TRANSFER APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AIR SPRING ASSEMBLY APPARATUS

摘要

TRANSFER APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AIR SPRING ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Air spring components and the completed air spring are carried by an air spring unloader, an end cap holder and a tubular member loader of a shuttle mechanism along a track member adjacent an air spring assembly apparatus. The shuttle mechanism is movable to three positions controlled by stop members so that the air spring can be transferred to the unloader, the end cap can be inserted in a recess of the assembly apparatus and the tubular member positioned for processing by the assembly apparatus. Simultaneously with some of these operations the air spring is transferred to a conveyor and the end cap is transferred from a loading support to the end cap holder. The loader and unloader each have a vertically movable cradle with an overarm clamp for supporting and releasing the tubular member and air spring. The end cap holder has a resiliently mounted chuck on a sliding support for transferring an end cap from a recess in the loading support and inserting the end cap in a recess of the assembly apparatus.