US1859026A - Fastener setting machine - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1932.

v E. M. CROSBY FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1927 I Y 8 Sheets-Sheet l May 17, 1932. 1,859,026

E. M. CROSBY FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 8, 1927 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 w u I I l May 17 1932. CROSBY 1,859,026 I FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8. 1927 8 Sheets-5heet -4 May 17, i932. E. M. cRosBY' FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed 8- 1927 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 File NO 8- 1927 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 17, I932.

E. M, CROSBY 1,859,026

FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8. 1927 8 SheetsSheet '7 y 1932 'E/M. CROSBY 1,859,026

FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8. 1927 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I m l E lill l &

V javeiazpm Patented May 17, 1932 RATE-NT OFF-ICE Earthen. mememmmsmmcmmw; ass'reno'n, as means assronmnnrs, 'ro nmrnnoannrasrsunn coarona'rron, or CAMBRIDGE, uassacnusnr'rs, a

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Application flled" November 8, 1921, Serial no. 231.1359.

This invention'relates 'to machines for handling fasteners, more particularly to machines for setting snapfasteners or'parts of such fasteners in sheet material. The.invention is herein discloseda's embodied in a machine for setting the socket members and back plates or washerplatemernbersrof snap fasteners andfor convenience these terms will be used as referring generally" to any fasteners comprising complementary parts.

-"Whil'e certain features of the presentinventionare applicable to the setting of fas teners broadly, other features .of importance rel ate to mechanism for handling fasteners of the particular type which have-unequally spaced pairs of attaching prongs, and, in oneof its aspects, the present invention consists broadly in the revision of assort ing mechanism for handling fasteners of this type. a

Another problem with which this invention deals consists in the proper asserting and presenting fordelivery of 'a back platepr washer plat-e havinglfunequally' 'spaced pairs of apertures to receive the prongs of the fastener part above referredto/fl In machines designed to set fasteners spaced inwardly from-the edge'of work as for example in automobile curtains, rugs or the like, the increased width of throat required to permit the introduction-of the work necessitates transferring the fastener parts through relatively long distances from the hoppers to the setting mechanism. ln another of its aspects the present invention consists in the provision'ofimprovedmechachineinside'elev-ation with the parts thereof shown in longitudinal section.

Fig. dis-a transverse sectional view show-"- ing details of the fastener transferring operating mecha-nismi- Figs. 4 and fi are fragmentary views in side elevation and front elevation respectively of the fastener separating mechanism.

1 Fig; 6 is a view in transverse'section of the fastener transferring mechanism. 4

Fig. 7 is a view in'horizontal section of washer plate transferring mechanism shown in itsrelation to the upsetting die.

Figs. Sand 9 are views in plan and side elevationof the washer plate raceway and associated mechanism.

- Fig. 10 is a detailed view of a portion of the washer plate transferring mechanism shown in Fig. 7

Figs. 11 and 12 show the pronged fastener part ininverted plan and side elevation respectively.

Figs. 13 and 14. are similar'views of the washer plate. 1

Fi 15 is a plan view of the twohoppers and heir driving mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the hopper for the principal or 1pronged fastener part.

Fig. 17 is a ragmentary inverted plan view of the. ring of this hopper.

I Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view of thcsame;

Fig. 19 is a view in section of the hopper for the washer plates.

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 21'is a fragmentary view on a section at right angles to that of Fig. 20.

F ig.'22 is a fragmentary view in inverted plan of the ring in the washer plate hopper.

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 20 but showing a washer plate in different positions.

Fig. 24 is a view of the machine in front elevation, certain parts being shown in section.

Figs. .25 to 31 inclusive are fragmentary views on an enlarged scale of the upsetting die and the delivery end of the washer plate raceway.

The machine shown comprises a hopper for sorting the pronged members of the fastener, another hopper for sorting the back plates,

raceways for conveying these fastener pair-ts to the setting mechanism,n1eans tor ztimnsifier jecting prongs, indicated by refereneeicharac ter 3 and located in pairs near each end of the body of the fastener, the pair atone end being located closer together than the pair at the other end as will be seen in 11, These prongs project through a plate 5 to which the body 2 is fastened by ion-1 small tongues clinched over on the surf-ace of the plate. Between these two parts of the fastener are retained spring wire members 6.

which will yieldingly engage the stud when the fastener is in service.

