Abstract: Apparatus for extruding thermoplastic material includes an extruder having inner and outer die lips adjacent an outlet end of the extruder for transporting an annular stream of thermoplastic material therethrough. The outer die lips are divided into a plurality of circumferential sectors. Each sector includes a passage for circulating heated oil for controlling the viscosity of the thermoplastic material being extruded. The temperature and flow of the heated oil flowing through each sector may be varied according to the required thickness of the product being extruded adjacent that sector. A ring-shaped channel carries the heated oil around the die lips for circulation into the individual sectors.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the packaging of an article in a plastic-card package which includes a flat card having a window aperture cut therein fed to the apparatus, and a flat, thermoformable plastic sheet, cut-to-size larger than the aperture and smaller than the face of the card and positioned to cover the aperture. The perimeter of the sheet is heat tacked by an adhesive to the card at a plurality of points around the perimeter of the aperture, and the thermoformable material is heated to form a blister in the sheet and to heat seal the edges of the formed blister to the card. The blister is filled, and the filled blister is covered with a backing cover sheet, and the card sealed to form a package.

Abstract: A blister packaging system and method which includes a preheat station, a cold seal press station, and a trimming station to provide a blister-type cold seal bonded blister package. The method comprises feeding the adjacent sheets of thermoplastic material to a preheat station and preheating selected sections, usually edge areas, of the plastic material for very short periods of time to a tacky or melt temperature, thereafter cold pressing the preheated sections under pressure at a temperature of less than 60.degree. F. to cold bond seal the preheated sections, and thereafter optionally to trim the cold bonded thermoplastic sheet material to a finished size and recovering a blister, cold-bonded package.

Abstract: The invention comprises a nested tray-like product separator apparatus and a packaging system employing the nested product separator for the separation of a plurality of generally vertically upright nested plastic tray products into packaging units composed of a defined plurality of the nested tray products. The product separator includes a base plate having a cavity therein and a pair of spaced-apart picker elements, with a tension-biased holdback finger element between the pair of spaced-apart picker elements. The product separator includes a pneumatic cylinder, to move the picker elements sequentially and cyclically between a non-use position and a separating position, wherein the one end of the picker elements extend between selected nested tray products to separate the products.

Abstract: An electromechanical tool for driving fasteners into a workpiece. The tool uses a single flywheel in combination with a clutch mechanism whereby a conically shaped flywheel frictionally cooperates with a corresponding drum to cause a driver which is coupled to the drum by a cable to be pulled with considerable force through a working stroke to drive a fastener from the tool.

Abstract: An electromechanical flywheel containing fastener driving tool. The tool comprises a frame supporting a housing, a guide body and a fastener containing magazine. A free floating driver within said frame. Forward and rearward flywheels are arranged in tandem within the tool frame with their peripheral surfaces opposed. A pair of beam-like arcuate load springs are located to either side of the frame. The load spring rearward ends carry bearings in which the shaft of the rearward flywheel is journaled. The load spring forward ends carry rotatable eccentric bearing housings in which the shaft of the forward flywheel is journaled. The bearing housings are rotatable to shift the forward flywheel between operative and inoperative positions wherein the opposed surfaces of the flywheels are spaced by a distance less than and a distance greater than the thickness of the driver, respectively.

Abstract: An improved flywheel for an electromechanical tool such as a nailer or stapler. The tool is provided with a blade-like driver which is frictionally moved through a working stroke by an electrically driven flywheel, the driver being squeezed between the flywheel and a support element such as a counterrotating flywheel, a low inertia roller, or the like. The flywheel has a peripheral working surface with parallel edges. The working surface of the flywheel makes a line contact with the driver during the driving stroke. The flywheel is provided with at least one groove formed in and extending along its working surface. Throughout its length the groove is angularly related to the parallel edges of the flywheel working surface so that the groove traverses the line contact between the driver and the flywheel during each working stroke. This more efficiently prevents build-up of foreign material on the driver and flywheel and produces less and more uniform wear of the driver and flywheel.

