JPS5913375B2 - Fastener distributor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The use of flexible plastic fasteners of the type that has been adapted in recent years to be inserted through a hollow slotted needle to attach tags or to join two objects together. A very successful business is being developed.

Such fasteners, along with the devices to which they are applied, are widely used in a variety of industrial applications, such as buttoning clothing, tagging in retail stores, and stocking items such as shoes.

Such fasteners and devices are described, inter alia, in U.S. Patent No. 3.
No. 103,666, No. 3,399,432, No. 3.3
No. 80.122, No. 3.444,597, No. 3.45
No. 7,589, No. 3,470,834, No. 3.659
, No. 769, No. 3.733.657, No. 3.759,
No. 435, No. 3.875,648, No. 3.893.6
No. 12, No. 3,895,753 and No. 3.948,
1'28.

Most conveniently, the plastic fasteners have been provided in a puddle assembly that is fed sequentially through a dispensing device.

They are attached to the runner bars by cuttable necks, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,666, or they are
C cross-coupled by a plurality of filaments as described in US Pat. No. 6,648,648, provided as a stock of continuous side members from which individual fasteners are cut.

Fastener assemblies using runner rods are conveniently supplied as a single assembly, limiting the number of fasteners and still wasting material as the runner rods are not used in productive end uses.

Although these limitations are partially overcome by the fastener stock described in U.S. Pat. There continues to be a need for applications such as tagging, which is dispensed by hand tools.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for feeding, cutting, and dispensing fasteners supplied in long lengths.

A fastener stock, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,648, consists of two continuous elongated plastic side members cross-linked by a plurality of filaments or cross-links; and at least one of the side members includes one end bar with each separate fastener formed from a portion of the side member and associated therewith. The filament is dimensioned to feed through the bore of a hollow needle with a longitudinal slot for passage of the filament, each filament being oriented toward an associated end bar for feeding through the hollow needle. It is designed to be folded up.

Advantageously, as shown, the filament and end rod are substantially circular in cross-section.

Preferred fasteners for use in the apparatus of the invention are modified in cross-section so that one side of each filament has a substantially flat surface corresponding to the parting line of the mode in which it is molded.

The cross-section of the filament is substantially zero-shaped and provides a clearance on the surface extending from the plane to facilitate removal from the mold.

The side members have a reduced cross-sectional area between the individual fasteners to provide a severable connector to facilitate separation.

The connector preferably joins the end bars of nine adjacent fasteners end-to-end in a circumferential portion having a flat surface in said plane extending from said plane on the same or opposite side of the filament.

Preferably they extend from the same side and the joined end bars are substantially zero-shaped.

When the connector extends from the opposite side, its cross-section preferably continues across the joined end rods and provides a rounded cross-section for feeding through the circular needle bore.

The filaments may be stretched, if desired, after formation, as described above, to reduce their size and increase their strength.

Filament stock so dimensioned is suitable for continuous forming into endless lengths and is well suited for feeding, cutting and dispensing by the apparatus of the invention described below.

According to still other features of the invention, a novel method of dispensing a fastener advances the fastener from a first location remote from the needle to a second location adjacent the rear of the needle so that the end bar is placing the end rod transversely thereto, aligning the end rod with said hole, cutting off said connector and pushing said end rod through the pre-hole.

Preferably the connector is restrained from substantial movement and the end rod is rotated on the swivel of said connector which acts as a hinge.

The apparatus of the present invention includes a casing, a dispensing hollow slotted needle mounted in the casing, and a fastener advanced to a position adjacent the rear of the needle bore so as to extend the end bar in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bore. means for aligning the end rod with the needle hole; and means for dispensing the end rod through the hole.

Preferably the apparatus comprises a feed wheel, alignment means comprising a reciprocating cam slider actuating the feed wheel, and dispensing means comprising a plunger carried by a reciprocating support actuating the cam slider. , and means for reciprocating the support.

Preferred embodiments are detailed below.

1-6, one embodiment of a fastener stock for use in the apparatus of the present invention is shown comprising elongated continuous side members cross-linked by a plurality of cross-links or filaments 52. Consists of 50.51.

The side members 50 are joined together by cuttable connectors 54 and are comprised of a plurality of tabs and a paddle end member 53, one side of which is optionally embossed 55 to include identification or decoration. .