In set-ting these fasteners the prongs 3 are one end being closer together than the pair at the other end. It also has a circular .perforation 8 located nearer to one end than the other, for a purpose which will be presently described. and a series of bosses 9 on one surface and corresponding recesses on the other for the reception of the small tongues clinched on the bottom plate of the other fastener part.

The mechanism for sorting and arranging these. fastener parts properly for the setting operation comprises a pair of hoppers located on a bracket 82 at the rear partof the machine, inclined downwardly and forwardly, and each discharging into a raceway,

'lhe hopper for the pronged fastener parts or socket members shown in Figs. 11 and 12, has a stationary circular base portion 10 in which is mounted an inclined shaft '12 carrying a rotary bowl 123. Secured to the lower edge of the bowl is a ring 14 with a bevelled inner edge as shown in Figs. 16 and 18, which forms to all intents and purposes a part of the howl and rests on the upper surface of the hopper bottom 10' The bowl 13 has a series of vanes 11 forming pockets for the fastener parts and is connected to its central sleeve by radial webs. as shown in Fig. 16. It will be understood that as the bowl is rotated the fasteners are carried in the pockets formed by the vanes to the high side ofthe bowl and itfheu Eby grwwity against the v lowter wall V :arntl itinrihle about freely, .asstarting rdfifierent positions which (eventually permit them to leave the hopper by the discharg. ports, V I 3- In (to-permit iliheiescagpe ref ithe tifiasten ifirom-afihe the ring 1+1 is provided 1\ itEl-1.ase1 iies .otf pnoiections 115 between which n are ga assages m guide-ways of suitable dimen- .5 10118 {to perimettihe fasteners :to pas;

them; "It iis ne'cessary however to deliver' the fasteners avitihttheia prongs pointing upward- ;ly and fcirvthe gpnnposo of permitting the passage of those hasteners only which are arranged this manner and rejecting those which :are among .sidenp leach passage is prowlided with a stop in the form of a pin 16 profeets into the top of the passage. The fieae'h ii6,,however, is-spaced far enough from ihottom of the guxicl-ewa y to permit the shady off :a taste-ne i to pass under it if the pno-ngs are iuppermost. If the prongs we not uppermost the pin 1t; pine-vents the. passage of the fastener by engaging its body part. This will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 11-8 where the fasten-er is indicated in dotted linesx In addition to delivering the fastener right side up it is also necessary to deliver it right end foremost, that isto-sfay with the-end foremost having the widely spaced prongs To bring this about the diameter of the pin 1-6 is made less than the distance bet-ween the widely spaced prongs 3 but greater than the distance between the .closel spaced prongs 3 so that unless the fastener comes right side up and also right end foremost it cannot pass the stop pin 16., InFigL 18 the fastener'is shown in the proper position to be discharged, the widely spaced prongs having passed by the stop pins By the time the rear prongs engage the pin 16 the body of the fastener has advanced farenough to drop into the groove in the base 10 and thus allow the rear prongs to slip under theend of the pin 16.

The hopper bottom 10 is provided with a depressed annular groove to receive a series of projections 17 extending a step beyond or below the projections 15 of the ring 14, these projections having side walls forming a continuation of the discharge passage at a lower step or level. The walls of the ring projections 15 and 17 do'not extend radially with respect to the hopper but are disposed tangent to a circle concentric to the axis of the hopper. This feature of construction has been found important in the satisfactory handling of the fasteners here in question.

As the hopper rotates slowly in a counter clock-wise direction, Fig. 15, fasteners which are positioned right side up and rigid end foremost slidethroughthe passages and pass the pins 16, ad 'ancing into the lower level of the stepped passage in the ring of the hopper bottom 10. These properly positioned hrough the lower part of Fig. 20 or in Fig. 23.

ifastenersiare...thereupon carried around in the recesses .between the walls of the projecshaped t conductgthe pronged fastener parts to the upper end of the raceway proper. This consists ofa fiat plate 20 upon which the fastenersslide baekdownward, and acen-trally disposed rail 2l, spaced above the plate 20 and arranged tobe straddled by the prongs of the fastener. :The gravity raceway 20-81 leads from the hopper to the screw conveyor 27' by which thefinal-step in the feeding of the fastener to the setting die is effected.

