Patent ID: 8793855

Claim:
A method of feeding a stud to a joining head operable to join the stud to a workpiece, the stud having an axially projecting shank and a radially projecting flange, and the joining head including a stud shank clamp, and wherein the method of feeding the stud comprises the steps of: providing a stud holding device, the stud holding device comprising: a collet component including a hollow tubular insertion section defining an insertion axis, and a clamping section, the clamping section axially below the insertion section and including a plurality of arms circumferentially distributed, axially extending, radially flexible at a free end, and operable to exert a radially inwardly directed clamping force for clamping the stud; a securing device arranged on the insertion section and including a securing sleeve located coaxial with and radially inside the insertion section, the securing sleeve formed of a plurality of separate securing-sleeve sections and radially movable relative to one another; and a clearance space is defined between a bottom end of the securing-sleeve sections and a top end of the clamping section, and the clearance space is operable for releasably holding the flange of the stud in the securing position; feeding the stud into the stud holding device to a first position wherein the flange is arranged above the free end of the plurality of arms and below the securing sleeve; and securing the stud in the first position by engaging the securing sleeve behind the flange.