Dual Operating Mode Plastic Fastener Dispensing Handtool

A dual operating mode hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners, comprising:

• a casing, said casing being provided with a needle assembly opening;
• a hollow needle;
• a needle assembly, said needle assembly being slidably movable back and forth between a retracted position disposed substantially within said casing and an extended position disposed substantially out of said casing through an opening in said needle assembly, said needle disposed on one end of said needle assembly;
• an anvil, said anvil having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion being secured to said casing, said front portion being rotatably attached to said rear portion, said front portion being capable of being rotated to extend in front of said opening in said needle assembly.

A method of transitioning a dual operating mode hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners for dispensing plastic fasteners between a first operating mode and a second operating mode comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand tool having a casing with a barrel portion, a
• handle portion, and a channel a portion, said casing having a needle assembly opening at a front end of the barrel portion, a hollow needle, a needle assembly, a trigger, a locking switch, and an anvil, said anvil having a front portion and a rear portion;
• rotating said front portion of said anvil from a first operating mode position near the front of said barrel portion to a second operating mode position near said channel portion;
• depressing said safety button;
• moving said safety switch to an unlocked position;
• actuating said trigger to advance said needle assembly from a first operating mode position at a rear end of said barrel portion to a second operating mode position at the front end of said barrel portion;
• and
• releasing said safety switch to lock said needle assembly in said second operating mode position.