Abstract: A new Sock Clip System for securing stocking, socks, and hose and the like, into their proper pairs for ease of sorting for laundry and storage. The inventive device includes a clip inserting mechanism having a handle for inserting a resilient clip into clothing, a slot projected into the handle, and a blade secured within the slot within the handle for cutting the resilient clip preparing the secured clothing for utilization. In an alternative embodiment, the blade may be removably secured to the handle by a U-shaped member having a flange with slidably projects into a T-slot within the handle.

Abstract: A tag pin attacher has a casing including a space which is defined by a vertical wall and has a protrusion at a central part thereof, two horizontal walls formed perpendicular to the vertical wall, and a horizontal guide formed between the horizontal walls; a tag pin feed mechanism including an elevating plate which is received in the space and slides along the protrusion, the elevating plate having a cam groove, a rocking lever having a pin at a lower part thereof pivotally supported to the elevating plate, and a finger member horizontally interconnected to the rocking lever; an extrusion mechanism including an arm which abuts the rocking lever to turn the rocking lever, a cam member which is engaged with the cam groove of the elevating plate to move the elevating plate up and down, an interconnector having a yoke formed at a forward part thereof, the yoke abutting against the finger member to push the finger member forward, and a slider which is disposed within the interconnector and slides between the hori

Abstract: To reduce the force necessary to anchor the double "T" bar attachments, the filament of each attachment is made longer than the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the "T" bars to avoid the necessity of stretching the filament beyond its original length as it is dispensed. The filament lies in the same plane as the "T" bars to permit it to be fabricated on conventional stretching equipment. Preferrably, each end of the filament is formed at an acute angle relative to a line perpendicular to the "T" bar to which it is attached. The attachments can be supplied in continously connected ladder stock form or in a clip of parallel spaced attachments, situated between connector bars. In clip form, the attachments are fed along a correspondly shaped channel through the housing. In order to reduce the peak force necessary to sever the "T" bars from the respective connector bars, blades are located within the housing such that they cut at different times during the trigger stroke.

Abstract: A button attaching device for attaching a button to a layer of material includes a C-frame having a top portion, an intermediate portion and a bottom portion. A plurality of needle block assemblies are disposed inside the top portion of the C-frame in a stack. A manually operable plunger is slidably mounted on the top portion of the C-frame for up and down movement and positioned to receive and move downward the lowermost needle block assembly in the stack. Each needle block assembly includes a block of elastomeric material, a pair of rodless fastener dispensing needles and a fastener of the type having a foot at each end of a filament. Each foot is removably mounted on one of the pair of rodless fastener dispensing needles. In use, a button and a layer of material to which the button is to be attached are positioned on top of an anvil formed on the bottom portion of the C-frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners having a cross bar at the end of a filament from fastener stock. The apparatus includes a gun shaped casing made of plastic. A hollow needle having an inlet opening and an outlet opening is mounted on the casing. A guide groove is formed on the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with the inlet opening in the hollow needle and being at an angle with the hollow needle. The apparatus also includes an ejector rod for pushing the cross bar of a fastener fed into the hollow needle out through the outlet opening of the needle. The guide groove in the casing includes a front wall that is bevelled. The front wall includes a bottom edge which is bevelled. The corner formed by the front wall of the groove and a sidewall of the casing is also bevelled. The three bevels minimize the likelihood that the cross bar of the fastener will jam as it passes from the guide groove into the hollow needle.

Abstract: A button attaching apparatus adapted for attaching a button to a cloth, including a body having a handhold portion and a barrel, the barrel defining a longitudinal top-open chamber, a pair of needles fastened to the barrel at the front side and having a respective longitudinal guide groove, a push handle sliding in the longitudinal top-open chamber of the body on the outside, a pair of projector rods respectively connected to the push handle and moved by it to drive a wire nail along the longitudinal guide grooves of the needles into the cloth in securing the button to the cloth, and, a pair of springs adapted for imparting a backward pressure to the projector rods.

