Automatic assembly machine

Claim 2

An automatic assembly machine having a support, a rotatable feeding wheel on said support for delivering randomly oriented fasteners to an elongated track mounted on the support, a rotatable clearing wheel mouNted on said support above said track for sweeping improperly oriented fasteners off of said track, and a power-reciprocated tool mounted on said support and movable through up and down strokes to receive properly oriented fasteners transferred from said track and to assemble the fasteners to workpieces, the improvement in said machine comprising, a rotatable member mounted on said support and turnable back and forth in timed relation to up and down reciprocation of said tool, first and second endless belt drives connecting said rotatable member to said feeding wheel and said clearing wheel, respectively, and first and second one-way clutches associated with said first and second drives, respectively, and operable to rotate said feeding wheel when said member is turned in one direction and to rotate said clearing wheel when said member is turned in the opposite direction while leaving each wheel idle during rotation of the other wheel.

Claim 3

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 1 in which said clutches include input elements connected to and coaxial with opposite ends of said rotatable member, each clutch further including an output element coaxial with said rotatable member and connected to the belt of the respective drive.

Claim 4

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 1 in which said support is disposed on one side of said clearing wheel, the outer periphery of said clearing wheel being formed with a plurality of angularly spaced flutes for sweeping improperly oriented fasteners from said track, said flutes being inclined relative to the axis of said wheel and in a direction to sweep said improperly oriented fasteners laterally of said track and toward said support.

Claim 5

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 2 further including a transfer device mounted on said support for delivering fasteners from said track to said tool, mechanism for shifting said transfer device outwardly and inwardly between said track and said tool, and means operably connected between said mechanism and said rotatable member for turning the latter in one direction when said transfer device is shifted outwardly and in the opposite direction when said transfer device is shifted inwardly.

Claim 6

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 4 in which said mechanism moves said transfer device outwardly from said track to said tool at a comparatively slow rate and moves the transfer device inwardly from said tool to said track at a faster rate, said first clutch being connected to rotate said feeding wheel when said rotatable member is turned in one direction and at a comparatively slow rate as said transfer device is moved outwardly, and said second clutch being connected to rotate said clearing wheel when said rotatable member is turned in the opposite direction and at a faster rate as said transfer device is moved inwardly.

Claim 7

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 2 further including a toothed rack connected to and movable up and down with said tool, a pinion rotatably mounted on said support and meshing with said rack, and means connecting said pinion to said rotatable member to turn the latter in response to rotation of said pinion.

Claim 8

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 6 in which the downstroke of said tool occurs at a slower rate than the upstroke, said first clutch being connected to rotate said feeding wheel when said member is rotated in one direction and at a comparatively slow rate during the downstroke of said tool, and said second clutch being connected to rotate said clearing wheel at a faster rate when said member is rotated in the opposite direction during the upstroke of said tool.

Claim 9

An automatic assembly machine having a support, a rotatable feeding wheel on said support for delivering randomly oriented fasteners to an elongated track mounted on the support, a rotatable clearing wheel mounted on said support above said track for sweeping improperly oriented fasteners off of said track, and a power-reciprocated tool mounted on said support and movable through up and down strokes to receive properly oriented fasteners transferred from said track and to assemble the fasteners to workpieces, the improvement in said machine comprising, a rotatable member mounted on said support and turnable back and forth in timed relation to up and down reciprocation of said tool, drive means connecting said member to said wheels and including first and second endless elements for rotating the feeding wheel and the clearing wheel, respectively, and one-way clutch means associated with said drive means and operable first to turn said wheels and then to leave said wheels idle as said member rotates back and forth.

Claim 10

An automatic assembly machine having a support, a rotatable feeding wheel on said support for delivering randomly oriented fasteners to an elongated track mounted on the support, a rotatable clearing wheel mounted on said support above said track for sweeping improperly oriented fasteners off of said track, and a power-reciprocated tool mounted on said support and movable through up and down strokes to receive properly oriented fasteners transferred from said track and to assemble the fasteners to workpieces, the improvement in said machine comprising, a rotatable member mounted on said support and turnable back and forth in timed relation to up and down reciprocation of said tool, drive means connecting said member to said wheels and including first and second endless elements for rotating the feeding wheel and the clearing wheel, respectively, and one-way clutch means associated with said drive means and operable first to turn said wheels and then to leave said wheels idle as said member rotates back and forth.

