Abstract:
Apparatus for handling and feeding of groups of fasteners such as screws to an applicator or applicators for applying workpieces such as hinges to a base at a series of worksites. A dispenser at a charging site receives from a fastener feeder a charge of the groups of fasteners needed at all of the worksites of the series and then moves consecutively to each of the worksites to dispense a group of fasteners to an applicator at each worksite. A plurality of passageways extend from a fastener receiving side at the top to a fastener discharge side at the bottom of the dispenser, one passageway for each fastener to be dispensed. The discharge ends of the passageways register with receiving apertures at the applicator at each site. A series of gates at positions along the passageways selective hold and release groups of fasteners at their respective positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to handling fasteners such as screws and the like for their use in automated fastening operations. More specifically this invention concerns feeding of fasteners such as screws in sequential groups and particularly to feeding groups of fasteners in a sequence to an applicator for applying a workpiece with each group of fasteners to a base or substrate at each of a series of sites. 
   Various implements are utilized for automatically applying fasteners to a workpiece and they often require the delivery of fasteners to an applicator implement or implements at a single worksite to carry out the fastening operation at that worksite. One such application is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,967 to MacKenzie et al. in which groups of nails are serially fed to a nailing die that holds them against the outsole of a shoe at an attaching station at which the nails are driven through the heel and into the heel portion of an outsole. This application requires only one fastening location. However, in some applications it is desirable to deliver groups of fasteners to each of a multiple number of fastening locations at the same time. 
   One such application is found in equipment for automatically applying fasteners between doors and door jambs. In this application a multiple number of screws must be driven into the door and adjacent jamb through the openings in each hinge leaf, usually three or more for each leaf. 
   In such hinging equipment screws are first collated from a collection in an overhead screw box and a group individual screws are then fed simultaneously from the box, each through a separate tube to one of the hinge openings for driving therethrough by a driving implement into the door or jamb. In order to apply hinges at multiple locations along the side of the door, stationary hinging equipment is provided for each location or a single hinger is mounted on a carriage for movement between each hinging site to apply all of the hinges consecutively. 
   In the carriage-mounted hinger the screw box is mounted on the carriage above the driving implement at the hinge openings and moves between hinging sites with the rest of the hinging equipment on the carriage. The screw box necessarily contributes a substantial amount of mass and weight to carriage and thus may limit the speed and accuracy of performance of the hinger functions. Thus, it would be desirable have a rapid screw supply to the hinging equipment on the carriage without requiring the screw box to be on the carriage. 
   Another approach for delivering a series of fasteners simultaneously to a workplace is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,087. In this approach, a vibrating feed hopper collates screws and delivers them in a column down a delivery chute to an outlet confronting a slide assembly extending normal to the chute that is mounted for movement between a ready position to one side of the chute and a dump position to the other side. The slide assembly contains a series of compartments spaced along its length each for receiving and holding a screw from the delivery chute. When the slide assembly moves from the dump position to the ready position it moves past the end of the delivery chute and each compartment of the slide assembly receives a screw from the chute. When the slide assembly returns to the dump position the screws are simultaneously released through the bottom of their compartments each into its own delivery tube, for delivery to a separate screwdriver at a workplace. 
   The foregoing delivery system is essentially equivalent in result to the screw hopper arrangement described for the hinger application in that a mass of random screws are organized and simultaneously discharged in groups, each through a separate delivery tube, to a workplace. Adapted for the carriage-mounted hinger operation earlier described, this system, including its feed hopper, must be mounted on the carriage, with the attendant weight and mass shortcomings mentioned for the screw box delivery system. Moreover, in this system the screws must be inserted into the slide assembly one by one, with attendant delay. Also, the slide assembly is only capable of holding one charge of screws for the delivery tubes and must return to the ready position after each dump. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the handling and feeding of groups of fasteners to an applicator or applicators for applying workpieces to a base or substrate and particularly for application of the workpieces at a series of worksites. In this invention a dispenser at a charging site receives a charge of the groups of fasteners needed at all of the worksites of the series and then moves consecutively to each of the worksites to dispense a group of fasteners to an applicator at each worksite. 
   In one embodiment an applicator is permanently stationed at each of the multiple worksites and the dispenser is moved from the charging site consecutively to each worksite to dispense a group of fasteners to each of the applicators at each of the worksites. 
   However, in the preferred embodiment only a single applicator is employed and this applicator moves with the dispenser to each of the worksites to sequentially dispense groups of fasteners to that single dispenser for application to each of the worksites. 
