Abstract:
A fastener and a fastener assembly for fastening a plurality of layered goods or for attaching a tag to a good has at least one bulged massive portion provided at one end of a filament portion instead of a conventional T-bar end. A fastener attaching device shoots the fastener of the present invention through the goods to attach the fasteners.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a fastener and a fastener assembly which can be used for fasteners to be attached to a material sheet or to fasten the material sheets with each other, with or without holding a tag or a label.  
         [0003]     More particularly, the present invention relates to a fastener structure, and more particularly to a fastener that is used for the purpose of affixing various labels, including tags indicating brand names, name of material, a method of handling or price, to objects such as clothing, sundry items, footwear, socks and bags, clothes hangers, display shelves, and product display apparatuses, and to fastener that is used to bundle together a number of items of clothing or sundry items as one group of products, and to a fastener structure for supplying the above-noted fastener in the present invention.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In the past, one means of attaching a label or tag to a product or bundling a number of products together was the fastener  10  shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0006]     The fastener  10 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , comprises a head part  3 , a filament  2  that is connected to the head part  3 , and a crossbar  1  which is provided on the end of the filament  2  opposite to the end that is connected to the head part  3 , and which is approximately perpendicular to the filament  2 .  
         [0007]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a plurality of fasteners  10  are formed in a structure  11  so that they are linked and mutually parallel to one another, after which, for example as shown in  FIG. 6 , a special fastener attaching device  30 , that is a gun, is used to poke and pass the individual fasteners  10  as they are cut away from the above-noted fastener structure  11 , thereby attaching them to a prescribed product or object.  
         [0008]     More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 7 , a fastener structure  11  that is provided at the upper surface of the above-noted fastener attaching apparatus  30  is inserted through a supply aperture  32  of a supply part  31  thereof, so that, as shown for example in  FIG. 6 , a trigger part  16 , for example, an operating lever, is operated, the result being that individual fasteners  10  that are separated away from the fastener structure  11  are respectively inserted into a hollow needle  12 . Then they are ejected from an end of the hollow needle, a tip end of which is protruded through a surface of a product or object from the opposite surface thereof, to which the device  30  is facing, thereby attaching the fastener  10  to the product or object.  
         [0009]     During this process, the filament  2  of the fastener  10  is guided into the product or object via a slit  33  that is provided in the fastener attaching apparatus  30  and a slit  17  that is provided at the side of the hollow needle  12 .  
         [0010]     In this prior art, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the fastener  10  is attached to or anchored on a good  200  to secure a tag or label  400  at the head part  3 .  
         [0011]     On the other hand, in the past, there has been used a separate type of fastener from the above-mentioned past fastener, which can be used as a fastening or anchoring means as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,931, for example.  
         [0012]     In this prior art reference, a configuration of the fastener is different from the above-mentioned past fastener and as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , it is characterized in that the fastener includes first and second connecting bars  130 ,  132  between which a plurality of fasteners  136  are situated in spaced, parallel relation.  
         [0013]     Each one of the fasteners  136  has a first and a second T-bar end  138 ,  140 . Both ends are joined by a flexible filament  139 .  
         [0014]     As further shown in  FIG. 11 , the T-bar ends  138 ,  140  of the fasteners  136  are connected to and spaced from the respective connecting bars  130 ,  132  by bridge elements  174  which are relatively fine or short.  
         [0015]     The bridge elements  174  are long enough to space the T-bar ends  138 ,  140  from the connecting bar  130 ,  132  associated therewith a distance sufficient to permit engagement of the bridge element  174  by the gear wheels  178  which make up the indexing mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,931, and the bridge elements  174  cooperate with the teeth of indexing gears  178  to advance the assembly of attachments through the housing, as shown in  FIG. 12 , corresponding to FIGS. 2 to 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,931.  
         [0016]     Note that, in this past fastener, each one of the fasteners is shot by a fastener attaching device  30  having two needles as shown in  FIG. 10 , and which can shoot the fastener  10  one by one as having a mechanism as shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,931.  
         [0017]     In order to anchor or fasten the fastener  10  as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,931 to layers of materials  142 ,  144 , such as one being a tag and another being a good such as an article of clothing or the like, which are preferably held in face-to-face relation, the fastener is manipulated such that the T-bars  138  and  140  are respectively pushed by a pair of pushing bars  168  which are operated in response to a movement of the operation lever  16 . The pushing bars  168  penetrate through the hollow needles  120  as well as the layers  142 ,  144  with the needles  120 ,  122 . After the needles  120 ,  122  have been removed, the T-bar ends  138 ,  140  remain on one surface of the layers so as to hold the filament part  139  on an opposite surface of the layers, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0018]     Another conventional fastener and a fastener assembly as well as a fastener attaching device used therefor are also disclosed in the specification and drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,648.  
         [0019]     However, in this past fastener, since the T-bar has a relatively fine diameter and both end-portions thereof show steep edge, the edge frequently contacts a surface of the respective commercial good so as to damage the surface of the good and accordingly, the quality of the good is sometimes degraded.  
         [0020]     On the other hand, since the T-bar has a relatively fine diameter and both end-portions thereof are so steeply edged, when it is used, an operator himself or herself can incur a hand or finger injury from the steep edge portion of the fastener.  
         [0021]     In addition to the above-mentioned features, the T end portion of the past fastener is further provided with a flat portion located in a part to which the filament part is connected.  
