US2034774A - Fastener-distributing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1935. w B, R BE T 2,034,774

FASTENER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed April 2, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 15 13 55 Q 0 171 0 O o 175 47 A 5 Q gurTll Wm iffzwmwb March 1936- w. T. B. ROBERTS FASTENER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed Apr-i1 2, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FASTENER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed April 2, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William Thomas Buckin gham Roberts, Leicester,

England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, New Jersey Paterson, N. J., a corporation of Application April 2, 1934, Serial No. 718,555 In Great Britain June 9, 1933 38 Claims.

This invention relates to fastener or like assorting and distributing mechanism and is particularly, but by no means exclusively, concerned with nail-assorting and distributing mechanism associated with machines for use in building heels for boots or shoes or for attaching heels to boots or shoes during their manufacture.

The manufacture of heels and their attachment to boots or shoes at times require that nails 1 of different length, and it may be also of thickness, be used to suit the particular height of heel being operated upon. In some instances a comparatively frequent change is called for, for example when small lots of work with heels of a varying sizes are being dealt with by a single machine. Such a machine may be provided with mechanism by which nails are delivered from a mass in successive loads to the operating means.

One form of nail-distributing mechanism of this character is described in the specifications of British Letters Patent Nos. 23,356 of 1904 and 17,708 of 1908 and in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,119,793, Bingham et al., December 8, 1914. In such a mechanism, however, changing of the nails which are in the supply-receptacle or nail-drum and raceway for others of different length is somewhat inconvenient and occupies an undesirable amount of time. This drum is made in two sections, one being fixed to the frame of the mechanism and having secured to it a raceway down which the nails pass for delivery to the operating mechanism, and the other being rotatable to lift the contained nails and drop them on the raceway. When changing the nails, the rotary drum is removed, the nails emptied, and the nails in the raceway moved up the raceway so that they fall from its upper end or are picked out by the operator. The rotary drum is customarily provided with a flange at that side from which the nails are emptied. This interferes with their discharge. If in changing the nails the thickness of the fresh nails is difierent from that of those previously used, it may be necessary to change the raceway for one suitable for the fresh nails, and also to change the nail-receiver which takes the nails one by one from the end of the raceway, since the nailreceiving chambers in the nail-receiver may not be of suitable depth. If they are too deep a 50 second nail may pass from the end of the raceway partly into the chamber and prevent movement of the receiver. If they are not deep enough the endmost nail will not pass fully into the chamber and will again prevent movement of 55 the receiver.

The present invention has among its several objects the provision, in a nail or like fastenerassorting and distributing mechanism of the kind referred to, of facilities for the speedy emptying of the nail-receptacle and the raceway, ready means for changing the raceway, and means for quickly adjusting the depths of the nailchambers in the nail-receiver.

The above and other objects and the several features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, given by Way of example, of a particular form of mechanism according to the present invention.

In the drawings, which showthe present invention as applied to a heel-attaching machine,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of the improved mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the mechanism viewed from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a plunger and its actuating lever shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation enlarged of the raceway-cover and its supporting means shown in Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the raceway-cover and supporting means viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the nailcounting and distributing mechanism shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9 is an elevation showing some of the parts inside the nail-drum.

The illustrated mechanism comprises a bracket l adapted to be fixed to the frame of the machine M with which the said mechanism is associated. This bracket carries nail-counting and distributing mechanism and its driving means similar, except as will hereinafter appear, to the mechanism shown in the specification of 5 Patent No. 23,356 of 1904 previously referred to. The bracket I has mounted upon it a nail-receptacle provided with a rotatable section 15 and a normally stationary section 39. Fixed in the bracket I is a horizontal spindle 3, and car- 50 ried by the spindle is a swinging bracket 5 which projects upwardly and has secured to it a forwardly extending block I having in its under face a groove which receives a tongue 9 on the bracket I. This tongue and groove give support 55 to the bracket 5 against a tendency to tip lengthwise of the spindle 3. The upper end of the bracket 5 has rotatable in it a horizontal tubular shaft I I positioned directly above the spindle. At the front of the bracket 5 the shaft I I has keyed to it a hand-wheel I3 by which it may be rotated, and at the rear of the bracket the shaft has rotatably mounted on it the part I5 of the nail-drum or receptacle, in which nails are placed in bulk and by which they are lifted and dropped on a raceway II. Down this raceway the nails travel to the separating and distributing mechanism. The part I5 of the drum has formed on its inner wall shelves which carry the nails up and drop them on the raceway. This part of the drum has formed around its periphery a groove I8.

