Engine cylinder valve spring keeper installation system

Abstract

A system is provided for the automated assembly of engine cylinder valves capable of registering a valve stem as a robot datum working location, placing a valve stem spring over the working location, compressing the valve stem spring onto the valve stem, inserting a valve keeper into a valve stem seating notch and locking the valve keeper with a cap by a computer controlled automated cylinder head assembly line. A spring feeding station registers the valve stem and said places the valve stem spring over the working location. A multi-axis mechanical robot grips the valve spring about its outer diameter with a gripping fixture from a spring feeding fixture forming an end effector incorporating a jaw gripper urged by a pneumatically actuator. A vision system locates a cylinder block on a transferred pallet to determine an X, Y, and Rz plane for placement of the valve, spring and spring keeper.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.