Abstract: A loop pin attaching device for tag hanging is provided with a drive lever which is selectively moveable between a first, unactivated and a second, activated position. A link is rotatably connected with the drive lever and a piston member is connected to the other end of the link, the piston member and link being selectively moveable between first, unactivated and second, activated positions. A pressing body formed with a pipe shape is fixed to a front face of the piston. An insertion guide is dimensioned to allow the pressing body to slide therethrough when the piston member is moved and to receive an insertion portion of a loop pin. A rack gear is rotatably fixed to the link adjacent the second end of the link, and a gear group, formed of at least a first, smaller diameter gear and a second, larger diameter gear, is provided, the smaller diameter gear meshingly engaging the rack gear.

Abstract: A needle for use as part of a fastener dispensing tool comprises a substantially cylindrical base portion having a front end, a rear end, a side surface, a central bore, and a longitudinal slot. The needle also includes a stem portion extending out from the front end of the base portion. The stem portion is a substantially cylindrically shaped needle which comprises a sharp tip, a longitudinal slot in alignment with the longitudinal slot in the base portion, and a central bore in alignment with the central bore in the base portion. The needle further includes a knife portion on the rear end of the base portion. The knife portion includes a cutting edge, the entire length of the cutting edge being in the shape of a "V"-shaped notch.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners from a clip of fastener stock, each fastener having a cross bar coupled to a common runner bar by a stub. The apparatus includes a gun shaped casing made of plastic. A hollow needle having an inlet opening and an outlet opening is mounted on the front of the casing. A guide groove is formed in the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with the inlet opening of the hollow needle. The guide groove includes a stub receiving portion bounded by a front wall. The apparatus also includes a feed member mounted on the casing behind the guide groove. The feed member includes a tooth having a lower surface which engages the stub of an individual fastener to advance the fastener stock so that the cross bar of the fastener to be dispensed is advanced into alignment with the inlet opening of the hollow needle.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in tying together a pair of opposing shoelace eyelets of a shoe upper with a plastic fastener of the type comprising a flexible filament having a cross-bar disposed at one end thereof and a paddle comprising an opening disposed at the opposite end thereof. The apparatus includes a hollow slotted needle insertable through the pair of opposing shoelace eyelets and the opening in the paddle, a paddle positioning assembly for aligning the opening in the paddle with the pair of opposing shoelace eyelets, a cross-bar feeding assembly for loading the cross-bar into the needle, and a cross-bar ejecting assembly for ejecting the cross-bar from the needle.

Abstract: A hollow needle for tag attachers, which comprises a blade (2) made by press working of a thin metal plate and a shank (3) of a synthetic resin integrally secured at a rear end part of the blade (2), wherein the blade (2) includes a front end part (2a) which has in a middle part thereof a semicircular shape in section and is formed in an outer surface portion thereof with a resistance reducing part (4) provided by partly depressing the outer periphery thereof, whereby the area of contact of a front end part of the hollow needle with an object partly through which the needle is applied in use is reduced and the needle has a desirable characteristic such that it can be applied straight in use.

Abstract: A tag pin attacher has a casing including a space which is defined by a vertical wall and has a protrusion at a central part thereof, two horizontal walls formed perpendicular to the vertical wall, and a horizontal guide formed between the horizontal walls; a tag pin feed mechanism including an elevating plate which is received in the space and slides along the protrusion, the elevating plate having a cam groove, a rocking lever having a pin at a lower part thereof pivotally supported to the elevating plate, and a finger member horizontally interconnected to the rocking lever; an extrusion mechanism including an arm which abuts the rocking lever to turn the rocking lever, a cam member which is engaged with the cam groove of the elevating plate to move the elevating plate up and down, an interconnector having a yoke formed at a forward part thereof, the yoke abutting against the finger member to push the finger member forward, and a slider which is disposed within the interconnector and slides between the hori

Abstract: A dispenser for applying dual head fasteners from a fastener stock which comprises a plurality of fasteners attached to a runner bar such that the fasteners extend outwardly from the runner bar substantially parallel with one another and substantially perpendicular to the runner bar. The first heads are side-by-side and have longitudinal axes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the runner bar, and the second heads are side-by-side. The dispenser comprises an actuator, a magazine for feeding fasteners from the fastener stock to the actuator, and a slide assembly for moving the fastener stock through the magazine and actuator. The actuator comprises a hollow slotted needle and a reciprocating plunger for dispensing the fasteners through the hollow slotted needle.