Claim 11

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for reciprocation through upward and downward strokes and operable to engage and drive a fastener during said downward stroke, a transfer mechanism movable inwardly and outwardly between a loading station and a delivery station and operable first to pick up a fastener at said loading station thereafter to move outwardly to said delivery station to locate the fastener in the downward path of said driver, said transfer mechanism comprising a slide guided on said support for inward and outward movement, a pair of opposed fastener holder jaws, connectors mounting said jaws on said slide to move inwardly and outwardly with the latter between said loading and delivery stations and mounting the jaws pivotally on the slide to swing through a limited range between open and closed positions, and actuator means connected to said jaws and operable when the jaws are in each station to first swing the jaws about said connectors until the jaws stop upon reaching one of said positions, said actuator means being responsive to the force created by stopping of the jaws and thereafter acting through said connectors to move said slide on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 12

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for reciprocation through upward and downward strokes and operable to engage and drive a fastener during said downward stroke, a transfer mechanism movable inwardly and outwardly between a loading station and a delivery station and operable first to pick up a fastener at said loading station thereafter to move outwardly to said delivery station to locate the fastener in the downward path of said driver, said transfer mechanism comprising a slide guided on said support for inward and outward movement, a pair of opposed fastener holder jaws, connectors mounting said jaws on said slide to move inwardly and outwardly with the latter between said loading and delivery stations and mounting the jaws pivotally on the slide to swing through a limited range between open and closed positions, and actuator means connected to said jaws and operable when the jaws are in each station to first swing the jaws about said connectors until the jaws stop upon reaching one of said positions, said actuator means being responsive to the force created by stopping of the jaws and thereafter acting through said connectors to move said slide on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 13

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 9 further including means carried on said slide and engageable with the jaws to stop swinging of the jaws when the latter reach said open positions, said jaws being stopped upon reaching said closed positions by virtue of engagement of the jaws with the fastener.

Claim 14

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 9 further including a spring resiliently pressing said slide against said support to retard movement of the slide on the support during swinging of said jaws between said open and closed positions.

Claim 15

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 11 in which said slide comprises a pair of opposed blocks each bearing against said support, said spring being sandwiched between said blocks and urging the latter away from one another and into pressing engagement with said support.

Claim 16

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 9 further including a pair of links each connected at one end to one of said jaws to pivot about an axis offset from the pivot axis of the jaw, a rod spanning and connected pivotally to the other ends of said links, and said actuator means being connected to said rod and being operable to shift said links to first swing said jaws between said positions and, with continued shifting of the links, to move said jaws between said stations.

Claim 17

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a carriage mounted for up and down reciprocation on said support and carrying a power rotated driver for driving a fastener on the downward stroke of said carriage, a transfer mechanism mounted on said support for inward and outward movement between a loading station and a delivery station, said transfer mechanism picking up a fastener at said loading station and thereafter moving outwardly to said delivery station to locate the fastener in the downward path of said driver, a first fluid operated actuator connected between said support and said carriage for reciprocating the latter upwardly and downwardly, a second fLuid operated actuator connected between said support and said transfer mechanism for moving the latter inwardly and outwardly, and coacting means movable with said carriage and said transfer mechanism and engageable with one another to prevent said second actuator from moving said transfer mechanism outwardly to said delivery station until said carriage has been retracted upwardly through a predetermined distance by said first actuator.

Claim 18

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a carriage mounted for up and down reciprocation on said support and carrying a power rotated driver for driving a fastener on the downward stroke of said carriage, a transfer mechanism mounted on said support for inward and outward movement between a loading station and a delivery station, said transfer mechanism picking up a fastener at said loading station and thereafter moving outwardly to said delivery station to locate the fastener in the downward path of said driver, a first fluid operated actuator connected between said support and said carriage for reciprocating the latter upwardly and downwardly, a second fLuid operated actuator connected between said support and said transfer mechanism for moving the latter inwardly and outwardly, and coacting means movable with said carriage and said transfer mechanism and engageable with one another to prevent said second actuator from moving said transfer mechanism outwardly to said delivery station until said carriage has been retracted upwardly through a predetermined distance by said first actuator.