to receive a belt I9, which also passes around a portion 2| of a double pulley 2| and 25 loosely mounted on a driving shaft 23 of the assorting and distributing mechanism. A belt 21 passes around the pulley-portion 25 and around a pulley 28 on the continuously rotated driving shaft of the machine with which the assorting and distributing mechanism is associated, so that the rotary drum is driven continuously instead of intermittently, as in the mechanism of British Patent No. 23,356 of 1904, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Extending from the swinging bracket 5 is an arm 29 which has secured in it a vertical pivotpin 3I. The axis of the pivot-pin 3! lies in the same plane as the rear face 33 of the rotary drum I5. Pivoted on the pin 3! is an L-shaped bracket 35 having at its upper end a bearing for a horizontal shaft 31 which is coaxial with the shaft II on which the drum I5 rotates. The shaft 31 extends from the second and normally stationary part 39 of the double drum. Projecting from the interior face of the drum 39 is an arm 4| having secured to it a block 43 carrying a shelf 45, which directs toward the raceway II the nails raised by the drum I5 and dropped on said shelf. The block 45 has a boss 41 in the front face of which is a groove 49 (Figs. 2 and 9). This groove receives a tongue 5I on the rear end of the shaft I I on which, as hereinbefore described, the drum I5 is mounted. If the shaft II is rotated by means of the hand-wheel I3, the stationary drum 39 is also rotated, for a purpose hereinafter described. The shaft II has passing axially through ita rod 53 rotatable by a hand-hold 55. The rod 53 at its rear end is threaded and is screwed into the block 43 to hold the adjacent faces 33 and 51 of the two drums substantially in contact. When the rod 53 is released from the block 43, the drum 39 and the bracket 35 which carries it may be swung about the pivot pin 3| of said bracket so that access is readily obtained to the inside of the drum without removing any parts of the mechanism. The lower part of the drum 39 is formed as indicated at 59, so that the nails in the drum tend to flow into the drum I5. The upper part of the drum 39 is formed so that, when turned through substantially 180, the nails flow from both sections toward what is then the bottom of the drum 39. The latter has formed in its outer peripheral wall an opening through which the contained nails are discharged. This opening is normally closed by a hinged lid BI, which when the section 39 is rotated falls open. The inner face of the lid is shaped so when said lid is open it directs the nails flowing from the hopper into a chute 63 (Fig. 1). The drum 39 after it has been rotated from its normal operating position is held in this position by a spring-plunger 65' mounted in the bracket 35 and engaging a recess 9I in a boss 69 on the outer wall of the section 39. The boss is so shaped on its rear face that as the drum 39 is rotated it pushes back the spring-plunger 65 until the recess 61 is in alinement with the plunger, when the latter snaps into the recess. A face II on the boss 69 engages the side of the plunger 55 when said plunger and the recess come into alinement and prevents the 'drum'39 from being turned so far that the recess would pass the plunger. A hand-lever I3 pivoted on the bracket 35 is connected to the plunger 65, so that said plunger may be withdrawn from the recess when it is desired to return the drum 39 to its operating position.

