Automatic hook attaching apparatus

摘要

A conventional fastener attacher is fixedly mounted on a support. A stack of hooks is situated in a retainer which is movably mounted with respect to the support. A dispensing slide is movably mounted on the retainer, below the stack. As the retainer is moved towards the attacher, the slide automatically moves relative to the retainer to align a hook with the attacher. Slide movement is achieved through the use of a cam surface on the support and a cam follower extending from the slide. A single air cylinder moves both the retainer and the slide. The retainer can hold the stack in one of two orientations. In order to avoid jamming, the hook is held on the slide as it retracts or is realigned with the stack, if the hook has not been removed from the apparatus.