Patent ID: 7963013

Claim:
An apparatus for assembling trusses, the apparatus defining an input side and an output side and a workflow path extending from the input side to the output side, the apparatus comprising: a primary structure; a powered infeed clamp mounted to the primary structure, wherein the infeed clamp is configured to clamp a truss at the input side of the primary structure and retain the truss in a stationary position relative to the primary structure; a powered outfeed clamp mounted to the primary structure, wherein the outfeed clamp is configured to clamp a truss at the output side of the primary structure and retain the truss in a stationary position relative to the primary structure; a first gantry having a first support; a first powered actuator operably coupled to the first gantry and shifting the first gantry along the workflow path between a first upstream position and a first downstream position; a second gantry having a second support structure; a second powered actuator operably coupled to the first gantry and shifting the second gantry along the workflow path between a second upstream position and a second downstream position; a first powered screw driving head movably mounted to the first support structure; a third powered actuator operably coupled to the first powered screw driving head and shifting the first powered screw driving head along the first support structure; a second powered screw driving head movably mounted to the first support structure; a fourth powered actuator operably coupled to the second powered screw driving head and shifting the second powered screw driving head along the second support structure; and a controller coupled to the powered infeed and outfeed clamps, the first, second, third, and fourth powered actuators, and the first and second powered screw driving heads, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the powered infeed clamp and the powered outfeed clamp to selectively retain a truss in the apparatus, the controller further configured to actuate the first, second, third, and fourth powered actuators to shift the first and second powered screw driving heads to a plurality of fastener locations, the controller actuating the powered screw driving heads to drive screws at the fastener locations.