Abstract: An automated floor assembly machine is provided for attaching longitudinally aligned floor boards to transverse positioned cross-members of a wheeled trailer. The machine comprises a carriage for longitudinal movement relative to the floor boards, a drill mounted on the carriage so that the drill is vertically and laterally movable with respect to the carriage, a fastener driver mounted on the carriage so that the fastener driver is vertically and laterally movable with respect to the carriage, a sensor operably mounted to the carriage so that the transverse mounted cross-members are detectable by the sensor, a drive motor in communication with the carriage for moving the carriage longitudinally along the floor boards into alignment with the cross-members, and a control system having a processor in operative communication with the carriage, the drill, the fastener driver, the sensor, and the drive motor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 28, 2005
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2007
Assignee:
Great Dane Limited Partnership c/o CC Industries, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven A. Sprague, P. Alan Whiten, R. Wayne Achtziger