The nail-delivering raceway IT is secured to the drum 39. At its upper end, it rests on the bottom of a recess I5 (Fig. 2) formed in the arm 4|, hereinbefore described as extending from the inner face of the drum 39, and the sides of the raceway are engaged by the sides of the recess. The raceway is held in position by a plunger II which is slidingly mounted in and axially of the shaft 31 and enters an opening in one side of the raceway. The plunger extends outside the shaft 31 and has a pair of flanges I9 (Fig. 3) between which is arranged the rounded forked end of a lever 8| pivoted on the arm 35. The lever 8I is acted upon by a spring-plunger 83, carried in the arm 35, to hold the plunger 11 in engagement with the opening in the raceway. The raceway, where it emerges from the drum 39, passes through a recess formed partly in the front wall of said drum 39 and partly in a projection 85 (Fig. 5) on this part of the drum. The raceway is supported on the lower face of the recess and has secured to one side a block 81 which enters a recess 89 in the projection. By this means the raceway is prevented from moving upwardly or downwardly relatively to the drum. When the plunger II has been withdrawn from the opening in the raceway, after the drum and raceway have been rotated as hereinbefore described, the raceway may be drawn lengthwise out of the drum. The lower end of the raceway II is seated in a recess in a bearing 9| for the spindle I81 of a rotatable nail-receiver I43. This receiver has at its inner face a series of radial grooves A (Fig. '7 successively co-operating with the end of the raceway to remove nails therefrom. The raceway has secured to one side near its lower end a small block 93, which engages at 99 the end of one wall of the recess. The end of the block 93 has a tooth 92, which enters a recess 94 in the inner face of the wall, as shown in Fig. 4, to position the lower end of the raceway both lengthwise and heightwise. .The interengaging portions of the block 93 and wall are disengaged, by means now to be described, before the drum 39 and raceway II are rotated about the axis of the drum to empty the drum and raceway. The bracket 5, hereinbefore described as supporting the drum, has mounted on it about midway between the axes of the spindle 3 and the shaft II and in the same plane as these axes, a cam-roll 95 which enters a cam-groove 9! in an arm 99 secured on a stud IUI parallel to the pivotal axis of the bracket 5 and rotatably mounted in the bracket I. When the raceway II is in operating position, the cam and cam-roll lock the bracket 5 against movement about the spindle 3 and press the block 93 on the raceway against the end of the wall of the bearing 9I. Also secured on the said stud II is a second arm or hand-lever I03 by which the stud I9I and cam-arm 99 may be rotated. When the cam-arm 99 is thus turned, the bracket 5 and with it the double drum and raceway are moved about the spindle 3 of the bracket, the lower end of the raceway moving along the bottom face of the recess in the bearing 9I in a direction to disengage the tooth 92 on the block 93 from the recess 94 in the bearing. The drum and raceway may then be rotated by means of the hand-wheel I3 about the axis of the shaft I I to empty the nails from the drum. During this movement, the opening in the drum passes over the chute 63, hereinbefore referred to, which is secured to the bracket 35. This chute 63 at its upper end is flared and passes part way around the drum 39 so that as the latter is being rotated and the hinged lid 6| opens any nails which fall out of the drum drop into the chute. The lower end I95 of the chute is cylindrical and enters the enlarged upper end of a tube I91. The lower end of the tube enters a funnel I99 carried by a bracket III, to which the tube I91 is secured and which is mounted on the frame of the heel-attaching machine. The opening at the lower end of the funnel is normally covered by a spring-controlled lever II3 pivoted on the bracket II I.

Beneath the bracket III is arranged a carrier II5 for a number of receptacles II1, any one of which may be moved beneath the opening at the lower end of the funnel I99 by moving the carrier along a fixed guide I I9. The carrier may be secured in position by a screw I2I which clamps the carrier to the guide. When the nails have been emptied from the drum and raceway into the tube I91, the lever H3 may be swung away from the opening in the funnel to allow the nails to fall into one of the receptacles I I1, which may then, if desired, be readily removed and the nails emptied from it.