Abstract: A valve arrangement for a fastener driving tool of the type having a cylinder and piston/driver assembly for driving a fastener, a main valve which, when actuated, opens the cylinder to air under pressure causing the piston/driver assembly to drive a fastener, a remote valve which, when actuated, causes the main valve to open, and a trigger actuated valve together with a workpiece responsive safety actuated valve which, when both are actuated, actuate the remote valve, the valve arrangement being such that the safety actuated valve must be actuated before the trigger actuated valve in order for the remote valve to the actuated. The trigger actuated valve has a trigger-operated stem slidably mounted within a valve body. The body defines a chamber in which one end of the remote valve stem is slidingly and sealingly engaged. Air under pressure within the chamber maintains the remote valve stem in an unactuated position. A passage in the tool body connects the trigger actuated valve to the safety actuated valve.

Abstract: A pneumatic gun having an improved firing valve is disclosed wherein the firing valve is sealingly secured to the housing of the gun by a pair of rolling diaphragm seals. On the underside of the firing valve, there is a deflector having a downwardly curled outer edge operative to direct air flow into the top of the cylinder upon opening of the firing valve. The firing valve is so configured that exposure of multiple differential areas of the valve to a common high pressure results in the valve being biased toward a sealed position relative to the cylinder of the gun while in the unfired position.

Abstract: A manually attachable and detachable, interchangeable magazine system for use with fastener driving tools of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by multiple blows and of the type having a housing containing a driver operating mechanism for driving a fastener by a single blow. Each magazine contains a plurality of fasteners and a driver therefor. Each magazine is removably affixable by hand to one of the tool housing and a carrier within the tool housing. In the instance of a multiple-blow tool, the magazine is shiftable with respect to the tool housing between a normal extended position and a retracted position within the housing. In the instance of a single-blow tool, the magazine is fixed with respect to the tool housing. Each magazine can be a refillable and reusable magazine, or a single-use, disposable magazine. Magazines containing different types of fasteners are interchangeable within the system.

Abstract: A tool for driving fasteners by means of multiple impact blows. The tool comprises a body with a handle portion and a magazine portion, shiftable in directions parallel to said blows between an extended position substantially outside the body and a retracted position substantially within the body. A prime mover provides a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is operatively connected to a mechanism for translating rotary motion into reciprocating motion. The translating mechanism comprises a flywheel, an impact member having at least one impacting surface thereon and being attached to or constituting an integral, one-piece part of the flywheel, a free floating energy transfer member separate from but engageable with the impact member, a resilient bumper to arrest the energy transfer member at the termination of its drive cycle, and a fastener driver engageable by or comprising an integral, one-piece part of the energy transfer member.

Abstract: Means for associating a driver with the driver operating mechanism of a fastener driving tool, the driver constituting a part of a fastener-containing magazine manually attachable to and detachable from the tool. The fastener driving tool is of the type having a housing containing a driving element constituting a part of an operating mechanism for driving a fastener by multiple blows, or a driving element constituting a part of an operating mechanism for driving a fastener by a single blow. In the instance of a multiple-blow tool, a resilient element, attached to the tool housing adjacent the driver operating mechanism and the driver operating mechanism itself, releasably positions the upper end of the magazine driver adjacent the driving element of the tool. In the instance of a single-blow tool, the magazine driver is releasably positioned adjacent the driving element of the tool by a resilient element attached directly to the driving element of the tool.

Abstract: A driver return assembly for an electro-mechanical fastener driving tool. The tool is of the type provided with a driver which is frictionally moved through a working stroke by means of an electrically driven flywheel which presses the driver against a support element, such as a counter rotating flywheel, a low inertia roller, or the like. The driver return assembly comprises at least one elastomeric cord being attached at one of its ends to the driver and at the other of its ends to an anchor within the tool. The at least one elastomeric cord, between its ends, passes about at least two pulleys. One of the pulleys is mounted on a spring supported shaft to compensate for stretch of the at least one elastomeric cord to assure that the driver is returned to its normal, retracted position after each working stroke.

Abstract: An improved flywheel for an electro-mechanical tool, such as a nailer or stapler. The tool is of the type provided with a driver which is frictionally moved through a working stroke by means of an electrically driven flywheel which presses the driver against a support element, such as a counterrotating flywheel, a low inertia roller, or the like. The flywheel is provided with circumferential grooves while maintaining the optimum contact area between the flywheel and the driver. The grooves provide voids along the travelling driver-flywheel contact line into which foreign material on the driver and flywheel flows to prevent build-up of such foreign material at the driver-flywheel contact area sufficient to result in loss of friction therebetween.