Fastener dispensing device

Claim 1

A fastener dispensing device for dispensing one at a time a plurality of fasteners loaded in the device in the form of an integral assembly, each fastener comprising a filament having a head and a crossbar at one and the other ends thereof and having a connection neck comprising an end portion extended beyond the cross bar at an end remote from the head, said plurality of fasteners being connected through their connection necks to a connecting bar to form said integral assembly, the device comprising a main body having a grip part and, removably mounted in a front end portion thereof, a hollow needle formed with a side slot, and further having a guide for the fastener assembly formed at a location at the rear of the hollow needle and extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the needle; a lever mounted in front of the grip part of the main body in a manner capable of rocking in backward and forward directions relative to the main body a pushing rod operably coupled to the lever for displacement of the pushing rod into the hollow of the hollow needle so that individual fasteners of the fastener assembly loaded in the guide are successively dispensed one at a time with their crossbars passed through the hollow needle; the device further comprising a feeding mechanism provided in the proximity of the guide groove adapted to engage the connection necks of fasteners and, upon completion of dispensing a first fastener, to bring a second fastener to the prescribed position within the main body at the rear of the hollow needle, irrespective of a change or an irregularity with respect to the pitch of the connection necks of the fasteners on the connecting bar of the fastener assembly, said feeding mechanism comprising a movable plate driven by said lever to reciprocate in and along a further guide formed inside the main body at a side of said guide for the fastener assembly, said movable plate being formed with an inclined cam face along the lower edge thereof, a slide bar mounted to intermittently engage said inclined cam face, said slide bar being driven to reciprocate to intermittently move said movable plate to ascend and decend, and a feeder element pivotably mounted on said movable plate and formed with at least one claw part engagable with the connection necks of fasteners in a manner such that when said lever is operated it is brought into and out of contact with the connection necks, said feeder element being brought into engagement with a connection neck to feed the fastener assembly when said movable plate descends in said further guide, said feeder element being formed with a slit in which said slide bar is engaged, said claw part being rocked in a direction away from the connection necks of the fasteners when said feeder element ascends.