Metering system and method

A method for metering fasteners, the method comprising:

• receiving a supply of fasteners into a chute defined by a frame, the fasteners arranged in a line in the chute, wherein a first fastener of the fasteners in the line is blocked by an upstream gate while the upstream gate is in an upstream blocking position;
• advancing, via an actuator, a downstream gate into the chute to a downstream blocking position, wherein advancing the downstream gate causes the upstream gate to retract from the upstream blocking position away from the chute, to permit the first fastener to pass beyond the upstream gate to the downstream gate which is in the downstream blocking position;
• and
• retracting, via the actuator, the downstream gate from the downstream blocking position away from the chute to permit the first fastener to pass beyond the downstream gate within the chute, wherein retracting the downstream gate causes the upstream gate to advance into the chute to block a second fastener of the fasteners in the line,
• wherein the downstream gate is operably connected to the upstream gate so that the downstream gate retracting away from the chute pulls the upstream gate towards the chute to advance the upstream gate.

A metering system comprising:

• a frame that defines a chute configured to receive a supply of fasteners and maintain the fasteners in a line;
• an upstream gate and a downstream gate mounted to the frame on opposite sides of the chute, each of the upstream and downstream gates movable to advance into the chute and retract away from the chute;
• a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force on the upstream gate in a respective advancing direction towards the chute;
• and
• an actuator mechanically coupled to the downstream gate and configured to advance and retract the downstream gate relative to the chute,
• the downstream gate operably connected to the upstream gate so that as the downstream gate advances into the chute, the downstream gate pushes the upstream gate away from the chute, against the biasing force, to retract the upstream gate and permit a first fastener of the fasteners in the chute to pass beyond the upstream gate to the downstream gate, and
• as the downstream gate retracts, the first fastener is permitted to pass beyond the downstream gate to an outlet of the chute, and the biasing force advances the upstream gate into the chute to block a second fastener of the fasteners from moving beyond the upstream gate.