Die construction for clipper mechanism

An improvement in a clip attachment mechanism, the clip attachment mechanism for attaching U-shaped metal clips about gathered casing material, at spaced intervals, to thereby form ends of stuffed products, the stuffed products containing comminuted materials, the metal clips having crowns and depending legs, the mechanism attaching the metal clips in the manner described by forming the legs of the U-shaped clips to encircle the gathered material, the mechanism including a C-shaped die support plate with a channel for receipt of a clip and a die support at a distal end of said channel for holding a die, the die defining a spiral groove for receipt of the legs of the clip, the die directing the deformation of the legs of the clip along the spiral groove to form the legs of the clip about the gathered material, the mechanism further including a punch slidable in the channel for engaging the crown of the clip to drive the clip against the die, and means for operating the punch to reciprocate in the channel, the improvement comprising, in combination with the clip attachment mechanism as described:

• elastic die block support means for supporting and maintaining said die block in a relatively fixed position at said distal end of said channel, said die block support means progressively responsive to increased pressure on said die block to allow increased displacement of said die block in the direction of said punch moving toward said die block.