Abstract: An apparatus for use in tying together a pair of opposing shoelace eyelets of a shoe upper with a plastic fastener of the type comprising a flexible filament having a cross-bar disposed at one end thereof and a paddle comprising an opening disposed at the opposite end thereof. The apparatus includes a hollow slotted needle insertable through the pair of opposing shoelace eyelets and the opening in the paddle, a paddle positioning assembly for aligning the opening in the paddle with the pair of opposing shoelace eyelets, a cross-bar feeding assembly for loading the cross-bar into the needle, and a cross-bar ejecting assembly for ejecting the cross-bar from the needle.

Abstract: A shingle gauge for use with a nail driving tool of the type having a magazine which feeds nails into a guide body to be driven through shingle elements into a roof structure and having a shingle element locating surface adjacent the guide body nose. The gauge comprises a mounting bracket fixed beneath the magazine and a gauge element slidably and pivotally supported on the bracket and shiftable therealong toward and away from the locating surface to adjust the distance therebetween to accommodate various sizes of shingle elements. A latch is attached to the gauge element and is capable of a locking engagement with the support bracket at any selected one of a plurality of predetermined positions therealong to locate and lock the gauge element at that selected position.

Abstract: An apparatus for final assembly of framed artwork includes a table supported on a structural frame, and a pneumatic actuator for raising and lowering the table. Two pairs of tubular rectangular beams extend in rectangular array superjacent to the table, and are secured at opposed ends to the upper ends of respective vertical supports. Clamping sleeves secured to the ends of the lateral beams engage the longitudinal beams, so that the lateral beams may be slidably positioned along the longitudinal beams. A plurality of modules are provided for installing tabs in a picture frame supported on the table, each module including a support plate having a dogleg cutout which is adapted to receive one of the longitudinal or lateral beams, and an adjacent clamp to secure the support plate at any point along the beam. A magazine is secured to the support plate by a pivot assembly at the upper end of the magazine, with the freely pivoting lower end of the magazine depending from the support plate.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated nail gun having a safety device which prevents a trigger lever from being accidentally manipulated. The gun has a nail guide movably disposed over a bit guide. A movable segment having a pipe-shaped portion and an arm portion formed integrally therewith is provided. The pipe-shaped portion is disposed movably in the nail guide, and the arm portion is movable in a slit of the nail guide. The arm portion is coupled to the safety arm whose end portion is engageable with the trigger lever. A spring is provided to urge the safety arm in a direction to maintain engagement between the end portion and the trigger lever. When the nail inserted in the nail guide is depressed onto the workpiece, the pipe-shaped portion moves against the biasing force of the spring, so that the end portion of the safety arm disengages from the trigger lever, whereupon the trigger lever can be operated.

Abstract: A pneumatic nail gun head elevating tool (10) for varying the depth to which a nail (50) can be driven is disclosed. The tool (10) includes a generally cylindrical base member (24) having means for coupling to a push lever (14) or firing head (20) of a nail gun (12), to which a generally cylindrical adjustment knob member (22) is rotatably coupled. Rotation of adjustment knob member (22) causes adjustment knob member (22) to extend or retraction in relation to base member (24) thereby controlling the depth of penetration of the nail (50) ejected from the nail gun (12).

Abstract: A composite stress plate for securing insulation to a roof deck with a fastener includes a metal plate having a drawn central cup with a concentric aperture and a plastic insert having a central throughbore for receiving the fastener in a threaded manner. The plastic insert may have a hub which corresponds in shape to and is adapted to snappingly engage the concentric aperture in the metal plate, or the insert may be received by the cup in the metal plate and retained therein. Means for preventing relative rotation between the plastic insert and the metal plate are provided in either case. A plurality of depressed ramps are disposed within the plate having cleats for engaging the insulation. The ramps enhance alignment of the composite stress plate on a barrel assembly of an installation tool and precise placement of the threaded fastener into the roof deck is achieved.

