Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~0E37893
Background of the Invention
_
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of tag attaching
apparatus.
S Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. patent No. 3,103,666 to A. R. Bone dated
September 17, 1963 discloses a tag attaching apparatus having
a slotted needle, a push rod or plunger for driving a bar
of a fastener through the needle, a toothed wheel for advancing
a fastener assembly, a pivo~ally mounted knife for severing an
attachment which is in register with the needle from the remainder
of the fastener assembly, and a hand lever including means for
operating the toothed wheel, the knife and the push rod in
sequence. Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 949,012 to
lS T. Kameya et al dated December 13, 1971 discloses a tag attaching
apparatus including a needle, an index wheel, a push rod, a ~`
slide, a knife, and a hand lever for actuating the slide. The
slide carries the push rod and actuates the pawl that cooperates
with the index wheel. U.S. patent No. 3,650,452 to E. W. Finke
dated March 21, 1972 discloses a tag attaching apparatus having
a needle, a feed wheel coupled to a ratchet wheel, a push rod,
a slide and a hand lever or driving the push rod and the slide,
the slide having spaced apart abutments Eor driving a pawl by
means of a pin received in a slot in the slide. When the hand
lever is actuated, the push rod and slide are operated. When
the pin contacts one end of the slot the tooth of the pawl is
driven over a tooth of a ratchet wheel. When the hand lever ~;
is released, a return spring causes the pin to engage the ~ ~
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other end of the slot, thereby driving the pawl to cause
the ratchet and feed wheels to advance the fastener assembly.
U.S. patent No. 3,652,004 to B. Lozio dated March 28, 1972,
includes a needle, a push rod, a kinematic mechanism, and a
hand lever for driving the push rod and the kinematic mechanism.
The kinematic mechanism includes a pivotally mounted pawl
cooperable with a ratchet wheel to feed a fastener assembly
to the needle and the push rod. U.S. patent No. 3,759,435
to A. R. Bone dated September 18, 1973 discloses a tag attaching
apparatus including a slotted needle, a push rod, a toothed
wheel, a toothed member cooperable with the toothed wheel, a
slide for driving the push rod and the pawl, gear means for
driving the slide, and a hand lever for driving the gear means.
When the hand lever is actuated, the push rod drives a bar section
of a fastener through the needle. When the hand Iever is released,
spring means returns the push rod and causes the toothed member
to drive the toothed wheel. A release control is provided to
pull the pawl away from the teeth of the toothed wheel to permit
the fastener assembly to be pulled out of the apparatus~
.. . .
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~L~87893
Summary of the Invention
The invention relates to improvements to -tag
attaching apparatus especially to apparatus according to
U.S. patent No. 3,759,435. In the various embodiments, the
apparatus includes a slotted needle having a side opening, a
toothed wheel, a pawl cooperable with the toothed wheel, a
push rod, a slide coupled to the push rod, gear means
comprising at least one gear segment, an actuator for driving
the gear means, and return spring means, the gear means effecting
driving and return movements of the push rod and operating the
pawl. In one embodiment, the gear means carries a pair of
radially spaced apart projections and the pawl carries an abutment.
The projectlons and the abutments constitute a lost-motion
connection. When the user squeezes the actuator, the gear means
rotates and near the end of its rotation the one projection
drives the abutment in one direction to move the pawl from a
first position to a second position. When the user releases the
actuator, the return spring means returns the actuator, the gear
means, the push rod and the slide to their initial positions ;
and drives the pawl from the second position to the first position -
~
to drive the toothed wheel and in turn to advance the fastener ;`~
as.sembly. In another embodiment, the pawl carries a pair o~
abu~nent n~embers which are movable relative to the pawl. The
gear means carries a pair of radlally spaced apart projections
which cooperate alternately with respective ones of the abu mentmembers. The abutment means are individually pivotally mounted
on the pawl and spring means urges them toward a normal or
initial position. The abutment members alternately yield as the
projections cooperate therewith. One projection first contacts one
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~087893
abutment member to move it out of the way so that the one
projection can cooperate with the other abutment member,
: and vice versa. In another embodiment, link means couples
the gear means and the pawl to provide a lost-motion
connection. The link means includes, in this embodiment,
a pair of links that can buckle rel~tive to each other by
a predetermined amount as the gear means ro~ates in one
direction. When the buckling action is complete and upon
continued rotation of the gear means in the one direction,
IO the gear means drives the pawl in one direction through the
link means. When the gear means is rotated in the opposite or
return direction, the links return to their unbuckled or initial
position and drive the pawl in the opposite direction to drive
the toothed wheel.
