Fastener dispensing apparatus
United States Patent Bone [ Apr. 29, 1975 FASTENER DISPENSING APPARATUS Inventor: Arnold R. Bone, Needham, Mass.  
 Assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Company,  
 Framingham, Mass Filed: July 2, 1973 Appl. No.: 375,502  
 [52] US. Cl 227/8; 227/67 51 Int. Cl. B65c 7/00 [58] Field of Search 227/5, 6, 7, 8, 67, 130  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,875,730 3/l959 Carpenter ct al 227/130 X 3,734,375 5/1973 Bone et a] 227/67 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dike, Bronstein, Roberts, Cushman &amp; Pfund [57] ABSTRACT Fastener dispensing apparatus which includes a casing supporting a telescoping member, a needle held by said telescoping member through which a fastener attachment member may be dispensed, an ejector for causing the fastener attachment member to be dispensed through the needle, means for moving the needle relative to said casing and means positioned in advance of the needle for engaging material in advance of said needle to cause said needle to penetrate 1 through said material and thereafter insert a portion of a fastener attachment member through said material.  
 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures FASTENER DISPENSING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to a new and improved fastener insertion or dispensing apparatus. device, or machine and more particularly this invention is directed to a new and improved structure for rapidly inserting portions of fastener attachment members one after another into material.  
  The apparatus of this disclosure is an improvement of the apparatus shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,734,375 and 3,735,908 the contents of both patents being incorporated herein by reference hereto.  
  In certain situations, as for example, in upholstery work or in high speed tagging operations it is highly desirable that one be able to rapidly fire fastener attachment members into material upon sensing the presence of the material.  
  For example, if devices of the aforementioned patents were to be used as a hand held tacking tool in an upholstery assembly operation, that is where layers of I fabric are to be joined to held together, it would be highly desirable that fastener attachment members be dispensed as a result of the apparatus itself rather than the user initially sensing proximity to or engagement with the material through which the fastener attachment member portion is to be inserted.  
  While a finger operating trigger mechanism as shown in the aforementioned patents could be used to cause insertion of a needle through the material and the subsequent dispensing of a fastener attachment member through the needle, this would result in a time delay and less efficiency since only after the user (person) sensed that the material has been engaged and the brain registers this fact would the actuating trigger be pulled.  
 In view of the above, it becomes apparent that additional improvements in the devices shown in the aforementioned patents were highly desirable in orderto better adapt the features thereof to certain specific uses.  
  Accordingly to better adapt the devices shown in the aforementioned patents for use in high speed tagging, upholstery, or other like operation or uses, this invention provides as part of the apparatus a sensorwhich is adapted to sense the proximity of material through which the needle is to be inserted and thereafter auto? matically cause said needle to be inserted intothe material and a portion of a fastener attachment member to be dispensed through the needle.  
 As an additional feature of this invention there is providcd safety means to prevent unintended or accidental operation of the sensor thereby preventing the movement of the needle and the subsequent firing of the fastener attachment member therethrough.  
 SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE is dispensed. The sensor means detects that contact is made with material through which the needle is to penetrate, and causes the needle to be advanced and extended for insertion into the material and the dispensing of a portion of a fastener attachment member through the needle. Control means is also provided to prevent the sensor means from causing the aforementioned events from occurring.  
  Other features and objections of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereafter.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the apparatus of the invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 2 showing the retracted position of the needle;  
  FIG. 3 is a partial view similar to FIG. 2 showing the needle in its extended position;  
  FIG. 4 is a partial sectional side view of the material sensor according to the invention in one position relative to the safety means therefore;  
  FIG. 4a is a partial view similar to FIG. 4 showing the material sensor in another position after sensing material relative to the safety control therefore;  
 FIG. :5 is a top view of the material sensor of FIG. 4;  
 and  
 - FIG. 6 illustrates a fastener attachment member holding layers of material together.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE molded or cast halves which are then coupled together by screws or bolts or the like. The housing includes a cutout 11 through which a person may insert a hand to hold the apparatus. In order to operate th&#39;ebevice of this invention there is provided an actuating member or link member I2 slidably movable within slots 13a and 13b formed in the housing supported members 13a and 13h. 8 v  
  The linkmember 12 operates a conventional valve 14 or energy control means -,to permit the entry or exiting of fluid into andout of the device to operate same.  
  The fluid is preferably a gas such as an air under pressure which is provided via tube 15 from a pump and source not shown but conventional in the art.  
  It should be understood that instead of gas, liquids c ould also be used as the fluid if a different type of a conventional valve is utilized.  