   The invention may be employed for fastening, at multiple sites, brackets, claddings, laminae and other mountings and other workpieces requiring groups of fasteners at multiple sites but it especially concerns feeding of groups of screws to a hinge applicator mounted on a shuttle or carriage for movement along a juxtaposed door and door jamb for applying hinges at a plurality of worksites therealong. 
   For the foregoing and other potential applications, this invention permits the feeding of a series of groups of fasteners to an applicator or applicators for applying workpieces at a series of worksites with a lightweight shuttle dispenser without the need to transport to those worksites a heavy and bulky hopper required for collating and feeding groups of fasteners. 
   For application of workpieces requiring multiple fasteners to secure, typically the fasteners are to be applied in a pattern (spacing and location) most appropriate to the size and character of the workpiece. For example, hinges require screws to be applied in a pattern corresponding to the location of the screw holes of the hinge leaves of the open hinge to be applied. Advantageously, for this purpose in the invention an applicator may be used that has an appliance capable of receiving a group of fasteners from the dispenser and holding each fastener in the group at a predetermined location at the site of application that conforms to the application pattern needed for the particular workpiece and base. 
   Advantageously in the invention to supply a fastener feeder is used that is capable of collating and dispensing separate groups of fasteners with each fastener fed to a separate location for communication with a separate passageway of a dispenser to be charged with fasteners. 
   The dispensers of the invention, discussed more fully below, are desirably provided with a number of chambers or passageways, that extend from a fastener receiving side at the top to a fastener discharge side at the bottom of the dispenser, one passageway for each fastener to be dispensed. The locations of the discharge ends of the passageways at the bottom of the dispenser desirably correspond to the pattern of the predetermined locations at which the applicator at the worksite holds the fasteners. In this fashion there is an ease of communication and flow of fasteners from the dispenser to the appliance and permits the appliance to apply the fasteners at the worksite in the pattern needed for the particular workpiece and base. 
   The separate location each of the fasteners fed by the fastener feeder to the dispenser at the charging desirably correspond to the location of a respective passageway at the top of the dispenser. This permits easy communication and flow from the fastener feeder to the dispenser. 
   The dispenser is desirably carried on a shuttle and travels first to the charging site to be charged with groups of fasteners sufficient to dispense a group at each worksite. The shuttle then moves consecutively to each of the worksites and at each worksite the dispenser dispenses a group of fasteners to an applicator at that worksite. The shuttle then returns to the charging site to begin a new cycle. 
   As indicated, in the preferred embodiment a single applicator is employed that moves between the worksites to apply a workpiece at each. Advantageously this applicator is carried on a shuttle, together with the dispenser, for this purpose. The dispenser receives and holds the requisite number of groups of fasteners and is capable of serially dispensing the groups. A particular dispenser of this invention is comprised of a series of passageways that comprise chambers for holding discrete groups of fasteners. The passageways extend from a receiving side, at which a fastener feeder feeds fasteners to each passageway, to a discharge side, at which the groups of fasteners may be dispensed to an appliance for application at a worksite. 
   Between the receiving and discharge side of the dispenser are a series of gates for all of the passageways, each gate at a position spaced from the positions of the other gates sufficiently to permit fasteners held at a gate to be beyond the position of the next previous gate. Each gate may be individually and selectively actuated to either open all of the passageways at its position to the flow of fasteners past that position or to stop fasteners in all of the passageways at its position. This dispenser may be charged by first dosing off the gate closest to the discharge side while opening all of the other gates. The fastener feeder then feeds one group of fasteners into the passageways at the receiving side of the dispenser, one fastener per passageway. The next adjacent gate is then closed and another group of fasteners similarly fed into the passageways. These steps are repeated sequentially for each gate toward the receiving side to create a “stack” of fastener groups. The groups of fasteners may then be sequentially dispensed from dispenser by sequentially opening the gates, starting with the gate closest to the discharge side. 
   Another feature of the dispenser of this invention provides a mode of propelling the fasteners through the passageways. In this feature a selectively operable closure is provided for the passageways at the receiving side of the dispensers or a position between the receiving side and the first gate position. Also, air ducts or the like are provided for introducing air under pressure to the passageways at a position along the passageways between the closure position and the first gate position. 
