Abstract: A plate advancement mechanism is configured to cooperate with a stack of plates consisting of alternating first and second roofing plates with alternately positioned indexing notches along an indexing edge of the plates. An indexer including at least one indexing tab that projects beneath the indexing edge of the plates reciprocates parallel to the indexing edge of the roofing plates between a first feed position and a second feed position. The indexer first feed position aligns the indexing tab with the indexing notch of the first plates and the indexer second feed position aligns said indexing tab with the indexing notch of the second plates. The indexer first feed position and said second feed position are coordinated with shuttle movement to release the lowermost roofing plate from the stack onto the shuttle by aligning the indexing tab (or tabs) with the indexing notch (or notches) of the lowermost plate.

Abstract: A fastener identifying unit for use within an installation tool, has one or more movable jaws associated with a barrel. At least one jaw includes an identification member that changes position when the respective jaw moves or is actuated. The jaws are movable relative to the barrel and define a fastener receiving section, which may be an interface between a pair of jaws. The jaws are biased in a relative direction maintaining the identification member in a first position when a fastener is not present in the barrel. When a fastener is inserted into the barrel, the tip is received by the receiving section, which thereby causes the one or more movable jaws to move against the bias and the identification member to shift to a second position. The identification member is viewable by an installer in the second position to notify the installer of the presence of the fastener.

Abstract: A plate advancement mechanism is configured to cooperate with a stack of plates consisting of alternating first and second roofing plates with alternately positioned indexing notches along an indexing edge of the plates. An indexer including at least one indexing tab that projects beneath the indexing edge of the plates reciprocates parallel to the indexing edge of the roofing plates between a first feed position and a second feed position. The indexer first feed position aligns the indexing tab with the indexing notch of the first plates and the indexer second feed position aligns said indexing tab with the indexing notch of the second plates.