Abstract:
A screw dispensing device includes a pushing member which is connected to the slide piece so as to simplify the processes of operation of the device. A movable positioning plate allows the screws with different sizes to be easily inserted in the barrel of the device. A rotatable adjusting knob is pivotably connected to the rear end of the positioning plate and controls the movement of the positioning plate so as to adjust the depth of feeding of the screws.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a screw dispensing device and the device makes the screws be dispensed in a stable status, and screws with different sizes can be conveniently and easily replaced and engaged with the device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional screw dispenser device is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and generally includes a sleeve  10  and a barrel which is connected to the sleeve  10  by a spring bush. A slide piece  12  is connected to a side of the barrel  11  and moves up and down with the relative movement of the barrel  11  and the sleeve  10 . An L-shaped pushing member  13  is pivotably connected to the slide piece  12  and a lever  131  extends from the pushing member  13  and protrudes out from the slide piece  12 . The lever  13  controls the pushing member  13  by a spring. A control shaft  14  is connected to the sleeve  10  and one end of the control shaft  14  contacts against one of the stepped surfaces of the stop member  15 , and the other end of the control shaft  14  contacts the barrel  11 . When changing the screws, the user has to shift the lever  131  of the pushing member  13  so as to engage the screws and pull the screws out. The finger feels paint to press on the lever  131 . The inner diameter of the barrel  11  is fixed so that the screws with smaller specification cannot be securely positioned in the barrel  11 . When using longer screws, the long screws could tilt when being dispensed because the distance between the screws and the barrel  11  is too far. A hole has to be drilled in the sleeve  10  to receive the control shaft  14 . 
     The present invention intends to provide a screw dispensing device wherein the slide piece and the pushing member are connected with each other to simplify the process of operation. An adjusting knob is used to control the travel length of the positioning plate so as to accommodate the screws with different sizes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a screw dispensing device and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a pushing member which is connected to the slide piece so as to simplify the processes of operation of the device. A rotatable adjusting knob is pivotably connected to the rear end of the positioning plate and controls the movement of the positioning plate. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a screw dispensing device wherein a movable positioning plate makes the screws with different sizes be easily inserted in the barrel of the device. It is not necessary to change the barrel when using different size of screws. The rotatable adjusting knob adjusts the depth of feeding of the screws. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an end view to show a conventional screw dispensing device; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the conventional screw dispensing device; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view to show the screw dispensing device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view to show the screw dispensing device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view to show the screw dispensing device of the present invention wherein the guide rod is located in the inclined slot; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view to show the screw dispensing device of the present invention wherein the guide rod is located in the vertical release slot; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view to show the slide piece pressing the screws; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view to show the screw dispensing device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view to show the adjusting knob, the pin, the bead and the spring; 
     FIG. 10 is a similar exploded view viewed from the other side of the barrel, and 
     FIGS. 11 and 12 show the positioning plate controls the depth of the screws penetrating into the object. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 to  6 , the screw dispensing device of the present invention comprises a sleeve  20 , a barrel  30 , a slide piece  40 , a pushing member  42 , a positioning plate  50  and an adjusting knob  60 . 
     The sleeve  20  has a passage  21  with a spring  22  and a shaft  71  received therein, a positioning frame  23  connected to the sleeve  20  to position the spring  22  in the passage  21 . As shown in FIG. 10, an opening  24  is defined in a periphery of the passage  21  and a pin  241  is pivotably connected to a periphery of the opening  24 . A recess  242  is defined beside the pin  241  in the sleeve  20  and a bead  244  and a spring  243  are respectively received in the recess  242 . A straight slot  25  is defined through the wall of the sleeve  20  and a limit slot  26  communicates with the straight slot  25 , the limit slot  26  includes an inclined slot  261  which extends inclinedly and upward relative to the limit slot  26 . A vertical release slot  27  communicates with the inclined slot  261 . 