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.:
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1~1S7893
~rief Description of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view with certain
parts broken away for clarity, showing operative components
of a tag attaching apparatus in their initial positions;
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along
line 2--2 of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional vie~7 taken along
line 3--3 of E'IGURE 2; - :
FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of a fastener
assemblY;
FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of
the fastener assembly shown in FIGURE 4;
FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing
the operative components in a di~ferent position than in
FIGURE l; ~
FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken generally along ~ :
line 7--7 of FIGURE l; ' -
FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a toothed member ;
shown in FIGURES 1 and 6;
FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of
operating structure for advancing the fastener assembly
for driving a fastener, but showing the structure in a different :
position from the positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 6;
FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of
operating structure for advancing the fastener assembly and for
driving a fastener, in accordance with a diferent embodiment; ~ :
FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken alo~g line 11--11 of - ~
FIGURE 10; ;~ ; :
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~087893
FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view of
operating structure or advancing the fastener assembly and
for driving a fastener, in accordance with another embodiment;
FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken along line
13--13 of FIGURE 12;
FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view
of operating structure for advancing the fastener assembLy and
for driving a fastener, in accordance with another embodiment;
FIGURE 15 is a sectional view taken along line
15--15 of FIGURE 14; and
FIGURES 16 and 17 are fragmentary side elevational
views of different embodiments of operating structures for .
advancing the fastener assembly and for driving a fastener.
~7893
Description of the Preferred ~lbodiments
Referring to the embod ment of FIGURES 1 through
9, there is disclosed a taq attaching a~paratus generally
indicated at 27. The apparatus 27 has a body 28 with two ~ '
body sections 29 and 30. The body 28 has a nose portion 31
having a guideway 32 adapted to receive a fastener assembly 33
of the type shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The fastener assembly
33 includss a plurality of fasteners 34. Each fastener 34 includes
a head or bar section 35 and a head or button section 36
joined by a filament section 37. The fasteners 34 are
connected to a common carrier member or runner 38 by respective ~ ~ ;
coupling members 39. The guideway 32 is adapted to receive the
common carrier member 38, the coupling members 39, and the bar
section 35 and the filament sections 37 extend out of the side ``;
of the apparatus 27.
The nose portion 31 mounts a hollow needle 40 having
an elongated slot 41. The bar section 35 is able to pass through
the bore or passage 42 which extends through the needle 40 while
its filament section 37 extends or projects through the slot
41. The needle 40 has a rear cutting edge 43 for cutting the
bar sections 35 from their respective coupling members 39.
The needle 40 has a slot 44 through which the bar sections 35
can descend into the needle 40. An actuator generally indicated
at 45 is shown to comprise a hand lever 46 adapted to be engaged `~
by the user's ~ingers. The hand lever 46 is pivotally mounted
to the body 28 by a pin or shaft 45'. The lever 4~ is drivingly
connected to gear means generally indicated at 47 by a link
or connecting member 48. The connecting member 48 is pivotally -
connected to the hand lever 46 by a pin 48'and to the gear
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means 47 by a pin 49. The gear means 47 is shown to comprise
a pair of gear segments 50 and 51 having respective teeth 52
and 53. The gear segments 50 and 51 are in turn pivotally
mounted to the body 28 by means of aligned posts 54 and 55 formed
integrally with respective body sections 29 and 30. A slide
generally indicated at 56 i5 guided for sliding movement in guide-
ways or slots 57 and 58 in the respective body sections 29 and 30.
