Abstract: A stacking machine and method for pairing and stacking metal plates having teeth struck out and protruding therefrom, which plates are commonly referred to as nail plates. The nail plates that are to be stacked are supplied to a supply section of the machine in streams of longitudinally extending metal plates as the plates exit from a stamping machine. It is in the stamping machine that the teeth forming the nails of the plates are struck out from the plates. These nail plates are supplied to a stacking section of the stacking machine two plate lengths at a time. The stacking section receives the pair of metal plates, which also can be two plate sections with each section being formed of several plates, in a longitudinally extending relationship from the supply section and then reorientates the two metal plates so that the two plates are in a face-to-face orientation. The pairs of plates are then transferred to a stack receiving section.

Abstract: A method and machine for applying multiple nail fasteners to bridge a butt joint between members, the machine comprising a frame and side by side lever arms having fastener mounting platens with magnets on one pair of adjacent ends and having the other pair of adjacent ends connected to a fluid pressure motor mounted on the frame, so that the motor may be actuated to simultaneously rock both arms between one position wherein the one pair of adjacent ends is separated for mounting the fasteners thereon and another position wherein the arms are rocked to drive said fasteners into the members disposed between them at the joint.