         [0022]     However, an edge portion of this flat portion formed on the T end portion would sometimes destroy a surface of a good such as a fabric or the like so as to deteriorate the quality of the good.  
         [0023]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fastener and a fastener assembly which can overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks as seen in the past fasteners.  
         [0024]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastener attaching device which can be used for attaching the fastener of the present invention to a good to be labeled.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     In one aspect of the present invention, a fastener which is to be attached to a material sheet has a filament portion and at least one bulged massive portion provided on at least one end portion of the filament portion. The bulged massive portion has a maximum length in two directions perpendicular to an axis direction of the filament portion separated by an angle large enough that the outer surface of the end portion between the two directions is larger than a diameter of the filament portion. The bulged portion can be engaged with one surface of a material sheet, the surface being opposite to the surface through which the filament portion is inserted.  
         [0026]     Another aspect of the present invention is a fastener assembly in which a plurality of the above-mentioned fasteners is adjacently arranged to each other, so that each one of the filament portions of the individual fasteners is arranged in parallel fashion.  
         [0027]     A third aspect of the present invention is a fastener attaching device, which can be used for attaching each one of the fasteners to a good to be labeled. The fastener attaching device of the present invention shoots fasteners one by one, utilizing a fastener assembly in which a plurality of individual fasteners each have a filament portion and at least one bulged massive portion provided on at least one end portion of the filament portion. Each of the plurality of fasteners is arranged adjacent to each other, in parallel fashion, wherein at least one of the bulged massive portions of each one of the fasteners is simultaneously connected to a connecting bar. The fastener attaching device has a main body, an operating lever, at least one hollow needle provided on an end portion of the main body, a pushing pin passage, and a pushing pin which slides back and forth through the pushing pin passage in response to an operation of the operating lever. A bulged massive portion gripping means and a bulged massive portion supply path for moving the bulged massive portion of a fastener assembly are provided at a position and with a predetermined angle with respect to the pushing pin passage. A connecting bar moving passage is provided inside the main body parallel to the bulged massive portion supply path, and a bulged massive portion supply means for supplying one of the bulged massive portions to the pushing pin passage in response to an operation of the operation lever is also provided. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]      FIG. 1 (A) is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a specific embodiment of a fastener of the present invention attached to a good;  
         [0029]      FIG. 1 (B) is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a specific embodiment of the fastener of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 2 (A) is a drawing showing a configuration of one embodiment of the fastener of the present invention which is fastening two layered goods, and  FIG. 2 (B) is a drawing showing a configuration of another embodiment of the fastener of the present invention which is attaching a good to a label;  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a drawing illustrating another embodiment of the fastener of the present invention;  
         [0032]     FIGS.  4 (A)- 4 (K) are drawings illustrating several different kinds of configurations of bulged massive portions which can be used in the present invention, FIGS.  4 (L) and  4 (M) are drawings illustrating a function of a frictional element of the present invention and FIGS.  4 (N) and  4 (O) are drawings of bulged massive portions having grooves that facilitate compression of the bulged massive portions;  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a conventional fastener assembly;  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a conventional fastener attaching device;  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a drawing illustrating how to mount the fastener assembly on the fastener attaching device in the past;  
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a drawing illustrating a schematic view of one embodiment of the fastener assembly in the past;  
         [0037]      FIG. 9  is a drawing illustrating a conventional fastener which is attaching a tag to a good;  
         [0038]      FIG. 10  is a drawing showing a configuration of another embodiment of a conventional fastener attaching device;  
         [0039]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view of another embodiment of the fastener assembly used for the fastener attaching device as shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0040]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged drawing showing a fastener supplying mechanism of a conventional fastener attaching device as shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0041]      FIG. 13  is a drawing showing how to fasten a plurality of layered goods with the conventional fastener as shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0042]     FIGS.  14 (A) to  14 (E) are drawings each showing a configuration of various embodiments of the fastener assemblies of the present invention;  
         [0043]     FIGS.  15 (A) to  15 (D) are drawings showing one embodiment of an indexing system as used in the present invention;  
         [0044]     FIGS.  16 (A) and  16 (B) are drawings showing a configuration of one embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention;  
         [0045]      FIG. 17  is a plan view showing a configuration of another embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention;  
         [0046]      FIG. 18  is a schematic view showing a configuration of another embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 17 ;  
         [0047]     FIGS.  19 (A) to  19 (C) are drawings showing various embodiments of a bulged massive portion gripping means as used in the present invention;  
         [0048]     FIGS.  20 (A) and  20 (B) are drawings showing a relationship between the pushing pin and the bulged massive portion gripping means as used in the present invention;  
         [0049]     FIGS.  21 (A) and  21 (B) are drawings showing configurations of the over all mechanism of or a part of one embodiment of the pushing pin driving means used in the present invention;  
         [0050]      FIGS. 22 , FIGS.  23 (A) and  23 (B) are drawings illustrating how the pushing pin driving means as shown in FIGS.  21 (A) and  21 (B) works;  
         [0051]      FIG. 24  is a drawing showing a configuration of one embodiment of the cutting means as used in the fastener attaching device of the present invention;  
         [0052]      FIG. 25  is a plan view showing a configuration of a further separate embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention;  
         [0053]     FIGS.  26 (A) and  26 (B) are drawings showing configurations of one embodiment of the bulged massive portion supply means used in the fastener attaching device of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 25 ;  
         [0054]     FIGS.  27 (A) to  27 (D) are drawings showing detailed configurations of the bulged massive portion supply means as shown in  FIG. 26 (A);  
         [0055]     FIGS.  28 (A) to  28 (C) are drawings showing how to operate the bulged massive portion supply means used in the fastener as shown in  FIG. 27 (A);  
         [0056]     FIGS.  29 (A) and  29 (B) are drawings showing configurations of a separate embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention; and  
         [0057]     FIGS.  30 (A) and  30 (B) are drawings showing configurations of further separate embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0058]     Preferred embodiments of a fastener and an assembly of the fasteners according to the present invention are described in detail below, with references being made to the relevant accompanying drawings.  
