CA2443013A1 - Hand held spin pull tool for installing threaded inserts and method for using same - Google Patents
Hand held spin pull tool for installing threaded inserts and method for using same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2443013A1 CA2443013A1 CA 2443013 CA2443013A CA2443013A1 CA 2443013 A1 CA2443013 A1 CA 2443013A1 CA 2443013 CA2443013 CA 2443013 CA 2443013 A CA2443013 A CA 2443013A CA 2443013 A1 CA2443013 A1 CA 2443013A1
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- Prior art keywords
- insert
- substrate
- drive
- mandrel
- tool
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- Surgical Instruments (AREA)
Abstract
A hand held spin-pull tool for securing a hollow threaded insert into a substrate. The hand held tool of the invention has at least the following components:
a) a switch activated (closed) by manual movement; b) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert; c) a nose retainer position detector for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
d) a controller for stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; e) a cylinder and piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore; f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive; g) a hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston to move the piston, drive shaft and attached mandrel to collapse the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate; h) a controller for activating and controlling the hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; i) in insert collapse detector for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and j) a controller for disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert. The invention includes a method using the tool of the invention for installing an insert.
a) a switch activated (closed) by manual movement; b) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert; c) a nose retainer position detector for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
d) a controller for stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; e) a cylinder and piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore; f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive; g) a hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston to move the piston, drive shaft and attached mandrel to collapse the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate; h) a controller for activating and controlling the hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert; i) in insert collapse detector for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and j) a controller for disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert. The invention includes a method using the tool of the invention for installing an insert.
Description
A2f:1t11B US
liAND 11E~1.) 5flN-I'~I7LL'f(7C7L F0121NS'fALLING
TI-~nD>?~ rnlsE»TS nrt» ~~xan >~oR UsrnrG snlvtE
This is a Ccmtinuaticm-in-Part of 1J. i. Serial Nu. 091707,113 filed Ntavemher 6, 2t1tN1 and a C.°ontinuation-in-Part of U.S. Serial No. lUl~5H,53U filed September 27, 2t)t12.
Backfiround ofthe Invention This invention relates to methods and apparatus for installing threaded iascrts into a substrate. Such substrates, fnr example, include films, sheets or plates that may he curved or flat. The substrates rnay be made of materials such as metal, wood, ~las4, ceramic:, cellulose, leather car plastic and mxy be completely solid, ar partly porous, e.g. in the form of textiles of foam. More pareicularly, the invention concerns an insert that has a hallow shaft having first and second end portions and an uittrn~ediate portion between tht end portions and a fhuigc surrounding the first end portion. The insert is installed by passing the intermediate portion and second and porkican into ar thruuih a bole in the substrate to preferably, bui not essentially, pass through a rear surface of the substrate so that the tlange of the insert contacts a front surface of the substrate. The second end pariion is then pulled toward the first end portion to collapse the intermediate portion of the shall apart the rear surlace at' the substrate (or upon the sidcwalls defining the bolt in the substrate) tcs Pnrm a gripnin~
structure that secures the insert.
inserts, as described shave, are well known. They are for txample readily purchased at lcx;al hardware 3'tores far insertion into drywall substrates.
Such inserts have Tnc~re recently been used in production processes to provide threaded structure., in substrates that may cot be strung ettough 8y themselves to support reliable threads or to reduce prnduation time by eliminating the need to thread individual liolcs in the substrates with taps.
The use ixt production has, however beers hampered by the lack ui' pr«cessw and equipment to rapidly and raliably in,;tall such inserts.
The first, and still most common, way to install such inserts is by placing the shaft tluough a hole in (ha substrate, as above described, stud turning a threaded rod with an end flange, e.g. a bolt having a bolt head or flaatgcd threaded mandrel or screw head, into the threads in the Second end of the insert thus pulling the second end inward the first end of the insert to collapse the interntediate portion of the insert, as previously described.
Such a method of installation has numrrcaux cli~civxntages. lror example, when the threaded rod with its end flange is ttlrncd to Collapse the intermediate portion, significant torque is requireil. 'fhe high torque tends to turn the cntil'e insCrt which Can result iu a bad installation by causing the frnmation of a defective gripping stmcturc, or destroying or damaging the substrcte or even snore cammonly, causing Failure of threads within the ittsort. i,ireai care must therefore be taken let assure th<tt the insert does trot spin. This cyRen requires that a separate itlscl't retaining means be employed chat can withstand the required high torque. Even in such eases, the failure to obtain a good installatian is ntcma frequent thau can be tolerated by many, if not most, production systems, Mrrre recently, such inserts have beets ittstallcd in prnduction systems by threading a tnandrcl into the insert and longitudinally pulling the second end of the shaft of die insert tuward the first end of the shat!; of the insert, wittaovt applying a ratatianal torque. Nevertheless, the apparatus and processes far zccon~piishu~
that result have not been as reliable as desired, in particular, in existing apparatus, when the mandrel was pullets, !l was nec:esmry to move the ctttire drive assembly with the mandrel thus preventing secure attachment of the drive to a cylinder housing rut the piston providing tlic pulliag force. As a result, the drive (meter) tended m at least partially mave ratationally wlicn it was activated creating wear and misali,gtvment and pmvcnting smooth rutational operation, Further when the drive wts :u:livuted to roW to the drive shaft, due to wear, ar rrevicyusly described, unacccplabiy high friction resulted between the drive shaft and pia~tan thmugh which the shaft passed, wearing both the drive Sha$ and the race or bore Lhraugh the piston accommodating the drive shall. As a further result, the turning of the drive shaft tcnrled to also rotitte the piston creating wear ut the piston seals. The same increase in friction caused an increase in torque rcquirctucnts to uvercume friction lasses. This is especially troublesome in a hand held tool hll of these problems rcsrltcd in significant down time and potentially unsatisfactory installation rtf the insert. As ail cvCn further disruivantagc crf such apparatus aztd methods, there wa_, no good way to detect what the screw head (e.g.
threaded mandrel) was withdrawn to permit positioning of an insert far loading onto the screw head. There was also no gcxtd way to detect where the screw head was screwed into the in.;ert so that tlxe nose retainer contacted the t'lange of the insert or where the shaft of the insert was inserted into the suhstrne so that the inner! flange contacted the lint aurlscG oi' tha substrata or wliere the screw head had been completely unscrewed .from the insert. Accurate use of dctcetois would have been Lrarupered in such devices due to motion of the drive relative to the cylinder housing alrd also due to i<~rek of a secure attaclarxrent of the drive, the tendency of the piston to rotate s.od undesirable wear, as nr-cviaaly described. Atternpts to stag the piston from rotating tbernselves give a further wear paitlt as tile rrtisaligttmanls dtte to the insccurcfy attached drive pewit rottrtionaI forces to he applied to the piston to be at least partly successful in Causing piston rotxticnn clue to wear :r..s previ<icsiy ~st~ribul.
The devices further did rant lend themselves to safe placement cyf detectors, i.c, them was no grind way for internal detecting mechanisms and the requirr;d uetdcsirablc mUYCnlCtltS previously described caused vibration of any sensors arced, Hand held tools for securing inserts, :rs previously described had numerous additiartal problems. In particular; forwt~rd rotation of a thrra<ted m:utdrel !x7 properly load the insert into the tcml wsl~ begun and stc~ppad by a trigger switch subject only to judgment cxznlrul of the operator. This sanrctitttes resulted in incomplete or too tight initial threading of the insert onto the tool. Incomplete seating resulted in subsequent pulling upon an incompletely seated insert with poss'hle damage W the inser!
Mange or possible collapsing of the in;;ert at undeainrhlc lacatiorts, Initial seating that was too tight could cause premature collapsing of the insert duo to drawing the Qtrcads toward the tool upon excess continued rotation.
~aimilarly, after the insert was initially thze~aded with the mandrel of the took, initiaticm of the actican to draw the second and portion to collapse tbc iutcnnediate portion of the insert ugirinst the second surface of the substrate to secure the insert was again a judgmment c:ail by the operator. 11 the drawing action was begun too soon., i.c.
before proper seating en the tool, 4ollapsing of the iuscit could again occur at an improper location an the insert. Further, oven if the insert were properly seated en the tool, the operator could inadvertently move the local and seated insert away from the hole before initi:~ling the pulling action thus collapsing the intermcadiatc portion of the insert at an improper position reiativr to the hole thus again not properly scu~uric~ the insert, l;vcn more commonly, the operator could continue tile drawing ac6an taa long thus actually farting the mandrel. from the in,~rl anti dewrc~ying threads of the insert.
There was also no wuy tier the operstor i<7 know when the insc~~t was properly secured into the substrare thus the operator could only guess at the proper lime to reverse the mandrel to uxtt)hrcaJ it tram the insert, Again, in sucli tools, the pulling action required movement of the entire drive. This created serious control prahlcans in a hand held tool due to the need to c<mtra~i inertial cffc~~ by the operator.
Brief t3escription of the Drawings rigure 1 is 3n elevational view al an appat'atus in accotdanCC with a preferred embodiment of the present invention where the insert gun of the invention is mounted on a frame.
