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:
Oct. 07, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 04, 1995
Paul M Larson, Palatine, IL (US);
William J Blucher, Addison, IL (US);
Sigismund G Paul, Park Ridge, IL (US);
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Abstract
In a washer-dispensing machine, a chute open at a lower end receives a stack of roofing washers of a type having a central aperture to receive a fastener shank and possibly having downwardly extending barbs. A shuttle engages a single washer from the stack, displaces the single washer to a separated position as the shuttle is moved from a displaced position to a normal position, and releases the single washer in the separated position as the shuttle next moves from the normal position to the displaced position. A known mechanism is employed for moving the shuttle between the displaced position and the normal position. A novel mechanism is mounted operatively to the chute for supporting the stack so as to prevent any of the washers in the stack from dropping through the lower end of the chute and for releasing the stack so as to permit a lowermost washer in the stack to drop through the lower end of the chute. A preferred embodiment includes two stack-supporting fingers and two finger-moving plates, each finger-moving plate coacting with one of the stack-supporting fingers and coacting with a shuttle-moving mechanism so as to support and release the stack appropriately as the machine is operated. An alternative embodiment includes two pivotably mounted, stack-supporting fingers coacting with a shuttle-moving mechanism so as to function similarly.