Claim 19

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 14 including means for controlling the energization of said actuators and operable to energize the first actuator in a direction tending to shift said carriage upwardly and to simultaneously energize the second actuator in a direction tending to move said transfer mechanism outwardly, said coacting means engaging one another and limiting outward movement of said transfer mechanism by said second actuator during the initial period of energization thereof.

Claim 20

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 15 in which said coacting means comprise a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam surface on said carriage, and a follower movable with said transfer mechanism and positioned to ride outwardly along said cam surface to enable progressive outward movement of said transfer mechanism as said carriage is shifted progressively upwardly from a predetermined elevation.

Claim 21

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, an upright sleeve mounted on said support for up and down reciprocation, and a power rotated driver disposed within said sleeve to reciprocate with the latter through upward and downward strokes and operable during said downward stroke to engage and assemble a threaded fastener to a workpiece, the improvement in said machine comprising, a tubular chuck telescoped into said sleeve and over said driver for holding the fastener beneath the driver during said downward stroke, said chuck being mounted to slide up and down relative to the sleeve and the driver between raised and lowered positions, a spring mounted within said sleeve and urging said chuck downwardly toward said lowered position, a releasable latch mounted on said sleeve and engageable with said chuck to hold the latter in said raised position against the bias of said spring, and means for delivering fasteners one at a time to a position beneath said chuck and operable as an incident to such delivery to release said latch to enable said chuck to slide to said lowered position and to telescope over the delivered fastener.

Claim 22

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, an upright sleeve mounted on said support for up and down reciprocation, and a power rotated driver disposed within said sleeve to reciprocate with the latter through upward and downward strokes and operable during said downward stroke to engage and assemble a threaded fastener to a workpiece, the improvement in said machine comprising, a tubular chuck telescoped into said sleeve and over said driver for holding the fastener beneath the driver during said downward stroke, said chuck being mounted to slide up and down relative to the sleeve and the driver between raised and lowered positions, a spring mounted within said sleeve and urging said chuck downwardly toward said lowered position, a releasable latch mounted on said sleeve and engageable with said chuck to hold the latter in said raised position against the bias of said spring, and means for delivering fasteners one at a time to a position beneath said chuck and operable as an incident to such delivery to release said latch to enable said chuck to slide to said lowered position and to telescope over the delivered fastener.

Claim 23

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 17 in which said means comprise a transfer device movable inwardly and outwardly between loading and delivery stations, said transfer device picking up a fastener at said loading station and delivering the fastener to a position beneath the chuck at said delivery station, and means for shifting said transfer device outwardly to said delivery station during the upward stroke of said driver and for returning the transfer device inwardly toward said loading station prior to the next downward stroke of the driver.

Claim 24

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 17 including an opening in one wall of said sleeve, a downwardly facing edge on said chuck and registering with said opening when said chuck is in said raised position, said latch being mounted pivotally on the outer side of said sleeve and being swingable within said opening between a latched position in engagement with said edge and a released position spaced outwardly from said edge, and a spring connected between said sleeve and said latch and urging the latter to swing toward said latched position.

Claim 25

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 19 in which downward movement of said chuck with said sleeve is stopped by said workpiece prior to the completion of the downward stroke of said driver thereby to cause the chuck to move upwardly relative to the sleeve as said downward stroke is continued, said latch snapping automatically to said latched position anD lodging beneath said edge after upward movement of said chuck through a predetermined distance relative to said sleeve.

Claim 26

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 17 in which the lower end portion of said chuck is formed by at least two opposed sections cantilevered near their upper ends to swing toward and away from one another, means urging said sections away from one another to keep the chuck open for telescopically receiving a fastener, and mating cam surfaces on said sections and said sleeve engageable with one another as an incident to movement of said chuck to said lowered position and operable in response to such engagement to swing said sections toward one another into gripping embracement with the fastener.