The mechanism for sorting and arranging the washerplates shown in Figs- 13 and 14 consists of a hopper with a stationary circular base and bowl 73 journalled on a shaft 72. A ring 74 having a bevelled innerledge forms the bowl 73 and rests upon the base part 710. The base 70 has a stepped groove therein and the bottomof the ring has stepped projections which fit the grooves. Shallow passages 75 are provided in the bottomface of the ring 7 f between these projections. The passages are not quite radial in their direction but tangent to a small circle concentric to the axis of the hopper. As in the case of the pronged fastener parts, it is necessary that the washer plates should be ar ranged right side up and right end foremost in leaving the hopper. To this end the passages 7 5 are shaped so as to permit the passage of the washer plate only when the plate is positioned with the bosses 9 uppermost. As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 20 and 22 the passage 75 has a shoulder at each edge which narrows it so that the body of the washer plate cannot enter it if elevated by having the bosses 9 beneath it. If on the other hand the bosses project upwardly they will pass freely through the central part of the passage.

In order to insure passage only of those washer plates which enter right end forcmost a stop pin 76 projects downwardly from the ring 74 into each passage 75. As already pointed out the central aperture in the washer plate is located nearer to one end than the other and the arrangement of the stop pin 76 in the passage is such that only those washer plates may pass it which ap proach short end foremost, that is to say, with the end foremost to which the perforation is nearestf As the washer plate passes into the passage 75 it tips downwardly and enters the recess 77 formed in the hopper bottom 7 0 between the projections of'the ring 74, assuming the angular position shown in If the washer plate does not arrive right end foremost the stop pin 76 preventsit from entering the recess 77 by engaging its surface as shown in Fig. 23. If however, the washer plate is right end foremost the perforation 8 in it" affords clearance for the end of the stop pin 76 so that the plateinay advance sutliciently to drop completely into the recess 77 as clearly indicated in Fig. 20. When this occurs the properly located washer plate is carried in its recess in the clockwise movement of the hopper into the inner or left hand edge thereof, as seen in Fig. 15, until it reaches a point where it may pass outwardly from the recess into the receiving end 78 of the raceway.

It will be noted that the lower end of the stop pin 76 is centrally recessed topermit passage of the centrally disposed bosses 9 of the washer plate. The receiving end 78 of the raceway conducts the plates to the upper end of the raceway proper 102 which has undercut side flanges properly proportioned to permit the free passage of washer plates. This leads from the hopper to the upsetting die to which the plates finally are delivered as will presently appear.

The bowls of both hoppers are driven by a single belt 80 from a pulley 81 on the rear end of the main shaft 33, located just inside the hand wheel 50. The two hoppers are carried by a bracket 82 bolted to the rear part of the main frame and having journalled in its rear upper side a shaft 83. This shaft carries a driven pulle 84 fast on its lower end and a driving pullhy 85 fast on its upper end. It also carries a loose sleeve 86 having driven pulley 87 at its lower end and a driving pulley 88 at its upper end. Arms extending downwardly from the bracket 82 carry an idler shaft 91 upon which are mounted three idlers 9'2, 93 and 94, as shown in Fig. The circumference of each ring i l and 'Ttof the hoppers is grooved to receive the driving belt 80. This belt, as shown in Figs. 1 and 15, passes upwardlyfroin the right hand side of its driving pulley 81 over the idler 92, and about the driven pulley 87, imparting a clock-wise rotation to the driving pulley 88 on the sleeve 86 which, in turn, is transmitted through the belt 95 to the right hand hopper as a clockwise rotation.

The belt 80 after leaving the pulley 87 passes over the idler 93, then as a cross belt to the driven pulley 84 imparting to that, and to the driving pulley 85, a counter clock-wise rotation. It then passes from the pulley 8- over the idler 9a and back to the driving pulley 81. The counter clock-wise rotation of the pulley 85 is transmitted to the left hand hopper through a belt 96 as a. counter clock-wise rotation. The grooved ring 74 of the washer plate hopper is located substantially in the plane of the driving pulley 85, while the grooved ring 14 of the pronged rail 21 is held in, place by a pair of arms.