Figure 2 is a ;;ide view of a preferred eanbodirnent of an insert gun of the Present invention as Shawn in lTigure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the gun of Fiyre ~ taken on line 3-3 at Pigure 2.
Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view of the gun of Figure 3.
liAND 11E~1.) 5flN-I'~I7LL'f(7C7L F0121NS'fALLING
TI-~nD>?~ rnlsE»TS nrt» ~~xan >~oR UsrnrG snlvtE
This is a Ccmtinuaticm-in-Part of 1J. i. Serial Nu. 091707,113 filed Ntavemher 6, 2t1tN1 and a C.°ontinuation-in-Part of U.S. Serial No. lUl~5H,53U filed September 27, 2t)t12.
Backfiround ofthe Invention This invention relates to methods and apparatus for installing threaded iascrts into a substrate. Such substrates, fnr example, include films, sheets or plates that may he curved or flat. The substrates rnay be made of materials such as metal, wood, ~las4, ceramic:, cellulose, leather car plastic and mxy be completely solid, ar partly porous, e.g. in the form of textiles of foam. More pareicularly, the invention concerns an insert that has a hallow shaft having first and second end portions and an uittrn~ediate portion between tht end portions and a fhuigc surrounding the first end portion. The insert is installed by passing the intermediate portion and second and porkican into ar thruuih a bole in the substrate to preferably, bui not essentially, pass through a rear surface of the substrate so that the tlange of the insert contacts a front surface of the substrate. The second end pariion is then pulled toward the first end portion to collapse the intermediate portion of the shall apart the rear surlace at' the substrate (or upon the sidcwalls defining the bolt in the substrate) tcs Pnrm a gripnin~
structure that secures the insert.
inserts, as described shave, are well known. They are for txample readily purchased at lcx;al hardware 3'tores far insertion into drywall substrates.
Such inserts have Tnc~re recently been used in production processes to provide threaded structure., in substrates that may cot be strung ettough 8y themselves to support reliable threads or to reduce prnduation time by eliminating the need to thread individual liolcs in the substrates with taps.
The use ixt production has, however beers hampered by the lack ui' pr«cessw and equipment to rapidly and raliably in,;tall such inserts.
The first, and still most common, way to install such inserts is by placing the shaft tluough a hole in (ha substrate, as above described, stud turning a threaded rod with an end flange, e.g. a bolt having a bolt head or flaatgcd threaded mandrel or screw head, into the threads in the Second end of the insert thus pulling the second end inward the first end of the insert to collapse the interntediate portion of the insert, as previously described.
Such a method of installation has numrrcaux cli~civxntages. lror example, when the threaded rod with its end flange is ttlrncd to Collapse the intermediate portion, significant torque is requireil. 'fhe high torque tends to turn the cntil'e insCrt which Can result iu a bad installation by causing the frnmation of a defective gripping stmcturc, or destroying or damaging the substrcte or even snore cammonly, causing Failure of threads within the ittsort. i,ireai care must therefore be taken let assure th<tt the insert does trot spin. This cyRen requires that a separate itlscl't retaining means be employed chat can withstand the required high torque. Even in such eases, the failure to obtain a good installatian is ntcma frequent thau can be tolerated by many, if not most, production systems, Mrrre recently, such inserts have beets ittstallcd in prnduction systems by threading a tnandrcl into the insert and longitudinally pulling the second end of the shaft of die insert tuward the first end of the shat!; of the insert, wittaovt applying a ratatianal torque. Nevertheless, the apparatus and processes far zccon~piishu~
that result have not been as reliable as desired, in particular, in existing apparatus, when the mandrel was pullets, !l was nec:esmry to move the ctttire drive assembly with the mandrel thus preventing secure attachment of the drive to a cylinder housing rut the piston providing tlic pulliag force. As a result, the drive (meter) tended m at least partially mave ratationally wlicn it was activated creating wear and misali,gtvment and pmvcnting smooth rutational operation, Further when the drive wts :u:livuted to roW to the drive shaft, due to wear, ar rrevicyusly described, unacccplabiy high friction resulted between the drive shaft and pia~tan thmugh which the shaft passed, wearing both the drive Sha$ and the race or bore Lhraugh the piston accommodating the drive shall. As a further result, the turning of the drive shaft tcnrled to also rotitte the piston creating wear ut the piston seals. The same increase in friction caused an increase in torque rcquirctucnts to uvercume friction lasses. This is especially troublesome in a hand held tool hll of these problems rcsrltcd in significant down time and potentially unsatisfactory installation rtf the insert. As ail cvCn further disruivantagc crf such apparatus aztd methods, there wa_, no good way to detect what the screw head (e.g.
threaded mandrel) was withdrawn to permit positioning of an insert far loading onto the screw head. There was also no gcxtd way to detect where the screw head was screwed into the in.;ert so that tlxe nose retainer contacted the t'lange of the insert or where the shaft of the insert was inserted into the suhstrne so that the inner! flange contacted the lint aurlscG oi' tha substrata or wliere the screw head had been completely unscrewed .from the insert. Accurate use of dctcetois would have been Lrarupered in such devices due to motion of the drive relative to the cylinder housing alrd also due to i<~rek of a secure attaclarxrent of the drive, the tendency of the piston to rotate s.od undesirable wear, as nr-cviaaly described. Atternpts to stag the piston from rotating tbernselves give a further wear paitlt as tile rrtisaligttmanls dtte to the insccurcfy attached drive pewit rottrtionaI forces to he applied to the piston to be at least partly successful in Causing piston rotxticnn clue to wear :r..s previ<icsiy ~st~ribul.
The devices further did rant lend themselves to safe placement cyf detectors, i.c, them was no grind way for internal detecting mechanisms and the requirr;d uetdcsirablc mUYCnlCtltS previously described caused vibration of any sensors arced, Hand held tools for securing inserts, :rs previously described had numerous additiartal problems. In particular; forwt~rd rotation of a thrra<ted m:utdrel !x7 properly load the insert into the tcml wsl~ begun and stc~ppad by a trigger switch subject only to judgment cxznlrul of the operator. This sanrctitttes resulted in incomplete or too tight initial threading of the insert onto the tool. Incomplete seating resulted in subsequent pulling upon an incompletely seated insert with poss'hle damage W the inser!
Mange or possible collapsing of the in;;ert at undeainrhlc lacatiorts, Initial seating that was too tight could cause premature collapsing of the insert duo to drawing the Qtrcads toward the tool upon excess continued rotation.
~aimilarly, after the insert was initially thze~aded with the mandrel of the took, initiaticm of the actican to draw the second and portion to collapse tbc iutcnnediate portion of the insert ugirinst the second surface of the substrate to secure the insert was again a judgmment c:ail by the operator. 11 the drawing action was begun too soon., i.c.
before proper seating en the tool, 4ollapsing of the iuscit could again occur at an improper location an the insert. Further, oven if the insert were properly seated en the tool, the operator could inadvertently move the local and seated insert away from the hole before initi:~ling the pulling action thus collapsing the intermcadiatc portion of the insert at an improper position reiativr to the hole thus again not properly scu~uric~ the insert, l;vcn more commonly, the operator could continue tile drawing ac6an taa long thus actually farting the mandrel. from the in,~rl anti dewrc~ying threads of the insert.
There was also no wuy tier the operstor i<7 know when the insc~~t was properly secured into the substrare thus the operator could only guess at the proper lime to reverse the mandrel to uxtt)hrcaJ it tram the insert, Again, in sucli tools, the pulling action required movement of the entire drive. This created serious control prahlcans in a hand held tool due to the need to c<mtra~i inertial cffc~~ by the operator.
Brief t3escription of the Drawings rigure 1 is 3n elevational view al an appat'atus in accotdanCC with a preferred embodiment of the present invention where the insert gun of the invention is mounted on a frame.
Figure 2 is a ;;ide view of a preferred eanbodirnent of an insert gun of the Present invention as Shawn in lTigure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the gun of Fiyre ~ taken on line 3-3 at Pigure 2.
Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view of the gun of Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of t~ preferred enbncliment al' a hand ht;ld spin-pull tool of the invention for installing inserts into a substrate, 1e55 retaining handles.
Figure 6 ahcrw;; an cxplndcd assembly drawing of a preferred embodiment of a.
hand held spin-pull tool of the invention, Figure 7 chows a magnified view al'section L3 of 1~igtue 2.
figure 8 shows a front elevation of cut open controller board box for a preferred ernbadimnnt of a hand held spin-pull tool of the invention.
JHigurc ) shows an end view of the box of Figure $.
BriefDescription ol'the Inventicm Tn accordance wifh the invention there is therefore provid~;d a method and apparatus that tJVGICUIIIe Or rnlnltntGC the disadvantages of the tnethpds and apparatus discasscd above in the Background of the Invention, Particularly, the apparatus and method of the invention permit reduced apparatus wear, provide better and more reproducible results, v~-ilieatiam cef crimp farce to collapse the iusett to farm the grip, confirmation of the collapsed dimension of the insert, and the verification of the presence nl'propcr threads in the installed it~scrt.
