Fastener feed and installation head

A feed mechanism for a self-attaching fastener installation apparatus, said installation apparatus including a plunger passage, a feed passage extending generally transverse to said plunger passage and communicating with said plunger passage, and a plunger reciprocable in said plunger passage through an intersection of said feed passage to install a self-attaching fastener received in said plunger passage from said feed passage in a panel opposite said plunger passage, said feed mechanism comprising:

• a bracket in said feed passage movable toward and away from said plunger passage, a feed pawl pivotally supported on said bracket having a feed leg portion extending into said feed passage including an end portion adapted to engage a self-attaching fastener in said feed passage adjacent said plunger passage, a spring biasing said bracket toward said plunger passage, and a roller rotatably supported on said bracket and said fastener installation apparatus including an inclined camming surface fixed relative to said plunger, opposite said roller, whereby movement of said plunger through said plunger passage drives said inclined camming surface against said roller, driving said bracket away from plunger passage and said spring then driving said bracket toward said plunger passage upon release of said roller from said inclined camming surface and said end portion of said feed leg of said feed pawl then driving said self-attaching fastener adjacent said plunger passage into said plunger passage.

An installation apparatus for installing self-attaching nuts interconnected by frangible connector elements, said installation apparatus comprising:

• a base member attachable to a shoe of a press having an inclined cam surface;
• a plunger fixed relative to said base member and extending from said base member;
• a nose member having a plunger passage telescopically receiving a free end of said plunger and a generally transverse nut feed passage intersecting said plunger passage and communicating therewith;
• a shank extending generally parallel to said plunger having a first end portion attached to said nose member by removable pins and a second end portion resiliently biased towards said nose member relative to said base member;
• and
• a feed mechanism including a feed pawl extending into said feed passage having an end portion adapted to engage a self-attaching fastener adjacent said plunger passage and a roller opposite said inclined cam surface, said feed pawl spring biased towards said plunger passage and operably connected to said roller, whereby closure of said press drives said nose member against a panel located in said press, driving said plunger through said plunger passage to install a self-attaching nut in said plunger passage into a panel located opposite said plunger passage and said roller engaging said inclined cam surface to drive said pawl away from said plunger passage to receive said finger into a nut bore of a self-attaching nut adjacent said plunger passage and opening of said press releasing said roller and said feed pawl, wherein said end portion of said feed pawl engages said self-attaching fastener in said feed passage adjacent said plunger passage and said feed pawl then driving a self-attaching fastener into said plunger passage for installation in said panel upon closing of said press.

An installation apparatus for installing self-attaching nuts interconnected by a frangible connector element, said installation apparatus comprising:

• a base member attachable to one shoe of a die press having an inclined cam surface;
• a plunger fixed relative to said base member and extending from said base member;
• a nose member having a plunger passage telescopically receiving a free end of said plunger and a nut feed passage intersecting said plunger passage and communicating therewith;
• a biasing element normally resiliently spacing said nose member from said base member, such that said plunger is reciprocated through an intersection of said plunger passage and said feed passage to install a self-attaching nut located in said plunger passage in a panel opposite said plunger passage upon closing of said press;
• and
• a feed mechanism including a bracket in said feed passage movable toward and away from said plunger passage, a feed pawl pivotally supported on said bracket having a feed leg portion extending into said feed passage including an end portion adapted to engage a self-attaching nut in said feed passage adjacent said plunger passage, a spring biasing said bracket toward said plunger passage, and a roller rotatably supported on said bracket opposite said inclined cam surface of said base member, whereby said roller engages said inclined surface of said base member upon movement of said nose member toward said base member, driving said bracket away from said plunger passage, then said biasing element driving said nose member away from said base member and said spring driving said bracket toward said plunger passage and said feed pawl engaging a self-attaching nut adjacent said plunger passage, and feeding said first self-attaching nut into said plunger passage.

A method of feeding and installing self-attaching nuts in an installation head, said installation head including a base member attached to one shoe of a die press, a plunger fixed relative to said base member and extending from said base member, a nose member attached to said base member normally in spaced relation having a feed passage and a plunger passage receiving a free end of said plunger, a biasing element normally spacing said nose member from said base member, and a feed mechanism including a feed pawl in said feed passage movable in said feed passage toward and away from said plunger passage including an end portion adapted to engage a nut in said feed passage adjacent said plunger passage, said method comprising the following steps:

• feeding a plurality of self-attaching nuts interconnected by a frangible connector element into said feed passage and one of said self-attaching nuts into said plunger passage;
• installing said one of said self-attaching nuts in a panel opposite said plunger passage by closing said die press, thereby driving said nose member toward said base member and said plunger through said plunger passage;
• opening said die press, thereby spacing said nose member from said panel, said biasing element thereby spacing said nose member from said base member;
• and
• then engaging said feed pawl with said self-attaching nut adjacent said plunger passage and driving said feed pawl toward said plunger passage to feed said first self-attaching fastener into said plunger passage.