A tool configured to dispense consumables, such as a plurality of stackable weld clips. The tool may receive the insertion of a magazine, which may include the weld clips, a pusher, and a retention pin positioned on a cartridge skewer. The magazine may be inserted into a magazine holder assembly to provide a magazine assembly. The magazine holder assembly may include one or more movable and stationary racks that engage the pusher. The rearward lateral displacement of a spindle may displace the movable rack and electrode arms, while opening retention arms. The electrode arms, which may include clip back-up arms, may be positioned to provide a clamping force on a weld clip that is being dispensed. The forward displacement of the spindle may displace the clamped welding clip with the electrode arms, pivotally open a pawl mechanism, move the retention arms to a closed position, are result in the indexing of weld clips in the magazine assembly.

A supply device for a joining element which has a shaft, extending along a joining element axis with a first diameter, and an adjacent head with a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter. The supply device comprising a base enclosing a first joining element channel, a second joining element channel and a third joining element channel, which are at least partially arranged in a common channel plane, and which each have a cross-section which is adapted to the shape of the joining element. And the first and the second joining element channels are orientated relative to each other at a switching angle which is in a range from 5 to 45, while the first and the second joining element channels merge into the third joining element channel at a junction with a switching arrangement.

Provided is an attaching device that can convey a component, such as a nut, to a portion to be welded without using an air cylinder.

The present invention provides an attaching device (100) that attaches a nut (240) to a bracket (230). The attaching device (100) has a component feeding part (10) that stores the nut therein, a welding part (40) that welds the nut to the bracket by using electrodes (41, 42), a conveying part (20) that conveys the nut stored in the component feeding part to a position where the nut is to be attached to the bracket, and a feeding head (30) that temporarily positioned between the electrodes (41, 42) and that places the nut conveyed from the conveying part on the lower electrode of the pair of electrodes.

A stud feed assembly for welding studs comprising a stud loader and a stud catcher. The stud loader comprises a first chute component and a second chute component, the first chute component having a greater diameter than the second chute component. The stud catcher comprises a receiving component and a vertical component, the receiving component being shaped to receive it stud such that the receiving component aligns the received stud in a substantially vertical position.

An apparatus for sorting and aligning one or more shear studs for loading a shear stud feeder may include a lift mechanism having a lower lift member configured to lift shear studs from a hopper and deposit them onto an intermediate landing. An upper lift member may be configured to receive the shear studs from the intermediate landing and deposit them onto an upper landing. An alignment channel may be arranged downstream of the lift mechanism and configured to receive the shear studs from the upper landing and orient them with an elongated open slot of a magazine of the shear stud feeder. The alignment channel may include a slot configured for the shear studs to pass through and into the elongated open slot of the magazine.

A method for supplying, positioning and processing fixing elements using a transport means which moves the fixing elements from a starting position to a processing position whereby the individual fixing elements are introduced into a chuck provided with two clamping jaws, are held by the clamping jaws in an engaging position and, once the chuck has been positioned, are taken up from this position by a driving element and the chuck presses them against a locating device and a connection is made to a component part by the driving element when the chuck is opened, wherein the upward motion of the chuck, while feeding the fixing element to the locating device, prevents the supply of further fixing elements to the chuck.

A bolt feeder includes: a rotating plate (12) arranged adjacent to a hopper (27) storing bolts (10); one or more magnets (15) to attract the bolts (10), from a back surface of the rotating plate (12), onto a front surface of the rotating plate (12); a selection block (13) having a gap space (13a) through which one bolt in a predetermined orientation out of the bolts (10) attracted by the one or more magnets (15) is allowed to pass; a motor (26) to cause the one or more magnets (15) to rotate and move from the hopper (27) toward the selection block (13); and a guide plate (29) extending upstream in a moving direction of the one or more magnets (15) from an entrance of the gap space (13a), and guiding the bolts (10) attracted by the one or more magnets (15) to the gap space (13a).

End effectors comprise a housing, a positioner, and a translator. The positioner is supported by the housing and is configured to sequentially receive fasteners from a source of fasteners into a receiving position and sequentially move fasteners from the receiving position to a deploying position. The translator is supported by the housing relative to the positioner and is configured to sequentially translate fasteners from the deploying position to ports of a fastener holder. Robotic methods comprise sequentially receiving fasteners from a source of fasteners into a receiving position, sequentially moving fasteners from the receiving position to a deploying position, and sequentially translating fasteners from the deploying position to ports of a fastener holder.