Abstract: Method and system for the automated assembly of power train components along a plurality of interconnected, closed loops within cells of the system wherein parts and/or subassemblies of the components are assembled on the same assembly pallet on which they were robotically kitted. Along some of the loops, the assembly pallets are automatically transferred from kitting stations to assembly stations and from the assembly stations to an unload station where the components or subassemblies are robotically unloaded. The unloaded assembly pallets are then automatically transferred from the unload station to the kitting stations to repeat the assembly process. A mechanical guided vehicle system (MGVS) asynchronously conveys the assembly pallets along the closed loops which form guide tracks between the different stations. An automated guided vehicle system (AGVS) preferably transports part storage pallets to the system from a receiving area.

Abstract: Collars for surrounding the nipples of an anode bar are produced from a coil of aluminium sheet material. Sheet metal strips are separated from the coil, and are then pre-shaped to substantially U-shaped parts in a bending unit. These U-shaped parts are then pushed over the nipples of the anode bar, and their overlapping ends are fixed to one another by means of a fixing device, to form closed collars.

Abstract: An automatic assembly apparatus for fastening a part to a workpiece includes a pair of T-shaped legs, each having a horizontal guide thereon, mounted on a base in alignment with and spaced from each other in the direction of the path of the workpiece while the horizontal guide on each of the T-shaped legs extends at right angles to and intersects the path of the workpiece. A horizontal orthogonal coordinate type robot is mounted on the horizontal guides to move in the direction of the path of the workpiece while being simultaneously movable at right angles to and intersecting the path of the workpiece. A conveyor jig is mounted on each of the vertical structures between the base and the T-shaped legs.

Abstract: An automatic assembly apparatus has a first conveyor for transporting trays carrying parts to be assembled, a second conveyor for transporting pallets on which the parts are to be assembled and which extends parallel to the first conveyor, a stocking station positioned between the first and second conveyors and at which a plurality of the trays can be accommodated, a working station adjacent to the second conveyor, a pusher arm for moving trays from the first conveyor to the stocking station, and a root mounted between the first and second conveyors for carrying the trays from the stocking station to parts supplying stations adjacent the working station, and for assembling, on pallets transported to and from the working station by the second conveyor, parts removed by the robot from trays situated at the parts supplying stations, whereby a plurality of parts can be assemled by a single robot and it is possible to automatically and efficiently assemble the parts even in cases of relatively small scale producti

Abstract: In an apparatus for securing parts to an assembly body, a part conveyor means receives a plurality of parts arranged on a lot basis from a part storage. The part conveyor means is moved by the arm of the apparatus for driving parts up to the proximity of the assembly body. Since the arm of the apparatus for securing parts is equipped with a part securing means, the part securing means receives the parts from the part conveyor means individually a plurality of times and secures the parts to the assembly body.

Abstract: An automatic assembling apparatus is provided for assembling in sequence at least a first component and a second component to an article at an assembling station. The assembling apparatus comprises a first assembling jig for the first assembling component and a second assembling jig for the second component. An annular rail has the first and second assembling jigs mounted thereon such that they are circumferentially movable on the annular rail. The annular rail has a movable rail portion positioned opposite the assembling station which is movable to advance toward and retract from the assembling station. At least one supplying station is positioned with respect to the circumference of the annular rail for supplying components to the assembling jigs at the supplying station.

Abstract: A vehicle body assembling line includes a door installing station where vehicle side doors are installed on the body. In the installing station, there is an installing robot which is planned to operate in a predetermined sequence to install the doors on the vehicle body. For supplying appropriate doors to the installing robot from the door storing sections, a door pick up mechanism is provided to pick up an appropriate door from the storing section and a door transferring carriage is provided to receive the door from the pick up mechanism and transfer to the robot. The arrangement can afford an effective door installing operation.