As already discussed, the insert to be used in accordance with the inventicm i;; a liollow threaded insert for placement into a herle in a substrate where the substrate prefernhly, hut not essentially, has front and rear surfaves. The insert has a shaft with a firfit end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and secoltd end portion. The insert has a front flange at the first end portion of the shaft for engaging the lirsl ((;.oat) surface of the substrate around the hole. The second and pottioix of the shaft preferably has an intct~ual thread, but may have a malt thrratleti memher within a, hc~ilaw shall. '1"he intcrrne<li:ste poriian ltlClndeS ii gripping means that engages the rear surface of the Substrate; or in the cast where the shall of the insert dries not pass through the hole, the side walls of the hole;
when a force is applicti that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion.
In particular, the method titili~ing a frame held apparatus of the invention includes the steps of activating a rotatablc drivo having an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that the threaded portion of the mandrel rotates and threads with flit threaded portion of the insert through the flange until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
moving the drive, drive sha8, n~androt and attaahcd invert to place the shaft of the insert into the hole in the substrate so that the flat~e of the Insert contacts the fast surface of tlic substrate;
pulling the sec:oncl end pnrtivn of the ::ha.ll cal' tha insert toward thG f first end portion of the shah of the insert by means of a pressure applied to a piston witlwt a cylinder where the piston is coiutcctcd to thc,drive shaft holding the mandrel so that the motion of the mandrel oollapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second (rear surface ofthe substrate, or the sidewal.ls of the hole), and so that floe dzive shaft moves in a compliant coupling toward the drive;
turning the drive in a eevcrsc direction to disengage flu: mandrel from the threads in the insert; and moving the rn. <tndrel, nose retainer, drive shaft and drive in a direction away front the flan~,e of the installed insert 'fhc mclhod using a preferred rmtwdiment of a brand held spin-pull toot of the invention for installing a hallow tlireaded insert into a bolo in a substrate, having first and second surfaces, includes a number of method steps. It is undErstood that the insert has a shad having first and ~ocmd s~rrd ~rticms <md a hollow intermediate portion between the L'trst end portiowand a second end portion. The fnsert has a trcmt flange surrounding the first end portion, of tlic sliaft for engaging the front surface of the substrate around the hole The second end portion of the shaft has a thread and the intermediate pi~rtion hsc a gripping means that engagrs the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion, '.The method for using the hand held spin-pull tool of the ittvcntiou includes the steps v1:
a) placing the shaft of the insert into the liole in the substrate so that the (lunge «f the insert cont~rets the first surface ofthe substrate;
b) closing a switch c) activating a rotatabie drive in response to the closed switch where the ror<ztable drive has an attached drive shaft in acre having an attached mandrel so that the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the thread. of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, conricts the flee of the insert;
d) detecting when the nose retainer reaches the t'langc of the insert;
e) stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer rcachES the flange of the inxert;
R
f) applying pressure to a piston within a cylinder where the piston has a central bare retaininfi the delve shaft that pass, through ehe bare so that the apptied pressure move the drive shah in a slide couriling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portian of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and callapscs the intermediate portion of the insert to ~~ip the second surface of the suhstratc;
g) detecting when the intem~ediate portion has collapsed to grip the secand surface of the substrate,;
h) corning the drive in a teversc direction la disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed tea grip the second strrlacx of the substrate; and, l) contlvliing steps c.), e), t) and h) by a controller liaviitg a progranyrned Iogic chip in response to data received by elening afthe switch in step b) and in response to data obtained in detecting steps d) and ~).
Steps a) thmugh h) are sequential except that step aj may be hefore step b) or step a) uray be between srteps d) and e) or between steps ej and fy.
The frame held apparatus fur installing a hollow threaded inset thxougli a hole in a substrate includes a piston, a drive shaft, a cylinder, an externally threaded mandr~t having threads tliat match the internal threads of the insert, a compliant coupling, a mtatable drive, and a host retainer.
Stt~tMure is provided fur mcfving the piston, drive shaft, cylinder, mandrel, compliant caupliy;, ratatable drive and nose rctailtcr toward the Mange Ut'the insert so ~J
that the threads o1' the mandrel contact the threads crf the insert and for moving the threads of the mandrel into the hollow portion of the insert through the flange so that the threadv of the mandrel rotate into the threads within the hollow portion of the iziscrf until the flange ofth.e iiiscrt contacts the nose retainer. Tlle struchirc far rnuving and rotating inclucles the drive shaft coiiiiccted to the mandrel where the drive shall f:;
set into the compliant coupling to the rotatablc drive.
Apparatus is provided for moving the mmdrel with attached insert to place the insert shaft into a hole iii the sitbstralc so that the flange of. the insert contacLv the first (leant) surface of the Substrate Gild for pulling the second end portion of the insert toward the second {rear surface or hole sidewalls) surface crf the substrate by applying prossurc to the piston within the cylinder whcro the piston is connected to the drive shaft so that the intcrtnrdiate portion of the insert collapses to yip the second surface of the suhstrate and so that the drive shall moves in the coupling toward the drive without moving the drive.
Tlie drive is any suitable rotating drive, c,g. an electric or air matc}r that mn be urn in a rcvarsc direction to disengage the screw hood froin tlic threads in the insert.
Structure is also provided for moving the pistcm, drive shaft, cyliiidcr, mandrel, slide coupling, rotatable drive and nose rctaicicr away from the flange of the installed insect.
'fhc hand held spin-pull tool of the invention for securing a hollow threaded insert in a hole in the suhstraee is very similar t4 tlic ~'atne mounted apparatus except that the hand held apparatus {at least the components of a cylinder, piston, drive, drive shaft, mandrel, varizble coupli.rig, arid na:,e retainer t<~ken together) is manually inavul relative to the insert arul wcirkpiece {substrate). Except for relative rneition of initially activating switch cocnponcn',, relative motion of components within the tcyol is autt>mxtic after initial activation.
The hand held tool of the invention has at !cast the following components;
a) a switch activated (closed) by manual tnovcruC.nt, which may be any suitable initialty activating switch such as a truer switch or a travel activated switch that closes when the nose cetaincr is pushed against the !lunge of the insert when the itango is in contact with the first surface of the substrate. Such a travel activated switch tray also be referred to 'as a push to skart switch;
by a rotatablc drive activatahle in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive stsalt in tom, having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation of the drive, the mandrel rotates so thal tlaeads of the mandrel mate 'with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrei passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
c) a nose ratuiner position detector for dvtccting when the nose retainer reaches the Mange of the insert;
d) a controller for stopping the rotation in response to detoctittg when the nose retaiucr reaches the flange of the insert;
G) a cylinder and piston wlxcre the piston has a c;er,tral bare retaining die drive shaft that passes through ttae bore;
fj a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive;
g) a, hydraulic system Cor applying pressure tc7 ttn piston ao that the applied pressure linearly irtoves the drive sl~ft in the slide coupling toward tl~c drive so that the motion of the drive sha8 and attached mandrel ,pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and catlapse!; the intermediate partic~n ad' the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) a controller for activating and controlling the hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange saf the inaert;
l) an insert collapse dctcxtor for detecting when the internlediate portion has collapsed to grip the sc.~~.ona surface of the subsrZ~atc;
j) a controller far disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in .~ reverse tlireiaion tc~ disengage the manclrel lTOrn the threads of the insert in response to sensing whca tlic intcrtncdiatc portion leas collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate.
Tlic controllcm far stopping flit rotation, for aetivati~ and controlling the hydraulic system, for disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in a reverie directinn are preferably alI the carne contrallcr having, a prograttuucd logic chip operating in response to data received fcozn closing of the switch activated by manual movat~ncnt, ,~olzi the izosc rc~incr position detector, and from the insert collapse detector. The insert collapse detector may operate by detecting any parameter indicating that the intermediate portion of the insert has properly collapsed.
The insert collapse detector may for exazYZple detect an increitse in pulling force when the intermediate pardon has Collapsed sufficiently to l;rip the aa~;ond surface of the substrate or my detect travel distance of the iecand end portion relative to the second end portion of tltc utscrt that Correspanda to the relative travel after the intermediate pardon has Collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surfacC of the substrate.
As previously discussed, the initially activating switch may he a hand trigger switch or a travel activated switch that closes when the nose retainer is pushed against the Ilatigc when the flanl,'e is in u~ntact with the fit~st surface of the substrata.
The apparatus (foal) of the invention may operate where the tlrst and second surFaces of the substrate are parallel surfaces and the hale holding the insert passes through the surfaces and the intermediate portion of the insert passes through the hole.
The hole may also be a blind hole where the first stufacc is a surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft in contact with fife front flame and the second surface is au inside surface surrounding flit blind hole. In such a case, the intermediate portion of the insext Collapses to pruvitle lateral prcsstue agA.inst the inside surfaoc surrounding the hole (,~eccind surface).
The liydrAUlic system fior applying pressure to the piston so that the applied pressure linearly moves the drive shall is usually an air compressor having a gas valve activatable by the etmtrc~llcr. The hydraulic system is usu~~lly connected to the tool by a hose carrying pressurized hydraulic fluid.
ThC ittandrel rnay have a male thread for Cngagcntcnt with a Female thread of the it~scit or rnay have a female thread fur vngagiu~ a rattle thread inside the insert to form a stud when the ~,~c:and end is pulled toward the teal to collapse the intcrmcdiate portion.