   Yet another feature of the dispenser that may be used in this invention is a type of gate closure that is particularly useful in dispensing screws or other fasteners which have enlarged heads, larger than the shanks of the fastener. Such a closure constricts the passageway at gate position to a degree that the shank of the fastener still passes the gate position but fastener head is retained by constriction. When all of the fasteners fed to the dispenser passageways the fasteners may be collected at each dosed gate position with the fasteners all aligned with the passage direction. This decreases the possibility of jams. Such constrictions may be created by intersecting the passageway with projections at the periphery of the passageway at the gate location. In particular a pair of spaced-apart rods may be inserted, one to either side of the passageway. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a prior art carriage or shuttle for dispensing screws for application at multiple worksites with the rest position shown in solid lines and three application sites, positions A, B and C, in dotted outline; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a carriage or shuttle of this invention for dispensing screws for application at multiple worksites with the home position shown in solid lines and three application sites, positions A, B and C, in dotted outline; 
       FIG. 3A  is a fragmentary side view of a workstation of this invention for applying hinges to doors and door jambs, including a carriage carrying automatic screw drivers, a hinge and screw applicator and a screw dispenser of this invention for feeding screws for application to the hinges. In this view the carriage is located at a home position with the dispenser elevated to receive screws from a screw dispenser located at the home position; 
       FIG. 3B  is the same fragmentary side view of the workstation of  FIG. 3A  but showing the carriage moved to an application site along workstation and the screw dispenser lowered to deliver screws to a hinge and screw applicator positioned to receive the screws; 
       FIG. 3C  is the same fragmentary side view of the workstation of  FIG. 3A  showing the carriage at the application site with the screw dispenser raised to the elevated position after delivery of screw to the hinge and screw applicator and the hinge and screw applicator pivoted sideways to bring the hinge and screws into position to be driven by the screw drivers; 
       FIG. 4A  is a fragmentary sectional view at the front side of the workstation of  FIG. 3A  taken along lines  4 A- 4 A of  FIG. 3A  showing the carriage located at the home position and the dispenser elevated to receive screws from the screw dispenser; 
       FIG. 4B  is a fragmentary sectional view at the front side of the workstation of  FIG. 3B  taken along lines  4 B- 4 B of  FIG. 3B  showing the carriage moved to an application site along workstation and the screw dispenser lowered to deliver screws to a hinge and screw applicator positioned to receive the screws; 
       FIG. 4C  is a fragmentary sectional view at the front side of the workstation of  FIG. 3C  taken along lines  4 C- 4 C of  FIG. 3C  showing the carriage at the application site with the screw hinge dispenser raised to the elevated position after delivery of screw to the hinge and screw applicator and the hinge and screw applicator pivoted sideways to bring the hinge and screws into position to be driven by the screw drivers; 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric, enlarged view, in isolation, of the dispenser depicted in the workstation of  FIG. 3A  showing the dispenser slide cover at the open position with the openings therein in register with the screw passageway, the lower level gate engaged, the upper level gate disengaged and the midlevel gate in solid lines in the disengaged mode and in dotted lines in engaged mode; 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 5  taken along lines  6 A- 6 A in  FIG. 5  showing details of screw passageways and the gate rods at the passageways; 
       FIG. 7  is a is fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 5  taken along lines  7 A- 7 A in  FIG. 5  showing details of screw passageways and the gate rods at the passageways; 
       FIG. 8A  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 5  taken along lines  8 A- 8 A in  FIGS. 6 and 7  showing the gate rods at the upper level in the engaged position; 
       FIG. 8B  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 5  taken along lines  8 B- 8 B in  FIGS. 6 and 7  showing the gate rods at the lower level in the disengaged position; 
       FIG. 9A  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 5  but showing all three gates in disengaged mode; 
       FIG. 10A  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9A  taken along lines  10 A- 10 A in  FIG. 9A  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11A  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9A  taken along lines  11 A- 11 A in  FIG. 9A , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10  A, showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9B  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 5  but showing upper and midlevel gate in disengaged mode and the lower level gate engaged; 
       FIG. 10B  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9B  taken along lines  10 B- 10 B in  FIG. 9B  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11B  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9B  taken along lines  11 B- 11 B in  FIG. 9B , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10  B, showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9C  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 5  but showing upper gate in disengaged mode and the midlevel and lower level gate disengaged; 
       FIG. 10C  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9C  taken along lines  10 C- 10 C in  FIG. 9C  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11C  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9C  taken along lines  11 C- 11 C in  FIG. 9C , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10  C, showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9D  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 5  but showing the gates at all three levels in the engaged mode; 
