Assembling Machine with Continuous Periodic Assembly Motion

Abstract

An assembling machine with a feeder is provided. The feeder feeds receiving components into an assembler, where a moveable coupling mechanism couples attaching components to the receiving components. Transporting mechanisms coupled to a plurality of drive trains deliver the receiving components across the feeder table and to the assembler. The transporting mechanisms alternate between a plurality of speeds so as to deliver the receiving components to the assembler such that the moveable coupling mechanism may operate at a continuous, periodic rate.

What is claimed is: 
     
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         14 . A feeder machine comprising:
 a. a feeder table; and   b. at least two drive trains, each of the at least two drive trains having at least one transporting mechanism coupled thereto, the at least one transporting mechanism being configured to cause a graduated component to pass along one side of the feeder table;   wherein a drive train speed associated with one of the plurality of drive trains varies such that coupling regions on components driven by a first drive train and coupling regions on components driven by a second drive train exit the feeder table at a constant rate.   
     
     
         15 . The feeder machine of  claim 14 , wherein each of the at least two drive trains has at least two transporting mechanisms coupled thereto, the at least two transporting mechanisms being disposed at substantially equidistant intervals along the each of the at least two drive trains. 
     
     
         16 . The feeder machine of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two drive trains comprise a first drive train and a second drive train, wherein the drive train speed associated with the second drive train varies so as to minimize the distance between the components driven by a second transporting mechanism coupled to the second drive train and a first transporting mechanism coupled to the first drive train at least once when both the first transporting mechanism and the second transporting mechanism are transporting components. 
     
     
         17 . The feeder machine of  claim 16 , further comprising a transporting mechanism detector capable of determining at least once the position of the transporting mechanism along a drive train loop. 
     
     
         18 . The feeder machine of  claim 17 , wherein each of the at least two drive trains comprises a pair of variable speed servo driven chains, further wherein the at least two transporting mechanisms comprise rigid arms coupling the pair of variable speed servo driven trains. 
     
     
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