Claim 27

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for up and down movement, a first actuator for reciprocating said driver through upward and downward strokes, a chuck telescoped over said driver and mounted to move upwardly and downwardly with the driver and also to move vertically relative to the driver between raised and lowered positions, said chuck being disposed in said lowered position and holding a fastener beneath said driver when the latter is at the top of said upward stroke prior to the start of an operating cycle, said chuck moving upwardly relative to said driver and shifting to said raised position as the fastener is driven by said driver during said downward stroke, a latch for holding said chuck in said raised position during subsequent movement of said driver through said upward stroke, a transfer device movable inwardly and outwardly on said support between loading and delivery stations, said transfer device picking up a fastener at said loading station and delivering the fastener to a position beneath said chuck at said delivery station, a second actuator for moving said transfer device between said stations and operable to move the transfer device outwardly to said delivery station when said driver reaches the top of said upward stroke with said chuck disposed in said raised position, means on said transfer device for releasing said latch as the transfer device reaches said delivery station thereby to enable said chuck to move downwardly to said lowered position and pick up the fastener from said transfer device, and means controlling said second actuator and effecting inward movement of said transfer device to said loading station after the fastener has been picked up by said chuck and before operation of said first actuator to begin another cycle and initiate the next downward stroke of said driver.

Claim 28

An automatic assembly machine comprising a support, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for up and down movement, a first actuator for reciprocating said driver through upward and downward strokes, a chuck telescoped over said driver and mounted to move upwardly and downwardly with the driver and also to move vertically relative to the driver between raised and lowered positions, said chuck being disposed in said lowered position and holding a fastener beneath said driver when the latter is at the top of said upward stroke prior to the start of an operating cycle, said chuck moving upwardly relative to said driver and shifting to said raised position as the fastener is driven by said driver during said downward stroke, a latch for holding said chuck in said raised position during subsequent movement of said driver through said upward stroke, a transfer device movable inwardly and outwardly on said support between loading and delivery stations, said transfer device picking up a fastener at said loading station and delivering the fastener to a position beneath said chuck at said delivery station, a second actuator for moving said transfer device between said stations and operable to move the transfer device outwardly to said delivery station when said driver reaches the top of said upward stroke with said chuck disposed in said raised position, means on said transfer device for releasing said latch as the transfer device reaches said delivery station thereby to enable said chuck to move downwardly to said lowered position and pick up the fastener from said transfer device, and means controlling said second actuator and effecting inward movement of said transfer device to said loading station after the fastener has been picked up by said chuck and before operation of said first actuator to begin another cycle and initiate the next downward stroke of said driver.

Claim 29

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 22 in which said transfer device comprises a slide guided on said support for inward and outward movement, a pair of opposed fastener holder jaws, connectors mounting said jaws on said slide to move inwardly and outwardly with the latter between said loading and delivery stations and mounting the jaws pivotally on the slide to swing through a limited range between open and closed positions, and means connecting said second actuator to said jaws and operable in response to operation of said second actuator when the jaws are in each station to first swing the jaws about said connectors until the jaws stop upon reaching one of the positions and being responsive to the force created by stopping of the jaws to thereafter act through said connectors and move said slide on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 30

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 22 further including coacting means movable with said driver and said transfer device and engageable with one another to prevent said second actuator from moving said transfer device outwardly to said delivery station until said driver has been retracted upwardly through a predetermined distance by said first actuator.

Claim 31

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 22 further including a track on said support for delivering Fasteners to said loading station, a rotatable feeding wheel for delivering randomly oriented fasteners to said track, a rotatable clearing wheel for sweeping improperly oriented fasteners off of said track, a rotatable member mounted on said support, means connecting said second actuator to said rotatable member to turn the latter back and forth when said second actuator is operated to shift said transfer device inwardly and outwardly, first and second endless belt drives connecting said rotatable member to said feeding wheel and said clearing wheel, respectively, and first and second one-way clutches associated with said first and second drives, respectively, and operable to rotate said feeding wheel when said member is turned in one direction and to rotate said clearing wheel when said member is turned in the opposite direction while leaving each wheel idle during rotation of the other wheel.