         [0059]      FIG. 1 (A) generally illustrates an example of a fastener  10  according to the present invention.  
         [0060]     The fastener  10  is shown attached to at least one material sheet  7  or  8  such as a good to be labeled, as shown in  FIG. 2 (A) or  FIG. 2 (B). The fastener  10  includes a filament portion  2  and at least one bulged massive portion  3  provided on one end portion of the filament portion  2 . The bulged massive portion  3  has a maximum length B in at least two directions perpendicular to an axial direction of the filament portion  2 , as in a sphere or the like. Vectors (V 1 , V 2 ) of the two directions could be 90° to each other or less, provided the angle formed by the vectors creates an outside surface on the portion  3  that is larger than the diameter of the filament.  
         [0061]     The length B is larger than an diameter A of the filament portion  2 . The bulged massive portion  3  can be engaged with one surface of a material sheet  7  or  8 , the surface of which is opposite to a surface thereof through which the filament portion  2  is first inserted.  
         [0062]     On the other hand,  FIG. 1 (B) shows the fastener  10  of the present invention in which the fastener  10  is provided with at least two bulged massive portions  3  and  3 ′ on both end portions of the filament  2 , respectively.  
         [0063]     In another embodiment of the fastener  1  according to the present invention, a tag holding portion  6  is provided at another end of the filament portion  2  opposite to the end to which the bulged massive portion  3  is connected, as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0064]     Further, in a fastener  1  according to the present invention, the bulged massive portion  3  having a configuration selected from a group consisting a spherical configuration ( FIG. 4 (A)), a semi-spherical configuration ( FIG. 4 (B)), a cone like configuration ( FIG. 4 (C)), a pyramid type configuration ( FIG. 4 (D)), a truncated cone ( FIG. 4 (E)) or pyramid type configuration ( FIG. 4 (F)), a polygonal sphere ( FIG. 4 (G)) or polygonal semi-sphere, and an ellipsoid configuration ( FIG. 4 (H)) or the like.  
         [0065]     In addition to the above-mentioned shapes, the bulged massive portion  3  has a part opposing the surface of the sheet material  7  or  8  on which at least one frictional element  11  against the surface of the sheet material  7  or  8  in FIGS.  2 (A) and  2 (B), being provided as further shown in FIGS.  4 (I),  4 (J) and  4 (K).  
         [0066]     In the present invention, it is preferable that the frictional element  11  be one selected from a group consisting a groove or a concave portion  11 - 1 , a convex portion or a projected portion  11 - 2  from the surface of the bulged massive end portion  3 , a flat like portion  11 - 3 , a blade like portion  11 - 4  or the like.  
         [0067]     When the blade like portion  11 - 4  is used on the bulged massive portion  3  of the present invention, it is preferable that the blade like portion  11 - 4  be formed on a surface of the bulged massive portion  3  integrally with the same material as used for the bulged massive portion  3 .  
         [0068]     And further, as shown in FIGS.  4 (L) and  4 (M), it is also preferable that the blade like portion  11 - 4  and even the bulged massive end portion itself be flexible and resilient so that when moved inside a hollow needle, a diameter W 1  of a peripheral circle formed by outer edge portions of a plurality of the blade like portions  11 - 4  and/or the outer surface of the bulged massive end portion  3  is smaller that an inside diameter W 0  of the hollow needle  12  but when it is pushed out of the hollow needle  12 , the diameter W 2  of a peripheral circle formed by outer edge portions of a plurality of the blade like portions  11 - 4  is enlarged to a certain value exceeding a diameter W 4  of the bulged massive portion  3  or exceeding an inside diameter of a hole formed on the sheet or layer by the hollow needle  12 .  
         [0069]     A bulged massive portion  3  having concave portions  11 - 1  is shown in greater detail in FIGS.  4 (N) and  4 (O). An additional concave portion  11 - 5  is also provided. In the figures, the concave portions  11 - 1  are adjacent the filament  2 , and the concave portion  11 - 5  is at the end of the bulged massive end portion opposite the filament  2 . When these or other suitable concave structures are used, the bulged massive portion  3  can be compressed in the needle  12 , as seen  FIG. 4 (N), by making a width W 5  of the needle  12  smaller than the width W 6  of a fully released bulged massive portion  3  ( FIG. 4 (O)). In this manner, the bulged massive portions  3  can be compressed when they are inserted through a fabric, and released to the larger diameter W 6  after installation. The concave portions  11 - 1  and  11 - 5  can be used with or without the frictional elements  11 - 4 .  
         [0070]     In the present invention, the fastener of the present invention has a bulged massive portion  3  provided on at least one of the end portions of the filament portion  2 , and a diameter thereof is larger than the diameter of the filament portion  2 . However, the diameter of the portion  3  is also larger than a diameter of a hollow needle of a conventional fastener attaching device used for the fastener having the above-mentioned T-bar end portion.  
