The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 24, 1984
Filed:
Oct. 08, 1981
Raimonds Grikis, Morton Grove, IL (US);
Duo-Fast Corporation, Franklin Park, IL (US);
Abstract
A feeder for fastener is used to supply uniformly oriented, uncollated fasteners to a detachably mounted loading assembly so that the uncollated fasteners can be loaded into a magazine of the fastener driving tool. The feeder includes a rotatable supply drum mounted on a base into which fasteners may be supplied. Scoops along the inner wall of the drum scoop up a quantity of fasteners as the drum is rotated and supplies the fasteners to an orientation assembly. The orientation assembly receives the unoriented fasteners on a funnel-shaped trough which directs the fasteners toward a rotatable orientation roller disposed on one side of a fastener path. The orientation roller has several notches or grooves that tend to jiggle or agitate the fasteners so that the fasteners are oriented in the fastener path with the heads of the fasteners lying on an orientation rail on the opposite side of the fastener path from the orientation roller. The fasteners travel along the fastener path toward the loading assembly which has a loading path in alignment with the fastener path. The drum and orientation roller are rotated by a single motor through a belt drive system having a plurality of pulleys such that the orientation roller can be rotated at a greater speed than the supply drum. Once the fasteners are supplied to the loading assembly a photo-optical control is used to detect when the loading path is full of fasteners so that the motor can be turned off when no further fasteners need be supplied to the loading assembly.