An apparatus for transferring headed pins includes a frame having a pair of spaced, parallel side rails and an end plate secured between the side rails at one end thereof. A pair of plates are secured together and connected between the side rails at the other ends thereof. The pair of plates have at least a portion of their opposed surfaces spaced from each other, and have aligned holes therethrough for receiving the pins to be transferred. A third plate having openings therethrough is slidable in the space between the pair of plates. An operating rod is connected to the third plate and can move the third plate between a first position in which the holes in the third plate are aligned with the holes in the pair of plates, and a second position in which the holes in the third plate only partially overlap the holes in the pair of plates. With the third plate in its second position, pins can be inserted through the holes and will not pass completely therethrough so that they will be held in the apparatus. When the third plate is moved to its first position, the pins are free to pass completely through the holes so that they can be transferred to another apparatus.
An alignment system and method wherein a machine module is aligned with and secured to a machine base. A plate is loosely held on the module by screws, and the base and plate have mating pin holes. A pin is inserted through the mating pin holes, and the plate moves to find its aligned position. The screws are then tightened to fix the plate on the module, and the pin is removed. Subsequent realignment can be easily accomplished by reinsertion of the alignment pin to insure registration between the preset plate and base pin holes.
