Apparatus for assembling multiple can packages

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING A MULTIPLE CAN PACKAGE BY UNITING A PLASTIC CLIP WITH A PLURALITY OF CANS, EACH HAVING A RIM AT ONE END THEREOF; SAID PLASTIC CLIP HAVING A BODY PORTION AND DEPENDING PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CAN RIMS, COMPRISING: A RIGID STAND HAVING AN UPPER HORIZONTAL LEG AND A LOWER HORIZONTAL LEG, A FIRST HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PLATE AFFIXED TO THE TOP SIDE OF SAID LOWER LEG, A SECOND HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING MOVABLE PLATE POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID FIRST PLATE, BIASING MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN SAID SECOND PLATE SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PLATE, A POLYGONAL OPENING IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND PLATE, A THIRD PLATE INTEGRAL WITH THE FIRST PLATE AND FREELY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID POLYGONAL OPENING, HOLDING MEANS ON SAID THIRD PLATE TO RELEASABLY MAINTAIN ONE OF SAID PLASTIC CLIPS ON SAID THIRD PLATE, SAID DEPENDING PORTION OF THE PLASTIC CLIP BEING ABOVE SAID SECOND PLATE WHEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER; AN AREA BEING PROVIDED ON THE TOP FACE OF SAID SECOND PLATE TO ACCOMMODATE SAID PLURALITY OF CANS TO FORM SAID PACKAGE, PORTION OF SAID CAN RIMS BEING POSITIONED OVER SAID CLIP ON SAID THIRD PLATE WHEN THE CANS ARE LOCATED IN SAID AREA ON THE SECOND PLATE; A FOURTH RIGID HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PLATE POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE LOWER FACE OF SAID UPPER LEG, HOLDING MEANS AFFIXED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FOURTH PLATE TO RELEASABLY MAINTAIN ONE OF SAID PLASTIC CLIPS ON SAID FOURTH PLATE; AND POWER MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED TO TO SAID UPPER LEG TO MOVE SAID FOURTH PLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING A MULTIPLE CAN PACKAGE BY UNITING A PLASTIC CLIP WITH A PLURALITY OF CANS, EACH HAVING A RIM AT ONE END THEREOF; SAID PLASTIC CLIP HAVING A BODY PORTION AND DEPENDING PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CAN RIMS, COMPRISING: A RIGID STAND HAVING AN UPPER HORIZONTAL LEG AND A LOWER HORIZONTAL LEG, A FIRST HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PLATE AFFIXED TO THE TOP SIDE OF SAID LOWER LEG, A SECOND HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING MOVABLE PLATE POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID FIRST PLATE, BIASING MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN SAID SECOND PLATE SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PLATE, A POLYGONAL OPENING IN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND PLATE, A THIRD PLATE INTEGRAL WITH THE FIRST PLATE AND FREELY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID POLYGONAL OPENING, HOLDING MEANS ON SAID THIRD PLATE TO RELEASABLY MAINTAIN ONE OF SAID PLASTIC CLIPS ON SAID THIRD PLATE, SAID DEPENDING PORTION OF THE PLASTIC CLIP BEING ABOVE SAID SECOND PLATE WHEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER; AN AREA BEING PROVIDED ON THE TOP FACE OF SAID SECOND PLATE TO ACCOMMODATE SAID PLURALITY OF CANS TO FORM SAID PACKAGE, PORTION OF SAID CAN RIMS BEING POSITIONED OVER SAID CLIP ON SAID THIRD PLATE WHEN THE CANS ARE LOCATED IN SAID AREA ON THE SECOND PLATE; A FOURTH RIGID HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PLATE POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE LOWER FACE OF SAID UPPER LEG, HOLDING MEANS AFFIXED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FOURTH PLATE TO RELEASABLY MAINTAIN ONE OF SAID PLASTIC CLIPS ON SAID FOURTH PLATE; AND POWER MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED TO TO SAID UPPER LEG TO MOVE SAID FOURTH PLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES.