Automatic clip dispenser

Claim 1

An automatic clip dispenser for placing clips each having a pair of displaceable clipping parts onto materials to be clipped together, comprising a first means and a second means interconnected and relatively movable one with respect to the other so that clips can be moved into a clipping position, expanded, and displaced individually onto the materials held together by said first and second means, wherein the improvement the improvement comprises that said first means includes an elongated first body having a first end and a second end, said second means includes An elongated second body having a first end and a second end, said first body and said second body being articulated together adjacent the first end of each so that the second end of each can be moved toward and away from the second end of the other in dispensing clips, a third body mounted in said second body and elongated in the same directions as said second body and having a first end located adjacent the first end of said second body and a second end located adjacent the second end of said second body, said third body arranged to receive a plurality of clips in an ordered arrangement, a sliding pusher member positioned within said third body, biasing means associated with said third body and said first body and operatively connected to said sliding pusher for moving said sliding pusher from the first end toward the second end of said third body for movably displacing clips loaded into said third body into the clipping position, said biasing means being displaceable with said first body when said first and second bodies are displaced away from one another and said biasing means arranged for disengageably securing said first and second bodies together, a pressing plate mounted in said first body adjacent its second end and arranged to project into the second end of said second body when said first and second bodies are displaced toward one another, said third body having an opening therein adjacent its second end so that individual clips can be moved through the opening and clipped to materials, an expanding member located in said third body adjacent the opening therein at its second end for expanding the displaceable clipping parts as a clip is displaced through the opening by said pusher member, a movable clipping piece pivotally mounted on the second end of said third body, a fixed clipping portion formed on said first body adjacent its second end and located in opposition to said movable clipping piece, and said pressing plate arranged to contact said movable clipping piece and to pivot it toward said fixed clipping portion as said first and second bodies are moved toward one another.