1~
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Laetailed Description of the Invention The irtseris far uae in ac:cc~rdance With the present invention arc as previously dcscr~cd. Such inserts are usually made from a men.3lic material, e.g.
aluntitzum, steel, sapper, an bronze, but naay be made ftucn u;rlain plastics that are both flexible and rigid enough to form a permanent geip when the second end of the insert is drawn toward the second surface of the aubstr,tte, and stmng enough to maintain threads that can withstand the tordue and retaitwlg ability required Fur a particular s~plica,ticm.
The firs end of, the insert frecprently has a length about equal to the thickness of the substrate or slightly less. The intermediate pnrtiort of the insert shaft, that forms the grip, usually begins $t about the rear surface of the substrate and extends to the threads at the second Grid when the shaft of the insert passes through the substrate, As aire<~dy discussed, the substa~tc may be math of many types of materials and is usually of a thickness of from abort 0.5 tam to about lj cm. 'fhc thiclatcss of t(lc substrate i~ most c;c.~mmonly from about l mm to about 10 mm. It is .nevertheless to be understood that the invention is rat nu;css:srily limited by substrate thickness.
tn either the frame mottntcd or hand held apparatus, the rolatable dIlYe is usually a hydraulically operated motor, e.g. a pneumatic air motor, but may be any suitable urarce for application of a rotarional force, e.g. an electric motor.
The drive shaft is usually a stool rc~d that may he provided with bosses or shoulders for seals or retention. A first end of the drive shaft is adapted to be lilted to a variable coupling, as described intta, and the second end of the drive shaft is usually furtned to accept a threaded mandrel so that the mandrel, which is a wear part, can be quickly replaced without disassembly of the apparatus of the invention to remove the drive ahail.
An imporhant as~sect of the present irwetttion is the variable (~or wmplisnt) coupling that petnlits the first end of the drive shaft to be connected to the spindle of the drive while at the same time allowing the drive shaft to move towarel and away I'rorn the drive without causing drive movement. Suali a coupling also allows tin v.t least some misalignment cat' the spindle and drive shaft wittaoui creating significant wear. Examples of such variable or wmpliant couplings are slide couplings and spring loaded couplings.
The apparatus for palling the second end of the shall of the insert includes a.
pistnn within a cylinder. The piston is biased toward the nose of the insert gun, e.g.
with a spring. When the piston is forced in a direction away from the insert, e.g. by application of pressurized hydraulic fluid to tkte t'aea ot° the piston sealed within a cylinder, the piston engages the drive shaft, that passes through the piston, anti forces the drive shaft away from the insert thus pulling the second end of' the insert shaft toward the rear surface ofthe substrate to cause the intcrmudiatc portion of the shaft to form a grip against the rear surface of the substrate. "Hydraulic", as used herein means the use of pressurized fluid to move a piston. The fluid may be either a liquid, e.g. an cut car a gas, e.g. air.
fn the Name tnountal cntbodimettt, the entircs gun assembly, i.e. cylinder, piston, drivo, drlv4 shall, mandrel, variable coupling, and nose retainer, is moved in a slide on a frame using hydraulic, e.g. pneumatic, cylinders connected between the frame and a bracket holding the gtln.
In the hand held tool, movement of the tool to the insert a~~d r;ubstrate and initial switch activation is acCOn7plished rr~anuully, but drive rotations and palling sequences then are essentially automatic.
The invWtion may he better understood by rcfi:rence to the drawings that show a preferred en~bodimcut of the invention.
As ;peen in Figr.~rc 1, insert gun Itf is mourrtad on br~ckct 12 that aperales within a slide i4 em a frame 1G. lei opcratiun inserts 1$ are tbroed through a blow tube 20 to an utienled position in an insert grippes 22. The grippes 22 is then moved to a position beneath nose 24 by hydraulic cylinder 26 having its piston 28 interconnected to dipper 22, so that the niaudrcl can be lowered to engage the threads of an insert 18.
The lcnverinl; of lrun 10 is accocuplished by hydraulic cylinder 30 cotttteeted between bracket 12 and frame 16.
'fhe gun lt), whcr;e component parts are best seed in Fieurcs 3 and 4, includex a screw head (mandrel) 32 adapt~;d to screw into, the threaded second end 34 of ttlc shaft 36 ofi the insert 18. Insert 18 further has a first end iii surrounded by a.
flange 40 and has intermediate collapsible portion 42.
Mandrel 32 is readily replaceable and is held by chuck 44 attached to drive shaft 46, Drive shaft 4b is in turn connected to slide coupling 48 that is connected to drive spindle 54, Mandrel 32 is stabili~d by nose 52 which also acts as a rctaillcr against insert tiange 40 when second end 34 is being pulled toward flange 40.
Gun 10 is further provided with a. cylinder S4 and a pi:,ton 5b contained within tire cylinder 54. Cylinder 54 includes spring retainer sleeve 5$ for haldirt~, a spring 6U
that hia,es piston 56 toward a cylinder front cud cap 62. Piston 5( is provided with a thrcwgh bore 64 permitting passate of shaft 46. Shaft 46 is free to rotate wiQtizt bore G4 but is keyed to piston 5G so that longitudinal moWmcnt of piston 5b alsa longiiudinally moves sl~~ft 4G, prcfcmbly s thrust hearing G5 is provided to reduc..~e friction with piston 56 when shaft 4G is rotated with respect to piston 56.
This is especially floc wh~an a lonl,~itt~dinal forte, e.g. the weight crf drive 56, is appliCd to shall 4b that increases f~ict~ion with piston 56.
A dri ve 66 i.s provided that rotates spindle Stl when the drive is activated.
Drive G6 is preferably an air molar ope~ratLd by means caF' valve 96 controlling ~Iow from air supply 98 but may also be another type of mla,ting tlrive such as an electric motor. The drive is securely attached to cylinder 54 by threading the Franl of drive housing; 93 into sleeve S8. Tlte housing of drive 66 does not move relative to cylialdcr 54. The slide coupliu~ 48 permits longitudinal movement of drive shaft 46 relative to s~pintlle 50 so that there is also no longitudinal movc,mcnt of spindle 50 relative tcs cylinder 54 oven when shaft. 4G itself move Ioagihtdinally with aspect to cylinder 54.
As prCViously discussed piston 56 has a central bore 64~, laid also has piston front surface b8 facing the screw head 32. The drive shaft 46 passes thmugh and is retained by eentxttT bare G4 so that longitudinal tnovrmenl. oi' the piston SG
moves vlrivE shaft 4fi while permitting drive shat 4G to rotate within bore b4.
Cylinder S4 housing pistcm 5t~ is rigidly connected to the drive GG and slidably connected to frame IG by slide 14 s~u that cylinder 54 can slide relative to frame 1G loft cannot rotate relafiive fii~ame ! G.
The nose 52 is rigidly coanected to cylinder S4. Nose 52 engages flange d0 of insert 18 to hold it against first surl'uce b8 of substrate 70 when the socond end of the insert shaft is pulled toward the first end of the itcxen shaft to form a grip 72 against second surl'aca 74 of substrate 70, A fluid inlet itiLluding pant 7fi in cylinder 54 is provided for permitting fluid under prtssu re to enter cylinder 54 and contact the front face 68 of piston Sd to pusli piston 5B and retained drive shaft 4G in a direction toward drive 66 and iaa cause drive shag 4b to xlide within coupling 48.
A fluid outlet iy al;,er ltrravideci to permit fluid to be released from cylinder 54 which may use the same pori 76 as the fluid inlet. 'fhe direction of flow through port 7(i is controlled by alt external valve.
A control 7$ is provided for eotttenIling the operation ell' the apparatus in re.~spur~se ict input tiom sensors 8fl, 82, $4, 8G and 88 forming pant of conLOl 78.
Control 78 activates drive 66 for causing screw head 32 to screw into threadCd portion 34 of insert 18. Control 78 then stops drive 18 and causes cylinder 54 to move in slide 14 relative to frame 16 along with gun 10 a,nd the insert 1 ti held on the screw head 32 tey inxert the shaft 3b of the insert into the hole in substrate 70. '1 lit control 78 olnves valve 92 permitting outlet fre~m part 76 a~td causes fluid under pressure froth reservoir 94 to enter cylinder 54 through port 76 to force screw head 32 attached to drive shttlf 46 by coupling 44 toward drive 66 to cause the grip 72 of the insert 18 to engage second surface 74 of substrate 70. Gotltrol 78 stops fluid inlet into cylinder 54 Fred opens the outlet in relieve pressure in cylinder 54. Control 78 then causes drive 6~ to activate is reverse lu unscrew screw head 32 from now installed insert 18, Llriscrewing from the insert vcritie,~s that the threads in the insert are undamaged, Control 78 then caused gun 10 to move relative to the frame in a direction away from the installed insert.