To prevent the nails in the raceway I1 from passing out of its lower end when the raceway is withdrawn from the bearing 9!, a latch I23 (Fig. 4) is provided which at that time closes the lower end of the raceway. The latch is pivoted at I25 to a bracket I21 secured to the side of the raceway opposite that to which the block 93 is secured. The pivot I25 extends in a direction across the raceway and is positioned so that the hook-shaped end I29 of the latch moves about the pivot substantially parallel to the end of the raceway. The latch is pressed down by a springplunger I3! mounted in the bracket I21. When the raceway is in its operative position the latch is raised so that its hooked end is above the lower end of the raceway. The latch I23 is held in this raised position by an arm !33 which engages the under side of the latch I23, this arm being angularly adjustable about a stud I 35 rotatably mounted in the main bracket I of the nail-assorting and distributing mechanism. This stud has secured on it a second arm I31, the outer end of which is arranged to be engaged by a cam I39 formed on the cam-arm 99, which swings the bracket 5 about its spindle 3. A hub of the arm I33 has extending through it above and below its stud I35 two screws MI, by which the arm may be adjusted about its pivot in its angular relation to the arm I31. By this means, the end I29 of the latch I23 may be set relatively to the upper face of the raceway, so that when the latch is in its raised position the nails will pass beneath it. When the cam member 99 is rotated to swing the bracket 5 about its spindle 3, the cam I 39 irees the arm I31, so the end I29 of the latch is pressed down by the spring plunger I 3| before the raceway begins to move away from the bearing 9| and from the nail-receiver I 43. The nails are thus retained against discharge from the raceway. As said raceway continues to move away from the bearing SI and receiver I43, a screw I39 adjustably carried in the latch rides up a cam I32 (Fig. 7) secured to the bearing SI and theieby raises the end I29 of the latch I23 slightly above the nail in the receiver, which it might otherwise displace. Consequently, this movement of the latch does not drag the nail out of the receiver. On the other hand, this slight raising of the end I29 of the latch is not sufficient to allow the endmost nail in the raceway to be discharged therefrom. As the raceway continues to be moved away from the receiver. the screw I39 rides along the cam I32 with the end I 29 of the latch in engagement with the endmost nail in the raceway. As the raceway is returned to operating position, the screw I39 slides down the cam I32 and the end I 29 of the latch engages the nail in the receiver after the raceway has been returned to its operative position. Then the latch I23 is raised above the raceway by the cam I39 as hereinbefore described.

A cover I41 extends along the whole length of the raceway I1 and is secured to a bracket I49 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal stud I5I extending across the raceway. The stud I5I is secured in a slide I53 and is arranged above the raceway and substantially above the upper end of the cover, so said cover can be swung upwardly to expose the raceway. The slide I 53 is adjustably mounted on the drum 39 and is secured by a screw I55 passing through a slot I51 (Fig. 6) in the slide and threaded into the drum. An eccentric sleeve I59 (Fig. 5) surrounds the slide I53, bracket I49 and raceway-cover I41 toward or from the raceway to suit the height of the heads of the nails in the raceway. The eccentric I59 and slide I53 are clamped in position on the drum 39 by the screw I 55 passing through the sleeve. The bracket I49 covers an opening in the drum 39, through which opening. when the bracket I49 is swung upwardly, access may be gained to the upper end of the raceway I1 within the drum to clear or remove obstructions. The bracket I49 is held in position to close the opening in the drum by a spring-plunger I63 mounted in the projection 85 on the drum 39. This plunger engages a face I 65 on a part I31 of the bracket I49 and may be pulled down when it is desired to swing the bracket and racewaycover upwardly. A thin plate I 69 is secured to the drum 39 and forms a stop against which the part I61 of the bracket I49 abuts.