       FIG. 10D  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9D  taken along lines  10 D- 10 D in  FIG. 9D  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11D  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9D  taken along lines  11 D- 11 D in  FIG. 9D , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10D , showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9E  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 9D  but showing the dispenser slide cover at the dosed position with the openings therein out of register with the screw passageways and dosing off the passageways; 
       FIG. 10E  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9E  taken along lines  10 E- 10 E in  FIG. 9E  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11E  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9E  taken along lines  11 E- 11 E in  FIG. 9E , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10D , showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9F  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 9E  but with the lower level gate rods moved to the disengaged position; 
       FIG. 10F  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9F  taken along lines  10 F- 10 F in  FIG. 9F  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11F  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9F  taken along lines  11 F- 11 F in  FIG. 9F , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10F , showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9G  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 9E  but with midlevel and lower level gate rods moved to the disengaged position; 
       FIG. 10G  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9G  taken along lines  10 G- 10 G in  FIG. 9G  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11G  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9G  taken along lines  11 G- 11 G in  FIG. 9G , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10G , showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 9H  is the same isometric view of the dispenser as  FIG. 9E  but with gate rods at all levels moved to the disengaged position; 
       FIG. 10H  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9H  taken along lines  10 H- 10 H in  FIG. 9H  showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 11H  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 9H  taken along lines  11 H- 11 H in  FIG. 9H , in a direction perpendicular to the view of  FIG. 10H , showing details of a screw passageway and the gate rods at the passageway; 
       FIG. 12  is an isometric view a another embodiment of the dispenser that corresponds to the embodiment of  FIG. 5-11H , except for a different configuration of the piston operators for the passageway gates and the slide cover and the air ducts therefor, showing the dispenser slide cover at the open position with the openings therein in register with the screw passageway, the rods of the lower most gate in the engaged position, the rods of the upper most gate in the disengaged position and the rods of the intermediate gate solid lines in the disengaged position and in dotted lines in the engaged position; 
       FIG. 13A  is a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of  FIG. 12  taken along lines  113 A in  FIG. 12  showing gate rods at the lower level at the disengaged position and the pair of air cylinder actuators for the gate rods in the extended position; and 
       FIG. 13B  is the same fragmentary sectional view as in  FIG. 13A  but with lower level gate rods at the engaged position and the cylinder actuators therefor in the retracted position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The following description illustrates the manner in which the principles of the invention are applied but is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. 
   The dispenser or downloader of this invention is intended for dispensing fasteners, especially, to locations where the fasteners may be employed, as by installing, driving or other manipulation, to serve an intended purpose and particularly for fastening a workpiece to a base or substrate. As a part of this invention the dispensers may be incorporated into workstations for fabricating structures utilizing the dispensed fasteners. 
   The dispensers of this invention are particularly useful in connection with workstations for fabricating door and door jamb units in which hinges are secured to doorjambs by means of screws or the like. In the prior art these workstations typically incorporate automatic hingers for application of hinges at locations along the door edge and jamb surface. Such hingers may be mounted for operation on a carriage for movement to traverse to the hinge sites along the door edge for applying hinges to doors and door jambs at those sites, such as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,290 (Patent &#39;290). The hingers on the carriages of those workstations typically include a screw feeder, a hinge feeder, a hinge and screw applicator and screwdrivers for fastening the hinges with screws at the application sites. 
   Referring to the drawings  FIG. 1  illustrates such prior art workstations. A shuttle or carriage is mounted for movement between a home position, at which the carriage is idle, and hinging sites, positions A, B and C, at each of which the carriage may be stopped for application of a hinge to an adjacent door edge and jamb face. A screw feeder is mounted above the shuttle and travels with it to the application sites to feed screws to the hinger at each site. The screw feeder first collates screws from a haphazard aggregation of screws and then dispenses the required number of collated screws, each through a separate tube to a separate location at a screw and hinge applicator on the carriage. For this purpose the screw feeder typically requires a heavy box or cylinder that must be mounted for oscillation or vibration in order to collate and dispense the screws. 
   By contrast, with workstations according to this invention, as seen in  FIG. 2 , the screw feeder is stationed permanently at a home position and a screw dispenser of this invention is mounted on the tool carriage. While the carriage is at the home position, the screw dispenser may be charged by the screw feeder with sufficient screws for supplying the hinger to apply hinges at each of the hinge positions, A, B and C. The carriage then returns to the home position for recharging with screws to carry out the next cycle. 
   For carrying out this function, the screw dispenser has the ability to receive and carry to each of the hinge sites the appropriate number of screws and to dispense the required number of screws, at or about the same time, at each site, each to the desired location at that site for that screw. 