Abstract: A fastener driving device includes a body, a driver guide extending downwardly from the body for driving fasteners by a driver, a first abutting member mounted on the driver guide and having a first reference surface for abutment on an edge of a work to be fixed, and a second abutting member having a second reference surface for abutment on an edge of another work which has been previously fixed. An adjusting mechanism is provided for adjusting the position of the second abutting member relative to the first abutting member. The adjusting mechanism includes a support member mounted on the body and supporting the second abutting member in such a manner that the second abutting member is slidably movable along a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the driver guide. A tightening mechanism is operable for fixing the position of the second abutting member and for permitting movement of the second abutting member.

Abstract: A tool for installing and removing a staple comprising an elongated body which has an installing head at one end and a base at the opposite end. In between the head and the base is mounted a graspable handle which is to be slideable to exert a hammering force on a collar which is mounted on the body. This collar is to be adjustable longitudinally on the body to any desired position that will be convenient to the user. The head of the tool includes a staple removing device which is to be connected to a staple to effect removal thereof after it has been installed.

Abstract: A stapling system for stapling a set of copy sheets in a copier or printer includes a precise, but non-metering continuous wire feed mechanism. The feed mechanism has a full-feed wire sensor, and a control circuit including the wire being fed, for sensing and controlling the feeding of precise lengths of continuous staple wire to the stapler head of the system.

Abstract: A power actuated device for attaching a protective metal strip to the outside corner formed by two intersecting wall panels is provided. The device includes a shoe releasably mounted on the device for holding the device and the protective in alignment along the corner. The shoe is provided in a number of differing shapes, each one of which complements the contour of an associated protective strip. The device further includes attaching means supported on the shoe for attaching the metal strip to the wall, a toggle mechanism for moving the attaching means between an inactive and an attaching position and an electrically powered actuator supported on the shoe and connected to the toggle mechanism to move the attaching means between their inactive and attaching positions.

Abstract: A compensating nail-driving chuck uniformly countersinks nails into boards, despite variations in thickness and hardness of the boards. The nail-driving chuck has a chuck body with jaws at the lower end for holding a nail. A hydraulic cylinder has a drive rod which is connected to a drive pin for driving the nail out through the jaws and into the board. The chuck body is movable with the drive rod until a surface of the board is engaged. At that point, movement of the chuck body stops, and relative movement of the drive rod and drive pin with respect to the chuck body begins. The chuck body limits the stroke of the drive rod, so that the nail is driven a uniform distance into the board once the surface of the board has been engaged.

Abstract: A nail and dimpler driving apparatus for a nailing gun is provided having a barrel with a short hardened metal dimpler which slides longitudinally in the end of the barrel and comprises a hardened metal piston having a broadened face at its end extending symmetrically on opposite sides of a metal plunger which extends longitudinally from the lower center of the piston face in alignment with an orifice through the dimpler. The piston reciprocates to impact a shoulder at the inner end of the dimpler. The barrel has a longitudinal rail extending along the top of its bore to maintain the piston and dimpler in angular alignment and to guide nails fed into the bore from an opening located in the side of the barrel between the tip of the retracted plunger and the dimpler shoulder. The rail has a longitudinal groove in its lower edge to aid in guiding the nails and in providing clearance for the residue of web material used to join the nails in flexible collated strips.

Abstract: A button holder/die assembly in a device for attaching a button to a sheet member, includes a die having a frustoconical portion tapered toward a button support, and a smaller-diameter neck disposed between the button support and the frustoconical portion. The button holder/die assembly also includes a tubular button holder of a resilient material movably fitted over the die for holding a button member. The tubular button holder has a cylindrical wall having one end for supporting the button member and on the opposite end a plurality of radially inwardly extending normally engaging the neck.