The pivot I5I of the bracket I49 has rotatably mounted on it a nail-clearer I1I, the lower face of which is curved about the axis of the pivot and has formed in it a groove I13 (Fig. 5) to allow the heads of the nails to pass beneath it. The lower face of the nail-clearer is only just above the upper face of the raceway and its end extends into the drum between the plate I 69 and the stationary drum 39. The clearer I1I has mounted on it a cam-roll I15 arranged to be engaged by cams formed on the rotary drum I5 against which it is held by a spring I 11 connected to the clearer HI and to the bracket I49. Each cam is so shaped that the nail-clearer is first swung outwardly and then sharply back to kick off any misplaced nails lying on the raceway just inside the drum. The upper end of the raceway-cover it! is shaped so that it extends as far as possible into the groove I73 in the lower face of the nailclearer to prevent nails from being jammed against the end of the raceway-cover.

If a change in the thickness of the nails is made, it may be desirable to change the nailreceiver I43 to provide nail-receiving grooves deep enough to properly receive the nails and avoid interference with the raceway as the receiver rotates. When a change in the thickness of the nails used has heretofore been made, it has been necessary to change the nail-receiver for one having nail-receiving grooves of suitable depth, and this change could not readily be accomplished. According to the present invention, the nail-receiving chambers or grooves may be cut through from one side to the other of the nail-receiver, and the face of said receiver adjacent its driving ratchet-wheel I19 (Fig. 4) has a boss I8! (Fig. 7). Mounted on the boss I8I is a disc I83 having projections I85 which enter the nail-receiving chambers A in the nail-receiver and form the bottoms of the grooves. The receiver is carried by a shaft I81 bored axially and having mounted in it a spindle I89. The receiver is secured to the shaft by a taper pin I9I, which passes through said shaft and through a slot in and extending lengthwise of an enlargement of the spindle. The disc I83 is secured to the spindle by a pin I93. This pin I93 passes through a recess in the boss I8! on the nail-receiver and through a slot I95 formed in and extending lengthwise of the shaft I81. When the spindle I89 is adjusted axially, the disc I83 is moved along the shaft relatively to the nail-receiver. The spindle is screw-threaded at I91, and the bore in the shaft has rotatable in it a threaded sleeve I99 engaging the threaded portion of the spindle. The sleeve has about its periphery a groove 28I engaged by a pin 208 secured in the shaft I81 to prevent the sleeve from moving lengthwise of the shaft. The sleeve has on its outer end a knurled head by which it may be rotated to adjust the spindle I89 axially. The movement of the disc I83 by the adjustment above described is limited, on the one hand, by the nail-receiver I43 and, on the other hand, by the driving ratchet-wheel H9. The amount of possible adjustment of the disc is about one thirtysecond of an inch, which is sufficient to allow for the difference in thickness between the thinnest and thickest nail usually dealt with by the mechanism.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section furnishing together opposite portions of an enclosure for the fasteners, the stationary section being provided with a dischargeopening, and means arranged to rotate the stationary section from its normal position to discharge contained fasteners through the opening.

2. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided with a dischargeopening, and means extending through the rotatable section and arranged to rotate the stationary section to discharge contained fasteners through the opening.

3. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided with a dischargeopening, a closure for the opening, and means arranged to rotate the stationary section to discharge contained fasteners through the opening, the closure freeing the opening in the discharging position of the section and serving as a chute for the fasteners.

4. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided with a dischargeopening, means arranged to rotate the stationary section to discharge contained fasteners through the opening,and means into co-operation with which the stationary section is movable for temporarily locking said stationary section in the discharging position.

5. In a nail-distributor, a nail-drum having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section furnishing together opposite portions of an enclosure for the fasteners, the stationary section being provided at its upper portion with an opening, and means arranged to rotate the normally stationary section about the axis of the rotatable section to permit the discharge of the contained nails through the opening.

