US3901428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tag attacher
Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC
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Filing: 1974-05-08
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1994-05-08
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed hand-held apparatus for attaching tags to merchandise. Apparatus according to the disclosure uses a fastener assembly having a plurality of fasteners. Each fastener having a bar section and a button or head section joined by a filament section. Each bar section is connected to a common rail by a respective neck or connector. The apparatus causes one fastener at a time to be severed from the connector at the intersection of its bar section and the respective connector. The bar section of the severed fastener is pushed by a push rod through an elongated bore of a needle while the filament section passes along a side opening in the needle which communicates with the needle bore. The apparatus has a guideway and means for successively advancing the bar sections of the fastener one-at-atime into axial alignment with the needle bore. The advancing means includes a pawl and ratchet mechanism. The guideway has an infeed side into which the fastener assembly is inserted and an outfeed side from which the rail and the connectors from which the bar sections have been severed can exit. A manually operable lever operates the push rod and the pawl and ratchet mechanism. A return spring returns the lever, the pawl and ratchet mechanism, and the push rod to their initial positions after a cycle of operation. A shield is connected to the outfeed side of the apparatus to protect the merchandise from being snagged by the free ends of the severed connectors. A vibration dampener in contact with the return spring dampens vibrations set up in the spring during a cycle of operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph J Grass
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:46
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65C; B65C7/00; B65C7/003; B65C7/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
Apparatus for attaching tags to merchandise using fasteners, each fastener having a bar section and a button section joined by a filament section, with a connector joined to each bar section, and a rail joined to the connectors to provide a unitary fastener assembly, the apparatus comprising: a body, a needle having a piercing end extending outwardly of the body, a bore extending lengthwise of the needle, an elongated slot in the side of the needle communicating with the bore, means for advancing the fastener assembly, a guideway in the body for guiding the fastener assembly and disposed so that when the advancing means is operated a bar section of a fastener is brought into axial alignment with the bore, the guideway being considerably shorter than the rail and having an infeed side into which the fastener assembly is inserted and an outfeed side from which the rail and the associated connectors which have been severed from the respective bars can pass, a knife for severing the connectors from the bar sections, a push rod engageable with the bar section for driving the bar section through the bore while the filament section of the fastener passes through the slot, and a shield connected to the body at the outfeed side of the guideway to receive the rail with the connectors for shielding the severed ends of those connectors from contact with the merchandise to prevent snagging the merchandise, the shield being sufficiently long so that the severed ends are shielded from the merchandise until substantially all the fasteners of the fastener assembly have been severed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
Apparatus for attaching tags to merchandise using fasteners, each fastener having a bar section and a button section joined by a filament section, with a connector joined to each bar section, and a rail joined to the connectors to provide a unitary fastener assembly, the apparatus comprising: a body, a needle having a piercing end extending outwardly of the body, a bore extending lengthwise of the needle, an elongated slot in the side of the needle communicating with the bore, means for advancing the fastener assembly, a guideway in the body for guiding the fastener assembly and disposed so that when the advancing means is operated a bar section of a fastener is brought into axial alignment with the bore, the guideway being considerably shorter than the rail and having an infeed side into which the fastener assembly is inserted and an outfeed side from which the rail and the associated connectors which have been severed from the respective bars can pass, a knife for severing the connectors from the bar sections, a push rod engageable with the bar section for driving the bar section through the bore while the filament section of the fastener passes through the slot, and a shield connected to the body at the outfeed side of the guideway to receive the rail with the connectors for shielding the severed ends of those connectors from contact with the merchandise to prevent snagging the merchandise, the shield being sufficiently long so that the severed ends are shielded from the merchandise until substantially all the fasteners of the fastener assembly have been severed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield is generally tubular in configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield is connected to the body by a fitting, the shield having means disposed adjacent the fitting for enabling the shield to deflect readily as the shield is brought into contact with the merchandise.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a tube, the tube having convolutions to enable the shield to deflect readily as the tube is brought into contact with the merchandise.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a tube, the tube being weakened to enable the tube to deflect readily as the tube is brought into contact with the merchandise.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a tube, the length of the tube is such that the end of the rail emerges from the tube when the bar of the last fastener has been advanced into alignment with the needle bore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a tube composed of a flexible material so that the tube can deflect when the tube is brought into contact with the merchandise.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for removably connecting the shield to the body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
287 words
Apparatus for attaching tags to merchandise using fasteners, each fastener having a bar section and a button section joined by a filament section, with a connector joined to each bar section, and a rail joined to the connectors to provide a unitary fastener assembly, the apparatus comprising: a body, a needle having a piercing end extending outwardly of the body, a bore extending lengthwise of the needle, an elongated slot in the side of The needle communicating with the bore, means for advancing the fastener assembly, a guideway in the body for guiding the fastener assembly and disposed so that when the advancing means is operated a bar section of a fastener is brought into axial alignment with the bore, the guideway being considerably shorter than the rail and having an infeed side into which the fastener assembly is inserted and an outfeed side from which the rail and the associated connectors which have been severed from the respective bars can pass, a knife for severing the connectors from the bar sections, a push rod engageable with the bar section for driving the bar section through the bore while the filament section of the fastener passes through the slot, and a shield connected to the body at the outfeed side of the guideway to receive the rail with the connectors for shielding the severed ends of those connectors from contact with the merchandise to prevent snagging the merchandise, the shield being sufficiently long so that the severed ends are shielded from the merchandise until substantially all the fasteners of the fastener assembly have been severed, wherein the shield is constructed of a flexible material to enable the shield to deflect when brought into contact with the merchandise.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
287 words
Apparatus for attaching tags to merchandise using fasteners, each fastener having a bar section and a button section joined by a filament section, with a connector joined to each bar section, and a rail joined to the connectors to provide a unitary fastener assembly, the apparatus comprising: a body, a needle having a piercing end extending outwardly of the body, a bore extending lengthwise of the needle, an elongated slot in the side of The needle communicating with the bore, means for advancing the fastener assembly, a guideway in the body for guiding the fastener assembly and disposed so that when the advancing means is operated a bar section of a fastener is brought into axial alignment with the bore, the guideway being considerably shorter than the rail and having an infeed side into which the fastener assembly is inserted and an outfeed side from which the rail and the associated connectors which have been severed from the respective bars can pass, a knife for severing the connectors from the bar sections, a push rod engageable with the bar section for driving the bar section through the bore while the filament section of the fastener passes through the slot, and a shield connected to the body at the outfeed side of the guideway to receive the rail with the connectors for shielding the severed ends of those connectors from contact with the merchandise to prevent snagging the merchandise, the shield being sufficiently long so that the severed ends are shielded from the merchandise until substantially all the fasteners of the fastener assembly have been severed, wherein the shield is constructed of a flexible material to enable the shield to deflect when brought into contact with the merchandise.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3806627A
Cited
US3650452A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |