The β-decays of very neutron rich nuclides in the Co-Zn region were studied experimentally at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory using the NSCL β-counting station in conjunction with the neutron detector NERO. We measured the branchings for β-delayed neutron emission (Pn values) for 74 Co (18±15%), and 75−77 Ni (10±2.8%, 14±3.6%, and 30±24%, respectively) for the first time, and remeasured the Pn values of 77−79 Cu, 79,81 Zn, and 82 Ga. For 77−79 Cu and for 81 Zn we obtain significantly larger Pn values compared to previous work. While the new half-lives for the Ni isotopes from this experiment had been reported before, we present here in addition the first half-life measurements of 75 Co (30±11 ms) and 80 Cu (170 +110 −50 ms). Our results are compared with theoretical predictions, and their impact on various types of models for the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process (r-process) is explored. We find that with our new data the classical rprocess model is better able to reproduce the A = 78 − 80 abundance pattern inferred from the solar abundances. The new data also influence r-process models based on the neutrino driven high entropy winds in core collapse supernovae.