Side member 51 consists of a plurality of end bars 56 joined together by cuttable connectors 57.

For example, as shown in FIG.
//'i The cross-section is approximately D-shaped, and the maximum width lies in a generally flat plane 58 on one side.

The remainder of the cross-sections decrease in width from the plane 58 to the other side and may be of any suitable shape, including converging curves, lines, or combinations thereof.

Preferably, end bar 56 has a larger cross-section than filament 52 and also has its widest parallel cross-sectional dimension 60 within plane 58, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4A.

As shown in FIG. 6, tab end 53 is also flat and has its largest cross-sectional dimension in plane 58.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, connector 54 and end bar connector 57 have one side in plane 58 and are substantially narrower than either filament 58, cross bar 56, or tab 53, and the filament It extends away from plane 58 on the side opposite the body of 52 .

They not only extend continuously between adjacent tabs 53 and adjacent end bars 56, but also extend across end bars 56 and tabs 53, respectively.

Such extensions provide rounded end bars 56 (see FIG. 4A) and may be formed as continuous runners as described below.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 7, the filament 52 is preferably placed in the end bar 56 to facilitate stretching adjacent the end bar in which the filament is folded during dispensing through the hollow needle. It can be molded to be slightly wider and have a larger circumferential dimension.

A second embodiment of a fastener stock for use in the apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 8A in which the severable connectors 54a, 57a are oriented from plane 58 in the same direction as the body of filament 52. The fastener shown in FIGS. 1-6 except that it does not extend visibly across either end bar 56a or tab 53a.
Same as stock.

This embodiment is the most preferred.

A third embodiment of the fastener stock is shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, two side members 51a are used to provide end bars at each end of the filament 52a.

In this embodiment, the filament (52a) is molded to be slightly wider at the center and has a slightly narrower or smaller circumferential dimension adjacent to each end bar, so that the filament does not stretch in the portion where it folds and kinks during distribution. and is designed to facilitate reinforcement.

In all other respects the embodiment of FIG. 9 is identical to the embodiment of FIG.

Each of the above embodiments of fastener stock is specifically adapted to be continuously molded and fed and dispensed as described below.

Continuous molding of plastic parts is known, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,292;
No. 6, No. 3,515,778 and numerous other patents, and is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 10-12.

The heated plastic is transferred from the extruder 70 to the platen 71
and into a cavity within the circumference of rotomolded ring 72 through an orifice within.

After cooling, the continuously extruded molded parts are removed by a peeling roller 7.
3 and feed rolls 74, 75 and stretched at 76 by any suitable device as desired, the stock 77 is wound onto a take-up roll 78.

Stretching may be omitted or may be performed under a different name if desired.

As shown in FIG. 11, the periphery of the forming ring 72 is provided with cavities 52', 56' and 53' for the filament 52, end rod 56 and tab 53, respectively.

Connectors 54,57 are provided within platen 71 as continuous runner cavities 54', 57'.

The tab 53/I''i may have the same thickness as the filament or a different thickness as desired.

As shown in FIG. 12, connectors 54a, 57a have grooves 54a', 55 in the circumference of molded ring 72a between fastener cavities.
7a' may be provided.

As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 10-12 with FIGS. 1-9, plane 58 is defined by the surface that meets platen 71 and wheel 72.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing dimensions refer to the as-molded fastener assembly.

If the filament is then stretched as preferred and described in the above patent, the edges of the flat planes 58 will be rounded slightly upon stretching, but the filament will maintain its general cross-sectional shape.

End bar 56 and tab 53 are generally not stretched.

No distortion due to shrinkage or cooling is observed.

A preferred device of the invention is a manual dispensing gun as shown in FIGS. 13-22.

The gun 100 consists of two half-hollow casings 102, preferably made of solid plastic, joined together in any suitable manner.

A vertical extension 104 is attached to the casing 102 with a protruding rod 106 about which a helically wound assembly of fasteners may be secured, the fastener stock being a fastener stock. It can be held on the rod 106 by spring loaded detents 108, 110 which can be folded towards each other for insertion and moved into a vertical position for retention.

The free end of the fastener stock is then fed, with the plane 58 facing upward, over the circumference of a feed wheel 112 rotatably journalled within the casing 102, as will be described below.