Abstract: A staple gun tacker having a staple driving blade is disclosed which is adapted to be used in driving and setting a rivet of the type having a pin member mounted in a rivet shank having an expandable workpiece piercing free end. The staple gun tacker includes a front cover over the driving mechanism which has a recess or slot formed therein to receive the pin member or top of the rivet and guide it into alignment with the drive blade of the staple gun so that upon operation of the staple gun the driving blade applies a driving force to drive the pin member of the rivet and thus expands the free end of the rivet.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a pair of fastener elements onto a garment fabric comprising a cooperating pair of an upper die unit and a lower die unit, a stationary anvil mounted in the lower unit, a plunger reciprocably mounted in the upper unit, a punch movable relative to the plunger along a path of movement toward and away from the lower unit, and a pair of clamping jaws operatively associated with the upper die unit for releasably clamping one of the fastener elements. A means is provided for holding one fastener element in proper position against displacement for aligned engagement with the other mating element. The apparatus further includes means for manually releasing the fastener element which has been trapped in the event of failure of the apparatus.

Abstract: A compensating nail chuck includes a driving rod (12) having a yieldable force-transmitting member (34) comprised of a belleville-washer spring system which compresses in size in response to a back force on the driving rod created by driving a nail. A main housing (10) of the chuck has freedom of vertical movement on a chuck bar (26) for a distance equal to a tolerance difference to be compensated for.

Abstract: A shoe support for supporting a shoe to have a heel attached thereto comprises a generally planar support surface against the heel seat region of the shoe and the heel are located. The support has at least one nail guide formed therein which is inclined to the normal to the support surface and contains a pusher member movable normally to the support surface. A driver rests on the pusher member and is movable, by movement of the pusher member, along the guide to drive a nail therefrom into the heel seat region and the heel. As the pusher member moves sliding movement takes place, normally to the direction of movement of the pusher member, between the pusher member and the driver.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an applicator tool capable of picking up loose miniature spring sockets and inserting them into holes in a printed circuit board. More particularly, the tool has dual air lines, one being connected to a compressed air supply and the other being connected to a vacuum. With the sockets laying on the work surface, vacuum pulls a socket into the tool nozzle. The tool is then placed into alignment with a hole and the trigger squeezed to activate the air supply to drive a ram which drives the socket out of the tool and into the hole in the board.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for aligning and press-fitting connector terminals into a substrate. The terminals are initially supported together by a bandolier strip, and an alignment tool aligns the terminals with apertures in the substrate to which the terminals will be press-fitted. A pressing tool engages the shanks of the terminals to fold the bandolier away from the terminals and thereafter press the terminals into the apertures.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed for mass insertion of multiple terminals into preformed passageways in housings, printed circuit boards or the like. The terminals each have one end detachably secured to a flexible carrier strip and are transported to the insertion station thereby. The machine grips large groups of the terminal in the insertion station, removes them from the carrier strip, and inserts the terminals into the preformed passageways in a housing, printed circuit board, or the like. The terminals are carried and inserted in two parallel spaced rows, with the alignment therebetween being insured by a shuttle which is placed between the rows of terminals at the insertion station. The group of terminals to be inserted is grasped by jaw members and held against the shuttle during the insertion movement. The jaws then release the terminals and return the shuttle to its original position.

Abstract: An applicator for attachment of ear tags to animals. The device incorporates a slotted base to which is affixed, at 90.degree., an elongate guide. A first handle extends from that end of the base opposite the slotted portion thereof and a second handle is pivoted to move from an open to a closed position in a plane through the first handle normal to the plane of the base. A tag carrying spear is movable from a rest position adjacent the guide member and normal to the plane of the base through a path of travel including a first downstroke in a direction normal to the base. At the end of the downstroke the tag anchor portion is wholly through the ear of an animal, which ear is retained adjacent the base during a tagging operation. The spear may then pivot through an arc through the slotted base while being withdrawn from the tagged ear.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to self-piercing fasteners, such as studs, bolts or nuts, the method of attaching such fasteners to a panel and fastener installation apparatus, including the installation head and die button. The fastener includes a self-piercing and riveting annular wall which is driven into a panel supported against a die member by the installation head. The die member includes an annular die cavity surrounding a central projecting die portion which is telescopically receivable in the free open end of the fastener annular wall. The free end of the fastener annular wall includes a piercing surface which mates with a piercing surface at the outer edge of the projecting die portion to pierce a slug from the panel.