22 projecting from the plate near its upper end and by a transverse pin 23 passing throughthe lower end. This raceway conducts the fasteners to a screw conveyer of the general type disclosed and claimed in my' co-pending application Serial No. 153,549, filed December 9, 1926- This conveyor comprises a barrel 27 having square threads upon its body part, so spaced as to accommodate the fasteners between. them. The screw is supported horizontally by a driven shaft 28 at its rear end and is journalled in the machine frame at its forward end. It is driven intermittently by a Geneva movement, a Geneva wheel 31 being fast on the shaft 28 and the driven member 32 fast on the main shaft 33. The latter shaft is provided with a pulley 24 so that it may be belted to apy convenient source ,of power. This mechanism gives the screw 27- a quarter revolution for each complete revolution of the main shaft, and in each such movement one fastener is delivered to the setting die 29 on the setting plunger 40.

A mechanism for separating the fasteners in the raceway 2021 and discharging them one by one tothe screw conveyor is provided. It comprises a forked escapement member secured to a saddle iece 54 which is pivotally mounted by a pin 57 on cars 56 projecting upwardly from the raceway plate 20, (see particularly Figs. 2, 4 and 5). The escapement piece is forked at both ends to straddle the raceway rail 21 and one end or the other stands in the path of the fastener prongs. The saddle member 54 is provided with an upstanding ear 58 which is connected through a tension spring 59 to the raceway rail 21, in such manner as to tend to swing the escapement always in a counter clock-wise direction. This saddle piece has also an outwardly extending arm 60 which is engaged by an adjustable stop screw 61 in a block 62 carried by an actuating rod 40. As shown in Fig. 4 the actuating rod 46 in its elevated position. When it is lowered the spring 50 rocks the escapement member 55, carrying its upper end out of the path of the prongs of the endmost fastener on the raceway and allowing the fastener to pass downwardly until its encounters the lower end of the esca ement member which has now been rocked into operative position. When the actuating rod 46 is again lifted, the fastener engaged by the lower end of the escapement 65 member is permitted to pass freely down the raceway while its-upper end engages the succeedin fastener and again occupies the position shown m Fig. 4.

Means are provided: for positively insuring 65 in the raceway rail 21. The-pusher arm.

64 has an inclined rear edge whichactsas a cam when the actuating rod 46 is loweredto cause the pusher arm to travel forward.- ly at itslower end, engaging the endmost fastener, and forcing it positively from the raceway to the screw conveyor. The push er arm is forked as shown in Fig.5 andadapted to advance the fastener by engaging its upstanding prongs.

The pronged fasteners are screw conveyor 27, with the prongs uppermost, as the leave the raceway, and straddling astraight bar 26 disposed parallel to the axis of the screw conveyor. This forms the central member of a guidewa or raceway section. leading to the setting die 29. The act-ion of the screw thread cams the fasteners along this guideway and into position in the setting die. Y -T he actuating rod 46, as shown in Fig. 3, is connectedat its lower end to a plunger 40, slotted to receive the end of a cam lever 36 which is ivotally mounted in a socket head 37 bolte to the machine frame 30. The cam lever 36 carries a cam roll 38 which is depressed by a cam 35 on the main shaft 33.. This cam lever is elevated and held in contact with the cam by a tension spring 39. The motion of the cam is cushioned in being transmitted to the plunger 40 by a compres sion spring 42 which acts on the under side of the operating end of the cam lever '36 and is located in a socket in the plunger, the spring being backed up by a nut 43. The chief function of this spring is to prevent breaking the parts in the event of a jam.

At its upper end the actuating rod 46 is guided in its movement by, and actuates, a rocker member 48, Figs. 2 and 24. fast to a transverse shaft 49 which is journalled in'the upper branch 44 of the main frame. The rocker member 48 and shaft 49 operate mechanism for transferring the washer plates in the raceway 102 and delivering them to the upsetting die and this mechanism will now be explained.

The washer plates are arrested in their movement down the raceway by a pair of spring detents 1044, Figs. 8 and 9, set in op'posite sides of the raceway and acting to engage the foremost plate. The plates are fed past the detents 104 by a feeding member 106 mounted in a plate 108 fastened to one side of the raceway and having a straight longitudinal slot 109 and a cam shaped longitudidelivered to the I nal slot 110. A pin 111 connects the feed member 106 to the plate 108 at the slot 109, permitting the feed member 106 to move parallel to the raceway and also to rock toward and from it. Spring washers on this pin exert a slight frictional resistance to the movement of the part 106. A cam pin 112 projects from the feed member 106 into the camslot. 110 and controls the rocking movement of the feed member as it is moved longitudinally. The feed member 106 is operated through a spring 122 and a rod 114 which passes through a block 116 pivotally mountedon the upper end of a rocker arm 118 secured to the outer end of the rock shaft 49, above mentioned. The rod 114 also. carries an adjustable collar 120 between which and the compression spring 122 the block 116 is located.