         [0071]     That means that generally speaking, when the fastener of the present invention is attached to a good to be labeled or fastened, a through hole having a relatively large diameter is necessarily formed in a fabric, leather, film, sheet or the like of the good, the diameter of which is larger that that of a through hole which would be formed in a good by a conventional fastener attaching device.  
         [0072]     Accordingly, in the present invention, the fabric, leather, film, sheet or the like consisting the good to be fastened or labeled may itself have a flexibility, elasticity, or resiliency so that when the hollow needle is removed from the hole, the diameter of the hole is reduced so as to prevent the bulged massive portion from being dropped out from the hole.  
         [0073]     In the present invention, the filament portion  2  of the present invention may have a length suitable to be used for an applied good  7  or  8  ( FIG. 2 (A).  
         [0074]     The length of the filament portion  2  is not restricted to a specific length but it is preferably from 5 mm to 100 mm.  
         [0075]     Further, in the present invention, a diameter A of the filament portion of the fastener  2  ( FIG. 1 (B) is preferably between 0.1 to 1.5 mm, while the length or diameter B of the bulged massive portion  3  and which is perpendicular to an axis of the filament portion  2 , should be larger than that of the filament portion  2 .  
         [0076]     And in the present invention, the ratio of A/B is not basically restricted to a specific figure but it preferably falls in a range between from 40% to 60%.  
         [0077]     FIGS.  14 (A)- 14 (E) show other embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0078]     FIGS.  14 (A) and  14 (B) disclose a fastener assembly  15  in which a plurality of the fasteners  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 (B) are adjacently arranged to each other, so that each one of the filament portions  2  of the individual fasteners  10  being arranged parallel to each other with a constant pitch formed therebetween. FIGS.  14 (C) and  14 (D) disclose a fastener assembly  15  in which a plurality of the fasteners  10  as shown in  FIG. 3  are arranged adjacent to each other, so that each one of the filament portions  2  of the individual fasteners  10  are arranged parallel to each other with a constant pitch formed therebetween.  
         [0079]     In fastener assembly  15  according to the present invention, at least one of the bulged massive portions  3  or  3 ′ of each one of the fasteners  1  is simultaneously connected to a rail  13 .  
         [0080]     Further in the fastener assembly  15  of this embodiment, both of the bulged massive portions  3  and  3 ′ provided at both end portions of the filament portion  2  of the respective fasteners  10  are simultaneously connected to both rails  13  and  13 ′, each being arranged parallel to each other.  
         [0081]     In the fastener assembly  15  of another embodiment of the present invention, the bulged massive portions  3  provided on one of the end portions of the filament portion  2  are simultaneously connected to a first connecting bar  13 , while each one of the tag holding portions  6  provided on another end portion of the filament portions  2  are simultaneously connected to a second rail  13 ′, or the tag holding portions  6  are connected to each other with a suitable connecting rod  104 , as shown in  FIG. 14 (E).  
         [0082]     In addition to the above-mentioned, either one of the bulged massive portions  3  or the tag holding portions  6  are connected to the respecting rail  13  or  13 ′, via a connecting portion  4  which is provided on the rail  13  or  13 ′.  
         [0083]     Further, in the fastener assembly  15  of the present invention, the connecting portions  4  have a configuration in that an external diameter thereof is gradually reduced from a bottom portion thereof directly connected to the rail  13  to a contacting area with either one of the bulged massive portion  3  or  3 ′ and the tag holding portion  6 .  
         [0084]     In the fastener assembly  15  of the present invention, the connecting portion  4  is connected with either one of the bulged massive portion  3  and the tag holding portion  6  through a point contacting portion  14 , and it is preferable that at least one of the rails  13  and  13 ′ provided with an indexing system  20  ( FIG. 15 (A). The indexing system  20  can have a concaved portion, a projected portion or a hole portion formed on a surface of the rail. In FIGS.  15 (A) and  15 (B) the indexing system  20  has a plurality of holes  21  provided along the rails  13 ,  13 ′.  
         [0085]     In the present invention, all portions of the fastener assembly can be integrally formed into one body with plastic resin material, such as Nylon, Polyester, polyurethane, poly-propylene or the like, through a molding method.  
         [0086]     Next, a specific embodiment of a fastener attaching device of the present invention will be explained hereunder with reference to the drawings.  
         [0087]     FIGS.  16 (A) and  16 (B) show a configuration of one embodiment of the fastener attaching device of the present invention.  
         [0088]     In  FIG. 16 (A), there is shown a fastener attaching device of the present invention in which the device  30  can shoot fasteners  10  one by one from a fastener assembly  15 . The fastener  15  includes a plurality of unit fasteners  10  each having a filament portion  2  and at least one bulged massive portion  3  provided at least at one end portion of the filament portion  2 . Each of the plurality of the fasteners  10  are adjacently arranged to each other, so that each one of the filament portions  2  thereof are arranged in parallel with each other. At least one of the bulged massive portions  3  of each one of the fasteners  10  is simultaneously connected to a rail  13 .  
