Patent ID: 8413866
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: B65C,G09F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A device for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from a supply of fastener stock, the fastener stock being shaped to include a pair of continuous side rails to which are coupled a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-links, the individual fastener comprising a pair of shortened cross-bars that are interconnected by at least one flexible filament, the device comprising: (a) a head assembly adapted to receive the supply of fastener stock, sever an individual fastener from the supply fastener stock and eject the individual fastener during a single stroke of its actuation cycle, wherein the head assembly can be disposed between a first setting configured to dispense a single fastener from the supply of fastener stock and a second setting configured to dispense a double fastener from the supply of fastener stock, the double fastener comprising a pair of shortened cross-bars that are interconnected by at least two flexible filaments, (b) a stepper motor for driving the head assembly through each head assembly actuation cycle, and (c) an electronic controller programmed to regulate the number of strokes completed by the head assembly during each head assembly actuation cycle, the electronic controller being programmed to include single stroke, multiple stroke, and continuous mode actuation cycle settings.