Patent ID: 7472813

Claim:
A tool for dispensing plastic fasteners from a fastener clip, each plastic fastener having a cross-bar, said tool comprising: (a) a housing comprising a handle portion and a barrel portion, (b) a trigger assembly comprising a trigger which is pivotally mounted in the housing and which extends partially through the handle portion thereof for actuation, (c) a needle assembly mounted in the barrel portion of the housing, the needle assembly comprising a hollow, slotted needle, (d) an ejection mechanism slidably mounted in the barrel portion of the housing, the ejection mechanism comprising an ejector rod which is insertable back and forth through the hollow needle, and (e) an indexing mechanism for advancing the cross-bar of a fastener in the fastener clip into axial alignment behind the hollow, slotted needle, the indexing mechanism comprising, (i) a feed slide slidably mounted in the barrel portion of the housing, (ii) a pivotally mounted feed cam connected to the feed slide, and (iii) a feed pawl slidably mounted on the feed cam, the feed pawl being separate from the feed cam, the feed pawl being shaped to include a ratchet-shaped tooth for selectively engaging and advancing the fastener clip.