摘要 |
<p>Fasteners, such as rivets, are fed to a fastener insertion tool (1) via a buffer magazine (5) adjacent to the tool. The buffer is movable with the tool and C-frame between an operative position where fasteners can be inserted int a workpiece and a re-filling position where it is docked at a docking station (13) to reload. Fasteners are delivered to the docking station from a source (14) and held there ready for when the tool docks. Once docked a transfer gat is opened at an interface between the buffer magazine (15) and the docking station (13) and fasteners from the docking station are transferred into the buffer magazine. A fastener insertion cycle is executed while the docking station is refilled with fasteners. A control cycle is used to control the quantity of fasteners loaded into a storage track at the docking station and operates to reduce overfilling of the buffer.</p> |