Patent ID: 7562431

Claim:
A method for placing a locking element that forms a spring of a board that is provided with a spring/groove profiling in a first groove that is present on a lateral edge of the board, wherein via the locking element two boards connected via the spring/groove profiling can be locked together laterally with respect to a direction of connection, comprising: transporting the board and the locking element at a same speed parallel to each other along a transport distance in a transport direction (T), wherein during the transporting, the locking element runs laterally along a fixed device that narrows the transport distance in the direction of transport (T), the fixed device constantly and increasingly shifts the locking element laterally with respect to the direction of transport (T) until, in the process, starting with a front end of the locking element with respect to the direction of transport (T), the locking element is pressed into the groove in a steadily increasing manner.