Fastening apparatus and system

An apparatus adapted to hold a series of open locking clips and to deliver and apply the leading open locking clip of the series to an article resting on a surface comprising:

• a housing having a clip cavity for receiving the leading open locking clip and a pivotable feed detent lever for barring the entry of succeeding open locking clips of the series to the cavity until the leading clip is delivered, applied and removed from the apparatus;
• and
• a control arm linked to first and second apparatus members, the control arm being movable between a start position and an end position to successively actuate the first and second apparatus members,
• the first apparatus member adapted to contain and lift the article into position before delivery of the leading open locking clip,
• the first apparatus member including grabber arms with inwardly directed distal ends to engage the article and hold it in a capture area between the grabber arms above the inwardly directed distal ends of the grabber arms, where the grabber arms are pivotally attached to the housing and include V-shaped slots with first and second legs and link pins adapted to move downwardly in response to operation of the control rod, the link pins first engaging the first leg of the slot to pivot the grabber arm inwardly to a closed position and then engaging the second leg of the slot to maintain the grabber arms in the closed position, and
• the second apparatus member adapted to deliver the open locking clip to the article and to apply the locking clip to the article before removal of the clip from the apparatus.