6. In a nail-distributor, a nail-drum having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided at its upper portion with an opening, a shaft about which the rotatable section turns, said shaft engaging the normally stationary section to cause its rotation, and means arranged to turn the shaft through substantially '7. In a nail-distributor, a nail-drum having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided at its upper portion with an opening. a shaft about which the rotatable section turns, said shaft engaging the normally stationary section to cause its rotation, means arranged to turn the shaft, and a latch for temporarily retaining the section in the position to which it is turned by the shaft. 9

8. In a nail-distributor, a nail-drum having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided at its upper portion with an opening, a cover for the opening hinged upon the stationary section, and means arranged to rotate said stationary section about the axis of the rotatable section to permit the cover to swing away from the opening and the nails to be delivered upon said cover.

9. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section, a mounting for the stationary section permitting it to be moved away from the rotatable section, and means extending through the rotatable section and engaging the stationary section to releasably retain said stationary section in its normal operating position.

10. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section, a mounting for the stationary section permitting it to be moved away from the rotatable section, a shaft about which the rotatable section turns, and a rod extending through the shaft and having threaded engagement with the stationary section.

11. In a nail-distributor, a nail-drum having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section provided at its upper portion with an opening, a tubular shaft about which the rotatable section turns, said shaft engaging the normally stationary section to cause its rotation, means arranged to turn the shaft, and a rod extending through the shaft and engaging the stationary section.

12. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section, and a mounting for the receptacle permitting both sections to be moved together, said mounting being provided with a portion movable to separate the stationary section from the rotatable section.

13. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted upon the frame, a nail-drum-section rotatable upon the pivoted bracket, a bracket arranged to oscillate upon the pivoted bracket, and a nail-drum-section mounted upon the oscillatory bracket and movable thereby into and out of active co-operation with the rotatable section.

14. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a rotatable section and a normally stationary section, a mounting for the receptacle permitting both sections to be moved together, said mounting being provided with a portion movable to separate the stationary section from the rotatable section, and means movable upon the mounting whereby the stationary section may be turned from its normal position.

15. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted upon the frame, a shaft rotatable in the bracket, a nail-drum-section rotatable upon the shaft, a bracket arranged to oscillate upon the pivoted bracket, and a normally stationary naildrum-section mounted upon the oscillatory bracket, the shaft engaging the last-mentioned section to turn it from its normal position.

16. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted upon the frame, a tubular shaft rotatable in the bracket, a nail-drum-section rotatable upon the shaft, a bracket arranged to oscillate upon the pivoted bracket, a normally stationary nail-drum-section mounted upon the oscillatory bracket,the shaft engaging the last-mentioned section to turn it from its normal position, and a rod extending through the shaft and releasably engagin said last-mentioned section.

17. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a section stationary during the normal operation of the distributor but mounted for rotation to permit the fasteners to be emptied, a raceway carried by said section, means engaging the raceway to prevent displacement inthe direction of rotation of the section, and means arranged to move the section transversely of the axis of rotation to disengage the raceway from the engaging means.

18. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle having a section stationary during the normal operation of the distributor but mounted for rotation to permit the fasteners to be emptied, a raceway carried by said section, means engaging the raceway to prevent displacement in the direction of rotation of the section, means arranged to move the section transversely of the axis of rotation to disengage the raceway from the positioning means, and means arranged to rotate the section and raceway together.

19. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted thereon, a nail-drum mounted upon the bracket, a cam device movable to turn the bracket upon its pivot, and retaining means from which the nail-drum is freed by such movement.

20. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted thereon, a nail-drum mounted upon the bracket, and a cam device having a slot which at one extremity retains the bracket during the operation of the distributor in its normal position and between its extremities turns the bracket on its pivot.

21. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivoted thereon, a nail-drum mounted upon the bracket, and a lever fulcrumed upon the frame and provided with a cam-slot, there being a pro jecti-on from the bracket entering the slot.