It will. be apparent that when the rocker arm 118 is swung in a clock-wise direction the feed member 106 will be moved bodily toward the right, as shown in Fi 9, and that this member will also be rocke away from the raceway so that its end travels in a path above the washer plates in the raceway as determined by the upper edge of a cam slot 110. On the other hand when the rocker arm 118 is moved in the opposite direction, the feed member 106 is moved toward the left, as

. seen in Fig. 9, and at the same time its operaand backed up tive end is swung down toward the raceway into a position wherein it engages the centrai aperture of the endmost washer plate. The movement of the feed member is then momentarily interrupted and the spring 122 compressed until a propelling force is built up sufficient to overcome the resistance of the detents 104 and to shootthe fastener past said detents. When this occurs the lower edge of the cam slot 110 again elevates the feeding member so that as the washer plate is freed from the detents it is also freed from the feeding member, and by the combined action of the detents and the spring 122 is shot aiong the raceway to the delivery end thereof where it is arrested by a second pair of detents 130, (see also Fig. 31).

The construction of the upsetting die will now be described after which further attention will be given to the mechanism for transferring and delivering the washer plate from the raceway 120 to the die.

The upsetting die 150 is mounted in a stationary position but with adjustable yielding backin in the upper branch 44 of the machine rame. Its normal position is determined by a flange 152 which engages a shoulder formed in the bore of the mounting. It is keyed in position to prevent rotation by a heavy compression spring 154 having at its upper end the recessed eap156 for a hardened ball 158. This, in turn, is engaged by an adjusting screw 160 threaded into a cap 162 which closes the bore in the frame. The amount of initial tension in the spring 154 may be adjusted by turning the screw 160. The upsetting die 150 is drilled to receive a pilot plunger 164 whose function is positively to locate the washer plates in position prior to the setting operation and then to retract to disengage the complcted fastener and permit the work to be removed conveniently from the machine. The pilot plunger 164 is apertured near its upper end to receive one arm of a bell crank lever 166 by which it is operated as will be presently described. 1

At its lower end the upsetting die has a pair of flanged retaining or holding members for the washer plate. These are shown in Figs. 25 to 30 and comprise angular flanged plates 170 and 172 forming, in effect, a continuation of the raceway 120 and each having ears to receive pivot pins 174 extending into the body of the upsetting die 150 ina direction parallel to the length of the raceway 120.

The flange plates 170 and 172 are'free to swing outwardly but are maintained yieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 29 by springs 17 6, one passing through the head of each pivot pin 174, and being hooked into apertures formed for that purpose in the angular plates 170 and 172. It will be understood that these springs not only maintain the angular plates 170 and 172 in position but also serve to retain the pivot pins 174 against displacement.

The bell crank lever 166 which operates th pilot plunger 164 is pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine and carries a pivoted arm 167, having a pin and slot connection therewith permitting yielding movement in one direction against a spring 168 which extends between the arm 167 and an car on the bell crank lever 166. The arm 167 is connected to a telescopic link 169 pivotally connected with the rocker member 48 above referred to.

A feeding member 180, Figs. 2, 25 and 26, is provided for advancing the washer plates past the detents 130 in a manner somewhat similar to that in'which the feeding member 106 advances them past the detents 104. The

feeding member 180 is pivotally mounted upon the forward end of the rocker member 48 and is actuated thereby. Near its lower end it has a transverse pin 183 which cooperates with an oblique cam surface 182 to impart a four-motion feeding movement to the end of the member 180 as it is moved back and forth by the oscillation of the rocker member 48. When the member 180 is moved toward the right as shown in Fig. 26 this cam surface 182 lifts the endof the feeder so that it is drawn back out of contact with the washer plate held at the end of the raceway. This movement of the feeding member 180 is sufficient to carry the pin completely above the cam surface so that the end of the prior to its advancing feeding movement.