         [0089]     The fastener attaching device  30  is provided with a main body  23 , an operating lever  16 , at least one hollow needle  12  provided on an end portion of the main body  23 , a pushing pin passage  42 , and a pushing pin  41  which slides through the pushing pin passage  42  back and forth in response to an operation of the operating lever  16 . The device also has a bulged massive portion gripping means  43 , bulged massive portion supply path  44  for moving the bulged massive portion  3  of a fastener assembly  15 , provided at in a vicinity of the pushing pin passage  42  and intercrossing with a predetermined angle with the pushing pin passage  42 , a connecting bar moving passage  45  provided inside the main body  23  in parallel with the bulged massive portion supply path  44 , and a bulged massive portion supply means  46  for supplying one of the bulged massive portions  3  uniformly and periodically to the pushing pin passage  42  in response to an operation of the operation lever  16 .  
         [0090]     On the other hand, one example of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 16 (B). The specific bulged massive portion supply means  46  of the present invention comprises a rotary gear wheel which is provided with a plurality of gear teeth  47  on a peripheral surface thereof, each being arranged thereon with a uniform interval.  
         [0091]     The gear teeth  47  of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  can engage with the above-mentioned indexing means  20 , which has a plurality of the connecting portions  4 , as shown in  FIG. 14 (A), or a plurality of holes  21  which are provided on a side surface of the rails  13 , as shown in FIGS.  15 (A) to  15 (D).  
         [0092]     In the present invention, the pitch of the indexing means and the pitch of the gear teeth  47  of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  are easily engaged with each other and thus when the gear teeth  47  of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  are rotated by a predetermined rotating angle, one selected bulged massive portion  3  is moved by a predetermined length in a down-ward direction and thus one bulged massive portion  3  is placed in an intersection point  48  formed between the bulged massive portion supply path  44  and the pushing pin passage  42 . The bulged massive portion  3  then is pushed inside of the hollow needle  12  by the pushing pin  41  and finally it is pushed out from the hollow needle  12 .  
         [0093]     In this embodiment of the present invention, an inside diameter of the hollow needle  12  as well as that of the pushing pin passage  42  are substantially identical to or minimally larger than an external diameter of the bulged massive portion  3 .  
         [0094]     On the other hand, the pushing pin  41  is moved along the pushing pin passage  42  back and forth within a predetermined range in response to a movement of the operation lever  16  via a conventional mechanical driving system  50  provided therebetween.  
         [0095]     When a fastener assembly  15  as shown in  FIG. 14 (E) is mounted on the fastener attaching device  30  by inserting the rail  13  and the bulged massive portion  3  into the connecting bar moving passage  45  and the bulged massive portion supply path  44 , respectively, and a first fastener  10  is set at a shooting position of the device  30  so that the first bulged massive portion  3  of the first fastener  10  is placed inside of the pushing pin passage  42  at the position  48 , by operating the operation lever  16 , the above-mentioned movement is carried out so that the bulged massive portion  3  is pushed out of the hollow needle  12 .  
         [0096]     After that, when the operation lever  16  is returned to its original position, the bulged massive portion supply means  46  is actuated so as to be rotated by a predetermined angle to thereby move the second bulged massive portion  3  of the second fastener  10  to the above-mentioned shooting position automatically.  
         [0097]     Note that, in the present invention, the bulged massive portion supply means  46  has a configuration in that the bulged massive portion supply means  46  can supply a bulged massive portion  3  to the pushing pin passage  42 , before the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  which is provided at a tip end portion of the pushing pin passing by the intercrossing portion  48  formed between the bulged massive portion supply passage  44  and the pushing pin passage  42 , in response to an operation of the operation lever  16 , in the vicinity of the bulged massive portion supply means  46 .  
         [0098]     In  FIG. 16 (B), the angle formed between the bulged massive portion supply passage  44  and the pushing pin passage  42 , is set at a right angle, i.e., 90 degree, for example.  
         [0099]     In this embodiment, the pushing pin  41  may directly contact the bulged massive portion provided inside the pushing pin passage  42 , but alternatively it may have a bulged massive portion gripping means  43  at a tip end portion of the pushing pin passage  42 , as a separate member and the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  may directly contact the bulged massive portion  3  and push it through inside of the pushing pin passage  42 , in response to a movement of the pushing pin  41 .  
         [0100]     Either one of the tip end portion of the pushing pin  41  or the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  may accept a part of the bulged massive portion  3  inside thereof and keep it stable while it is transferred inside the pushing pin passage  42 .  
         [0101]     In order to perform the above-mentioned function, the tip end portion thereof may have a configuration as shown in FIGS.  19 (A) to  19 (C), for example.  
         [0102]     Note that  FIG. 19 (A) shows a configuration of the tip end portion of the pushing pin or the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 , in that a groove  193  formed by two flat surfaces  191  and  192  is provided.  FIG. 19 (B) shows a configuration thereof in that two curved edge portions  194  and  195  are provided with a curved space  196  formed inside thereof. Further,  FIG. 19 (C) shows a configuration in which a plurality of edge portions  197  are provided.  
         [0103]     Note that, in the present invention, as mentioned above, the bulged massive portion gripping mean  43  may be provided with a portion for covering at least a part of a surface of the bulged massive portion, with a space inside thereof for accepting the surface of the bulged massive portion part  3  therein.  
         [0104]     In the present invention, the connecting portion  4  formed between the bulged massive portion  3  and the rail  13  is preferably made weak so that it can be easily broken by a shearing force applied thereto when the pushing pin  41  pushes the bulged massive portion  3  forward  
         [0105]     On the other hand, in order to cut the connecting portion  4 , a separate cutting means  49  for cutting the connecting portion  4  can be provided on this device  30 , the a vicinity of the above-mentioned intercrossing portion  48 .  