The loop 112Fi receives the fastener filaments 52 around its circumference and threads them around the loop with the forward projection needle 116.
It has means such as a stop notch 114 for advancing in an arcuate trajectory to a position adjacent to the rear end.

The ring 112 is inserted into the casing 102 to define a passageway for receiving the fastener end bar 56 as the ring rotates.
separated from the inner wall of the

The casing 102 has a projection 115 that rests on a hoop 112 to help hold the end rod running within a given passage.

A detent pin 118 is mounted on the casing 102 and biased by a spring 120 to restrict rearward movement of the wheel 112.

Notches 114 are spaced around the circumference of hoop 112 equal to the spacing between successive fastener filaments 52.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 20, the endmost fastener bar 56e is indexed around the feed wheel 112 to a position transverse to the rear end of the bore 122 of the needle 116.

The cutting blade 124 may be fixed to the needle or to the part of the casing opposite the connector 57 which connects the end bar 56e to the end bar of the next fastener.

For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the reciprocating cam means 1
26 is advanced and rotated around the connector using the end rod 56e as a hinge until it aligns with the hole of the needle.

There is a protruding tab 1 in the casing in a plane perpendicular to the ring 112.
28 is provided to form an extension of the passageway of the wheel 112 and to guide the end rod therein during rotation.

Tab 128 has a curved upper surface shaped to guide the filament projecting from the hoop as end bar 56e is rotated into said mating condition.

When the rod shape matches the needle hole 122, the plunger 130 is advanced to contact the free rear end of the matching end rod 5'6e and push it into the hollow needle hole, and at the same time, the connector 5T is broken by the cutting means 124. Or disconnect.

As shown in FIG. 13, the plunger drives the end rod into the hollow needle which, when inserted through one or more layers of material 132, affixed to each other or a tag to it.

As the needle is withdrawn from the material 132, the end bar 56e elastically changes its lateral position with respect to the filament.
The movement of the tool removed from 32 ruptures connector 54 which joins tab 53 to the next tab in the manner shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,657.

For this purpose connector 54 should be relatively weak.

Any other suitable means for cutting may be provided.

The exterior of casing 102 is provided with a knob or knurled ring 134 for pivoting feed wheel 112 to move fastener stock into and out of the device.

The plunger 130 has its rear end fixed to a rear sliding or plunger support 136, which slides back and forth in a sliding groove in the casing to move the plunger into the needle hole 12.
2 to go in and out.

The sliding body 136 is the hollow bundle portion 1 of the casing 102.
A lever member 140 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever member 140 and extends downwardly into the lever member 140 .

The lower end of lever member 140 is attached by slot 142 to a pin 144 carried by a hollow trigger 146 which is pivotally mounted 148 to casing 102 for back and forth movement within hollow bundle 141 .

Pin 144 acts as a cam and the wall of slot 142 acts as a cam follower to provide movement to lever member 140.

The member 140 is a floating support shaft 1 fixed to one end of the member 153.
50 , and the other end of member 153 is pivotally connected 155 to bundle 141 .

Trigger 146 is biased to the open position by a compression spring 156, which will be described later.

Lever member 140 is biased by spring 156 to maintain plunger support 136 in its rearward position.

When bundle 141 and trigger 146 are squeezed, member 1
40 pivots about a floating fulcrum 150 to support 136
is actuated to slide it from its rearward position to its forward position, forcing the plunger into the needle hole 122 and expelling the fastener end bar from the needle.

When the pressure on the trigger is released, the plunger 130 is pulled out of the needle bore by the energy stored in the spring 156.

A front slider 152 is mounted within the front end of the casing 102 and has a sliding groove 154b within the casing.

Slide back and forth within 154b.

The slider 152 has a recess 159 which, together with the inner wall of the casing, accommodates a compression spring 158 which is connected to the slider 1.
52 to its forward position.

Slider 152 has a rearwardly extending flexible arm 160 having a detent surface 162 and an angled cam surface 164 at the rear end.

Plunger support 136 carries cooperating camming surfaces 166 and detent surfaces 168 that actuate slider 152 as follows.

When the trigger 146 is actuated to actuate the lever 140 to advance the plunger support 136, the cam surface [n166] rides on the cam surface 164 and deflects the flexible arm 160.