Abstract: A gear train is assembled by vibratory feeding each of its gears into a nest in overlapping meshed aligned spaced relation. A fastening nut is vibratory fed in alignment with the journal for the gear which is distal the bracket to which the gear train is to be secured. The bracket includes a plurality of journals each mating with the journal bearing of a corresponding gear located in the nest. A robotic arm carries the bracket and inserts the journals into the gears in an axial direction, passing the journal for the distal gear through that gear bearing and into the nut for capturing the overlapped nested gears between the nut and the bracket.

Abstract: A vehicle assembling apparatus including a part transfer arm supported at one end for swingable movements about vertical and horizontal axes, a part carrying plate provided at the other end of the transfer arm for carrying a part to be assembled, and a fastener driving tool for driving fasteners. The fastener driving tool is supported on the part carrying plate for swinging movements about a vertical axis and for adjustment of the distance between the part carrying plate and the fastener driving tool.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a pair of elongated cooperative interlocking tapes to the corresponding edges of a pair of fabric pieces, for guiding the edge portions of the fabric pieces to an overlapping vertically aligned position, and for pulling and compressing the overlapping portions into interlocking engagement. The apparatus is particularly adaptable for stitching cooperative tapes of "Velcro" to the opposed edges of fabric pieces, such as the margins of an opening in an edge panel in a sofa cushion cover. The overlapping edges with their opposed tapes are compressed into interlocking relationship so that the edges may be retained closed when the fabric pieces are subsequently stitched to other fabric pieces to complete a sofa cushion cover.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling different size parts in a vertical assembly is provided which includes a pair of fingers attached to and extending from the gripper of a manipulator in parallel relationship and moveable toward and away from one another under control of the gripper. Different diameter curved outer sections extend around the periphery of and are stepped along the length of the fingers. The smallest diameter curved section is located at the outer end of the fingers and successively wider diameter sections are located along the fingers as the inner end is approached. One of the predetermined diameter sections has a predetermined slope, each part to be assembled has an opening therein of a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of a section of the fingers along the length thereof.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically attaching a sub-assembly such as a strut assembly of a strut-type front suspension to a main assembly such as a vehicle body which is transported on a conveyor belt.

Abstract: Apparatus for installing connectors onto flat conductor cables including an improved transport station for transporting connectors from a magazine to an installing station supporting a flat conductor cable. The transport means includes rotatable reorientation means to reorient connector portions at the magazines from vertical orientation to horizontal orientations at an intermediate location. The transport station also includes apparatus to retain connector portions on the reorientation means during transportation and also includes pushers to move the connector portions from the intermediate locations to the installation stations.

Abstract: An ice cream cone product is provided having a sanitary paper jacket adhered thereto which is sufficiently adherent for shipping, handling and vending but which is selectively removable without leaving jacket remnants thereon at the point of consumption. A jacket is telescopically juxtaposed over the cone after the jacket interior is dosed with water vapor or steam. A conveyor for the cones, a timed dispenser and injector for the jackets placing the latter alternately on the same conveyor with the cones, a device to combine each jacket with a cone and an accumulator for the jacketed cone product comprises the apparatus to practice the method.

Abstract: Workpiece attaching and detaching apparatus comprising a supporting column having on one side of the periphery thereof a first station for a pallet to be charged or discharged, and on another side thereof a second station for a workpiece to be charged or discharged. Annular rails are attached to the column surrounding the same. Plural heads are supported on the rails. An indexing device is provided for selecting a desired one of the heads and moving the selected head between its first working position opposite the first station and its second working position located opposite the second station. Each of the heads is provided with both a holding mechanism for the workpiece and a device for operating fasteners on the pallet.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are presented for the paired connection of sheet piles with claws, the piles having either Z-shaped cross-sections or U-shaped cross-sections. The machinery is divided into two general sections having a common axis. One pile to be joined is positioned in one section against a first alignment edge with a claw on the common axis, and the other pile to be joined is positioned in the second section against a second alignment edge with a claw on the common axis. The piles are then joined together to form a paired or "threaded" connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling hollow balls from molded hemispheres which are fed to the apparatus. The hemispheres fed to the apparatus are received in a plurality of slots located about the circumference of a wheel. While the hemispheres are in the slots, an applicator disc applies a solvent to the hemispheres and pressure cams force the hemispheres together, thereby forming complete balls. The balls are then discharged from the apparatus.The same apparatus may be used to assemble hollow balls from hemispheres which are adapted to be snapped together. In that case, no solvent is applied by the applicator disc and the pressure applied by the pressure cams is used to snap the hemispheres together into hollow balls.

