Hinge applicator with gang screwdriving unit

Apparatus for hingedly connecting an adjacent pair of work members each having elongate hinge leaf receiving surfaces, by butt hinges to be seated on said receiving surfaces comprising:

• (a) means for supporting said work members so that said receiving surfaces are in position for receiving the leaves of a butt hinge,
• (b) a hinge applicator mounted for movement between a hinge applying location adjacent to said hinge leaf receiving surfaces when said work members are in position for receiving hinges and a hinge receiving location, said applicator having
• i. a screw receiving side and a hinge applying side with a plurality of apertures extending therebetween, said apertures being adapted for receiving screws at said screw receiving side and for guiding screws therethrough as they are screwed into said hinge leaf receiving surfaces and
• ii. hinge supporting means associated with said hinge applying side for releasably supporting a hinge positioned with the screw holes of each leaf in alignment with said apertures until the hinge leaves are screwed to said butt-receiving surfaces,
• (c) means for supplying screws individually to said apertures of said hinge applicator, and
• (d) a screwdriver unit comprising a gang of screwdrivers, each screwdriver having a rotatable, screwdriver bit, said unit
• i. being mounted for movement between a retracted position with the screwdriver bits retracted from said hinge applicator and an engaged position with said screwdriver bits engaged in said apertures of the hinge applicator for driving screws therethrough into said hinge leaf receiving surfaces when said hinge applicator is at the hinge applying location,
• ii. having means for moving said unit between said retracted and hinge applying locations and
• iii. having means for rotating said screwdriver bits, each screwdriver having means for yieldably urging its respective screwdriver bit forward to screw in a screw and said urging means for each screwdriver being yieldable independent of the urging means for the other screwdrivers, whereby in the event one or more of said screws jam during driving and thereby stop forward movement of the screwdriver bit applied thereto, the remainder of the screwdrivers may continue to urge their respective bits forward to complete their screwdriving.