Claim 32

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 22 further including a base, said support being mounted pivotally on said base for horizontal movement about at least two horizontally spaced upright axes, a fixture on said base for holding a workpiece beneath said driver, said fixture including an opening having upright side walls formed with open-sided recesses each corresponding positionally to a work point on the workpiece, a passage extending through one of said side walls and establishing communication between said opening and the outer side of said fixture, a finder mounted on said support for horizontal movement therewith, and a vertically extending locator pin carried on said finder and centered beneath said driver, said locator pin being movable horizontally through said passage and into said opening as an incident to moving said support horizontally and being adapted to seat in said recesses to locate said driver above the work points on said workpiece.

Claim 33

An automatic assembly machine comprising a base, a fixture on said base for holding a workpiece, said fixture including an opening having upright side walls formed with open-sided recesses each corresponding positionally to a work point on the workpiece, a passage extending through one of said side walls and establishing communication between said opening and the outer side of said fixture, an articulated support mounted pivotally on said base for horizontal movement about at least two horizontally spaced upright axes, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for up and down reciprocation, a finder mounted on said support for horizontal movement therewith, and a vertically extending locator pin carried on said finder and centered beneath said driver, said locator pin being movable horizontally through said passage and into said opening as an incident to moving said support horizontally and being adapted to seat in said recesses to locate said driver above the work points on said workpiece.

Claim 34

An automatic assembly machine comprising a base, a fixture on said base for holding a workpiece, said fixture including an opening having upright side walls formed with open-sided recesses each corresponding positionally to a work point on the workpiece, a passage extending through one of said side walls and establishing communication between said opening and the outer side of said fixture, an articulated support mounted pivotally on said base for horizontal movement about at least two horizontally spaced upright axes, a power rotated driver mounted on said support for up and down reciprocation, a finder mounted on said support for horizontal movement therewith, and a vertically extending locator pin carried on said finder and centered beneath said driver, said locator pin being movable horizontally through said passage and into said opening as an incident to moving said support horizontally and being adapted to seat in said recesses to locate said driver above the work points on said workpiece.

Claim 35

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 27 in which said finder is anchored rigidly to said support and is fixed against vertical movement relative to said support during operation of said machine.

Claim 36

An automatic assembly machine as defined in claim 27 in which said locator pin is fitted loosely within a vertically extending hole in said finder, and a series of angularly spaced screws extending radially into said hole with their inner ends in clamping engagement with said pin, said screws being adjustable radially to enable precise centering of said pin beneath said driver.

Claim 37

An automatically fed fastener driving device comprising a support member, and a power rotated driver mounted on said support member and operable to engage and turn a threaded fastener, the improvement in said device comprising, a sleeve telescoped over said driver for locating the fastener relative to the driver, said sleeve being mounted on said support member to slide back and forth relative to the driver between an advanced position in which one end of the sleeve projects a predetermined distance beyond the working enD of the driver and a retracted position in which said one end of the sleeve projects a lesser distance beyond the working end of the driver, a spring acting between said support member and said sleeve and urging said sleeve toward said advanced position, a releasable latch mounted on said support member and engageable with said sleeve to hold the sleeve in said retracted position against the bias of said spring, and means for delivering fasteners one at a time to a location beyond said one end of said sleeve when the sleeve is in said retracted position and operable as an incident to such delivery to release the latch to enable the sleeve to slide to said advanced position and to engage and control the delivered fastener.

Claim 38

An automatically fed fastener driving device comprising a support member, and a power rotated driver mounted on said support member and operable to engage and turn a threaded fastener, the improvement in said device comprising, a sleeve telescoped over said driver for locating the fastener relative to the driver, said sleeve being mounted on said support member to slide back and forth relative to the driver between an advanced position in which one end of the sleeve projects a predetermined distance beyond the working enD of the driver and a retracted position in which said one end of the sleeve projects a lesser distance beyond the working end of the driver, a spring acting between said support member and said sleeve and urging said sleeve toward said advanced position, a releasable latch mounted on said support member and engageable with said sleeve to hold the sleeve in said retracted position against the bias of said spring, and means for delivering fasteners one at a time to a location beyond said one end of said sleeve when the sleeve is in said retracted position and operable as an incident to such delivery to release the latch to enable the sleeve to slide to said advanced position and to engage and control the delivered fastener.