Abstract: Apparatus and process are described for telescopically mating top and bottom molded petri dish members wherein the top and bottom members positioned in spaced, substantially coaxial face-to-face relation are moved along a predetermined path, and during travel along such path are moved toward each other into telescopic assembled relation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for placing component parts on the ends of flexible tubing which is employed in an I.V. administration set. Flexible tubing is continuously supplied in a rectilinear manner and cut into predetermined lengths. These lengths have the ends thereof moved in a substantially transverse manner with respect to the original direction. Each end is then placed in a solvent-type solution and subsequently into a cavity of a component part. All of the foregoing functions are accomplished continuously and automatically in a device which employs a conveyor system for the cut tubing and a separate conveyor system for the component parts. The conveyors travel over a substantial elliptical pathway and along a horizontal axis. The upper conveyor is positioned with respect to the lower conveyor such that their pathways overlap a substantial distance. The upper conveyor provides a multiplicity of carrier members to which are fed and positioned predetermined cut lengths of flexible tubing.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for assembling washer members with fastener members provides for moving a plurality of one of the fasteners and the washers along a helical path and the other of the fasteners and the washers in a circular path and simultaneously therewith increasing the telescopic assembled relationship between the fasteners and the washers. The apparatus disclosed herein whereby said methods may be practiced includes a base and a wheel having a plurality of pockets about the periphery thereof. The wheel is rotatably mounted on the base and means are provided for continuously rotating the wheel at a predetermined speed. Means are provided for feeding the washers in an oriented position into the pockets in the wheel and means are provided for feeding the fasteners in an oriented position into the pockets in the wheel.

Abstract: In the invention, an apparatus is designed for producing spacer frames for insulating glass window structures, made up of lengths of hollow molding joined together by male cornerpieces. Hollows and spaces at the corner joins are sealed or filled by injection of a sealing composition forced in by the use of a female injection head designed to take up a frame corner, and a driver for pushing the frame corner structure into the injection head. There is furthermore a work table for the frame parts in the working position on injection of the compound or sealant, and gripper structures for keeping the hollow molding lengths, forming the corner, in the desired position. At least one of the gripper structures is able to be moved towards the put-in male part of the cornerpiece after the hollow molding part has been gripped.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the feeding of buttons or similar objects to a processing station e.g., a fastening station. The apparatus comprises a rail arranged to receive a row of the buttons and debouch them at a processing station in which holding means are provided to hold the objects and alternatively release them. At the delivery end of the rail two holding elements are provided to allow the feeding of one of the buttons from the rail, catch the fed button and hold it in the processing station and release the button after the processing. According to the invention the holding elements each has the form of a section, rotatable into three positions around an axis. In the first position both the sections are placed opposite to the open delivery end of the rail allowing the feeding of one button from the rail. In the second position they are placed opposite to each other holding the button between the sections.

Abstract: A door hinge applying unit for supporting and releasably holding a door and the hinge jamb of the door frame in positions alongside each other with the butt-receiving surfaces of the door and jamb coplanar for applying the butts of a butt hinge, which unit includes a butt mortiser for simultaneously forming the mortises for said butts, a drilling device for forming the holes for the screws to secure said butts in said mortises, and a screw driving assembly for holding the hinge to be applied with the butts thereof opposed to said mortises, and for holding the screws for securing said butts in said holes in alignment with the latter.