During the return stroke of plunger 136, detent surface 162,
168 is engaged as shown, for example, in FIG. 17, and the plunger 136 then moves the slider 152 rearwardly to compress the biasing spring 158.

As the plunger support 136 approaches its rearward position, a fixed cam 170 mounted on the casing engages the rearward extension of the cam surface 164 and the cam surface locks the arm 160 until the detent surfaces 1162, 168 disengage. bend it downward.

Due to this engagement and disengagement, the compressed biasing spring 158 is
52 is returned to its forward position.

Cam 126 is carried by slider 152 and rotates end rod 56e into alignment with needle hole 122 during its forward stroke.

Slider 152 has a second forwardly extending resilient arm 171 having a rearward facing detent surface 172 and a forward cam ffcTlli 174.

The feed wheel 112 has one cooperating index pin 176 for each index position, each having a cam surface 178.

As slider 152 is pulled rearwardly by plunger support 136, cam surface 172 engages pin 176 and rotates feed wheel 112 to rotate the next fastener so that its end bar is relative to the longitudinal axis of the needle hole. Feed to a position in the transverse direction.

During the return forward stroke of slider 152, cam surface 174 rides up on cam surface 178 of lower pin 176, deflecting arm 171 and allowing it to pass to a forward position in preparation for the next indexing stroke. .

Needle 116 may be any type of hollow slotted needle known for delivering flexible fasteners, with the fastener end rod being dispensed through the extranuclear hollow hole and the filament passing through communicating slot 180. extend and slide inside.

Needle 116/Ii is preferably removably secured to the front end of casing 102 by a pin 182 that engages a corresponding notch 184 in the needle.

Pin 182 also includes a cutout slot 186 that provides passage for the needle insertion and removal reservoir.

Pin 182 is biased to its locked position by a spring 188 mounted within the casing.

When the pin is pushed towards the spring 188 to compress the spring, the slot 186 aligns with the needle and allows it to be removed.

Preferably, the portion of the pin 182 that engages the needle notch 184 in the locked position is rectangular or square in cross-section.

In manual dispensing guns of the type described above, it is desirable that the actuation force for actuating the device be as low as possible to avoid operator fatigue.

The movable linkage shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893.612 is employed because of the mechanical advantages mentioned above.

Additionally, it is also desirable that the required compression force decrease as the trigger is depressed.

Such reduced force is provided by the illustrated spring arrangement.

The rear end of the spring 156 is a fixed support shaft 157 inside the bundle 141.
It is fixedly installed.

However, the front end of the spring is fixed to the trigger 146 and is fixed to a movable support shaft 190 that moves together as the trigger is depressed.

The movable support shaft 190 has a spring 1 in its normal protruding position.
An extension of the centerline or longitudinal axis of 56 is the fixed support shaft 148.
It is positioned so that it is at a distance of 100 degrees.

As the trigger is depressed, this centerline moves along with the support shaft 190 to a position closer to the pivot pin 148, thereby smoothly and continuously adjusting the moment arm, the required compression force, and the degree of compression movement of the spring. decrease.

It should be noted that the above-described device is easily assembled from molded or other easily fabricated parts, requires only moderate actuation force for manual operation, is reliable in action, and can be used with long fasteners.
Note that it is adapted to feed stock.

Furthermore, as can be seen by referring to FIG. 20, for example,
Note that the coiled fastener stock has an outwardly facing connector 57 or 57a at the free end of the feeding reservoir over the circumference of the feeding wheel.

As a result, when the end rod 56e rotates, the connector is aligned with the needle hole in the fixed position and acts as a hinge, and the cutting blade 1
24, exposing the majority of the end of the end bar to a plunger which is actuated to dispense the end bar through the needle.

The operation of the device described above consists of the following sequence.

(1) Attach the coiled fastener stock to pin 10
6 or an alternative holder for fan-folded stock as shown in FIG. 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,648;
Place the connector 57 and the flat surface 59 on the free end facing upwards.

The free end is fed on the feeding wheel 112 and the knob 134 is rotated until the end fastener 56e abuts the top surface of the cam 126.

(2) By squeezing the trigger 146 relative to the handle 141 and rotating the lever member 140 around the spindle 150, the return spring 156 is compressed and the plunger support 136 is slid forward, and the cam surface 166 is slid over the cam surface 164 to deflect the latter.

