Patent ID: 8858757

Claim:
A plug plate dispensing assembly comprising: a base member; a first riser coupled to the base member, wherein the first riser extends upwards away from the base member; a second riser coupled to the base member and offset laterally from the first riser, wherein the second riser extends upwards away from the base member; a reel support member coupled to the first riser and the second riser, wherein the reel support member extends from the first riser to the second riser and is disposed on a front side of the plug plate dispensing assembly, and wherein the reel support member is configured to hold a reel comprising a plurality of plug plates adhered to a sheet stock; an apex cross member coupled to the first riser and the second riser, wherein the apex cross member extends from the first riser to the second riser; a lower cross member coupled to the first riser and the second riser, wherein the lower cross member extends from the first riser to the second riser, and wherein the lower cross member is disposed downwards from the apex cross member, and the lower cross member is offset from the apex cross member towards the front side of the plug plate dispensing assembly; a central cross member coupled to the first riser and the second riser, wherein the central cross member extends from the first riser to the second riser, and wherein the central cross member is disposed downwards from the apex cross member and upwards from the lower cross member, and the central cross member is offset from the apex cross member towards a back side of the plug plate dispensing assembly; a drive roller rotatably engaged with the first riser and the second riser, wherein when the sheet stock is fed between the lower cross member and the apex cross member, over the apex cross member, and between the apex cross member and the central cross member, and when the sheet stock is frictionally engaged with the drive roller, rotation of the drive roller causes one or more of the plurality of plug plates to at least partially detach from the sheet stock as the sheet stock passes over the apex cross member; and a contact roller that is substantially parallel to the drive roller, wherein the contact roller is biased toward the drive roller by a biasing member to provide a clamping force between the contact roller and the drive roller.