Abstract: Needle for use in the rodless dispensing of plastic fasteners of the type comprises a flexible filament and a cross-bar disposed at one end of the flexible filament. In one embodiment, the needle comprises a solid elongated member terminating at its front end in a tip adapted to penetrate a desired article of commerce and a chamber adapted to receive a cross-bar of a plastic fastener. The chamber includes a front end, a rear end, an open top and an open bottom. The open top, which is spaced rearwardly a distance from the tip, is appropriately sized and shaped to permit the insertion and removal of a cross-bar into and from the chamber.

Abstract: A plastic fastener which may be inserted into a body of meat for tagging purposes and then subsequently removed therefrom intact comprises an elongated unitary plastic member shaped to include a transverse bar, a paddle, and a flexible filament interconnecting the transverse tag and paddle. The transverse bar is interconnected to the filament in a T shaped configuration. In one embodiment, the portion of the transverse bar constituting the trailing end thereof when the transverse bar is inserted into the meat is made smaller than normal so as to minimize the likelihood of the transverse bar severing from the filament when the fastener is withdrawn from the body of the meat.

Abstract: A plastic fastener which may be inserted into a body of meat for tagging purposes comprises an elongated unitary plastic member shaped to include a transverse bar, a paddle, and a flexible filament interconnecting the transverse tag and paddle. The portion of the transverse bar constituting the trailing end thereof when the transverse bar is inserted into the meat is made smaller than normal so as to minimize the likelihood of the transverse bar severing from the filament when the fastener is withdrawn from the body of the meat.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners from fastener stock includes a gun shaped casing. A hollow needle having an inlet opening is mounted on the casing. A guide groove is formed on the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with said inlet opening in said hollow needle. A feeder element for intermittently advancing fastener stock loaded into the guide groove is mounted on the casing. An ejector rod is provided for pushing plastic fasteners from the fastener stock through and out of the hollow needle one at a time. The ejector rod and feeder element are driven by a DC motor powered by a battery pack removably mounted in the casing and which contains rechargeable batteries. The battery pack includes a receptacle which is arranged to enable the batteries to be recharged with the battery pack in or out of the tool.

Abstract: A tag fastening device is pistol-shaped and has a grip, in which a trigger lever is pivotally mounted on a pin mounted on the inside of the grip. The trigger lever is normally urged forward by the lower end of a swing arm pivotally secured by a pin to the grip on the inside thereof and normally pulled backward by spring means. When the trigger lever is manually actuated, the upper end of the swing arm pushes forward a piston pin to guide a plug-in part of a tag fastener from a magazine, while at the same time a slide bar is pushed forward to cut the tag fastener off a fastener assembly loaded in the magazine. The plug-in part of the tag fastener is received and guided by a curved rotary feed arm to a position where to attach it to an article after passing through a hole of a tag. Then, the plug-in part is forced into an aperture of a socket formed at the opposite end of the fastener.

Abstract: A tag attacher constructed so that a feed member (18) from which a tooth (18f) engageable with a connecting portion (c) of a tag pin (t) projects and a stopper member (19) from which a tooth (19c) engageable in parallel with the tooth (18f) with the connecting portion projects extend in parallel with each other, the feed member (18) having a head portion (18a) and a lever portion (18b) extended from the head portion (18a), the feed member (18) being turned directly in accordance with the forward and backward movements of a movable member (9) so as to transfer the tag pin (t) to a predetermined position.

