Patent ID: 8950049
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: B21J,B23P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for the automatic feeding of fasteners to a fastener insertion apparatus, the apparatus comprising a fastener insertion tool configured to insert X fasteners in an insertion cycle, a buffer for the temporary storage of fasteners in a track defined by the buffer, the buffer having a capacity of greater than X fasteners, the buffer having an inlet, and a delivery track for transporting fasteners from the buffer towards a fastener delivery passage of the tool for subsequent insertion, the insertion apparatus being movable between an operative position where it is able to insert fasteners via the delivery passage in the tool into a workpiece and a refilling position where it is docked at a docking station so as to permit the buffer to be loaded with fasteners from a storage track of the docking station, the storage track having a capacity of greater than X fasteners and being connected to a source of fasteners, the method comprising: (a) executing a start-up routine to ensure that the sum of fasteners in the docking station storage track and the buffer track is at least X; (b) with the insertion apparatus in the refilling position, transferring all fasteners (if any) present in the storage track into the buffer via the inlet; (c) transferring fewer than X fasteners into the docking station storage track, moving the insertion apparatus to the operative position, and inserting X fasteners from the buffer; (d) moving the insertion apparatus to the refilling position and transferring all the fasteners (if any) present in the storage track into the buffer via the inlet; (e) detecting whether the buffer contains at least a predetermined quantity of fasteners, and if so repeating (c) and (d) until it does not, said predetermined quality being less than or equal to said capacity of the buffer; (f) subsequently filling the docking station storage track with more than X fasteners and moving the insertion apparatus to the operative position and inserting X fasteners from the buffer; (g) detecting whether the buffer contains at least the predetermined quantity of fasteners, and if not repeating (f) until it does; (h) subsequently filling the docking station storage track with X fasteners, moving the insertion apparatus to the operative position, inserting X fasteners from the buffer, then moving the insertion apparatus to the refilling position and transferring all the fasteners present in the storage track of the docking station into the buffer via the inlet.