parallel runner bars defining a plane, each fastener comprising a flexible filament and a pair of transverse bars disposed at opposite ends of the flexible filament, the flexible filament being disposed in the plane of the pair of generally parallel runner bars, each of the pair of transverse bars being connected to a corresponding runner bar by a connector post, the connector posts being severably connected to the outer sides of their respective transverse bars, said tool comprising: a. a body having a front end, said front end including a pair of mounting pins; b. a pair of needles projecting outward from the front end of the body, each needle being mounted on one of said mounting pins, at least one of said needles being pivotally mounted on its mounting pin, each of said needles having a front end, a longitudinally extending bore, an outer side, and a knife edge, said front end being adapted for insertion into the article, said longitudinally extending bore appropriately dimensioned to permit one of the transverse bars of the fastener to slide therethrough, said longitudinally extending bore being slotted to permit the end of the filament adjacent to the transverse bar to extend therethrough, and said knife edge appropriately positioned on the outer side of said needle to cut the connector post as the transverse bar passes by; and c. a pair of ejector rods supported by said body such that each elector rod is slidable back and forth through a respective one of said pair of needles for pushing the transverse bars of the fastener into and through said longitudinally extending bores of said needles into the desired article.

Claim 15

A tool for dispensing individual fasteners from a fastener clip into a desired article, the fastener clip comprising a pair of generally parallel runner bars and one or more fasteners, said pair of generally parallel runner bars defining a plane, each fastener comprising a flexible filament and a pair of transverse bars disposed at opposite ends of the flexible filament, the flexible filament being disposed in the plane of the pair of generally parallel runner bars, each of the pair of transverse bars being connected to a corresponding runner bar by a connector post, the connector posts being severably connected to the outer sides of their respective transverse bars, said tool comprising: a. a body having a front end, said front end including a pair of mounting pins; b. a pair of needles projecting outward from the front end of the body, each needle being mounted on one of said mounting pins, at least one of said needles being pivotally mounted on its mounting pin, each of said needles having a front end, a longitudinally extending bore, an outer side, and a knife edge, said front end being adapted for insertion into the article, said longitudinally extending bore appropriately dimensioned to permit one of the transverse bars of the fastener to slide therethrough, said longitudinally extending bore being slotted to permit the end of the filament adjacent to the transverse bar to extend therethrough, and said knife edge appropriately positioned on the outer side of said needle to cut the connector post as the transverse bar passes by; and c. a pair of ejector rods supported by said body such that each elector rod is slidable back and forth through a respective one of said pair of needles for pushing the transverse bars of the fastener into and through said longitudinally extending bores of said needles into the desired article.

Claim 16

The tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein said body has a rear end having an opening and moving means for moving said ejector rods, said moving means extending through said opening.

Claim 17

The tool as claimed in claim 13 wherein said body has a feed slot extending inwardly into said body and through which the fastener clip is inserted for positioning the transverse bars of a desired fastener in said longitudinally extending bores of said needles.

Claim 18

The fastener attaching tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein said slot and the pair of runner bars are provided with cooperative registration elements for assisting proper alignment of the transverse bars with said longitudinally extending bores of said needles.

Claim 19

The fastener attaching tool as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cooperative registration elements include indentations on the outer sides of the runner bars and bars formed on the corresponding inside walls of said slot.

Claim 20

A fastener attaching tool for dispensing a fastener, said fastener having a filament and a pair of transverse bars, said fastener attaching tool comprising: a. an elongated body having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal channel extending inward from said rear end, said front end having a pair of mounting pins, b. a pair of needles pivotally mounted on the front end of the elongated body, each of said pair of needles being pivotally mounted on a respective one of said mounting pins, c. an ejector mechanism slidably mounted in said longitudinal channel for movement between a forwardmost position and a rearward most position for pushing a fastener to be dispensed out of said fastener attaching tool through both of said needles, d. a spring disposed in said channel between said ejector mechanism and a front portion of said body for pushing said ejector mechanism rearwardly, and e. means for preventing automatic rearward movement of said ejector mechanism from its forwardmost position to its rearward most position.

Claim 21

A fastener attaching tool for dispensing a fastener, said fastener having a filament and a pair of transverse bars, said fastener attaching tool comprising: a. an elongated body having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal channel extending inward from said rear end, said front end having a pair of mounting pins, b. a pair of needles pivotally mounted on the front end of the elongated body, each of said pair of needles being pivotally mounted on a respective one of said mounting pins, c. an ejector mechanism slidably mounted in said longitudinal channel for movement between a forwardmost position and a rearward most position for pushing a fastener to be dispensed out of said fastener attaching tool through both of said needles, d. a spring disposed in said channel between said ejector mechanism and a front portion of said body for pushing said ejector mechanism rearwardly, and e. means for preventing automatic rearward movement of said ejector mechanism from its forwardmost position to its rearward most position.

Claim 22

The fastener attaching tool of claim 17 and further including a cap attached to said ejector mechanism.

Claim 23

The fastener attaching tool of claim 18 and wherein the body comprises an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being attached to the upper part.