The slide 56 has a plurality of sets of holes 59 to receive the
teeth 52 and 53. Thus, the slide 56 includes a gear section
or s~ecifically a rac~ with which the gear segments 50 and 51
cooperate. An ejector or push rod 60 is securely held to the `
slide 56 so that the slide 56 and the push rod 60 move as a unit
upon manual actuation of hand lever 46. The push rod 60 is
guided by means of a guide member 60" so that the push rod 60
moves in alignment with the bore 42 of the needle 40. When
the user squeezes the hand lever 46 while the body 28 is
against the palm of the user's hand, the hand lever 46 pivots
counterclockwise (FIGURE 1) about pin 45' and thus the gear means
47 ~ivots counterclockwise and the slide 56 and the push rod 60
are dri~en to the left. As the push rod 60 moves to the le~t
it drives the bar section 35 of the fastener 34 through the needle
40 and in so doing causes the bar section 35 to be severed from
its respective coupling member 39. A return s~ring mechanism
generally indicated at 61 comprises a cavity 62 formed in the
body 28 to allow movement of a telescoping member 63 received -
in the cavity 62. The telescoping member 63 is pivotally con-
nected to the gear segments 50 and 51 by pin structure indicated
at 64. One end of a compression spring 61' bears against the ~ :
bod~ 28 in the cavity 62 and its other end bears against mem-
ber 63. When the hand lever 46 is released from the squeezing
action exerted by the user, the return spring mechanism 61 will
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1087893 ?
cause the hand lever 46, the member 48, the gear means 47,
the slide S6 and the push rod 60 to return to their respective
initial positions shown in FIGURE 1.
The apparatus 27 includes fastener assembly feeding
mechanism generally indicated at 65 for feeding the fastener .
assembly 34 to position one bar section 35 at a time into ~: ;
alignment with the bore 42 of the needle 40. The feeding
mechanism 65 is shown to include a toothed wheel 66 ~ecured
to a shaft 67 rotatably mounted in a hole 68 in the body .~:
section 30. The toothed wheel 66 is positioned in a space ~
.
between a cover 69, shown broken away in FIGURE 1 but shown
more fully in U.S. patent No. 3,759,435, and body portion 30. The ,~
gear 66 has a plurality of teeth 70 disposed on the periphery .`~ ;
for engaging the coupling members 39. The wheel 66 is rotated .
., .
counterclockwise (FIGURES 1, 6 and 9) by action of a cooperable .
.
pawl generally indicated at 71. The pawl 71 is mounted for
generally reciprocable movement and is constructed using two
: basic parts, namely a toothed member 72 having a tooth 73 and ..
a pa~l member 74. A pin 75 pivotally connects the members
72 and 74. The member 72 is provided wi~h a slotted pivot hole - ;:
76 or slot generally indicated at 76 through which the shaft 67
extends. The member 72 is adapted to rock back and forth over
the shaft 67 as the result of movement of pawl member 74. The . ~.
: tooth 73 is hook-like and engages one tooth 70 at a time of the .;~
toothed wheel 66 to rotate it. The slot 76 has parallel upper
and lower walls 77 and 78 which are angularly disposed with ~;
:~. .... .
: ~ respect to tooth 73 so that when the member 72 is rocked in
one direction, the tooth 73 is cammed out of engagemen~ with the : ~.
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10t~789;3
wheel 66 and when rocked in the opposite direction the tooth
73 is cammed into engagement with the wheel 66. There exists
an acute angle A between the parallel walls 77 and 78 and
tooth 73 to effect the camming movement. When the member 72
s is moved sufficiently by the pawl member 74 the one end of the
slotted hole 76 contacts the shaft 67. Because the walls 77
and 78 are angled with respect to the tooth 73, movement in
one direction causes tooth 73 to cam out of engagement between
the two adjacent teeth 70 and movement in the other direction
10. causes tooth 73 to cam into engagement with wheel 66, Further
movement of the member 72 in the direction which causes engage-
ment will then cause rotation of the wheel 66. In order to
prevent wheel 66 from rotating as the member 72 is rocked back and
forth relative to the wheel 66 there is provided on cover member .
69 a resilient member 79 having a projection or detent 80. The
detent 80 is adapted to be positioned in the space between two : .
adjacent teeth 70 to prevent the wheel 66 from rotating except
when actuated by the member 72 or when the fastener ~
assembly 34 is pulled upwardly out of the guideway 32. The ::
pawl member 74 is slidably mounted in the body 28 between the
initial position shown in FIGURE 1 and the position shown in
FIGURE. 6. The pawl member 74 is supported at its rearward end
by a member 81 slidably movable in a cavity 82 in the body
section 30. ~he member 81 is urged upwardly against pawl member ~:
75 by a spring 84 toward a projection or pin 83. The structure .
described above under this heading is the same as in U.S. ~ :;
~atent No. 3,759,435 to which further reference may be made for
further constructional details.