  The valve 14 is the type that has a depressible button 14a which when pushed inwardly permits the flow of airv into the device and when the button 14a is free to move under spring pressure to its normal extended position via a spring (not shown) to the right of FIG. 2, air is permitted to escape from the interior of the device to permit certain parts to move to the left of FIG. 2.  
  The device of this invention is constructed with a material sensor means. pressure sensor, or trip member 16 which is in part slidable in a bore 17a of a member 17. The member 17 is bolted to member 13b and is also coupled to a spacer or stop member 19. The member 16 preferably includes pressure plate member 16a normally positioned in advance of the spacer member 19 for engaging the material prior to the spacer member 19. Upon slidable movement of the member 16 to the left of FIG. 2, member 12 moves rearwardly to depress botton 14a.  
  The member 16 includes a slot 161) in which there is positioned limit screw 21 (which also couples member 19 to member 17) to limit forward and rearward movement of member 16. In addition, member 16 is provided with a bore 16d and a slot 16c which in part extends into the bore 16d.  
  The slot 160 and bore 16d are provided so that a safety or catch may be provided to prevent an unintentional or accidental firing of the device. The safety or catch comprises a pin 22 supporting a disc 23 movable I into and out of the bore 16d.  
  As may be seen in FIG. 2 with the disc filling up the bore 16d while positioned therein, the member 16 is prevented from moving to the left or right of FIG. 2 since the bore side wall l6dd will engage the disc side wall 23a. The disc 23 and pin 22 are normally urged upwardly in the position shown in FIG. 2 by a resilient biasing means such as a spring 24 positioned in a bore 25 formed in members 17 and 19. As may be seen the disc is of a diameter which is larger than the distance between the longer side walls of the slot.  
  As may be seen in FIG. 2 the pin 22 is slidably movable within a bore 26 formed through members 17 and 13b. In order to release the safety or catch, there is provided a trigger 28 pivotly supported by pin 29 and which when depressed against spring 30 positioned in bore. 31 of the housing will cause the pin 22 and disc 23 to move downwardly (see FIGS. 4 and 4a) to permit the member 16 to move in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 4a.  
  As may be seen the sensor 16 is now free to move relative to the pin 22 as shown by the arrow to cause link 12 to depress button 14a, the extent of sensor motion being determined by the limit screw 21.  
  As for the other main operating parts of the device, these comprise as shown in the aforementioned patents a chamber 30 into which air under pressure is forced upon deprcssin of button 14a. The entry of air under pressure causes piston 31 slidably positioned in cylinder 32 to move to the right of FIG. 2 to force a fastener attachment dispensing needle 34 (of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,734,375 having a central bore and a slot extending along the side thereof and opening into the bore) supported by a telescoping member 36 to move to the right of FIG. 2 and eventually as shown in FIG. 3 drive the needle 34 into and through the layers of material or fabric 2050 that a portion of a fastener attachment member 35 may be inserted through the material and be positioned as shown in FIG. 6 to hold the layers of material together.  
  The fastener attachment member 36 is driven out of the needle by the provision of two ganged or coupled together gears 37 and 38 pivotly mounted on a common shaft 39.  
  The shaft 39 is supported by telescoping member 36 with the teeth of gear 31, (the smaller diameter gear of the two gears) engaging the teeth of a rack 40 fixedly coupled to member 19, e.g., by welding.  
  Upon movement to the right of FIG. 2 of telescoping member 36, the gear 37 rotates counterclockwise along rack 40 to rotate gear 38 counterclockwise and thus drive a slidable rack 4l positioned on a plate 42 to the right of FIG. 2.  
  The rack 41 has an ejector pin or plunger 43 supported thereby for entering a bore of the slotted needle 34 to drive a portion of a fastener attachment member thcrethrough.  
  For a fuller explanation of the above as well other features of the telescoping member 36, reference should be had to the aforementioned patents which go into the details of feeding and indexing fastener attachment members, the needle shape, etc., which form no part of this invention.  
  Briefly the operation of the apparatus of this disclosure is follows:  
  I. Fastener attachment members (plastic) as shown in the aforementioned US. Pat. Nos. 3,734,908 and 3,734,375 mounted on a carrier rod and coupled by necks thereto are fed into guide slots generally shown at 50.  
  2. Dotted indexing wheel 51 as shown in the aforementioned patents is then used to initially position the fastener attachment members in place by engagement with the necks coupling the fastener attachment members to the carrier rod. The fastener attachment members are positioned with one transverse end 35a (see FIG. 6) in position to pass into the bore of the needle with the filament portion 35]) extending through a slot in the needle and the the other transverse end 35c extending above the needle.  