Abstract: A fastener attaching tool particularly suited for use in attaching buttons to clothing, etc. and which is constructed for use with a fastener clip which includes a pair of runner bars and one or more U-shaped fasteners having transverse bars at opposite ends, each transverse bar being connected on its side to a corresponding runner bar by a severable connector post. The tool includes a pair of needles each having a longitudinal slotted bore adapted to receive one of the transverse bars and a knife edge formed on one side which is adapted to sever a connector post from its associated transverse bar as the transverse bar is pushed through the needle. The body includes a transverse feed slot disposed just to the rear of the needles down through which the fastener clip is manually inserted. The tool also includes an ejector mechanism, which is slidably mounted back and forth within the body and is rearwardly biased by a spring.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needle useful in the dispensing of plastic fasteners and a needle fabricated by the method. In a preferred embodiment, the method involves electroplating a nickel alloy onto a master, the master being made of a meltable material and being appropriately shaped to produce an unfinished shank portion of a needle. The master is then melted away from the electroplated metal, leaving behind an unfinished shank portion. The unfinished shank portion is then finished by machining, and a plastic base portion is insert-molded around the end thereof.

Abstract: A hand operated implement for attaching articles such as buttons or tags to sheet material such as fabric with flexible ties by loading a grooved needle with the bar of a tie having a stem to which the article is attached, pushing the needle through the material and pushing the bar out of the needle such that the bar is at one side of the material while the article and at least some of the stem are at the other side. A needle cover attached to the implement pivots between a storage position in which it covers the sharp end of the needle and an operative position in which it serves as a thumb rest for operating the mechanism pushing the flexible tie's bar out of the needle. A storage compartment is provided within the implement.

Abstract: A power operation type tag pin fitting machine wherein a hollow needle is protrusively disposed in front of a main body, a push rod for pushing a transverse rod of the hollow needle and a cylinder for driving the push rod are disposed on the axis of the hollow needle, and an operation member having a portion for protecting the hollow needle is so supported as to move back and forth with respect to a machine frame, is so biased by a spring as to protrude forward, and moves back when the hollow needle is punched to pierce through a product during a fitting operation of the tag pin and automatically operates the cylinder at a predetermined position. The tag pin can be fitted to the product by merely putting the main body on the product.

Abstract: A tag attacher constructed so that a feed member (18) from which a tooth (18f) engageable with a connecting portion (c) of a tag pin (t) projects and a stopper member (19) from which a tooth (19c) engageable in parallel with the tooth (18f) with the connecting portion projects extend in parallel with each other, the feed member (18) having a head portion (18a) and a lever portion (18b) extended from the head portion (18a), the feed member (18) being turned directly in accordance with the forward and backward movements of a movable member (9) so as to transfer the tag pin (t) to a predetermined position.

Abstract: A powered machine for inserting an attachment member having a filament with a head at one end through an opening in an article and including a needle which is projected from machine in order to penetrate that article and convey the filament head therethrough, in which the needle is cleaned during each actuation thereof by being wiped and/or having a jet of fluid blown across it, and in which the machine is provided with structure for grasping a tag which is to be penetrated by the needle, holding the tag in position while the needle penetrates it, and permitting the release of the tag after the fastening operation has been completed, all with positiveness and facility of manipulation.

Abstract: A tag attachment apparatus includes a hollow needle mounted on a hollow pistol shaped housing. The housing includes a fastener feeding mechanism for feeding fasteners one at a time into the hollow needle. The fastners used with the apparatus each include a bar portion and a head portion which are connected by an elongated filament portion. A plunger mechanism is provided for driving the fasteners through the needle. The plunger mechanism is operated by an electric motor which is connected to a pair of rechargeable batteries mounted in the handle portion of the housing. A recharger circuit is also mounted in the handle of the housing for periodic recharging of the batteries.

