Captive nut insertion tool

摘要

An insertion tool to be interfaced with a turret-type punch press, or the like, to insert fasteners, such as captive or clinch nuts, into holes in a sheet metal workpiece. The tool includes a canister assembly having a plurality of guide rods on which the captive nuts are stacked. The nuts are loaded from the guide rods into respective holes in a rotatable planetary gear of the canister assembly so that successive ones of said nuts can be axially aligned with an exit opening of the canister assembly to be forcibly ejected therethrough by a punch assembly. The punch assembly and planetary gear are moved relative to the exit opening by a reciprocating cam enclosure which is connected to the punch assembly and to which an impact force is applied from the press. The reciprocating movement of the cam enclosure is transferred to the planetary gear to rotate said gear by way of a motion translating assembly including a rotatable cam that is coupled to and rotated by said cam enclosure.