Method and apparatus for laser welding of flat stamped fasteners into clips, and resulting clip
AssigneePortola-Nails, Inc.
InventorJerry D. Coleman, Sr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatic or manual impact operated nailer requires fasteners in a clip, typically of about 100 fasteners. The invention provides uniform well-bonded fasteners in a clip for use in a pneumatic or manual nailer, the clips being adhesive-free. In addition, this invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing such adhesive-free clips by press-forming the fasteners, placing them in proper orientation in a fixture on a rotatable turret rotating the turret to a spot welding location, spot welding the fasteners, and rotating the turret to a clip unloading station. The clip product is also disclosed.
Claims6
Apparatus for manufacturing an adhesive-free clip from loose fasteners for use in an impact operated tool, comprising:
- a mechanical fixture for receiving and for precisely positioning said loose fasteners therein in such manner that the heads of each of said fasteners are substantially coplanar and that the center lines of said fasteners are substantially coplanar;
- said fixture being mounted on a rotatable turret for repositioning said fixture upon demand;
- a servomechanism mounted adjacent said fixture adapted to locate the abutment coordinates of all adjacent fasteners in said fixture;
- means for recording the abutment location coordinates;
- a movable spot welder;
- means for retrieving said abutment location coordinates and positioning said spot welder according to said coordinates;
- a fixture unloading station;
- means for repositioning said fixture at said unloading station;
- and
- means for unloading said finished clip for subsequent packaging.
Apparatus for manufacturing a clip of fasteners from loose fasteners for use in an impact operated tool, comprising:
- a rotatable turret having four mechanical fixtures mounted thereon at 90°;
- an associated press for forming said loose fasteners with heads and elongated bodies with longitudinal center lines;
- means for delivering a predetermined amount of loose fasteners to a first fixture at a first fixture location from said press and to align the fasteners with the heads being substantially coplanar and the center lines also being substantially coplanar;
- a welding station adjacent a second fixture location on said turret at 90° from said first fixture location;
- a spot welder mounted at said welding station;
- an unloading station at a third fixture location on said turret at 90° from said second fixture location;
- fixture unloading means at said unloading station;
- a fourth fixture location on said turret at 90° from said third fixture location;
- and
- means for rotating said turret in quarter-turn increments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.