Patent ID: 6457231
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: B23P,Y10T

Abstract:
An assembly line comprising:a plurality of work stations positioned along a direction of conveyance of the assembly line, and each work station having a work area; a drive conveyor for conveying parts to be assembled from one work station to the next in a successive manner along the direction of conveyance; each work station including a production part tray for holding the parts being assembled within the work area of the work station; and one of the work stations also including a pilot part tray for handling a combination of pilot parts to be assembled in preparation for future production, the one work station also including a maintenance station located outside of the work area of the one work station, an indexer for indexing the production and pilot part trays of the one work station in a direction transverse to the direction of conveyance so as to permit one of the these part trays to be used in the assembly of its associated combination of parts in the work area, and the indexer including a detachable coupling for attaching to the pilot part tray for the indexing and being detachable therefrom so the pilot part tray can be moved to the maintenance station externally of the work area thereof in preparation for the future production.