An automated insertion system for inserting or combining one or more fastener components with a molded part. The automated insertion system can handle multiple fastener components repeatedly, and do so faster and more safely than current processes.

Various embodiments relate to a rivet element supply unit for providing rivet elements, wherein the rivet element supply unit comprises a rivet element provision unit and a handling unit, wherein the rivet element provision unit for conveying the rivet elements comprises a spiral conveyor having a longitudinal axis and a spiral, which extends around the longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is inclined to the direction of gravity, wherein the rivet element provision unit has a pick-up region to which the spiral conveyor supplies rivet elements and from which the handling unit picks up the rivet elements for transporting to a rivet element receptacle.

An automated insertion system for inserting or combining one or more fastener components with a molded part. The automated insertion system can handle multiple fastener components repeatedly, and do so faster and more safely than current processes.

Techniques are disclosed for remotely switching screw color or screw type feeding into a door assembly machine with an auto-hinge applicator. An apparatus having a turntable is supported on bearings and a framework. Each side of the turntable includes a screw hopper accessible via a rotary index. The screw hoppers receive a user input to make a screw selection. Upon receiving a selection, one of the hoppers indexes into position, allowing the correct screw to feed to the hinge applicator. Screw feed-hoses from screwdrivers on the hinge applicator are arranged to connect to a manifold below the screw hoppers. Screws drop from the hoppers into a manifold, at which point the screws are blown with compressed air through the feed-hoses to the screwdrivers on the hinge applicator. Screws can be reloaded into the screw hoppers when rotated in alignment with the hinge side of the door assembly machine.

A tool for repeatedly feeding individual fasteners from a fastener supply includes a receiver, a guide, a flexible, linear thruster, an electric drive, an activator, and a feeder with a dispenser. The guide extends along a curved guide track from the receiver into the feeder and terminates at the dispenser. Along the guide track the guide has a substantially constant opening cross section radially defined by a guide element relative to the guide track to guide the fasteners directly adjacent to one another along the guide track. The thruster extends from the receiver into the guide and has an external cross section adapted to the opening cross section and configured to be moved in a guided manner by the drive in the guide along the guide track. The drive is coupled to the activator and moves the thruster in the direction of the dispenser when the activator is actuated.

A fastener feeding system and method for automatically delivering fasteners to a plurality of different manufacturing cells in a manufacturing line from a single load point. The fastener feeding system includes a fastener distribution assembly and a transport assembly for selecting and delivering fasteners to the manufacturing cells. Individual fasteners are selected from a fastener reservoir by a robotic manipulator of the fastener distribution assembly, and are placed on a fastener carrier supported on conveying structure extending between the fastener distribution assembly and the manufacturing cells for movement therealong. The fastener carrier is controlled to move along the track to deliver one or more fasteners to a manufacturing cell.

The invention relates to a feeding machine for washers allowing a correct placement of eyelets in laminar bodies, such as textile elements, wherein said feeding machine includes a ramp for moving the washers from a higher height to a lower height, a plurality of detectors for detecting a washer which are arranged in different segments of a length of the ramp, configured to detect the presence of each washer; and a plurality of linear actuators arranged along the length of the ramp, said actuators being connected to stops which are configured to block the passage of the washers along the ramp. The feeding machine also includes a control electronics connected to the linear actuators and to the detectors for detecting a washer, said control electronics being configured to control the feeding of the washers along the ramp.

A device is disclosed for supplying swageable collars from a magazine to a swaging tool such that the collars may be affixed to the shanks of lockbolts in a series of application steps. The feeder device can be mounted on the nose assembly of a swaging tool so that collar feeding and swaging can be accomplished in a single-handed operation. The feeder device responds to contact pressure against a work surface during a collar placement maneuver to release a collar from a presentation position for normal swaging. Releasing pressure on the workpiece allows a lower assembly of the feeder device to lift the next collar available from a magazine into the presentation position for application to the next lockbolt shank in a series of lockbolts to be finished.

A system and method for forming a foundation truss for a box spring or mattress foundation frame includes a first truss rail assembly station having a series of block feeders, a top rail hopper and a filler strip hopper that received stacks of truss components such as blocks, top rails and filler strips and feed such truss components into stacked registration. The stacked truss components are moved into engagement with a series of staplers that secure the filler strips, top rails and blocks together to form first truss rail portions, which are then fed to a second truss rail assembly station where a bottom rail is automatically applied thereto.

An automated insertion system for inserting or combining one or more fastener components with a molded part. The automated insertion system can handle multiple fastener components repeatedly, and do so faster and more safely than current processes.