   A typical hinge applicator workstation has a screw and hinge applicator that applies the hinge to the door and jamb surfaces together with the screws which are then driven by screwdrivers. For such workstations the screw dispenser typically dispenses to the applicator, usually each into a respective recess in the applicator that registers with a hinge screw hole location in a hinge adjacent to the applicator. 
     FIGS. 3A through 4C  illustrate the relevant portions of such a workstation. With reference to these figures, a support frame  1 A of a workstation  1  is provided to secure and position a door  3  and door jamb  4  for application of hinges and upon which shuttle carriage  2  is mounted as will be described. As seen in  FIGS. 3A through 3C , door damps  5  and jamb damps  6  secure door  3  and jamb  4 , respectively, in position with the side edge  9  of door  3  and jamb face  10  juxtaposed in spaced relationship for applying hinges therebetween with one hinge leaf at the face of the jamb and the other at the door side. 
   Carriage  2  is mounted by rails  7  on support frame  1 A for movement on the rails along the front side  8  of frame  1 A so that the hinging equipment on the carriage  2  held on frame  1 A. 
   Various equipment may be mounted on the carriage including equipment to feed, hold and apply the hinges and to feed, hold and drive screws through the hinges to fix them to the door edge and jamb face. Equipment (not shown) may also be placed on the carriage for preparing the door edge and jamb face for receiving the hinges and for drilling the screw holes or this may be done in a separate operation. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3A through 4C , a screw and hinge applicator block  11  may be mounted on the carriage for rotation and lateral movement as will be described. Block  11  is an appliance that has screw-receiving passages  12  for receiving, holding and allowing passage therethrough of screws driven by screwdrivers, as shown more fully in Patent &#39;290. 
   Block  11  is rotatable about an axle  13  between a horizontal position, as seen in  FIGS. 3A  and B, with passages  12  vertical for receiving screws from above and a vertical position, as shown in  FIG. 3C , with passages  12  horizontal for driving screws through passages  12 . Block  11  moves laterally between a screw receiving position, as shown in  FIGS. 3A  and B, and a hinge and screw applying position against the door edge  9  and jamb face  10  held in place on the workstation, as shown in  FIG. 3C . At the hinge and screw applying position block  11  holds the opened hinge  14  against door edge  9  and jamb face  10  while screws are being driven from the other thereof through block  11  and the hinge leaves into the door and jamb. 
   The screw receiving passages  12  of block  11  are spaced and located to conform to the pattern and spacing of the screw holes of the hinge when the hinge is held against the surface of block  11  with the hinge opened with a leaf to either side of the hinge joint. The standard hinge used for hanging doors has three screw holes in each hinge leaf spaced across the leaf in the hinge joint direction. The outer screw holes of each leaf are aligned in the hinge joint direction and the middle screw hole is offset outwardly of the hinge joint from the outer screw holes. With the hinge open each pair of counterpart screw holes in the leaves are aligned in the direction normal to the hinge joint. In this embodiment the screw receiving passages are spaced and located to conform to and register with the described screw hole pattern and alignment of a standard hinge, with the hinge open and the hinge joint aligned with axle  13  of block  11 . 
   Magnets (not shown) are provided at the bottom  15  of block  11  for receiving and holding an opened hinge  14  thereagainst, as seen in  FIG. 3B . The hinge may be applied manually against the bottom of the block. However, as described in full in Patent &#39;290, the carriage may be provided with a magazine of opened hinges (not shown here) which is adapted to feed an individual hinges to the bottom  15  of block  11  for each hinge installation. 
   Screwdrivers  16  are mounted on the carriage for movement from a retracted position, as shown in  FIGS. 3A  and B to an engaged position, as shown in  FIG. 3C , where their bits move into the passages in block  11  to drive the screw through the hinge into the door edge and jamb face. 
   Dispenser  18  rests on platform  17 A that is mounted on carriage  2  by piston  17 C and by guide rods  171 B that are slidably engaged by platform  17 A. Platform  17 A together with dispenser  18  is vertically movable by actuating piston  17 C between a higher screw receiving position and a lower screw dispensing position. Dispenser  18  immediately above the position of block  11  so that dispenser  18  may lowered to a position immediately adjacent block  11  when block  11  is at the horizontal position for receiving screws. 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 5-7  dispenser  18  comprises a block  19  having opposed sidewalls  20  and  21  that are aligned with axle  13  of block  11  and opposed sidewalls  22  and  23  that are perpendicular to axle  13 . 
