Abstract: Tags are removed from a hopper one at a time and transported by a moveable carriage, carrying a rotatable vacuum arm with a suction cup, onto a tag support platform. The arm moves the tag through an arcuate path section to a plane parallel to the plane of the support platform and then through a linear path section into alignment with the support platform. The tag is clamped to the top surface of the tag support platform. The article to be tagged is placed between the undersurface of the tag support platform and an anvil. The anvil moves up to hold the article against the underside of the tag support platform. The fastener dispensing device is moved toward the tag support platform such that the needle passes through an opening in the tag and penetrates the article. The fastener is ejected to attach the tag to the article. The hopper is independently position adjustable horizontally and vertically. A laser facilitates positioning of the hopper.

Abstract: Standard tag attaching fasteners in continuous strip form are intermittently moved toward an attacher along a guide track which gradually changes shape from planar to semicircular. The T-bars are feed to the attacher, which is mounted upright on a base. At the same time, each paddle, in turn, having traveled along the guide, is oriented in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the needle, at a location in alignment with but spaced from the needle. A tag or hook, previously removed from a stack by a moveable arm with a vacuum head, is in place over the needle. A portion of the article is situated between the needle and the fastener filament, with the needle in an opening or recess of the article. Upon actuation of the apparatus, the paddle is clamped in position and driven toward the needle such that the paddle is penetrated by the needle. The attacher then ejects the T-bar which lodges on the far side of the paddle, securing the ends of the fastener together to form a closed loop around the article.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneosuly actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneously actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.

Abstract: Automatic tag attaching apparatus having a fixedly mounted attacher with a hollow fastener dispensing needle is improved. A hollow, size adjustable anvil is adapted to be received between a woven label and the garment to which it is affixed, to keep the label taut and separate it from the garment. In one preferred embodiment, the anvil is moved downwardly over the needle upon which tags have been previously placed, such that the needle penetrates the label and a fastener can be dispensed. The anvil is then moved upwardly, to a position remote from the needle, to permit the tagged garment to be removed and new tags placed over the needle. In the most preferred embodiment, after the anvil returns to its position remote from the needle, it is moved horizontally to remove it from the garment. Thereafter, the anvil is moved back into alignment with the needle to receive the next garment.

Abstract: The needle assembly is removably mounted in an attacher for dispensing tag fasteners of the type having a T-bar connected to a thin flexible filament. The base and shank of the needle include a channel along which the T-bar is moved by the push rod of the attacher and a slit through which the filament extends. A recess, preferably in the form of a slot, is provided in the wall of the shank, extending along the channel, at a circumferential position substantially perpendicular to the plane intersecting the shank and passing through the slit. The slot provides clearance for the T-bar to release from the push rod if the previously severed connecting element has become deformed by being wedged between the push rod and the channel wall.

Abstract: The planar knife blade extends rearwardly from the hollow base of the needle assembly. The base is designed to be received in the cylindrical opening of the body of a fastener attacher. The end of the opening is partially obstructed by a protruding shoulder. The blade is tangentially aligned with the bore. It extends from a point proximate the side surface of the base through a plane bisecting the base to a point a short distance beyond the plane, so as to accommodate the shoulder. Accordingly, the assembly can be used in fastener attachers either adapted to receive a knifeless needle or a needle with a knife blade mounted within the base.

Abstract: The tag includes first and second side portions and an intermediate portion. The side portions are articulately joined to parallel opposite edges of the intermediate portion and are adapted to be aligned in spaced, substantially parallel relation so as to sandwich a folded pair of hosiery therebetween. The top edges of the side portions are inclined with respect to the bottom edges such that the intermediate portion is situated in a plane inclined with respect to the plane containing the bottom edges so as to accommodate the inclined folded portion of the hosiery pair and hang vertically from a hook affixed to the intermediate portion.

Abstract: A conventional fastener attacher is fixedly mounted on a support. A stack of hooks is situated in a retainer which is movably mounted with respect to the support. A dispensing slide is movably mounted on the retainer, below the stack. As the retainer is moved towards the attacher, the slide automatically moves relative to the retainer to align a hook with the attacher. Slide movement is achieved through the use of a cam surface on the support and a cam follower extending from the slide. A single air cylinder moves both the retainer and the slide. The retainer can hold the stack in one of two orientations. In order to avoid jamming, the hook is held on the slide as it retracts or is realigned with the stack, if the hook has not been removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneously actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.

Abstract: Double "T" bar fasteners are dispensed through spaced needles which extend from different portions of the attacher housing. To attach a button, the needles are inserted through the thread holes of the button as it is held adjacent to the material to which it is to be attached. The housing portions are resiliently connected so that the portions can be moved relative to each other to vary the needle spacing and thus accommodate buttons with different hole spacing. The portions are biased to return to the original position. The portions may be halves of the housing connected by a living hinge. Internal compartments within each housing half enclose portions of fastener feed mechanism. The compartments are accessible when the housing is open to permit insertion of the parts and close when the housing halves snap-fit together. Each feed mechanism portion includes a spring loaded pawl with a tooth which normally engages an index wheel.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneously actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.