(3) Release the trigger 146 and allow the spring 156 to return the support body 136 to its rear position.

As the support 136 returns, the slider 152 moves to its rearward position and the spring 158 causes the cooperating detent 162,
168 is compressed until it disengages due to deflection of arm 160 by cam surface 170° 164.

Detent 17 on arm 171 during rearward stroke of slider 152
2//i engages with the pin 176 of the feeding wheel 112 to index the wheel and feed the end rod 56e to the 17th illustrated position.

As slider 152 returns to its forward position, cam surfaces 174, 178 engage and deflect arm 170;
The cam 126 rotates the end rod 56e with the rotation of the connector 57 to align it with the needle hole 122 as shown in FIG.

(4) Squeeze the trite 146 again and plunger support rod 13
6 and plunger 130 are advanced to engage the exposed end of end bar 56e and dispense it through hole 122 to dispose the blade 1
24 to cut the connector 57.

(5))! When the J gas 146 is released again, the sequence of Kamimachi 3) is repeated to prepare the next end rod for dispensing.

Although the device described above is well adapted for manual use, actuation may be powered by any suitable means, such as an electrical device or hydraulically.

Such means are described, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application No. 3B75,648.

Although the new fastener stock described herein is well suited for use in the methods and apparatus described above, other suitable fastener stocks may be employed.

The new fastener stock may also be dispensed by other suitable devices, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,648.

It goes without saying that the present invention includes all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the fastener stock used in the device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the fastener stock of FIG. 1.
Figure 3 is a side view of the stock in Figure 1, Figure 4 is an end view of the stock in Figure 1, and Figure 4A is a rear view of the stock in Figure 1.
5 is a perspective view of a portion of the fastener stock of FIG. 1 showing one end bar and its associated connector; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the fastener stock of FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the fastener stock used in the device of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 7; FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a part of the other end of the stock; The figure is an enlarged view of one end of Fig. 8, Fig. 9 is a plan view of the third embodiment of the fastener stock, Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the continuous molding device, and Fig. 11 is a line 11-11 in Fig. 10. FIG. 12 is another cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-1.1 of FIG.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the dispensing device of the present invention showing the insertion of a fastener through the woven material; FIG. Figure 14 is another perspective view of the device in Figure 13;
13 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 13, with a part of the casing cut away to show the internal operating mechanism, and the broken line showing partial compression of the trigger for operating the mechanism; FIG. 16 is the same as that shown in FIG. Figure 17 shows a compressed trigger similar to Figure 15.
Similar to the figure, the figure shows the return process of the trigger.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the cam slider of the device in FIG. 18, FIG. 20 is a part of the needle, Fig. 21 is a side view of the feeding wheel and centering cam, showing the alignment of the end rod of the fastener with the needle hole; Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the hollow slotted needle used in the present invention; Fig. 22 is the needle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the needle retaining pin. Explanation of symbols of main parts, 50, 51: 51 a...
Side member, 52; 52a... filament, 56; 56
a:56 e...end rod, 54:54a, 57a...
- Cuttable connector, 58...Flat plane, 100
... distribution gun C device), 102 ... casing, 1
12... Feeding wheel, 114... Notch, 116...
Dispensing needle, 118... Detent pin, 120... Spring, 122... Needle hole, 124... Reciprocating cam means,
130... Plunger, 136... Rear slider, 1
40... Lever member, 141... Bundle, 146
...Trigger, 152...Front slider, 158...
compression spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A dispenser for dispensing a fastener, including a spatula-shaped member, an end bar, and a cross link connecting the spatula-shaped member and the end bar, comprising: a grooved hollow needle; a casing comprising; an advancement mechanism within the casing for advancing the fastener such that the end bar is positioned transversely to the longitudinal axis of the hollow needle; a fastener distributor comprising: an alignment mechanism for aligning the hollow bore and distributing the fastener therethrough along the length of the hollow bore; 2. The distributor of claim 1, wherein the advancing mechanism includes wheels that engage cross links of a series of connected fasteners to advance the fasteners along an arcuate path toward the hollow needle. A fastener distributor. 3. A fastener distributor according to claim 1, wherein the alignment mechanism includes a cam that is movable back and forth within the casing to align the end rod with the hollow hole from a transverse position.