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7~3
Referring now to the present improvemen~, FIGURE 1
shows the pawl member 74 as having a single abutment or pro-
jection 85 depending in the downward direction. The abutment
85 has an abutment or stop face 86 with which a pin or
S projection 87 connected to the gear segment 51 can cooperate.
In the position shown in FIGURE 1, the projection 87 bears
against the abutment face 86 in counteraction to a compression
spring 88. One end of the spring 88 beaxs against the rearward
end of the pawl member 74 and the other end of the spring 88 bears
; 10 against body section 30. In the position shown in FIGURE 1,
the member 72 is in its initial position in the sequence
of operation which is the same as its inal position in the
sequence. When the actuator 45 is squeezed, the gear means 47
and hence the projection 87 move counterclockwise and during
., .~ . .
such counterclockwise movement the pawl member 74 moves to the
let (FIGURE l) under the biasing action of the spring 88.
As the pawl member 74 moves to the left from the position
shown in FIGURE 1 through the position shown in FIGURE 9 toward
the position shown in FIGURE 6 the pro~ection 87 loses contact ~ ;
with the stop face 86 when the lethand movement o the pawl ; `
member 74 is arrested due to the fact that the shaft 67 is now
in contact with one end 89 of the slot 76. When the user
discontinues squeezing the actuator 45 r the return spring
; mechanism 61 causes the gear means 47 to rotate clockwise
and when the projection 87 moves into contact with the abutment
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~L0~37~3
face 86, the projection 37 begins driving the pawl member 74
to the right against the action of the spring 88. When the gear
means 47 nears the end of its clockwise movement, the pawl
member 74 drives the member 72 to a position in which end 90
o~ the slot 76 contacts the shaft 67 and pivots the member 72
counterclockwise from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to the
position shown in FIGURE 1. As the pawl member 74 continues to
be driven to the right by clockwise rotation o~ the gear means 47
and projection 87, the toothed member 72 drives the wheel 66
counterclockwise. The counterclockwise rotation of the wheel
66 brings the next successive bar section 35 into alignment with
the needle bore 42 and the end 60' of the push rod 60. Thus,
the wheel 66 rotates through such an angle as to advance the
fastener assembly 33 through a distance equal to the distance
from the centerline of one bar section 35 to the centerline
of the next adjacent bar section 35. The springs 61' and 88
are shown to be in force opposition. It is noted that the spring
88 is relatively light and the spring 61 is relatively heavy so
that release of the hand lever 46 by the user overcomes the force
of the spring 88.
Briefly stated the sequence of operation of the
apparatus 27 is as follows, assuming the apparatus has been loaded
Witil a fastener assembly 33. The user squeezes the actuator 45,
which causes the gear means 47 to pivot counterclockwise
(~IGURE 1) to drive the sllde 56 and the push rod 60 to the
left (FIGURE 1). When the end 60' of the push rod 60 acts on
one end of the bar section 35, the knife 43 severs the coupling
member 39 and the bar section 35 continues to move through the
needle 40 as the push rod 60 continues to move. While the gear
means 47 is pivoting counterclockwise, the pawl member 74 moves
to the left under the action of the spring 88, thereby moving the
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1~7893
member 72 from the position shown in FIGURE 1 to the position
shown in FIGURE 6. When the user releases the squeeze on the
actuator 45, the return sprir~ mechanism 61 drives the gear
means 47 clockwise (FIGURE 6 ) to withdraw the pl-sh rod 60 from
the needle 40 and move end 60' clear of the next bar section -~:
35 to enable its descent into the needle through the slot 44. ~ ;
Continued clockwise movement causes the projection 87 to : :
contact abutmenk face 86 to drive pawl member 74 to the right
to thus move the member 72 to a position between adjacent
10 teeth 70 of the wheel 66 and to drive the wheel 66 to in turn ~ ~
advance the fastener assembly 33. ; :
With reference to the embodiment of FIGURES 10 and :~ :~
11 of the drawings, the tag attaching apparatus 27A is the
same as the tag attaching apparatus 27 except as shown in the
drawings and indicated below. Like parts in the embodiment of
FIGURES 10 and 11 are shown with like reerence characters as -~
in the embodiment o FIGURES 1 through 9. The pawl member 74a .
dlf~ers ~rom the pawl member 74 in that the pawl member 74a has
an abutment or stop 95 with abutment or stop faces 96 and 97. ~.
