FASTENER MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

An assembly line (10) for continuously manufacturing fasteners (12) from a rod (14) with a groove (18) for receiving a wire for retaining the fasteners (12) in a strip includes a receiver for receiving the rod (14). A die press (22) is arranged to receive the rod (14) from the receiver and includes a piercing member (170) for piercing an aperture (38) in each fastener (12) and a cutting member (180) for cutting each fastener (12) from the rod (14). A tapping member (32) provides ribs (36) to an inner wall of the aperture (38) formed in the fastener (12) by the piercing member (170). An inspector (42) inspects the internal rib (36) formed into the inner wall of the aperture (38) disposed in the fastener (12) verifying exactness of the aperture (38) and the rib (36). A wire inserted (94) inserts the wire into the groove (18) forming a strip of connected fasteners (12). The inserted (94) receives the fasteners (12) sequentially from the inspector (42) after verification of the exactness of the aperture (38) disposed in each fastener (12).