A system for processing elements, including a supply device, a processing device and a hollow transport line. The supply device and the processing device are connected via the hollow transfer line. The processing device processes elements, and the supply device supplies elements to the hollow transfer line so that the elements are transferred to the processing device via the hollow transfer line in order to supply the processing device with the elements. A pneumatically operated system component is provided to operate the system. The system includes a gas compressor unit for providing compressed and/or accelerated pressurised air. The gas compressor unit is in an installation space that accommodates the system. The gas compressor unit takes air in from the environment of the processing device and/or from the environment of the supply device in the installation space and provides compressed and/or accelerated pressurised air for the pneumatically operated system component.

A supply device designed as a separately positionable peripheral unit for supplying a processing device with elements, wherein a connection point is designed with a hollow transfer line that can be connected to the supply device such that the elements can be transferred in the hollow transfer line from the connection point to the processing device. The elements are transferred by means of a gas flow. The supply device has a gas flow generation device that transfers the elements from the connection point due to the gas flow provided by the gas flow generation device. The supply device is provided in an installation space, and the gas flow generation device takes in air from the environment of the supply device in the installation space of the supply device in order to provide the gas flow.

The present invention discloses a spring separation device comprising a silo and a distributor. The silo has a feed hole and the distributor has a discharge hole. One end of the feed pipe is connected with the feed hole and the other end is connected with the discharge hole. The distributor has a needle and a spacer. The needle is located at the proximal end of the discharge hole. The spacer is located at the distal end of the discharge hole. There is an opening on the side wall of the distributor corresponding to the needle and the spacer for the needle and the spacer in and out of the cavity of the distributor. The needle and the spacer are operated simultaneously under linkage mechanism. At the same time, the present invention also discloses a spring separation method. The present invention and the method thereof can quickly and accurately separate and feed the springs, and the structure is simple and easy to use, thereby increasing the production speed and improving the production efficiency.

A system for processing elements, including a supply device, a processing device and a hollow transport line. The supply device and the processing device are connected via the hollow transfer line. The processing device processes elements, and the supply device supplies elements to the hollow transfer line so that the elements are transferred to the processing device via the hollow transfer line in order to supply the processing device with the elements. A pneumatically operated system component is provided to operate the system. The system includes a gas compressor unit for providing compressed and/or accelerated pressurised air. The gas compressor unit is in an installation space that accommodates the system. The gas compressor unit takes air in from the environment of the processing device and/or from the environment of the supply device in the installation space and provides compressed and/or accelerated pressurised air for the pneumatically operated system component.

An assembly system with a sealant application station and an assembly tool is described. The assembly system is used to connect two or more components to each other. The sealant application station applies a sealant to a connector. The sealant application station is arranged in a feed system for the connectors. The sealant-applied connectors are transferred to the assembly tool. The assembly tool contains a drill spindle in which a connector and a drill can be axially aligned with each other so that the drill spindle can both drill a hole in the components to be connected and position the connector in the drilled hole with a linear movement along a processing axis. For these operations, the drill spindle moves only along the processing axis, so that a linear drive can be used for these operations.

A method of feeding a fastener in a machine for installation onto a workpiece, the method includes a) feeding a fastener into a block having channel with a stop against which the fastener abuts in a fastener loading position, the channel is at least partially covered by a flexible retainer plate that captures the fastener within the channel, b) moving the block relative to a pin to engage the fastener with the pin, the pin has a longitudinal pin axis, c) forcing the fastener into the retainer plate in a direction of the longitudinal pin axis to deflect the retainer plate away from the channel and disengage the fastener from the stop, d) retracting the block relative to the pin to support the fastener on the pin clear of the block, and e) securing the fastener to the workpiece.

A fastener driving system, apparatus and method includes a receiver into which the fastener is deposited and a torqueing device extendable into the receiver for applying powered torque to the fastener to install the fastener into the associated work piece.

A method and apparatus for feeding joining elements to a joining tool is presented. The joining tool may be movable by a programmable handling unit, and a magazine for receiving at least one joining element may be mounted on the joining tool. The magazine may be moved to a filling station that has a tubular section with an outlet opening. An inlet opening of the magazine may be oriented in relation to the outlet opening. At least one joining element may be conveyed to the tubular section so that it passes through the tubular section, the outlet opening, the inlet opening, and into the magazine. During the orienting, the magazine may be oriented in relation to the outlet opening such that the magazine is spaced apart from the filling station during the conveying of the at least one joining element.

A nut feeding apparatus for feeding a weld nut to an upper electrode of a resistance welding machine, whose size and production cost are reduced, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a piston rod, a tension rod, a tube, a link mechanism and a nut chuck. When the piston rod is in a most retracting state, an upper surface of the nut chuck becomes substantially flush with a lower portion of an opening of the tube. While the tension rod is at a stop in a most advancing state and when the piston rod further advances, the link mechanism rotates around a rotation axis at a tip of the tension rod, and thereby, the weld nut held by the nut chuck moves to a feeding position of the weld nut in the upper electrode.

The application relates to a braking unit for braking a processing element, said braking unit comprising a guide channel for the processing element, wherein the guide channel has a guide channel inlet and a guide channel outlet, wherein the guide channel has at least one curved section to apply a centrifugal force to the processing element to be braked that moves along the guide channel, said centrifugal force pressing the processing element against an outer curvature region of an inner peripheral surface of the curved section, and wherein the at least one curved section is configured to brake the processing element by friction between the inner peripheral surface of the guide channel and the processing element such that the processing element loses at least 50% of its kinetic energy between the guide channel inlet and the guide channel outlet. The application furthermore relates to a method for braking a processing element comprising the steps: inserting the processing element into a curved section of a guide channel at an input speed, generating a centrifugal force on the processing element, generating a centrifugal force-induced friction between the processing element and an inner peripheral surface of the curved section of the guide channel, and braking the processing element by means of the centrifugal force-induced friction to an output speed that is at most 75% of the input speed.