The sensors of the control 78 includes a piston position sensor 8U that may be a lnagnct tnoviaF with the piston and a magnetic field detector attached to the cylinder or m,ay be a feeler switch. Other sensors are: sensor $2 .for detecting when cylinder 54 is positioned rehetive to the frame in a pn:;itiun where gttn 1U (atlachcd to bracket 12 by cylinder S4) is withdrawn to permit positioning of an insert for loading onto screw head 32; scjlsor 84 for dctccting where the screw head 32 is screwed into the insert sa that nose retainer 52 contacts flange 40 of the insert; sensor 88 for detecting .
where the shat;t 18 s>f the insert is inxerted intc> ;substrata 7t? so lhat insert flange 40 ccn,t:lcts the lust surlace 6ti a!' sahstrnte 7t) and sensor fib for detecting where the screw head 32 has bw1 unscrewed from the insert. Control 78 handles Signals from the sensors and provides co~~nmands to operate pistons, inlet and outlet valve 9ti and dzive d6 using a programmecl Iogic chip within control 78.
As seen in Figures S and E~, a preferred cmboditncnt of hand hold spin-pull Coal of the invention 1 Ua is provided for securing a hallow ttu~eaded insert 18 in a hole in a substl~atc 70. As previously discussed, the substrate has first and second surfaces 68 and 74. The insert 18 has a hollow shaft 36 having a first end portion 38, a sercmd end portion 34 artd an intermediate Ifortiat~ 42 between the first end portion 38 and the second end portion 34. fhe insert 18 is placed in the hole and has a front flange 40 surrounding the first end portion 38 of the shaft 36 for engaging tlic :first sttrfacC 68 of the substrate 70 around the hole. The second end porticm 34 of the shaft 3fi has a thread 34a, and said intcrmcdiate portion 42 has a grip T2 that engages the second surface 74 when a form is applied that pulls the second end portion 34 inward the r~xst end portion 313.
The hand tool l0a has at least one seyuen~x initiation switch activated by manual move»aent. Such a switch m;ry, liar example, be a trigger switch 1 Ol ar a push to start 102 switch as d~c,r~ribrxt herein. lu particular, the switch may be a hand trigger switch lUl operated by I"rugcr pressure or, mare lmrst'erahly a tt~avel activated switch 102 that closes when the nose retainer 52a is pushed by manual force against the flange 40 when the flange 40 .is in contact with the first surface 58 ofthe substrate.
The hand held tool has a rotatablc drive Gtia activatable in response to a closed manual switch. The rotatablc drive 66a has an attached drive shaft 4Ga passing through a barrel S 1. Drive sheft 42a in turn has an attached threaded mandrel :i2a so that upon activation of the drive G6a, the tuaudrcl 32a rotates sa that threads of the nuuidrel 32a mate with threadv of the insert 1$ until a nose retainer ~2a , through which the mandrel 32a passes, contacts the flange 40 afthe infiert.
A detector is provided for detecting when the nose retainer 52a roaches the t'langc 4U of insert 18. 'the detector is preferably a microswitch 1(14 located in a cylinder body 54a that detixar when the insert has been threaded ante the mandrel 32a by means of movement of a psrt present pin 106 that moves to push on switch I!?4 when the part prevent pin 10G contacts the fiunga 4U of the insert. Upon activation of switch 104, rotation of the drive 66a is clapped by controller 78a within a control hex 105 that may be a part of or tethered to tool 1 Ua by an electrical conduit.
~'he toot has a cylinder S4a and piston 56a that has a central hare 64a retaining a drive shaft 4Ga that passes through the bOrC b4a. Like the frame mounted apparatus, 2d cylinder S4a is provided with a spring retainer slec:va and cap 58a for balding a spring 60a than biases piston SGa toward a front of the cylinder 54t~. A slide coupling 48a connects drive sham 46a to a sputdle of drive GC~a.
In the preferred embodiment a hydraulic system lU7 within box lUS is provided for applying pressure to the pi;.lon Sfia so that the applied pressure longitudinally maws the drive shaft 4Ga iu the slide coupling 48a toward the drive bba so that the motion of the drive sbaft 46a and auached mandrel 32a pulls the second end portion 34 of the insert 1 H tnward the sect~nd surfaoc 74 of the substrate 70 and collapses the intermediate portion 42 al' the insert 18 to grip the second surface 74 of the substrate 70, The hydraulic :,ystcm is preferably a pneumatic system including an air compressor having a gas valve '77 activatable by the controller 78a. The hydt~ulio system trallsfcrs pressurized tluid to the tool in a hose 79 cunnectCd to the tool.
The tool is provided with a deteclnr 1(11; for detecting when the intermediate portion 42 has collapsed to grip the second surface 74 of the substrate. '~'he detector lOR may be a pressure switch to detect al' incroasc in pulling force when the intermediate portion 42 has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate thus indicting completion of the collapse to form a tight grip or the detector 10$ may detect travel distance of the secun~l end portion 34 relative to the first end pardon 3$ crf the insert I li that corres~nds to the relative travel after the intermediule portion 42 has cullapscd su~cicntly to grip the second surface of the substrate.
Upon detection of collapse to form the Krip and signaling tlac controller 78a, the controller opens a. valve to release hydraulic fsrcssurc agaulst the piston 56a and the piston S6a returns to ilv resting position due to tht bias of spring 60a. 'The cantTC~ller thcn also signals the drive to reverse thus withdrawing the threaded mandrel from the uzsert 18 thus confirnling the prcsrucc of insert threads.
The cnntmller 78a fnr cantmlling the rotatable drive 66a, and hydraulic 17r4'SSIirC Otl the piston 56a iucludcs a progranlnled logic chip operating in response to d&ta received by closing of tJle n.~anuat switch and in response to data obtained by detectors ! 02 and ! 08.
For pm7aose5 of saFecy anti cc>ntrol a TCVCTSC SWILCII 1l1 is provided for reversing the motor to withdraw the mandrel iu case of a jam. All sequences can be manually stopped by repeated pushing of start switch 101.
Figure 6 ahcrw;; an cxplndcd assembly drawing of a preferred embodiment of a.
hand held spin-pull tool of the invention, Figure 7 chows a magnified view al'section L3 of 1~igtue 2.
figure 8 shows a front elevation of cut open controller board box for a preferred ernbadimnnt of a hand held spin-pull tool of the invention.
JHigurc ) shows an end view of the box of Figure $.
BriefDescription ol'the Inventicm Tn accordance wifh the invention there is therefore provid~;d a method and apparatus that tJVGICUIIIe Or rnlnltntGC the disadvantages of the tnethpds and apparatus discasscd above in the Background of the Invention, Particularly, the apparatus and method of the invention permit reduced apparatus wear, provide better and more reproducible results, v~-ilieatiam cef crimp farce to collapse the iusett to farm the grip, confirmation of the collapsed dimension of the insert, and the verification of the presence nl'propcr threads in the installed it~scrt.
As already discussed, the insert to be used in accordance with the inventicm i;; a liollow threaded insert for placement into a herle in a substrate where the substrate prefernhly, hut not essentially, has front and rear surfaves. The insert has a shaft with a firfit end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and secoltd end portion. The insert has a front flange at the first end portion of the shaft for engaging the lirsl ((;.oat) surface of the substrate around the hole. The second and pottioix of the shaft preferably has an intct~ual thread, but may have a malt thrratleti memher within a, hc~ilaw shall. '1"he intcrrne<li:ste poriian ltlClndeS ii gripping means that engages the rear surface of the Substrate; or in the cast where the shall of the insert dries not pass through the hole, the side walls of the hole;
when a force is applicti that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion.
In particular, the method titili~ing a frame held apparatus of the invention includes the steps of activating a rotatablc drivo having an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that the threaded portion of the mandrel rotates and threads with flit threaded portion of the insert through the flange until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
moving the drive, drive sha8, n~androt and attaahcd invert to place the shaft of the insert into the hole in the substrate so that the flat~e of the Insert contacts the fast surface of tlic substrate;
pulling the sec:oncl end pnrtivn of the ::ha.ll cal' tha insert toward thG f first end portion of the shah of the insert by means of a pressure applied to a piston witlwt a cylinder where the piston is coiutcctcd to thc,drive shaft holding the mandrel so that the motion of the mandrel oollapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second (rear surface ofthe substrate, or the sidewal.ls of the hole), and so that floe dzive shaft moves in a compliant coupling toward the drive;
turning the drive in a eevcrsc direction to disengage flu: mandrel from the threads in the insert; and moving the rn. <tndrel, nose retainer, drive shaft and drive in a direction away front the flan~,e of the installed insert 'fhc mclhod using a preferred rmtwdiment of a brand held spin-pull toot of the invention for installing a hallow tlireaded insert into a bolo in a substrate, having first and second surfaces, includes a number of method steps. It is undErstood that the insert has a shad having first and ~ocmd s~rrd ~rticms <md a hollow intermediate portion between the L'trst end portiowand a second end portion. The fnsert has a trcmt flange surrounding the first end portion, of tlic sliaft for engaging the front surface of the substrate around the hole The second end portion of the shaft has a thread and the intermediate pi~rtion hsc a gripping means that engagrs the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion, '.The method for using the hand held spin-pull tool of the ittvcntiou includes the steps v1:
a) placing the shaft of the insert into the liole in the substrate so that the (lunge «f the insert cont~rets the first surface ofthe substrate;
b) closing a switch c) activating a rotatabie drive in response to the closed switch where the ror<ztable drive has an attached drive shaft in acre having an attached mandrel so that the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the thread. of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, conricts the flee of the insert;
d) detecting when the nose retainer reaches the t'langc of the insert;
e) stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer rcachES the flange of the inxert;
R
f) applying pressure to a piston within a cylinder where the piston has a central bare retaininfi the delve shaft that pass, through ehe bare so that the apptied pressure move the drive shah in a slide couriling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portian of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and callapscs the intermediate portion of the insert to ~~ip the second surface of the suhstratc;
g) detecting when the intem~ediate portion has collapsed to grip the secand surface of the substrate,;
h) corning the drive in a teversc direction la disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed tea grip the second strrlacx of the substrate; and, l) contlvliing steps c.), e), t) and h) by a controller liaviitg a progranyrned Iogic chip in response to data received by elening afthe switch in step b) and in response to data obtained in detecting steps d) and ~).
