Apparatus for preventing fall of button parts from a chute

In a button attaching machine having a support, a reservoir mounted on an upper portion of said support for containing a multiplicity of button parts, a terminal guide mounted on a lower portion of said support, and a chute assembly for conveying the button parts successively from said reservoir to said terminal guide, said chute assembly including an upper chute connected to said reservoir, a lower chute connected to said terminal guide, and an intermediate chute detachably mounted on said support for extending between said upper and lower chutes so as to define jointly with said upper and lower chutes a combined channel for receiving the button parts in a row, said intermediate chute having through its entire length a pair of confronting flanges, defining therebetween a longitudinal aperture opening to said channel;

• an apparatus for preventing the button parts from falling from said intermediate chute when the latter is detached, said apparatus comprising:
• (a) a blocking member adapted to be supported by said intermediate chute and having a first projection and a second projection, said blocking, member being movable between a first position in which said first projection penetrates into said channel of said intermediate chute through said opening, and a second position in which said first projection is retracted from said channel;
• (b) a spring normally urging said blocking member to move to said first position;
• and
• (c) a stop adapted to be disposed adjacent to said lower end of said intermediate chute and engageable with said second projection to cause said blocking member to move to said second position against the bias of said spring when said intermediate chute is mounted on said support between said upper and lower chutes.