Abstract: A device for dispensing plastic attachments of the type which are formed as part of a roll of continuously connected ladder stock. In one embodiment, the device includes a pair of hollow slotted needles each having a tip, a rear end and a longitudinal axis. A feed wheel, placed proximate to the rear ends of the pair of needles, is used to feed individual attachments of a roll of ladder stock into the pair of needles through their respective rear ends at angles relative to the longitudinal axes thereof. Once inserted into the needles, an attachment is severed from the remainder of the ladder stock by a knife and is then expelled from the needles by a pair of ejector rods movable along the longitudinal axes of the pair of needles. Because attachments are fed into the pair of needles at angles relative to their longitudinal axes, no shuttling of the needles between an attachment feeding position and an attachment ejecting position is required.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting an item into a closed container includes a body and an implement for forming an entrance point into a surface of the closed container. The implement takes the form of a blade member, or a rotary member having saw-teeth or cutting abrasive on a leading edge thereof. A delivery passage is associated with the implement so the item may be delivered therethrough into the hole formed in the wall of the container by the implement. The apparatus has a stacked magazine feed. Alternatively, the items are fed on a carrier web and punched or severed from the carrier web to be placed in position for delivery. The item is forced through the delivery passage with a ram member that is driven by air pressure or a solenoid. For containers that have a pre-formed slit or opening, the apparatus has a projection that slides into the opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved hand instrument for driving staples in the form of small bits of string into sheets of soft material comprising a handgun-like body composed of a grip having a hand-operated lever fixed therein and a string ejection barrel having a hollow needle fixed at its outlet end and a slidable push rod fixed therein. The hand-operated lever is so operatively connected to the push rod that the push rod is driven and inserted in the hollow needle to eject small bits of string one after another from the hollow needle every time the hand-operated lever is pressed. The hand instrument uses a composite resilient mechanism to permit application to the hand-operated lever a fixed value of return force, thereby assuring that the hand-operated lever is used by applying a fixed value of pressing force thereto, and that one does not get much tired after using the stapler many hundred times without intermission.

Abstract: One or both ends of the connector bar is extended outwardly beyond the main section of the bar to which the attachments are mounted. The extended end provides access to the clip from the exterior of the attacher housing, permitting the clip to be manually advanced if the feed mechanism fails. An element may be situated on one extended end to facilitate grasping. In a clip having two connector bars, the ends of both bars extend in the same direction. The extended ends may be bent towards each other and may be connected to form a bridge. A second aspect of the invention relates to a connector bar which has an element designed to cooperate with the housing to prevent advancement of the clip all the way through the housing channel, thereby requiring the operator to remove the empty connector bar from the device for better control of disposal.

Abstract: A tag has a supply gear 4 rotatably installed at a side of a fastener supply guide slot by forming a supporting shaft 3, an insertion hole 3' and a supporting plate 3". Further, an arcuate sliding recess 5 is formed at a side of the supporting plate 3" and along the circumference of the gear 4. A movable piece 6 which is elastically connected to a ratchet 8 is movably placed in the arcuate recess 5, and is connected to an actuation bar 7. The ratchet is made to reliably contact with the gear 4, and a stopper 11 is elastically installed on the upper portion of the gear 4, while an unlocking bar 11 which is provided with cam surfaces 14 and 14' on the opposite ends thereof is inserted into a slot 5'. The actuation bar 7 is actuated in synchronization with the tag attaching operations, so that the alternate arcuate movements of the movable piece 6 make the ratchet drive the gear in an accurate manner in supplying the fasteners.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners from fastener stock includes a gun shaped casing. A hollow needle having an inlet opening is mounted on the casing. A guide groove is formed on the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with said inlet opening in said hollow needle. A feeder element for intermittently advancing fastener stock loaded into the guide groove is mounted on the casing. An ejector rod is provided for pushing plastic fasteners from the fastener stock through and out of the hollow needle one at a time. A converter assembly is provided for converting rotary motion of the drive shaft of the motor into linear motion of the ejector rod, the converter assembly including a worm on the drive shaft, a worm gear driven by the worm, a spur gear loosely coupled to the worm gear, a slider for holding the ejector rod and a rack driven by the spur gear and mounted on the slider.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners from fastener stock includes a gun shaped casing. A hollow needle having an inlet opening is mounted on the casing. A guide groove is formed on the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with said inlet opening in said hollow needle. A feeder element for intermittently advancing fastener stock loaded into the guide groove is mounted on the casing. An ejector rod is provided for pushing plastic fasteners from the fastener stock through and out of the hollow needle one at a time. The ejector rod and feeder element are driven by an electric motor powered by a battery pack removably mounted in the casing and which contains rechargeable batteries. The battery pack includes a receptacle which is arranged to enable the batteries to be recharged with the battery pack in or out of the tool.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing plastic fasteners from fastener stock includes a gun shaped casing. A hollow needle having an inlet opening is mounted on the casing. A guide groove is formed on the casing for receiving the fastener stock, the guide groove being in communication with the inlet opening in the hollow needle. A feeder element for intermittently advancing fastener stock loaded into the guide groove is mounted on the casing. An ejector rod is provided for pushing plastic fasteners from the fastener stock through and out of the hollow needle one at a time. The ejector rod and feeder element are driven by an electric motor powered by a battery pack removably mounted in the casing and which contains rechargeable batteries. The battery pack includes a receptacle which is arranged to enable the batteries to be recharged with the battery pack in or out of the tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a user friendly, inexpensive, portable space saving apparatus in which to house a conventional commercially available tagging gun and actuation means for automation of the tagging operation. The instant invention will significantly reduce operator fatigue and substantially increase plant safety and productivity. In particular, one embodiment is disclosed for electrical operation and a second embodiment is disclosed for pneumatic operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from continuously connected ladder stock including an elongated side member having a plurality of T-bars interconnected by severable connectors. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a hollow, gun-shaped casing having a barrel portion and a handle portion. The front end of the barrel portion has an opening into which a hollow slotted needle is removably mounted. A triggering mechanism, which includes a pivotally-mounted trigger, is connected to the handle portion of the casing. A slider assembly, which is actuated by squeezing the trigger, includes a slider adapted to travel along longitudinally extending rails formed along the inside of the barrel portion of the casing.

