Patent ID: 6212746
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: B23P,B25B,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for installing retaining clips onto workpieces having longitudinal axes, the apparatus comprising:a pusher movable to push a retaining clip onto a workpiece;an actuator moving the pusher in a reciprocal manner along a path that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the workpiece;a guide configured to receive and store a plurality of retaining clips, the guide being configured to position a lead retaining clip of said plurality of retaining clips into the path of the pusher;a clip installation cavity including an opening into which the workpiece is positioned for installation of a retaining clip thereon, the clip installation cavity being positioned in the path of the pusher; anda yieldably biased workpiece alignment member engaging the workpiece placed in the clip installation cavity to align a groove in the workpiece with the path of the pusher so that a retaining clip pushed by the pusher along the path of the pusher is installed in the groove of the workpiece, the yieldably biased workpiece alignment member reciprocating parallel to the path of the pusher by moving in a first direction during installation of the retaining clip onto the workpiece and by moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction after installation of the retaining clip on the workpiece.