   Dispenser block  19  has vertical screw dispensing passageways  24 A,  24 B and  24 C toward sidewall  22  of block  19  and passageways  24 D,  24 E and  24 F toward sidewall  21 . The dispenser passageways end in respective openings  25  at the bottom of dispenser block  19  that are spaced apart in a pattern that matches the openings of passages  12  in screw and hinge block  11 . When the dispenser  18  is at its screw dispensing position and block  11  is at its screw receiving position, each dispenser passageway bottom opening  25  registers with a respective screw receiving passage  12  in block  11  to be in flow communication therewith. 
   Looking now particularly at  FIG. 4A , carriage  2  is shown at a home position which is near one end of the traverse of carriage  2  along the front side  8  of workstation  1 . This is the home position shown schematically in  FIG. 1 . Screw feeder  26  is mounted at the home position on support  27 , which, in turn, is mounted on workstation frame  1 A. Screw feeder  26  delivers screws individually through tubes  28  descending therefrom. Each tube  28  descends to a respective hole through support  27  so that screws may be delivered through support  27  to dispenser  18  when the dispenser  18  is stationed immediately below support  27 . As seen in  FIG. 4A , when carriage  2  is at the home position with dispenser raised to the screw receiving position, the top of dispenser  18  is immediately adjacent the lower side of support  27 . The holes for tubes  28  in support  27  are located and spaced so that each registers with a respective top opening  30  of a respective passageway of passageways  24 A- 24 F of dispenser  18  so there is flow communication to all of the passageways  24 A- 24 F for screws delivered from screw feeder  26  through tubes  28  when carriage  2  is at the home position. 
   After dispenser  18  is loaded with screws at the base position carriage  2  is moved along the adjacent door edge and jamb face to the A (first) hinge position as shown in  FIG. 4B . Dispenser  18  is dropped to the screw dispensing position which brings the bottom of dispenser  18  adjacent hinge and screw receiving block  11 , which is in the horizontal position, with the passageways of dispenser  18  in flow communication with the screw receiving passages of block  11 . Dispenser  18  is then activated, as will be explained, to drop a charge of screws into block  11 , one screw into each passage. An open hinge is attached at the bottom of block  11 . Following this, dispenser  18  is raised again the screw receiving position to provide clearance for rotating block  11  to the vertical position, as shown in  FIG. 4C . Block  11  is then moved to the hinge and screw applying position and the screwdrivers  16  are advanced and activated to drive the screws through the hinge into the door edge and jamb face. The screwdrivers  16  are then retracted and the carriage  2  moved on to the second hinge position. At the same time block  11  is rotated to the horizontal position. Then dispenser  18  lowered to the screw dispensing position against block  11  and another charge of screws dropped into passages  12 . The same hinge application steps are carried out at this B (second) position as just described. In this fashion hinges are applied at all of the hinge positions. After completion of the application of the last hinge, carriage  2  is moved back the home position for recharging with screws to begin the next cycle. 
   Desirably, the screw feeder employed is capable of serially dispensing groups of screws, the screws in each group being dispensed at or about the same time. Various types of feeders are available for this purpose. The preferred feeders are those described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,473 and my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/681,484, filed Oct. 8, 2003. Those feeders have an oscillating chamber in which screws are collated and then fed in rows to an escapement that serially dispenses groups of screws, each screw being dropped into a separate tube. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 5 through 13B , block  19  of dispenser  18  has passageways  24 A through  24 F therethrough extending from openings  30  at top  31  to openings  25  at bottom  33 . Passageways  24 A- 24 F are arranged to conform to the pattern and spacing of passages  12  of block  11 . Consequently, passageways  24 A and  24 D are adjacent to sidewall  23  and are aligned in the direction parallel to sidewalls  22  and  23 . Passageways  24 C and  24 F are adjacent to sidewall  22  and are aligned in the direction parallel to sidewalls  22  and  23 . The remaining pair, passageways  24 C and  24 D is located midway between sidewalls  23  and also aligned in the direction parallel with sidewalls  22  and  23 . 
   Control rods  36  are slidably engaged through bores  37  in dispenser block  19  at three different levels, between the top  31  and the bottom  33  of block  19  to form stop assemblies or gates  40 A,  40 B, and  40 C. Rods  36  all extend between sidewalls  22  and  23  in parallel with each other and with sidewalls  22  and  23 . Control rods  36  at each of the three gates are disposed as follows. A pair of the rods  36  extend along the opposed sides of both of the passageways of each of the three aligned pairs of passageways, i.e. the passageway pair  24 A and  24 D, the passageway pair  24 B and  24 E and the passageway pair  24 C and  24 F. 
