Abstract: A cycle of operation of an attaching apparatus begins with determining whether an operator's extremity is in an area in which it can be struck by a downwardly moving ram during attachment of two fasteners to each other and to a material therebetween. If it is determined that the operator's extremity is not in the area in which it can be struck by the downwardly moving ram, the remainder of the cycle of operation is completed. If it is determined that the operator's extremity is in the area in which it can be struck by the downwardly moving ram, the cycle of operation must begin again.

Abstract: A fastener apparatus, which attaches a first article to a second article at a setting station, includes a plate-like support, a feed in finger for receiving and engaging a first article at a first predetermined position, and a lever pivotally mounted on the support and pivotally connected to the feed in finger. A spring continuously urges the lever to pivot to move the feed in finger along a substantially horizontal predetermined path from the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position at the setting station. A cam surface of a cam element, which is vertically movable in response to vertical movement of a ram housing, acts on a roller on the lever for rendering the spring ineffective and for moving the feed in finger from the second predetermined position to the first predetermined position.

Abstract: Two mating fastener elements are attached to material and each other at a setting station through an electric motor. The motor rotates a cam having its profile cooperate with a cam follower on an upper pivotally mounted arm to move a ram, which supports one of the fastener elements, towards a support, which supports the other of the fastener elements. The support is moved by a lower pivotally mounted arm attached to the cam by a crank arm so that it has a harmonic motion. The ram is stopped and held in its stopped position before a controlled setting force is applied through the support to move the other fastener element into engagement with the one fastener element.

Abstract: A rotary hopper includes a door, which is pivotally mounted on the main mounting plate for pivoting about a vertical axis, having a transparent element to enable viewing of the interior of the rotary hopper. The pivotally mounted door enables easy access to the interior of the hopper. On the opposite side of the main mounting plate from the door, a shaft is supported for rotatably supporting a cone having a gauging ring with gauging grooves mounted thereon. A recess in the cone, the interior of the gauging ring, and the interior of the transparent element on the door form a reservoir in the rotary hopper for the fastener elements. On the side of the main mounting plate having the door, the main mounting plate has a vertical groove to receive the fastener element in each of the gauging grooves when each of the gauging grooves is aligned therewith during rotation of the gauging ring. The vertical groove communicates with a setting station of an attaching apparatus.