Apparatus for premounting of locking elements to a panel

The locking element according to claim wherein the locking portion is of a substantially V-shaped cross-section with a first limb and a second limb, wherein the latching tongue is formed by the first limb and the second limb is laterally connected to the insertion portion.

A method of locking quadrangular panels which have a top side, an underside and peripherally extending edges with holding profiles arranged thereat, with the proviso that at least two oppositely disposed holding profiles of each panel are in the form of complementary hook profiles so that hook profiles of adjacent panels can be inserted into each other in a vertical direction, wherein at least one of the hook profiles is provided with an additional locking element with a resilient latching tongue which is latchable into a latching recess of an adjacent panel, wherein the first row of panels is locked without involving a vertical movement for the purposes of coupling and without latching engagement, namely as an alternative by pushing the complementary hook profiles into each other in aligned relationship.

A method of locking quadrangular panels which have a top side, an underside and peripherally extending edges with holding profiles arranged thereat, with the proviso that at least two oppositely disposed holding profiles of each panel are in the form of complementary hook profiles so that hook profiles of adjacent panels can be inserted into each other in a vertical direction, wherein at least one of the hook profiles is provided with an additional locking element with a resilient latching tongue which is latchable into a latching recess of an adjacent panel, wherein the first row of panels is locked by a procedure whereby the hook profiles to be locked are firstly laid loosely one upon the other and then the edges are pushed towards each other until the resilient latching tongue of the locking element is displaced resiliently inwardly by contact with the adjacent panel, and that thereafter the panel with the locking element are moved vertically, namely perpendicularly to the panel plane, into each other until the inwardly resiliently displaced latching tongue of the locking element automatically moves resiliently outwardly into the latching recess of the adjacent panel and arrests the hook connection in the vertical direction.

A method of automatically mounting a locking element to an edge of a panel, in particular a floor panel, wherein the locking element in the form of an endless cable-like locking element line is taken from a storage means and passed into a guide passage and fed to a separating station which separates the locking element line into individual locking elements, and wherein each individual locking element is moved in synchronous movement in relation to a continuously transported panel to an edge of said panel and pressed by a pressing device into a receiving region of the edge of the panel.