   At each passageway pair one rod  36  of the pair being adjacent to and partially intersecting at one side of each of the respective two passageways and the other rod of the pair being adjacent to and partially intersecting the other side of the respective two passageways. Desirably the axis of each rod is tangential to the respective adjacent passageways so that each rod intersects the respective passageway sides up to a half the width of rod. With this particular design for use with screws or other headed fasteners, there is a clearance between the rod pairs so that the body of the screw may drop between them but the wider head of the screw will be retained against the upper side of the rods. Thus the screw will be held at the control rod pair as illustrated at  FIGS. 10B and 11B . 
   Each control rod  36  is provided with two semicircular cutouts  41  spaced apart along the rod at a distance equal to the distance between the intersecting positions of the rod with the adjacent pair of passageways. Rod cutouts  41  are each desirably configured so that, when the cutouts on the rods are located at the intersecting positions with the adjacent passageways, they conform to the circular walls of such passageways. In this mode the passageways are completely open and unblocked, as seen for example in  FIGS. 10A and 11A . 
   As seen particularly in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , each of gates  40 A,  40 B, and  40 C further comprises a brace  42  outside of sidewall  22  secured to the sidewall  22  end of all control rods  36  of the respective gate. Thus, in the case of each gate, all of the rods of that gate may slide along their bores  37  as a unit between a stop or dosed position and an open position. Cutouts  41  at the rods of each gate are positioned so that, when brace  42  of that gate is moved to slide all rods  36  of that gate to an open position, all of the cutouts  41  on the rods are brought to the intersecting positions with the adjacent pair of passageways. This is shown for the top gate  40 A and the middle gate  40 B in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . When a brace  37  is moved to the stop position, where cutouts  41  are no longer at the intersecting positions, rods  36  of that gate protrude into the adjacent passageways to effectively block passage of a screw or other article through that level of the passageways. This is shown for the bottom gate  40 C in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
   The gate at each level is provided with a pair of operator pistons for moving that gate between the open and stop positions. In  FIG. 8A  and with respect to gates  40 A and  40 C, piston rods  44  of each pair of double-acting pistons  43  are fixed to the brace  42  at each gate. Air pressure may be introduced at one end of each piston  43  at one end through duct  46 A and at the other end through duct  4613 . When air pressure is introduced into the pair of pistons  43  through ducts  46 A, each gate is moved to the stop position, as shown in  FIG. 81B  for gate  401 B When air pressure is introduced into the pair of pistons  43  through ducts  461 B, each gate is moved to the open position, as shown in  FIG. 8A  for gate  40 A. To move the gate back to the open position the air pressure is relieved from pistons  43 . Air ducts in block  19  (not shown) connect pistons  43  to nipples  46  at the exterior, each of which receives a hose from an external air source (not shown). 
   At top  31  is a slide plate  47  having openings  48  therethrough that in the open mode, as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 9D  and  12 , register with openings  30  and which, as shown in  FIGS. 9F to 11 , may be slid out of register with and dose off openings  30  at the top  31  of dispenser  18 . As seen in  FIGS. 11A through 11E , slide plate  47  has a brace  49  outside of sidewall  22  to which is attached a pair of piston rods each of which is attached to an adjacent piston (not shown) constructed and operated like pistons  43  for moving slide plate  47  between an open and dosed positions. Air ducts (not shown) in block  19  connect the sliding plate pistons to nipples  50  at the exterior each of which receives a hose from an external air source (not shown). 
   As seen best in  FIG. 6 , an air duct  51  connects between passageways  24 A and  24 C and therefrom externally to nipple  52 . Duct  51  also connects to passageways  24 B and  2 D- 24 F through side channels (not shown). 
   Nipple  52  also receives a hose from an external air source (not shown) for applying air pressure to duct  51 . Air duct  51  supplies air under pressure to all of passageways  24 A- 24 F above the three gate levels  40 A- 40 C, when slide plate  47  is in the dosed position, to propel screws toward the bottom of dispenser block  19 . 