22. In a nail-distributor, a frame, a bracket pivotedthereon, a nail-drum mounted upon the bracket, a raceway carried by the nail-drum, positioning means engaging the raceway, and a cam device arranged to turn the bracket upon its pivot and disengage the raceway from the positioning means.

23. In a fastener-distributor, a movable fastener-receptacle, a raceway carried by the receptacle, a movable fastener-retaining member co-operating with the raceway, and means movable to both move the receptacle and permit movement of the retaining member.

24. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle, a raceway receiving fasteners therefrom, a movable fastener-retaining member co-operating with the raceway, and means movable to produce movement of the raceway, the movement of said means permitting the member to assume its fastener-retaining position.

25. In a fastener-distributor, a fastener-receptacle, a movable raceway receiving fasteners therefrom, a fastener-receiver to which the raceway delivers, a fastener-retaining member movable into engagement with a fastener in the receiver and at the end of the raceway, and means arranged to cause the movement of the retaining member with the raceway in fastener-retaining relation while freeing it from the fastener in the receiver.

26. In a nail-distributor, a movable nail-drum, a raceway carried by the drum, a movable retaining member for nails in the raceway, and a lever for moving the drum, said lever having a portion for controlling the retaining member.

27. In a nail-distributor, a movable nail-drum, a raceway carried by the drum, a movable retaining member for nails in the raceway, a lever for moving the drum, said lever having a portion for controlling the retaining member, and means fixed in position relatively to the raceway for controlling the retaining member.

28. In a nail-distributor, a movable nail-drum, a raceway carried by the drum, a movable retaining member for nails in the raceway, a lever engaging the retaining member, and a lever having a portion for moving the receptacle and a portion acting upon the lever of the retaining member.

29. In a nail-distributor, a movable nail-drum, a raceway carried by the drum, a movable retaining member for nails in the raceway, and a lever having a cam for moving the drum and a cam holding the member normally inactive and. releasing said member topermit it to assume its nail-retaining position.

30. In a nail-distributor, a movable nail-drum, a raceway carried by the drum, a movable retaining member for nails in the raceway, a lever having a cam for moving the drum and a cam holding the member normally inactive and releasing said member to permit it to assume its nail-retaining position, and a cam in contact with which the retaining member is moved.

31. In a fastener-distributor, a movable fastener-receptacle, a raceway carried by the receptacle and being movable with and removable therefrom, and a member movable upon the receptacle to separably lock the raceway thereto.

32. In a nail-distributor, a nail-receptacle mounted to turn about an axis, a raceway carried by the receptacle and being removable therefrom, and a latch for the raceway movable axially of the receptacle.

33. In a fastener-distributor, a raceway, a movable receiver having a nail-holding recess cooperating with the raceway, said recess having a movable wall, and means arranged to move said recess-wall and to retain it in different adjusted positions.

34. In a fastener-distributor, a raceway, a movable receiver having a nail-holding slot, a member movable in the slot toward and from the end of the raceway, and means arranged to retain the member at different distances from the raceway.

35. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a rotatable member provided with a series of nail-holding slots co-operating with the raceway, a second member having projections extending into the slots, and means arranged to move one of the members toward and from the other.

36. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a shaft, a disc fast upon the shaft and being provided with a series of nail-holding slots co-operating with the raceway, and a disc movable longitudinally of the shaft and having projections extending into the slots.

37. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a tubular shaft rotatable in proximity to the raceway, a disc fast upon the shaft and provided with a series of nail-holding slots co-operating with the raceway, a second disc movable longitudinally of the shaft and having projections extending into the slots, and means extending through the shaft for moving the second disc.

38. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a tubular shaft rotatable in proximity to the raceway, a disc fast upon the shaft and provided with a series of nail-holding slots co-operating with the raceway, a second disc movable longitudinally of the shaft and having projections extending into the slots, and a threaded spindle passing through the shaft, and a sleeve rotatable in the shaft and being threaded to engage the spindle.

WILLIAM THOMAS BUCKINGHAM ROBERTS.

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