Steps a) thmugh h) are sequential except that step aj may be hefore step b) or step a) uray be between srteps d) and e) or between steps ej and fy.
The frame held apparatus fur installing a hollow threaded inset thxougli a hole in a substrate includes a piston, a drive shaft, a cylinder, an externally threaded mandr~t having threads tliat match the internal threads of the insert, a compliant coupling, a mtatable drive, and a host retainer.
Stt~tMure is provided fur mcfving the piston, drive shaft, cylinder, mandrel, compliant caupliy;, ratatable drive and nose rctailtcr toward the Mange Ut'the insert so ~J
that the threads o1' the mandrel contact the threads crf the insert and for moving the threads of the mandrel into the hollow portion of the insert through the flange so that the threadv of the mandrel rotate into the threads within the hollow portion of the iziscrf until the flange ofth.e iiiscrt contacts the nose retainer. Tlle struchirc far rnuving and rotating inclucles the drive shaft coiiiiccted to the mandrel where the drive shall f:;
set into the compliant coupling to the rotatablc drive.
Apparatus is provided for moving the mmdrel with attached insert to place the insert shaft into a hole iii the sitbstralc so that the flange of. the insert contacLv the first (leant) surface of the Substrate Gild for pulling the second end portion of the insert toward the second {rear surface or hole sidewalls) surface crf the substrate by applying prossurc to the piston within the cylinder whcro the piston is connected to the drive shaft so that the intcrtnrdiate portion of the insert collapses to yip the second surface of the suhstrate and so that the drive shall moves in the coupling toward the drive without moving the drive.
Tlie drive is any suitable rotating drive, c,g. an electric or air matc}r that mn be urn in a rcvarsc direction to disengage the screw hood froin tlic threads in the insert.
Structure is also provided for moving the pistcm, drive shaft, cyliiidcr, mandrel, slide coupling, rotatable drive and nose rctaicicr away from the flange of the installed insect.
'fhc hand held spin-pull tool of the invention for securing a hollow threaded insert in a hole in the suhstraee is very similar t4 tlic ~'atne mounted apparatus except that the hand held apparatus {at least the components of a cylinder, piston, drive, drive shaft, mandrel, varizble coupli.rig, arid na:,e retainer t<~ken together) is manually inavul relative to the insert arul wcirkpiece {substrate). Except for relative rneition of initially activating switch cocnponcn',, relative motion of components within the tcyol is autt>mxtic after initial activation.
The hand held tool of the invention has at !cast the following components;
a) a switch activated (closed) by manual tnovcruC.nt, which may be any suitable initialty activating switch such as a truer switch or a travel activated switch that closes when the nose cetaincr is pushed against the !lunge of the insert when the itango is in contact with the first surface of the substrate. Such a travel activated switch tray also be referred to 'as a push to skart switch;
by a rotatablc drive activatahle in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive stsalt in tom, having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation of the drive, the mandrel rotates so thal tlaeads of the mandrel mate 'with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrei passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
c) a nose ratuiner position detector for dvtccting when the nose retainer reaches the Mange of the insert;
d) a controller for stopping the rotation in response to detoctittg when the nose retaiucr reaches the flange of the insert;
G) a cylinder and piston wlxcre the piston has a c;er,tral bare retaining die drive shaft that passes through ttae bore;
fj a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive;
g) a, hydraulic system Cor applying pressure tc7 ttn piston ao that the applied pressure linearly irtoves the drive sl~ft in the slide coupling toward tl~c drive so that the motion of the drive sha8 and attached mandrel ,pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and catlapse!; the intermediate partic~n ad' the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) a controller for activating and controlling the hydraulic system for applying pressure to the piston in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange saf the inaert;
l) an insert collapse dctcxtor for detecting when the internlediate portion has collapsed to grip the sc.~~.ona surface of the subsrZ~atc;
j) a controller far disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in .~ reverse tlireiaion tc~ disengage the manclrel lTOrn the threads of the insert in response to sensing whca tlic intcrtncdiatc portion leas collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate.
Tlic controllcm far stopping flit rotation, for aetivati~ and controlling the hydraulic system, for disengaging the hydraulic system and for turning the drive in a reverie directinn are preferably alI the carne contrallcr having, a prograttuucd logic chip operating in response to data received fcozn closing of the switch activated by manual movat~ncnt, ,~olzi the izosc rc~incr position detector, and from the insert collapse detector. The insert collapse detector may operate by detecting any parameter indicating that the intermediate portion of the insert has properly collapsed.
The insert collapse detector may for exazYZple detect an increitse in pulling force when the intermediate pardon has Collapsed sufficiently to l;rip the aa~;ond surface of the substrate or my detect travel distance of the iecand end portion relative to the second end portion of tltc utscrt that Correspanda to the relative travel after the intermediate pardon has Collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surfacC of the substrate.
As previously discussed, the initially activating switch may he a hand trigger switch or a travel activated switch that closes when the nose retainer is pushed against the Ilatigc when the flanl,'e is in u~ntact with the fit~st surface of the substrata.
The apparatus (foal) of the invention may operate where the tlrst and second surFaces of the substrate are parallel surfaces and the hale holding the insert passes through the surfaces and the intermediate portion of the insert passes through the hole.
The hole may also be a blind hole where the first stufacc is a surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft in contact with fife front flame and the second surface is au inside surface surrounding flit blind hole. In such a case, the intermediate portion of the insext Collapses to pruvitle lateral prcsstue agA.inst the inside surfaoc surrounding the hole (,~eccind surface).
The liydrAUlic system fior applying pressure to the piston so that the applied pressure linearly moves the drive shall is usually an air compressor having a gas valve activatable by the etmtrc~llcr. The hydraulic system is usu~~lly connected to the tool by a hose carrying pressurized hydraulic fluid.
ThC ittandrel rnay have a male thread for Cngagcntcnt with a Female thread of the it~scit or rnay have a female thread fur vngagiu~ a rattle thread inside the insert to form a stud when the ~,~c:and end is pulled toward the teal to collapse the intcrmcdiate portion.
1~
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Laetailed Description of the Invention The irtseris far uae in ac:cc~rdance With the present invention arc as previously dcscr~cd. Such inserts are usually made from a men.3lic material, e.g.
aluntitzum, steel, sapper, an bronze, but naay be made ftucn u;rlain plastics that are both flexible and rigid enough to form a permanent geip when the second end of the insert is drawn toward the second surface of the aubstr,tte, and stmng enough to maintain threads that can withstand the tordue and retaitwlg ability required Fur a particular s~plica,ticm.
The firs end of, the insert frecprently has a length about equal to the thickness of the substrate or slightly less. The intermediate pnrtiort of the insert shaft, that forms the grip, usually begins $t about the rear surface of the substrate and extends to the threads at the second Grid when the shaft of the insert passes through the substrate, As aire<~dy discussed, the substa~tc may be math of many types of materials and is usually of a thickness of from abort 0.5 tam to about lj cm. 'fhc thiclatcss of t(lc substrate i~ most c;c.~mmonly from about l mm to about 10 mm. It is .nevertheless to be understood that the invention is rat nu;css:srily limited by substrate thickness.
tn either the frame mottntcd or hand held apparatus, the rolatable dIlYe is usually a hydraulically operated motor, e.g. a pneumatic air motor, but may be any suitable urarce for application of a rotarional force, e.g. an electric motor.
The drive shaft is usually a stool rc~d that may he provided with bosses or shoulders for seals or retention. A first end of the drive shaft is adapted to be lilted to a variable coupling, as described intta, and the second end of the drive shaft is usually furtned to accept a threaded mandrel so that the mandrel, which is a wear part, can be quickly replaced without disassembly of the apparatus of the invention to remove the drive ahail.
An imporhant as~sect of the present irwetttion is the variable (~or wmplisnt) coupling that petnlits the first end of the drive shaft to be connected to the spindle of the drive while at the same time allowing the drive shaft to move towarel and away I'rorn the drive without causing drive movement. Suali a coupling also allows tin v.t least some misalignment cat' the spindle and drive shaft wittaoui creating significant wear. Examples of such variable or wmpliant couplings are slide couplings and spring loaded couplings.