The gear means 47 has a pair of radially spaced apart pro-
jections or pins 98 and 99. When the gear means 47 is in tha ~.
position shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, the pawl member 74a is in
the position of the pawl mem~er 74 in FIGURE 1, and associated
parts such as the push rod 60 and the toothed wheel 66 and the
: 25 toothed member~72 are in their respective positions shown in .~
FIGURE 1. When the user squeezes the actuator 45, the gear ~ :
means 47 is pivoted caunterclockwise (FIGURE lO)~and when the ~ ;
projection 99 starts contacting the abutment face 97 of the .
abutment 95, the pawl member 74a is driven to the left, thereby
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~L~137893
driving the member 72 to the position of FIGURE 6. In the
meantime the push rod 60 has pushed a bar section 35 through
bore 42 of the needle 40. When the user ceases squeezing
the actuator 45, the return spring mechanism 61 drives
the gear means 47 clockwise, and when the projection 98 starts
contacting the abutment face 96 of the abutment 95, ~he pawl
member 74a is driven to the right until the gear means 47 has
reached the initial position shown in FIGURE 10, thereby driving
the toothed wheel 66 to advance the fastener assembly 33.
With reference to the embodiment of FIGURES 12 and 13,
the tag attaching apparatus 27~ is the same as the tag attaching
apparatus 27 except as shown in the drawings and indicated
below. Like parts in the embodiment of FIGU~ES 12 and 13 are . .
shown with like reference characters as in the embodiment of . :
FIGURES 1 through 9. The pawl member 74b differs from the pawl
member 74 in that it mounts a pair of abutment members 100 and ;:
101 which are mounted on and independently movable relative to
the pawl member 74b by respective pivots 102 and 103. The
abutment members lO0 and 101 are urged to respective positions
parall~l to pawl member 74b by respective leaf springs 104 and '
104'. The abutment members 100 and 101 have respective abutment
or stop faces 105 and 106. The gear means 47 llas a pair of
radially spaced apart projections or pins 107 and 108. When the ~
gear:means 47 is in the position shown in FIGURES 12 and 13 the :
pawl member 74b .is in the position of the pawl member 74 in
FIGURE 1, and associated parts such as the push rod 60 and
the toothed wheel 66 and the member 72 are in their respective
';~
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~18789~
. .
positions shown in FIGURE 1. When the user squeezes the
actuator 45, the gear means 47 is pivoted counterclockwise
~FIGURE 12) and the projection 107 moves out of contact
with the abutment face 105. As the gear means 47 and the
projection 107 move counterclockwise the spring 104' urges
the abutment member 101 clockwise to a position parallel
to the pawl member 74b. When the projection 108 contacts the
lower surface of the abutment member 100, the projection 108
pivots the abutment member 100 clockwise against the
urging of the spring 104 and near the end of travel of the
projection 108, the projection 108 contacts the abutment face
106 of the abutment member 101 and thereby drives the pawl
member 74b to the left. This causes member 72 to move from
the position shown in FIGURE 1 to the position shown in FIGURE
6. When the user ceases squeezing the actuator 45, the gear
means 47 is driven clockwise by the return spring mechanism 61,
the abutment member 101 is pivoted counterclockwise by the
projection 107,~and when the gear means 47 nears the initial
, .
position, the projection 107 contacts the abutment face 105 and
drives the pawl member 74b to the right, thereby causing the
toothed member 72 to advance the toothed wheel 66 to advance
the fastener assembly 33.
With reference to the embodiment of FIGURES 14 and ;
15, the tag attaching apparatus 27C is the same as the tag
attaching apparatus 27 except as shown in the drawings and
indicated below. Like parts in the embodiment of FIGURES 14
and 15 are shown with like reference characters as in the
embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 9. The pawl member 74c differs
from the pawl member 74 in that it carries a pivot 109 and the
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~37~g3
gear segment 51 carries a pivot 110. A link 111 is pivotally
connected to the pivot 109, and the gear segment 51 carries
a pivot 110. Links 111 and 112 are pivotally connected to
each other by means of a pivot 113. The link 112 has an integrally
formed turned out tag which provides a stop 114. The stop 114
is disposed in the plane of the link 111 so that when the links
111 and 112 buckle to the phantom line positions shown in FIGURE `.