  The transverse end 35a is held within the bore of the needle by making the distance between the walls of the &#39;slot along the needle less than the diameter of the transverse member. The details of the needle bore. slot, etc., are shown in the aforementioned patents.  
  3. At this time, the user places his hand on the housing and through the opening 1 1 to rotate trigger 28 thus causing pin 22 and disc 23 to move downwardly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a.  
  4. The apparatus is now positioned as shown in FIG. 2 with the sensor plate 16a pushed against material 20. Continued pushing towards the material causes sensor member 16 to slide to the left of FIG. 2 pushing sensor link 12 to depress button 14a to allow air under pressure to enter chamber 30. Air under pressure entering chamber 30 now causes telescoping member 36 carrying the needle 34 to advance from the retracted position upon spacer or stabilizer member 19 (by now also in engagement with the material 20 as the sensor plate 16 has been forced inwardly) through spacer opening 19a. Member 19 also acts as a stop for the telescoping member to limit its forward travel.  
  5. Thereafter the needle advances to its extended position as shown in FIG. 3 beyond the sensor plate and through the material 20 at which time the fastener attachment member portion 35a is pushed out of the needle to couple the layers forming in the material together as shown in FIG. 6. To effect the dispensing of the fastener attachment member through the needle. the ejector 43 is moved to the right of FIG. 2 by the action of the gears 37 and 38 rotating together as shaft 39 is carried forward with the telescoping member 36 with respect to the rack 40.  
  As this occurs. smaller gear 47 walks to the right of FIG. &#39;2 along rack 40 thus rotating larger gear 38 to drive rack 41 slidably along plate 42 thus moving ejector 43 coupled thereto to force a fastener attachment member through the needle bore after the needle has extended through the material 20.  
  As the telescoping member moves to the right of FIG. 2 return spring 55 is compressed and now is in position to force the telescoping member 36 back to its rctracted position.  
  6. When the apparatus is pulled back from the material the button 14a moves to the right&#39; of FIG. 2 under spring pressure thus returning link 12 and sensor member 16 to its extended position. This results in air being permitted to leave or be exhausted from chamber 30 permitting spring 55 to return the telescoping member 36 and needle carried thereby to its retracted position and at the same time rotate the gears to return rack 41 and ejector 43 to the position shown in FIG. 2. In addition, indexing members 52 and 53 are urged forward upon retraction of the telescoping member as shown in the aforementioned patents to rotate the indexing wheel to position the next fastener attachment member attached to portion therefore into a position to be dispensed through the needle.  
  Separation of the fastener attachment member 35 from the necks therefore is accomplished by the ejector pin pushing the neck against the rear cutter of a needle such as shown in the aforementioned patents and sequential positioning or indexing of fastener attachment members is accomplished as also shown in the aforementioned patents.  
  It should be understood that separation of the fastener attachment members may also be accomplished using a separate cutter or even without a cutter by pushing the necks against a corner of the telescoping member holding the needle depending upon the material used as the fastener attachment members.  
  In addition other types of indexing mechanisms also well known in the art, see US. Pat. Nos. 3,659,769 and 3.103.660 could be used in place of the indexing mechanism incorporated herein by reference to the aforementioned patents and further other forms of fastener attachment member stock may also be used or even one fastener attachment member at a time may be inserted into the needle and be dispensed.  
  It will thus be seen that the purposes of this invention among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the constructions set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings may be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.  
  It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language may be said to fall therebetween.  
 I claim:  
  1. Inan apparatus for dispensing fastener attachment members, said apparatus having a housing, a teleseop ing member supported by said housing and movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said housing, said telescoping member having means for supporting a needle through which a fastener attachment member portion is to be dispensed, theimprovement comprising a support member coupled to said housing and having a bore, a pressure sensor member having a portion thereof slidable within the bore, said pressure sensor member portion within the bore having a bore and a first elongated slot which in part extends into the bore, a pin having a portion thereof positioned within the first slot of the sensor member, said pin supporting a disc for movement into said sensor member bore to prevent slidable motion of said pressure sensor member within said support member bore and out of said sensor member bore to to permit slidable motion of said pressure sensor member,  
 spring means supported by said apparatus and engaging said disc to urge said disc into said bore, and in which said pressure sensor member engages a valve to open same to cause energy to be applied to drive said telescoping membcr to an extended position.