The apparatus for palling the second end of the shall of the insert includes a.
pistnn within a cylinder. The piston is biased toward the nose of the insert gun, e.g.
with a spring. When the piston is forced in a direction away from the insert, e.g. by application of pressurized hydraulic fluid to tkte t'aea ot° the piston sealed within a cylinder, the piston engages the drive shaft, that passes through the piston, anti forces the drive shaft away from the insert thus pulling the second end of' the insert shaft toward the rear surface ofthe substrate to cause the intcrmudiatc portion of the shaft to form a grip against the rear surface of the substrate. "Hydraulic", as used herein means the use of pressurized fluid to move a piston. The fluid may be either a liquid, e.g. an cut car a gas, e.g. air.
fn the Name tnountal cntbodimettt, the entircs gun assembly, i.e. cylinder, piston, drivo, drlv4 shall, mandrel, variable coupling, and nose retainer, is moved in a slide on a frame using hydraulic, e.g. pneumatic, cylinders connected between the frame and a bracket holding the gtln.
In the hand held tool, movement of the tool to the insert a~~d r;ubstrate and initial switch activation is acCOn7plished rr~anuully, but drive rotations and palling sequences then are essentially automatic.
The invWtion may he better understood by rcfi:rence to the drawings that show a preferred en~bodimcut of the invention.
As ;peen in Figr.~rc 1, insert gun Itf is mourrtad on br~ckct 12 that aperales within a slide i4 em a frame 1G. lei opcratiun inserts 1$ are tbroed through a blow tube 20 to an utienled position in an insert grippes 22. The grippes 22 is then moved to a position beneath nose 24 by hydraulic cylinder 26 having its piston 28 interconnected to dipper 22, so that the niaudrcl can be lowered to engage the threads of an insert 18.
The lcnverinl; of lrun 10 is accocuplished by hydraulic cylinder 30 cotttteeted between bracket 12 and frame 16.
'fhe gun lt), whcr;e component parts are best seed in Fieurcs 3 and 4, includex a screw head (mandrel) 32 adapt~;d to screw into, the threaded second end 34 of ttlc shaft 36 ofi the insert 18. Insert 18 further has a first end iii surrounded by a.
flange 40 and has intermediate collapsible portion 42.
Mandrel 32 is readily replaceable and is held by chuck 44 attached to drive shaft 46, Drive shaft 4b is in turn connected to slide coupling 48 that is connected to drive spindle 54, Mandrel 32 is stabili~d by nose 52 which also acts as a rctaillcr against insert tiange 40 when second end 34 is being pulled toward flange 40.
Gun 10 is further provided with a. cylinder S4 and a pi:,ton 5b contained within tire cylinder 54. Cylinder 54 includes spring retainer sleeve 5$ for haldirt~, a spring 6U
that hia,es piston 56 toward a cylinder front cud cap 62. Piston 5( is provided with a thrcwgh bore 64 permitting passate of shaft 46. Shaft 46 is free to rotate wiQtizt bore G4 but is keyed to piston 5G so that longitudinal moWmcnt of piston 5b alsa longiiudinally moves sl~~ft 4G, prcfcmbly s thrust hearing G5 is provided to reduc..~e friction with piston 56 when shaft 4G is rotated with respect to piston 56.
This is especially floc wh~an a lonl,~itt~dinal forte, e.g. the weight crf drive 56, is appliCd to shall 4b that increases f~ict~ion with piston 56.
A dri ve 66 i.s provided that rotates spindle Stl when the drive is activated.
Drive G6 is preferably an air molar ope~ratLd by means caF' valve 96 controlling ~Iow from air supply 98 but may also be another type of mla,ting tlrive such as an electric motor. The drive is securely attached to cylinder 54 by threading the Franl of drive housing; 93 into sleeve S8. Tlte housing of drive 66 does not move relative to cylialdcr 54. The slide coupliu~ 48 permits longitudinal movement of drive shaft 46 relative to s~pintlle 50 so that there is also no longitudinal movc,mcnt of spindle 50 relative tcs cylinder 54 oven when shaft. 4G itself move Ioagihtdinally with aspect to cylinder 54.
As prCViously discussed piston 56 has a central bore 64~, laid also has piston front surface b8 facing the screw head 32. The drive shaft 46 passes thmugh and is retained by eentxttT bare G4 so that longitudinal tnovrmenl. oi' the piston SG
moves vlrivE shaft 4fi while permitting drive shat 4G to rotate within bore b4.
Cylinder S4 housing pistcm 5t~ is rigidly connected to the drive GG and slidably connected to frame IG by slide 14 s~u that cylinder 54 can slide relative to frame 1G loft cannot rotate relafiive fii~ame ! G.
The nose 52 is rigidly coanected to cylinder S4. Nose 52 engages flange d0 of insert 18 to hold it against first surl'uce b8 of substrate 70 when the socond end of the insert shaft is pulled toward the first end of the itcxen shaft to form a grip 72 against second surl'aca 74 of substrate 70, A fluid inlet itiLluding pant 7fi in cylinder 54 is provided for permitting fluid under prtssu re to enter cylinder 54 and contact the front face 68 of piston Sd to pusli piston 5B and retained drive shaft 4G in a direction toward drive 66 and iaa cause drive shag 4b to xlide within coupling 48.
A fluid outlet iy al;,er ltrravideci to permit fluid to be released from cylinder 54 which may use the same pori 76 as the fluid inlet. 'fhe direction of flow through port 7(i is controlled by alt external valve.
A control 7$ is provided for eotttenIling the operation ell' the apparatus in re.~spur~se ict input tiom sensors 8fl, 82, $4, 8G and 88 forming pant of conLOl 78.
Control 78 activates drive 66 for causing screw head 32 to screw into threadCd portion 34 of insert 18. Control 78 then stops drive 18 and causes cylinder 54 to move in slide 14 relative to frame 16 along with gun 10 a,nd the insert 1 ti held on the screw head 32 tey inxert the shaft 3b of the insert into the hole in substrate 70. '1 lit control 78 olnves valve 92 permitting outlet fre~m part 76 a~td causes fluid under pressure froth reservoir 94 to enter cylinder 54 through port 76 to force screw head 32 attached to drive shttlf 46 by coupling 44 toward drive 66 to cause the grip 72 of the insert 18 to engage second surface 74 of substrate 70. Gotltrol 78 stops fluid inlet into cylinder 54 Fred opens the outlet in relieve pressure in cylinder 54. Control 78 then causes drive 6~ to activate is reverse lu unscrew screw head 32 from now installed insert 18, Llriscrewing from the insert vcritie,~s that the threads in the insert are undamaged, Control 78 then caused gun 10 to move relative to the frame in a direction away from the installed insert.
The sensors of the control 78 includes a piston position sensor 8U that may be a lnagnct tnoviaF with the piston and a magnetic field detector attached to the cylinder or m,ay be a feeler switch. Other sensors are: sensor $2 .for detecting when cylinder 54 is positioned rehetive to the frame in a pn:;itiun where gttn 1U (atlachcd to bracket 12 by cylinder S4) is withdrawn to permit positioning of an insert for loading onto screw head 32; scjlsor 84 for dctccting where the screw head 32 is screwed into the insert sa that nose retainer 52 contacts flange 40 of the insert; sensor 88 for detecting .
where the shat;t 18 s>f the insert is inxerted intc> ;substrata 7t? so lhat insert flange 40 ccn,t:lcts the lust surlace 6ti a!' sahstrnte 7t) and sensor fib for detecting where the screw head 32 has bw1 unscrewed from the insert. Control 78 handles Signals from the sensors and provides co~~nmands to operate pistons, inlet and outlet valve 9ti and dzive d6 using a programmecl Iogic chip within control 78.
As seen in Figures S and E~, a preferred cmboditncnt of hand hold spin-pull Coal of the invention 1 Ua is provided for securing a hallow ttu~eaded insert 18 in a hole in a substl~atc 70. As previously discussed, the substrate has first and second surfaces 68 and 74. The insert 18 has a hollow shaft 36 having a first end portion 38, a sercmd end portion 34 artd an intermediate Ifortiat~ 42 between the first end portion 38 and the second end portion 34. fhe insert 18 is placed in the hole and has a front flange 40 surrounding the first end portion 38 of the shaft 36 for engaging tlic :first sttrfacC 68 of the substrate 70 around the hole. The second end porticm 34 of the shaft 3fi has a thread 34a, and said intcrmcdiate portion 42 has a grip T2 that engages the second surface 74 when a form is applied that pulls the second end portion 34 inward the r~xst end portion 313.
The hand tool l0a has at least one seyuen~x initiation switch activated by manual move»aent. Such a switch m;ry, liar example, be a trigger switch 1 Ol ar a push to start 102 switch as d~c,r~ribrxt herein. lu particular, the switch may be a hand trigger switch lUl operated by I"rugcr pressure or, mare lmrst'erahly a tt~avel activated switch 102 that closes when the nose retainer 52a is pushed by manual force against the flange 40 when the flange 40 .is in contact with the first surface 58 ofthe substrate.
The hand held tool has a rotatablc drive Gtia activatable in response to a closed manual switch. The rotatablc drive 66a has an attached drive shaft 4Ga passing through a barrel S 1. Drive sheft 42a in turn has an attached threaded mandrel :i2a so that upon activation of the drive G6a, the tuaudrcl 32a rotates sa that threads of the nuuidrel 32a mate with threadv of the insert 1$ until a nose retainer ~2a , through which the mandrel 32a passes, contacts the flange 40 afthe infiert.