Abstract: A needle for use as part of a fastener dispensing tool adapted for dispensing plastic fasteners of the type typically used to attach tags to products for marking and identification. In one embodiment, the needle is made from a single sheet of metal by a stamping and/or rolling technique, and comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical, hollow, slotted member having a stem portion and a base portion. The stem portion terminates at its front end in a relatively sharp tip. The base portion, a portion of which is sized and shaped for insertion in an opening in the nose of the tool, includes a pair of upwardly extending, spring tabs bent outwardly away from each other. A first portion of one of the tabs is sized and shaped to releasably engage a recessed area formed in the nose of the tool to prevent unintended removal of the base portion from the opening and to limit rearward insertion of the base portion into the opening.

Abstract: A needle for use as part of a fastener dispensing tool adapted for dispensing plastic fasteners of the type typically used to attach tags to products for marking and identification. In one embodiment, the needle is made from a single sheet of metal by a stamping and/or rolling technique, and comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical, hollow, slotted member having a stem portion and a base portion. The stem portion terminates at its front end in a relatively sharp tip. The base portion, which is sized and shaped for insertion in an opening in the nose of the tool, includes a pair of outwardly extending, spring biased tabs. A first portion of one of the tabs is sized and shaped to releasably engage a recessed area formed in one of the walls of the opening so as to prevent unintended removal of the base portion from the opening and to limit rearward insertion of the base portion into the opening.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a powered tagging system in the forms of either a power attachment for an existing tagger, or a complete powered tagger. This invention virtually eliminates problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome in users by providing actuating means other than those requiring conventional triggering hand muscles. Means are provided which shield otherwise conventional triggering means. A lightweight, compact, yet powerful power system is provided within a balanced assembly capable of manipulation in one hand. In a preferred embodiment, either hand can be used and no finger pressure is required to activate the system.

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: A fastener group device includes a feeding gear for meshing with connecting elements of a fastener group, a feeding pawl for intermittent rotation of the feeding gear, a stopper for preventing reverse rotation of the feeding gear and a feeding cam for raising and lowering the feeding pawl. The feeding pawl includes a ratchet and spring, the spring for biasing the ratchet toward the feeding gear. An escape space into which the spring enters following rotation of the feeding gear is provided rearwardly of the feeding pawl. When the spring is received by the escape space, the spring is substantially inoperable for biasing the ratchet toward the feeding gear.