         [0106]     The cutting means  49  can be a conventional blade type knife edge or other suitable cutting means which enable the cutting operation to be positively performed in response to an operation of operation lever  16 .  
         [0107]     One example of this cutting means is shown in  FIG. 24  in that a cutting means comprising a shearing edge is provided along the connecting bar  13 . Also shown in  FIG. 24  is that the filaments  2  are longer than the distance between the rails  13 ,  13 ′, which creates the appearance of slack in the filaments before installation. This slack makes installation of the fasteners  10  easier. As another embodiment about this cutting means  49 , the cutting means can be provided at at least a part of the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 , which can work in response to an operation of operation lever  16 .  
         [0108]     As mentioned above, in the present invention, when the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  is additionally used with the pushing pin  41 , the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  may be directly connected to a tip end portion of the pushing pin  41 . It may also be provided separately, in which case, the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and the pushing pin  41  perform their respective sliding motions inside the pushing pin passage  42 .  
         [0109]     In this embodiment, at a first stage of the fastener shooting operation, the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  serves as to stably capture the bulged massive portion  3  and remove it from the rail  13  by cutting off the connecting portion  4  and stably pushing and transferring the bulged massive portion  3  into the hollow needle  12 , as shown in  FIG. 20 (A).  
         [0110]     In the second stage thereof, the pushing pin  41  moves forward beyond the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  by penetrating through the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  so as to push out the bulged massive portion  3  from the hollow needle  12 , as shown in  FIG. 20 (B).  
         [0111]     A detailed configuration thereof and its operation will now be explained.  
         [0112]     Another embodiment of the fastener attaching device  30  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 .  
         [0113]     In this embodiment, a fastener attaching device  30  which can be used for the fastener assembly  15  shown in FIGS.  14 (A) to  14 (C) is shown. As is apparent from these figures, most of the constructional elements as used in the previous embodiment of the device  30  as shown in  FIG. 16  are also provided therein.  
         [0114]     Note that the fastener attaching device  30  of this embodiment is used for a fastener assembly in which a plurality of unit fasteners  10  each comprising a filament portion  2  and two bulged massive portions  3 ,  3 ′ provided at both end portions of the filament portion  2 . Each of the fasteners  10  is adjacently arranged to each other, so that each one of the filament portions  2  thereof are arranged in parallel with each other. The device  30  is provided with a pair of the hollow needles  12 ,  12 ′, a pair of the pushing pins  41 ,  41 ′, a pair of the pushing pin passages  42 ,  42 ′, a pair of the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 ,  43 ′, a pair of the bulged massive portion supply paths  44 ,  44 ′, a pair of the connecting bar moving passages  45 ,  45 ′ and a pair of the bulged massive portion supply means  46 ,  46 ′.  
         [0115]     As is apparent from  FIG. 17 , showing a plan view of the fastener attaching device of this embodiment, all of the two respective constructional elements in pair, for example, a first bulged massive portion supply path  44  and a second first bulged massive portion supply path  44 ′ or the like, are provided at respective positions each being oppositely arranged to each other and being symmetrical to each other with respect to a center axis  52  of the fastener attaching device  30 .  
         [0116]     In this embodiment, the operations of each one of the constructional elements of the device  30  are completely identical to those constructional elements as used in the previous embodiment  30 , as shown in FIGS.  16 (A) and  16 (B). Thus, explanations about operations of each one of the elements are omitted for this embodiment. The technical feature of this embodiment that differs from that of the previous embodiment is that both of the bulged massive portions  3  and  3 ′ are simultaneously attached to the good shown in  FIG. 2 (A).  
         [0117]      FIG. 25  shows a further separate embodiment of an attaching device  30  of the present invention in which a fastener assembly  15  is mounted with a certain angle with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the device  30 .  
         [0118]     More precisely, the fastener attaching device  30  according to this embodiment is characterized in that when the fastener assembly  15  is to be mounted on the device  30 , the fastener assembly  15  is mounted thereon so that a direction  55  along which each one of the filament portions  2  of the respective fasteners  10  in the fastener assembly  15  are arranged is set so as to intercross with the center axis  56  (which is parallel to a center axis  57  of the pushing pin path  42 ) and the hollow needle  12  with a predetermined angle θ.  
         [0119]     In this embodiment, a value of the predetermined angle θ is not restricted to a specific value but it can be set at a desired value with respect to a field to which the device  30  can be applied.  
         [0120]     Note that, in this embodiment, a width of the main body  23  of this device  30 , as measured perpendicular to the center axis  56  of this device  30 , can be reduced so that a weight of device  30  as well as a production cost therefor will be reduced. In addition, the operation for shooting the fasteners utilizing this device  30  will be easy and simplified.  
         [0121]     Further in this embodiment, the pushing pins  41 ,  41 ′ as well as the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 ,  43 ′ can be provided at the same positions oppositely arranged to each other, as shown in  FIG. 25  or one of the pushing pins  41  or  41 ′ may be offset to be closer to the needle  12  by a certain amount of length.  
         [0122]     Further note that as is apparent from  FIG. 25 , in the fastener attaching device  30  of this embodiment, a pair of the bulged massive portion supply paths  44  and  44 ′ as well as a pair of the pushing pin passages  42  and  42 ′, are oppositely arranged to each other with respect to the center axis  56  of this device  30  in an oblique condition.  