   Operation of dispenser  18  may be described with reference to  FIG. 9A  through  FIG. 12 . At the start, as seen in  FIGS. 9A ,  10 A and  11 A dispenser  19  is completely empty of screws and slide plate  47  is in the open position ready to receive screws. To start the screw charging procedure gate  40 C is first moved to the stop position by actuation of pistons  43  for stop assembly  40 C. Then screws  53  are fed as a group into openings  30  at the top of passageways  24 A through  24 F, one screw into each opening. The screws fall down passageways  24 A- 24 F, moving past the top and middle gates, which are open, and then are held at the lowest gate level  40 C, by gate  40 C as shown in  FIGS. 9B ,  10 B and  11 B. Next, gate  40 B is moved to the dosed position and a second charge of screws  53  fed into openings  30 , one screw into each passageway. These screws fall to gate level  40 B where gate  40 B retains them, as seen in  FIGS. 9C ,  10 C and  11 C. 
   Following this, gate  40 A is moved to the closed position and a second charge of screws fed into openings  30 , one screw into each passageway. These screws fall to gate level  40 A where gate  40 A retains them, as seen in  FIGS. 9D ,  10 D and  11 D. 
   At this point dispenser  18  is fully charged and ready for dispensing screws in groups, each screw in the group to a separate particularized and localized position at one or more dispensing sites. In the particular example of a hinging operation as shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4C , dispenser  18  in each instance is brought to the same dispensing site, i.e., where its passageways  24 A- 24 F may communicate with the passages  12  of screw and hinge block  11 . Both dispenser  18  and screw and hinge block  11 , as well as the other equipment on carriage  2  move together between hinging positions A, B and C, at each of which screws are dispensed. 
   In this example dispenser  18 , now charged, is brought with carriage  2  to position A of  FIG. 2 . Dispenser  18  is then lowered to bring passageways  24 A- 24 F into communication with passages  12  of screw and hinge block  11  which is then in the horizontal screw receiving position. The pistons operating slide are actuated to move slide plate to the dosed position. Air pressure is introduced though air ducts  51  into passageways  24 A- 24 F. Gate  40 C is moved to the open position to discharge under air pressure the screws that were held at gate  40 C out of all of passageways  24 A- 24 F and into respective passages  12  of screw and hinge block  11 . Dispenser block  19  is lifted and the hinge application completed at Position A. 
   Carriage  2  is then moved to Position B and dispenser  18  again lowered to the screw dispensing position. Air pressure is again introduced into ducts  51  gate  40 B is then moved to the open position to release to the screws at gate  40 B and into passageways  24 A- 24 F of block  19 . Following completion of hinge application at Position B, carriage  2  is moved to Position C where the same procedure is carried out as at Position B except that at Position C gate  40 A is opened to discharge to block  11  the screws retained at gate  40 A. 
   After completion of hinging at Position C, the carriage with the empty dispenser  18  is moved back to Home Position. Dispenser  18  is raised to the screw receiving position and slide plate is opened to receive another load of screws. The dispenser is thus prepared to complete additional cycles as described. 
   In the embodiment of  FIGS. 12 ,  13 A and B is shown a different an alternative operator piston arrangement for the operator pistons for gates  40 A- 40 C and slide plate  47 . In this embodiment, the pistons are singe-acting and as shown for  FIGS. 13A  and C, piston rods  44  of each pair of pistons  43  are fixed to the brace  42  at each gate and a spring  49  surrounding each rod  44  acts against brace  42  to bias gate  40 A to the open position as shown in  FIG. 13A . When air pressure is introduced into the pair of pistons  43  at ducts  46 A, each gate is moved to the stop position, as shown in  FIG. 13B  for gate  40 C. To move the gate back to the open position the air pressure is relieved from pistons  43 . Ducts  46 A connect to nipples  46  for supplying compressed air. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that in the dispenser various other mechanical or magnetic expedients in place of control rods  36  as stops or gates to selectively open and close off the passageways at the various levels of the dispenser. Also, the outlets of the passageways may each be fitted with tubes or other means to channel each exiting screw or other article to a particular desired location for an intended use. 
   In another embodiment for door hinging apparatus, a hinge and screw applicator appliance, such as hinge and screw block  11  of the forgoing embodiment, may be stationed permanently at each worksite in the place of a single shuttle mounted applicator. In this embodiment each block  11  is mounted at its worksite, such as at each of Positions A, B and C, to move between a horizontal screw receiving position and a vertical screw and hinge applying position as described in the preceding embodiment. The dispenser remains on the shuttle and moves on the shuttle to each worksite to a screw dispensing position at which the passageways of the dispenser register with openings  12  of the hinge and screw block  11  at the worksite when the block  11  is in the screw receiving position.