Abstract: The reinforcing wires in a fibrous duct are inserted by simultaneously piercing opposite sides of the duct with elongated piercing means mounted on a reciprocally movable frame. The piercing means may be the reinforcing wires themselves or may be separate structure, such as tubes, which can function as guides for the insertion of the wire before they are withdrawn.

Abstract: A method and apparatus by which stacks of pattern pieces cut from a layup of sheet material by a cutting tool are bundled and removed from the remaining waste material. A bundler inserts fasteners to bundle at least some of the stacks together and an automatic take-off device removes the bundled stacks from the layup. The cutting tool and bundler are both mounted to a two-axis carriage system and share a common controller with the take-off means. The controller guides the cutting tool around the pattern piece peripheries in response to control data and the bundler inserts fasteners into locations in the layup determined from the same control data. The controller then provides the exact locations of the inserted fasteners to the automatic take-off device which thereafter removes the cut stacks of pieces from the layup. In one embodiment of the invention, identifying information is printed upon the fastener by a printer associated with the bundler to aid in identifying the stacks of pattern pieces.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a powered tagging system in the forms of either a power attachment for an existing tagger, or a complete powered tagger. This invention virtually eliminates problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome in users by providing actuating means other than those requiring conventional triggering hand muscles. Means are provided which shield otherwise conventional triggering means. A lightweight, compact, yet powerful power system is provided within a balanced assembly capable of manipulation in one hand.

Abstract: Variable pitch feed of fasteners by a unitary, single toothed feed pawl. In a first embodiment, back-up of the fasteners is prevented using a downwardly pointed detent tooth which bits into a secondary runner bar of the fastener assemblage, preferably at a point somewhat beyond the fastener ejection axis. In a second embodiment, the secondary runner bar includes a series of lands spaced at the same pitch as the fasteners, and the detent comprises a pin biased toward the runner bar to intermittently engage the lands. Back-up of the fastener assemblage is prevented by the detent, and individual fasteners are securely positioned for ejection.

Abstract: A tag attaching gun in which an ejector rod is advanced by a trigger operated lever to sever an individual fastener from a fastener assemblage and dispense the severed fastener through a hollow slotted needle. This apparatus incorporates a unitary, single-tooth feed member for advancing the fastener assemblage to bring the forwardmost fastener in line with the needle. Such feed member comprises a reciprocably mounted body integral with a U-shaped resilient finger terminating in a feed tooth. The feed member together with its resilient feed finger moves linearly in order to engage and advance the fastener assemblage, while the finger flexes during a return motion in order to clear a succeeding fastener in the assemblage.

Abstract: An improved system for attaching price tags to garments and other joining applications, in which individual fasteners are severed from fastener stock having a continuous, elongated plastic side member joined to a plurality of space-apart filaments. The fastener stock is advanced to a transfer site along a feed axis which is parallel to and proximate the axis of the needle through which severed fasteners are dispensed. A knife is mounted on a support slide which is slideable transversely to the feed axis, such support slide being urged toward the feed axis to cause the knife to sever an individual fastener from the fastener stock. A transfer slide engages a portion of the side member which becomes a T-bar of the severed fastener, and urges it toward the needle axis. The transfer slide is yieldably coupled to the support slide to permit the transfer slide to lag behind the knife until severing occurs.

Abstract: An improved system for dispensing a fastener through a slotted hollow needle from a continuously connected fastener stock, such apparatus incorporating an actuator slide with a central channel, such actuator slide being secured to the ejector rod and fastener stock feed mechanism to actuate these functions. The apparatus further includes a shuttle assembly which reciprocates transversely to the needle axis to cause the severing of a fastener from the fastener stock, and transport of the severed fastener to the needle axis. The cam bar is linked to the shuttle mechanism and pivotally mounted so that the pivotting of the cam bar causes the transverse shuttle motion. The cam bar passes through the actuator slide channel, whereby sliding of the actuator slide causes pivotting of the cam bar according to the profile of the cam.

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.