         [0123]     In this embodiment, the device  30  may use a specifically embodied bulged massive portion supply means  46 , as shown in FIGS.  26 (A) and  26 (B), which has a pair of rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ each having a plurality of fastener engagement members  59 ,  59 ′ on a peripheral surface of each of the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′, which can engage a predetermined portion of each one of the unit fasteners so as to move the unit fasteners  10  by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.  
         [0124]     In this embodiment, the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ are a pair of circular plates, as shown in  FIG. 26 (B).  
         [0125]     Note that, in this embodiment, each one of the fastener engagement members  59 ,  59 ′ can engage with each one of a plurality of holes  21  which are provided in the rails  13  and  13 ′ as an indexing system  20 . The holes are formed in each one of the rails  13 ,  13 ′ with a uniform pitch which is identical to a pitch formed between the bulged massive portions  3 .  
         [0126]     Thus, when the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ are rotated with a predetermined rotational angle, the fastener engagement members  59 ,  59 ′ can move each one of the fasteners  10  by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction.  
         [0127]     More specifically, in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 26 (B), the fastener assembly  15  is set on the device  30  so that a common rotating axis  60  of the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ intercrosses with a direction  55  along which each one of the filament portions  2  consisting the fastener assembly  15  are arranged, with a certain angle.  
         [0128]     Therefore, in this embodiment, one of the rails  13  can connect with the fastener engagement members  59  of the rotating members  58  at one side position with respect to the center axis  60 , while another rail  13 ′ can connect with the fastener engagement members  59 ′ of the rotating member  58 ′ at an opposite side position with respect to the center axis  60 .  
         [0129]     And accordingly, when both of the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ are rotated in different directions from each other, both of the rails  13 ,  13 ′ can be moved in the same direction to each other.  
         [0130]     In this embodiment of the present invention, a pair of the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ may be rotated by a common driving member  61  which is driven by a suitable mechanism in response to an operation of an operation lever  16 , so that the rotating directions of each one of the rotating members  58  and  58 ′ are different from each other.  
         [0131]     Further note that a rotational axis of the common driving member  61  is preferably set at a direction perpendicular to the rotational common axis  60  of the rotating members  58  and  58 ′.  
         [0132]     Further precise explanation about this embodiment will be done hereunder with reference to  FIGS. 27 and 28 .  
         [0133]      FIG. 27 (A) is a plan view of one embodiment of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 26 , while  FIG. 27 (B) is a side view of the bulged massive portion supply means  46 .  
         [0134]     As is apparent from FIGS.  27 (A) and  27 (B), each one of the pair of pushing pins  41  are respectively connected to a part of the driving mechanism  50  which can be driven in response to a movement of the operation lever  16 , so that both of the pushing pins  41  and  41 ′ are moved back and forth inside of the pushing pin passage  42 .  
         [0135]     On the other hand, as shown in FIGS.  27 (B) and  27 (C), both of the rotating members  58  and  58 ′ are connected to a common driving member  61  which is a rotating gear wheel, for example, and which can be rotated with a ratchet gear wheel  65  driven by a feed pawl  63  engaging with the ratchet gear wheel  65 . The feed pawl  63  may be driven by the driving mechanism  50 , which works in response to movement of the operation lever  16 .  
         [0136]      FIG. 27 (C) is a backside view of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  and  FIG. 27 (D) is a front view of the bulged massive portion supply means  46 .  
         [0137]     FIGS.  28 (A) to  28 (C) are back side views of the embodiment of the bulged massive portion supply means  46  of the present invention and also show how to work the bulged massive portion supply means  46  in response to movement of the operation lever  16 .  
         [0138]      FIG. 28 (A) shows a configuration of the relationship among the elements used therein when the bulged massive portion  3  has been pushed out from the hollow needle  12 , that is, when the operation lever  16  has been maximally displaced from its original starting position.  
         [0139]     At this moment, a slider  66  which is moved by the driving mechanism  50 , which in turn is driven in response to the operation lever  16 , is located at the most forward position. Thus, the feed pawl  63  is lifted upwardly by a projected portion  67  provided on the slider  66 , so that the ratchet portion  68  provided at the end portion of the feed pawl  63  is removed from the gear tooth  69  of the ratchet gear  65  connected to the common driving member  61 .  
         [0140]     In the next step, as shown in  FIG. 28 (B), by releasing the power applied to the operation lever  16 , when the slider  66  is returned to a middle position from the most forward position thereof, the feed pawl  63  descends from the lifted position so that the ratchet portion  68  comes into contact with the gear tooth  69  of the ratchet gear.  
         [0141]     Further in the third step, as shown in  FIG. 28 (C), when the slider  66  is fully returned to the original position, the feed pawl  63  is moved with the movement of the slider  66  in the left hand direction, so that the ratchet portion  68  of the feed pawl  63  and is engaged with the gear tooth  69  of the ratchet gear  65 , rotates the ratchet gear  65  by a predetermined rotational angle.  
         [0142]     And accordingly, the common driving member  61  connected to the ratchet gear  65  is rotated by a predetermined rotational angle, so that a pair of the rotating members  58 ,  58 ′ can be rotated in a different rotating direction from each other, causing both of the rails  13  and  13 ′ to be moved downwardly.  
