Screw aligning and guiding device having arrangement which facilitates loading and unloading of screw strip

Abstract

An apparatus for sequentially aligning a number of screws with a screwdriver and guiding the number of screws during advancement by the screwdriver is disclosed. The apparatus includes a body which includes (i) a channel adapted to receive a screw strip having the number of screws supported thereon, (ii) a feed passage adapted to sequentially receive the number of screws from the channel, and (ii) a guide track having a planar segment and an inclined ramp segment. The apparatus further includes a movable pawl which travels on the guide track through the planar segment and the inclined ramp segment, wherein (i) the movable pawl contacts at least one of the number of screws when both the movable pawl is located on the planar segment of the guide track and the screw strip having the number of screws supported thereon is located in the channel, and (ii) the movable pawl is spaced apart from all of the number of screws when both the movable pawl is located on the inclined ramp segment of the guide track and the screw strip having the number of screws supported thereon is located in the channel. Moreover, the movable pawl includes a spring and a slider assembly. The spring biases the slider assembly from the inclined ramp segment toward the planar segment.