Pushpin installer
A pushpin installer having a housing and a pushpin receiver having a track adapted to receive a plurality of aligned pushpins. An escapement is secured to the receiver adjacent one end of the track and this escapement is movable between a retracted position in which the escapement is laterally displaced from the track and an extended position in which the escapement extends across the track and separates two pushpins. A plunger is aligned with one pushpin after separation by the escapement so that, upon actuation, the plunger drives a pushpin from the track in a direction transverse with respect to the direction of the track and into a workpiece.
This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/670,158 filed Apr. 11, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONI. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices to install pushpins.
II. Description of Related Art
Pushpin installers are conventionally used to install pushpins in weather strips and similar components in the automotive industry as well as other industries. These pushpins are typically installed at predetermined locations in the weather strip so that, when the weather strip is aligned on the vehicle at the installation position, each pushpins registers with a hole in the vehicle. Thereafter, the weather strip is attached to the vehicle by simply pushing each pushpin into its registering hole.
There are many previously known pushpin installers that have been used by the automotive industry and other industries. Typically, these pushpin installers include an elongated tube extending from a hopper full of pushpins and to the desired installation position on the weather strip. Individual pushpins are then conveyed through the tubes pneumatically.
These previously known pushpin installers perform adequately where the height of the pushpin is greater than the diameter of the pushpin head. Conversely, these previously known pushpin installers do not work satisfactorily where the height of the pushpin is equal to or less than the diameter of the pushpin head. When that occurs, the pushpins tumble within the tubes as they are pneumatically propelled from the hopper and to the weather strip. Consequently, these previously known pushpin installers cannot guarantee the proper orientation of the pushpin once the pushpin reaches the weather strip.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known pushpin installers is that the heads of the pushpins tend to overlap one another. When this occurs, it is possible to convey two pushpins to a single location in the weather strip where only a single pushpin is desired. When this occurs, improper insertion of the pushpin into the weather strip results.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONThe present invention provides a pushpin installer which overcomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previously known pushpin installers.
In brief, the pushpin installer of the present invention comprises a pushpin receiver. The pushpin receiver includes a track adapted to receive a plurality of aligned pushpins.
An escapement is secured to the receiver adjacent one end of the track. This escapement is movable between a retracted position in which the escapement is laterally displaced outwardly from the track, and an extended position in which the escapement extends across the track and separates two pushpins. Preferably, the escapement includes a blade having a rounded nose that is aligned between the stems of two pushpins just prior to moving the escapement from its retracted and to its extended position.
Following actuation of the escapement, a single pushpin is supported by two jaws pivotally mounted to one end of the receiver. The jaws are pivotal between a closed position, in which the jaws support a single pushpin, and an open position in which the jaws pivot away from each other as a pushpin is driven downwardly through the jaws.
A plunger is mounted to the receiver, either directly or indirectly, so that the plunger is aligned with the pushpin supported between the jaws at the end of the receiver. Upon actuation, the pushpin engages and drives the pushpin through the jaws simultaneously pivoting the jaws to their open position and inserting the pushpin into the weather strip or other workpiece.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGA better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
With reference first to
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Conversely, in its operational position, the pushpin receiver 10 is generally horizontally oriented between its front end 28 and rear end 26. When in its operational position, an air jet 41 (
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Both the separator blade 72 and stop blade 78 are slidably mounted to the receiver 10 and movable between a retracted position, illustrated in
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The pushpin 12′ supported between the jaws 50 and 52 is then installed in the workpiece 12 in the previously described fashion. Thereafter, the escapement 70 is moved to its extended position, illustrated in
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From the foregoing, it can be seen that the escapement 70 ensures that only a single pushpin is positioned in between the jaws 50 and 52 prior to installation of that pushpin into the workpiece 14 by the plunger 60. Furthermore, in practice, the escapement 70 effectively separates pushpins from each other along the track 24 even where the caps of the pushpins 12 overlap each other.
Although the pushpin installer of the present invention has been described for use in conjunction with an automatic mechanism in which the pushpin installer is mounted to a slide in turn mounted to a frame, for automatic installation of the pushpins in the workpiece 14, it will be understood that alternatively the pushpin installer may be operated manually. In this event, the pushpin installer 10 would be manually positioned relative to the workpiece 14 and actuated by the operator.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides a pushpin installer which is not only simple in construction but also effective in use. Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A pushpin installer comprising:
- a pushpin receiver having a track adapted to receive a plurality of aligned pushpins,
- an escapement secured to said receiver adjacent one end of the track, said escapement being movable between a retracted position in which said escapement is laterally displaced from said track and an extended position in which said escapement extends across said track and separates two pushpins,
- a plunger which, upon actuation, drives a pushpin at said one end of said track from said track in a direction transverse with respect to the direction of said track.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said escapement comprises a separation blade having a rounded nose, said nose being aligned between two adjacent pushpins in said track immediately prior to movement of said escapement from said retracted position and to said extended position.
3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said escapement comprises a stop blade having a surface which abuts against one pushpin in said track when said escapement is in said retracted position.
4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said separation blade includes a surface which positions one pushpin in position for installation as said escapement is moved from said extended position to said retracted position.
5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said one pushpin is entrapped between said separator blade and said stop blade as said escapement is moved from said retracted and to said extended position.
6. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a pair of jaws pivotally mounted to said housing and movable between a closed and an open position, wherein in said closed position said jaws support a single pushpin in alignment with said plunger and wherein said plunger, upon actuation, moves said jaws to said open position thereby releasing said single pushpin.
7. The invention as defined in claim 6 and comprising a spring which biases said jaw toward said closed position.
8. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a hopper which, upon activation, loads pushpins into an inclined chute, and an actuator which pivots said housing between a loading position in which said track is aligned with said chute, and an operational position in which said track is substantially horizontal.
9. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising means for moving the pushpins along said track.
10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said moving means comprises an air jet mounted to said housing and directed along said track.
11. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a frame, a slide horizontally movably mounted to said frame and said receiver being mounted to said slide.
12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said receiver is pivotally mounted to said slide between an inclined loading position and a substantially horizontal operational position.
13. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a pneumatic actuator for moving said escapement between said retracted position and said extended position.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 25, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 16, 2006
Inventors: Mark Milewicz (Metamora, MI), Steven Wilkins (Mussey Township, MI), Jeffrey Landenberger (Chesterfield, MI)
Application Number: 11/211,837
International Classification: B24B 7/00 (20060101);