     The barrel  30  has an outlet  301  at an end thereof and is connected to the sleeve  20  corresponding to the passage  21 . A positioning screw  31  extends through the straight slot  25  of the sleeve  20  so as to retrain the barrel  30  removably in the passage  21  of the sleeve  20  by the spring  22 . An inlet  32  is defined in the lower position of the outlet  301  and a pushing hole  33  is defined in an upper position of the inlet  32 . A pushing member  34  is connected to pushing hole  33  and a mediate portion of the pushing member  34  is fixed to the barrel  30  by a rivet  341  together with a first bush  342 , a second bush  343 , a torsion spring  344  and a washer  345 . A first end  346  of the pushing member  34  is located beside the pushing hole  33 , and a guide rod  348  extends through a second end  347  of the pushing member  34  and is engaged with the limit slot  26  of the sleeve  20 . A slide slot  35  and a threaded hole  351  are defined in the barrel  30  and located on the opposite side of the barrel  30 . A pressing plate  36  is connected to the barrel  30  and located corresponding to the inlet  32 . The pressing plate  36  is a flexible plate and includes a folded stop surface  361  on a side thereof and the stop surface  361  is located corresponding to the screws  70 . 
     The sliding piece  40  is an L-shaped plate and is engaged with the inlet  32  of the barrel  30 . A spring pin  31  is connected to a top of the slide piece  40  and located in correspondence with the pushing hole  33  of the inlet  32 . An opening  411  is defined in a side of the slide piece  40  and the first end  346  of the pushing member  34  extends through the opening  411 . The short end of the L-shaped slide piece  40  protrudes out from the inlet  32  and forms a lever  321 . 
     The pushing member  42  is pivotably connected to the spring pin  41  of the pushing member  42  by a pushing spring  43  and the protrusion portion of the pushing member  42  is pushed into the inlet  32  of the barrel  30  by the pushing spring  43 . The protrusion portion of the pushing member  42  is located in correspondence with the pushing hole  33  of the barrel  30 . 
     The positioning plate  50  is located that a pre-set distance is defined between a front end of the positioning plate  50  and the outlet  301  of the barrel  30 . An operation slot  51  is defined longitudinally in the central portion of the positioning plate  50  and an end of a spring  52  is engaged with the operation slot  51  and the other end of the spring  52  is connected to a guide screw  53  which extends through the operation slot  51  and is fixed with the threaded hole  351  of the barrel  30 . This makes the positioning plate  50  to be able to be movably retained in the slide slot  35  of the barrel  30 . A rear end of the positioning plate  50  is located in correspondence with the opening  24 . 
     The adjusting knob  60  is a circular member which has several stepped surfaces  61  defined in one side thereof and a plurality of dimples  62  are defined in the other side of the adjusting knob  60 . The pin  241  extends through the adjusting knob  60  and the bead  244  is engaged with one of the dimples  62 . The rear end of the positioning plate  50  is engaged with one of the stepped surfaces  61 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, when changing the screws  70 , the lever  321  of the slide piece  40  is pushed by the user so as to lower the pushing member  42 , the protrusion portion of the pushing member  42  is pushed inward by the periphery of the pushing hole  33  so that the screws  70  can be smoothly inserted in the inlet  32  located at in front of the outlet  301 . In the meanwhile, the second end  347  of the pushing member  34  makes the guide rod  348  slide to the vertical release slot  27  of the limit slot  26 . Only one action is required to complete the action of pushing the screws  70  downward by the pushing member  42 . 
     Due to the pre-sect distance between the front end of the positioning plate  50  and the outlet  301  of the barrel  30 , the positioning plate  50  can be freely slid by the spring  52  so that screws with different sizes can be inserted in the outlet  301  of the barrel  30 . Therefore, the length of the outlet  301  does not need to be adjusted for the screws  70  with different sizes. 
     Further referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the stepped surfaces  61  contact the rear end of the positioning plate  50 , so that the depth of the screws  70  to be inserted in the object can be controlled by using the adjusting knob  60 . The bead  244  engaged with the dimple  62  makes the control of the depth of the screws  70  be easy. 
     The folded stop surface  361  of the pressing plate  361  positions the screws  70  in the inlet  32  and the flexible force of the pressing plate  361  ensures the screws  70  not to shake up and down. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.