14 the stop 114 limits the relative pivotal movement of the links
111 and 112. Thus, when the actua~or 45 is squeezed, the
gear means 47 begins to pivot counterclockwise (FIGURE 14) and ~:
the links 111 and 112 pivot without imparting any motion to the
pawl member 74c. However, when the abutment 114 contacts the
link 111 and upon continued counterclockwise rotation o~ the
gear means 47, the pawl member 74c is driven to the left (FIGURE
lS 14), thereby moving the member 72 from the position shown in
FIGURE 1 to the position shown in FIGURE 6. ~hen the user ceases
squeezing the actuator 45, the return spring mechanism 61
pivots the gear means 47 clockwise and the links 111 and 112
move to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 14 in which the
link 111 contacts stop pin or projection 114' carried by the
pawl member 74c. Upon continued clockwise rotation of the
gear means 47, the link 111 exerts a pulling force on the pawl
member 74c to drive the pawl member 74c to the right (FIGURE 14),
thereby driving member 72 to drive the wheel 66 to advance the
fastener assembly 33. ~ ~
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..
With reference to the embodiment of FIGURE 16, the ~ ~ -
tag attaching apparatus 27D is the same as the tag attaching
apparatus 27 except as shown in the drawings and indicated ~
below. Like parts in the embodiment of FIGURE 16 are shown ~ ;
with like reference characters as in the embodiment of FIGURES
1 through 9. The pawl member 74d is like the pawl member 74
except it carries a projection 115. A link 116 has an
. . ,
elongated slot or cutout qenerally indicated at 117 in which
the projection 115 is received. The link 116 is pivotally
connected to the gear means 47 by a pin 118 secured to the
gear means 47. When the actuator 45 is squeezed, the gear
means 47 pivots counterclockwise and the link 116 is driven
to the left from the position shown. When abutment end 119 of
the slot 117 contacts the projection 115, the pawl member 74d
; 15 is driven to the left, thereby causing the member 72 to be
driven from the position shown.in FIGURE 1 to the position shown
:..:
in FIGURE 6. When the user ceases squeezing the actuator 45, ~ ~
the return spring mechanism 61 rotates the gear means 47 clock- `
wise~and the~link 116 is~drlven to the right. ~When other~ abut-
ment end 120 of the~s~lot 117 contacts the projection 115 and
upon continued clockwise rotation of the gear means 47, the
link 116 exerts a pulling force on the pawl member 74d to d~ive
the pawl member 74d to the right, thereby driving tlle member 72
; to drive the wheel 66 to advance the fastener assembly 33.
~ 25 With reference to the embodiment of FIGURE 17, the
`:
tag attaching apparatus 27E is the same as the tag attaching
apparatus 27 except as shown in the drawings and indicated
below. Like parts of the embodiment of FIGURE 17 are shown
with like reference characters as in the embodiment of FIGURES
~ :
1 through 9. The pawl~member 74e is like the Pawl member 74
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~)87~3
except that it has an elongated slot or cutout generalLy
indicated at 121. A link 122 carries a projection or pin
123. The gear means 47 carries a pin 124 to which the
link 122 is pivotally connected. When the actuator 45 is
squeezed, the gear means 47 pivots counterclockwise and
the link 122 is driven to the left from the position shown.
When the projection 123 contacts end or abutment 125 of the
cutout 121, the pawl 74e is driven to the left, thereby causing
the member 7~ to be driven from the position shown in FIGURE
1 to the position shown in FIGURE 6. When the user ceases
squeezing the actuator 45, the return spring mechanism 61
rotates the gear means 47 clockwise and the link 122 is driven
to the right. When the projection 123 contacts other end
or abutment 126 of the cutout 121 and upon continued clockwise
rotation of the gear means 47, the link 122 exerts a pulling
force on the pawl member 74e to drive the pawl member 74e to
the right, thereby driving member 72 to drive the wheel 66 to
advance the fastener assembly 33.
Other embodiments and modifications of this
invention will suggest themselves to those skil~ed in the art,
and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention ~ ~ ~
are included within its sco~e as best defined bv the appended ~ ~ ;
claims.
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