System for loading collars onto bolts in large-scale manufacturing operations

A gripperless system for conveying collars having a center opening to a position where an axis of the center opening of the collar is alignable with a centerline axis of a swaging die tool for bolts, the swaging die tool being part of a tool assembly for manufacturing operations, comprising:

• a collar feed assembly, including a feed channel connecting a container for collars and a stop assembly positioned in approximate initial alignment with the centerline of the tool assembly;
• a source of compressed air for moving collars through the feed channel, the feed channel being generally perpendicular to the swaging die tool centerline axis as the feed channel approaches the swaging die tool, the collars being automatically operatively positioned, solely by action of the compressed air, at the stop assembly relative to the swaging die tool centerline axis, the collar feed assembly further including a sensor for determining the presence of a collar in the stop assembly, wherein there is sufficient clearance between the collar and the channel to permit movement of the collar as a forward end of a die pin portion of the die tool moves and engages the center opening of the collar, resulting in accurate automatic loading of the collar onto the die pin, wherein the feed assembly or the swaging die tool are movable sufficiently thereafter to permit a die pin-engaged collar to be moved forward for engagement with a tail end of a bolt.