         [0143]     Next, a specific configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention, in which both the pushing pin  41  and the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  are used, is explained with reference to FIGS.  21  to  23 .  
         [0144]     In this embodiment, the root portions of the hollow needles  12 ,  12 ′ are supported inside the main body  23  of the device  30  via needle entry receptacles  70  and  70 ′ as shown in  FIG. 21 (A).  
         [0145]     Additionally, the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  includes a cutting member  49  which is disposed at a part of a tip end portion thereof, and has a shearing edge  71 . Thus, in this embodiment, when the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  is moved forward beyond the bulged massive portion supply means  44 , the shearing edge  71  of the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  can break the connecting portion  4  formed between the connecting bar  13  and the bulged massive portion  3 .  
         [0146]     As shown in  FIG. 21 (A), a pair of hollow bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ as shown in  FIG. 20  are supported on a first slider means  73 . The center axis of each one of the hollow bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ are set coaxially with the center axis of each one of the hollow needles  12  and  12 ′. The first slider means  73  has a base plate  78  having a hole through space  77  on a part of the base plate  78 , and a control means  72  which controls movement of the first slider means with respect to the movement of a second slider means  50  as a driving mechanism, which will be explained.  
         [0147]     The control means  72  includes a rod portion  79  extended from the first slide means  73  and a stopper member  80 , which drives the first slider means  73  or stops the movement of the first slider means  73 .  
         [0148]     On the other hand, end portions of a pair of the pushing pins  41  and  41 ′ are fixed on a surface of a second slider means  50 , and other end portions thereof are inserted into the hollow portions of the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 .  
         [0149]     In this case, the second slider means  50  is connected to a base driving member  75 , which is connected to the operation lever  16  via a conventional link mechanism. The second slider means  50  can slide along the hole through space  77  provided in the base plate  78  of the first slider means  73 , if engagement between the second slider means  50  and the stopper member  80  formed on the controlling means  72 , is broken.  
         [0150]     Note that in this embodiment, the over all portions of the first slider means  73  and the second slider means  50  are simultaneously moved in the forward direction when the stopper member  80  is engaged with a part of the second slider means  50 . The base driving member  75  is moved in the forward direction directing the hollow needles  12  and  12 ′.  
         [0151]     This operation is shown in  FIG. 22 .  
         [0152]     Note that, when the second slider means  50  is moved forward, such as in the direction of the hollow needle  12 , since the stopper member  80  of the control means  72  provided on the first slider means  73  is engaged with the second slider means  50 , the pushing pin  41  and the first slider means  73  are simultaneously moved in the same direction and thus the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ are also moved forward, so as to reach the intercrossing point  48 . Then the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ capture the bulged massive portions  3  and  3 ′ with the concave portion formed by the edge portions provided at the tip end portions of the bulged massive portion gripping means  43 .  
         [0153]     And thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 23 (A), by further successive forward movement of the second slider means  50 , the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ take the bulged massive portion  3  and  3 ′ off from the rails, respectively, by cutting the connecting portion  4  and  4 ′ with the cutting means provided on the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  and  43 ′ or another cutting means provided on the main body  23  of the fastener attaching device  30 .  
         [0154]     In the next step, as shown in  FIG. 23 (B), when the stopper member  80  of the control means  72  is sliding inside of the pushing pin passage  42  in contact with to an inside surface of the pushing pin passage  42 , and comes into a position at which a hole portion  81  is provided on a body wall of the pushing pin passage  42 , the stopper member  80  is inserted into the hole portion  81  and thus the engagement formed between the stopper member  80  and the second slider means  50  is removed, causing the movement of the first slider means  73  to be stopped.  
         [0155]     The second slider means  50  continues advancing forwardly through the hole through space  77  provided on the base plate  78  of the first slider means  73 , and thus the pushing pin  41  kept inside the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  goes beyond the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  so that the bulged massive portion  3  held by the bulged massive portion gripping means  43  is pushed into the hollow needle  12  and finally it is pushed out of the hollow needle  12 .  
         [0156]     Thereafter, the second slider means  50  is returned back to an original position by releasing the force applied to the operation lever  16 . On its way back to the original position, until the second slider member  50  has passed through under the locked stopper member  80 , only the second slider means  50  is moved backwardly, while the first slider means  73  is kept in stationary condition.  
         [0157]     Then, when the second slider means has passed through under the locked stopper member  80 , the locked stopper member  80  is released from its locking condition with the hole through space  81 .  
         [0158]     By this time, the second slider means  50  with the base driving member  75  has reached the end portion of the hole through space  77  provided on the base plate  78  of the first slider means  73 , as shown in  FIG. 21 . The second slider means  50  with the base driving member  75  continues to move backwardly to the original position so that both of the first and the second slider means  73  and  50  are returned to their original position, simultaneously.  
         [0159]     FIGS.  29 (A) and  29 (B) shows one of the embodiments of the fastener attaching device  30  of the present invention in which the main body  23  of the device  30  is provided with a cartridge member  90  which contains a rolled fastener assembly  10  and from which the fastener assembly  10  is withdrawn to the bulged massive portion supply path  44  and the connecting bar moving passage  45  with slight twisting of the fastener assembly  10  therebetween.  
         [0160]      FIG. 30  shows another embodiment of the device  30  of the present invention, in which the cartridge member  90  is installed on the main body  23  with its rotational axis  91  being inclined at a certain angle from a surface direction  92  formed by two hollow needles  12  and  12 ′.