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:
Feb. 10, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 12, 1996
Michael L Letson, Prior Lake, MN (US);
Viking Engineering & Development Incorporated, Fridley, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for delivering fasteners, such as nails, screws and rivets from a supply source to an automatic fastener driver comprises an elongated flexible wire helix whose pitch is such that fasteners can be supported by their heads between adjacent convolutions. One end of the elongated helix is coupled to a vibratory bowl feeder that feeds individual fasteners in a desired order and orientation into a holding station. The opposite end of the wire helix is positioned over an inlet chute leading to a fastener holding chuck and the distal end of the helix is adapted to be driven through 360.degree. by an indexing motor upon each actuation of the fastener driver. In this fashion, for each nail that is dropped from the distal end of the helix into the driver's inlet chute, another nail is picked up at the holding station and advanced in incremental steps along the length of the helix.