During this feedingmovement the pin 183 passes beneath the cam surface 182 instead of above it, as shown in Fig. 26. The. feeding movement disengages the washer plate from the detents 130 and carries it positively to the carrier formed by the anged angular plates 170 and 172 beneath the upsetting die.

The oblique cam surface 182 is formed on a part of the bail shaped member 184 of sheet metal which is permanently mounted for swinging movement on pins 185 in the raceway 102. It will be apparent that this construction permits the pin 183 on the feeding member 180, during its feeding stroke, to passunder the oblique surface and momentarily lift'this with the member 184. The bail shaped member 184 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending arms having inturned ends which are received in slots formed respectively in the rear ends of the angular flanged plates 17 0 and 172.

second feeding member is provided for positively advancing the washerplate as delivered to the carrier 170 and 172 into substantial alignment with the pilot plunger 164. Thisfeeding member 50 comprises a bent rod pivotally connected at its rear end, with provision for adjustment, to an arm 51 formed integral with the rocker member 48. At its forward end the feed member 50 is guided by passing through a perforated ear 52 formed on a plate secured to the lower side of the raceway 102. It pushes the washer plate forward on the carrier arms 170 and 172 and completes its delivery to the setting mechamsm.

The construction and operation of the setting die is similar to that of the corresponding member disclosed in my co-pending application ,above identified. It comprises a plunger 34 guided for vertical movement and carrying a cam roll 42, as shown in Figs. 2 and 24. The cam roll 42 runs upon a single throw cam 41 carried at the forward end of the main shaft 33. A spring 40 depresses the plunger 34 and maintains the cam roll in engagement with the periphery of the cam 41. The plunger 34 is provided with a socket at its upper end to receive a replaceable hardened setting die 29 which is concave to receive and support a pronged fastener during the setting operation. I

From the fore oing description the operation of the mac ine herein shown will be clearly understood.

The machine comes to rest with a fastener delivered to the setting die and a washer. plate delivered to the upsetting die. When the machine is tripped the setting die is at once elevated, the prongs of the fastener pass ing through the work and-through the wash 'er plate held by the flanged plates 170 and 172 in position on the upsetting die and being clinched against the upsetting die. It will be noted that the angular plates 170 and 172 are provided with tapering projections (see Figs. 29 and 30). These are engaged by the lower die in itsupwa-rd movement and results in separating'the angular plates so as to permit the washer plate to rest upon the upper surface of the work. Near the conclusion ofthe setting operation the pilot plunger 164 is retracted and the operator is free to remove the work with the clinched fastener from the machine.

It will be'observed that the problem of advancing the fastener parts through the relatively long distances at the upper and lower sides of the throathas been solved very effectively, the screw conveyor producing this transfer at the lower side of the throat, while the upper raceway with the mechanism for shooting the washer plates through it-to parts which then deliver them to the setting die, performs this function very satisfactorily at the upper side of thethroat.

In my copending application Ser. No.

153,549, filed December 9, 1926, I have disclosed means for as'sorting pronged fasteners of a different type from those for which the present machine is particularly adapted. In one of its aspects the present invention is a carrying forward or further development of the broad invention of my earlier application and is within the scope of certain claims therein presented.

While I have herein shown and described the mechanism which best embodies my invention up to the present time it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other mechanisms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is,

1. Assorting mechanism for fasteners having widely and closely spaced pairs of projections, comprising a hopper having a discharge passage, and a stop normally project.- ing into said discharge passage for preventing progress of a fastener in the passage except when the widely spaced pro]ections occupy a position in advance of the closely spaced projections during passage of a fastener part through the discharge passage.

2. Assorting mechanism for fasteners having prongs, comprising a hopper having a discharge passage provided with a stepped bottom, and means located in said passage for preventing a fastener from advancing from one step to the next step of the bottom of thepassa ge when the fastener is entered with the prongs in a predetermined position.

3. Assorting mechanism for fasteners having unequally spaced pairs of upstanding prongs, comprising a hopper having a passage, and a stop shaped to permit the passage -5. Asserting mechanism for longitudinal- 1y unsymmetrical fastener parts comprising a hopper having means providing a passage wherein a fastener part must assume an a'ngular position, and a stopso located as to.

contact with and prevent passage of a fastener part advancing with one end foremost and to clear and permit passage of a fastener part advancing with the other end foremost.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EARLE M. CROSBY.

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