Clip loading and feed device

摘要

A clip attachment device for affixing a generally circular clip about a mass of material includes a split mandrel mounted on a support arm. The mandrel is elastically deformable and in its normally expanded condition frictionally engages and retains or stores a plurality of clips. The pivotal support arm for the mandrel is movable between a position over a clip attachment opening in the base of the device and a clip indexing station. The mandrel is translatable in a longitudinal direction so that a clip at the clip attachment station may be positioned by longitudinal movement for engagement by clip closure dies. The dies can partially close and compress about one clip. The mandrel may then be withdrawn with the remaining clip to the indexing station. The retained clip may then be further compressed by the dies about a mass of material. Upon arrival at the indexing station, the mandrel with the remaining clips is automatically plunged into a gauging die which compresses the split mandrel and allows the clips to drop down one clip thickness. This function reindexes the clip stack height so that one clip is in the proper vertical location for engagement with the closure dies.