A detector is provided for detecting when the nose retainer 52a roaches the t'langc 4U of insert 18. 'the detector is preferably a microswitch 1(14 located in a cylinder body 54a that detixar when the insert has been threaded ante the mandrel 32a by means of movement of a psrt present pin 106 that moves to push on switch I!?4 when the part prevent pin 10G contacts the fiunga 4U of the insert. Upon activation of switch 104, rotation of the drive 66a is clapped by controller 78a within a control hex 105 that may be a part of or tethered to tool 1 Ua by an electrical conduit.
~'he toot has a cylinder S4a and piston 56a that has a central hare 64a retaining a drive shaft 4Ga that passes through the bOrC b4a. Like the frame mounted apparatus, 2d cylinder S4a is provided with a spring retainer slec:va and cap 58a for balding a spring 60a than biases piston SGa toward a front of the cylinder 54t~. A slide coupling 48a connects drive sham 46a to a sputdle of drive GC~a.
In the preferred embodiment a hydraulic system lU7 within box lUS is provided for applying pressure to the pi;.lon Sfia so that the applied pressure longitudinally maws the drive shaft 4Ga iu the slide coupling 48a toward the drive bba so that the motion of the drive sbaft 46a and auached mandrel 32a pulls the second end portion 34 of the insert 1 H tnward the sect~nd surfaoc 74 of the substrate 70 and collapses the intermediate portion 42 al' the insert 18 to grip the second surface 74 of the substrate 70, The hydraulic :,ystcm is preferably a pneumatic system including an air compressor having a gas valve '77 activatable by the controller 78a. The hydt~ulio system trallsfcrs pressurized tluid to the tool in a hose 79 cunnectCd to the tool.
The tool is provided with a deteclnr 1(11; for detecting when the intermediate portion 42 has collapsed to grip the second surface 74 of the substrate. '~'he detector lOR may be a pressure switch to detect al' incroasc in pulling force when the intermediate portion 42 has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate thus indicting completion of the collapse to form a tight grip or the detector 10$ may detect travel distance of the secun~l end portion 34 relative to the first end pardon 3$ crf the insert I li that corres~nds to the relative travel after the intermediule portion 42 has cullapscd su~cicntly to grip the second surface of the substrate.
Upon detection of collapse to form the Krip and signaling tlac controller 78a, the controller opens a. valve to release hydraulic fsrcssurc agaulst the piston 56a and the piston S6a returns to ilv resting position due to tht bias of spring 60a. 'The cantTC~ller thcn also signals the drive to reverse thus withdrawing the threaded mandrel from the uzsert 18 thus confirnling the prcsrucc of insert threads.
The cnntmller 78a fnr cantmlling the rotatable drive 66a, and hydraulic 17r4'SSIirC Otl the piston 56a iucludcs a progranlnled logic chip operating in response to d&ta received by closing of tJle n.~anuat switch and in response to data obtained by detectors ! 02 and ! 08.
For pm7aose5 of saFecy anti cc>ntrol a TCVCTSC SWILCII 1l1 is provided for reversing the motor to withdraw the mandrel iu case of a jam. All sequences can be manually stopped by repeated pushing of start switch 101.
Claims (23)
1, A method for installing a hallow threaded insert into a hole in a substrate having first and second surfaces where the insert has a hollow shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the insert having a front flange surrounding the first end portion of the shaft for engaging the front surface of the substrate around the hole, the second end portion of the shaft having a thread, and said intermediate portion comprising a gripping means that engages the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion; said method comprising:
a) placing the shaft of the insert into the hole in the substrate so that the flange of the insert contacts the first surface of the substrate;
b) closing a manually operated switch c) activating a rotatable drive in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached mandrel so that the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
d) detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
c) stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
f) applying pressure to a piston within a cylinder where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in a slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
g) detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and, i) controlling steps c), c), f) and h) by means of a controller comprising a programmed logic chip in response to data received by closing of the switch in step b) and in response to data obtained in detecting steps d) and g);
provided that, steps a) through h) are sequential except that step a) may be before step b) or step a) may be between steps e) and f).
a) placing the shaft of the insert into the hole in the substrate so that the flange of the insert contacts the first surface of the substrate;
b) closing a manually operated switch c) activating a rotatable drive in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached mandrel so that the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
d) detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
c) stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
f) applying pressure to a piston within a cylinder where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in a slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
g) detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and, i) controlling steps c), c), f) and h) by means of a controller comprising a programmed logic chip in response to data received by closing of the switch in step b) and in response to data obtained in detecting steps d) and g);
provided that, steps a) through h) are sequential except that step a) may be before step b) or step a) may be between steps e) and f).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate is accomplished by detecting an increase is pulling force when the intermediate portion has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate is accomplished by detecting the travel distance of the second end portion of the insert relative to the first end portion of the insert that corresponds to the relative travel after the intermediate portion has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate.
4. The method of claim 1 where the manually operated switch is a hand trigger switch,
5. The method of claim 1 where the manually operated switch is a travel activated switch that closes when the nose retainer is pushed against the flange when the flange is in contact with the first surface of the substrate.
6. The method of claim 1 where the manually operated switch is activated by engaging the insert with the mandrel closing a push to start switch.
7. The method of claim 1 where the first and second surfaces are parallel surfaces, the hole passes through the surfaces and the intermediate portion of the insert passes through the hole.
8. The method of claim 1 where the hole is a blind hole, the first surface is a surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft in contact with the front flange and the second surface is an inside surface surrounding the blind hole.
9. A hand held spin-pull tool for securing a hollow threaded insert in a hole in a substrate having first and second surfaces where the insert has a hollow shaft having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the insert being placed in the hole and having a front flange surrounding the first end portion of the shall for engaging the first surface of the substrate around the hole, the second end portion of the shaft having a thread, and said intermediate portion comprising a gripping means that engages the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion; said tool comprising:
g) a switch activated by manual movement h) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation of the drive, the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
c) means for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
d) means far stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
e) a cylinder acid piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore;
f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive;
g) means for applying pressure to the piston so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in the slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) means for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
i) means for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and, j) a controller for controlling the rotatable drive and the means for applying pressure, said controller comprising a programmed logic chip operating in response to data received by closing of the switch in step a) and in response to data obtained by the detecting means of paragraphs c) and h).
g) a switch activated by manual movement h) a rotatable drive activatable in response to the closed switch where the rotatable drive has an attached drive shaft in turn having an attached threaded mandrel so that upon activation of the drive, the mandrel rotates so that threads of the mandrel mate with the threads of the insert until a nose retainer, through which the mandrel passes, contacts the flange of the insert;
c) means for detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
d) means far stopping the rotation in response to detecting when the nose retainer reaches the flange of the insert;
e) a cylinder acid piston where the piston has a central bore retaining the drive shaft that passes through the bore;
f) a slide coupling connecting the drive shaft with the drive;
g) means for applying pressure to the piston so that the applied pressure moves the drive shaft in the slide coupling toward the drive so that the motion of the drive shaft and attached mandrel pulls the second end portion of the insert toward the second surface of the substrate and collapses the intermediate portion of the insert to grip the second surface of the substrate;
h) means for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate;
i) means for turning the drive in a reverse direction to disengage the mandrel from the threads of the insert in response to sensing when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate; and, j) a controller for controlling the rotatable drive and the means for applying pressure, said controller comprising a programmed logic chip operating in response to data received by closing of the switch in step a) and in response to data obtained by the detecting means of paragraphs c) and h).
10. The tool of claim 9 where the manually operated switch is a hand trigger switch.
11. The tool of claim 9 where the manually operated switch is activated by engaging the insert with the mandrel closing a push to start switch.
12. The tool of claim 9 where the manually operated switch is a travel activated switch that closes when the nose retainer is pushed against the flange when the flange is in contact with the first surface of the substrate.
13. The tool of claim 9 wherein the means for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate is accomplished by means for detecting an increase in pulling force when the intermediate portion has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate.
14. The tool of claim 9 wherein the means for detecting when the intermediate portion has collapsed to grip the second surface of the substrate is accomplished by means for detecting the travel distance of the second end portion of the insert relative to the first end portion of the insert that corresponds to the relative travel after the intermediate portion has collapsed sufficiently to grip the second surface of the substrate.
15. The tool of claim 9 where the switch is a hand trigger switch.
16. The tool of claim 9 where the switch is a travel activated switch that closes when the nose retainer is pushed against the flange when the flange is in contact with the first surface of the substrate.
17. The tool of claim 9 where the first and second surfaces are parallel surfaces, the hole passes through the surfaces and the intermediate portion of the insert passes through the hole.
18. the tool of claim 9 where the hole is a blind hole, the first surface is a surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft in contact with the front flange and the second surface is an inside surface surrounding the blind hole.
19. The tool of claim 9 where the means for applying pressure to the cylinder is a hydraulic power supply having a hydraulic valve activatable by the controller connected to the tool by a hose.
20. The tool of claim 19 where the hydraulic power supply comprises an air compressor having a gas valve activatable by the controller connected to the tool by a hose.
21. The tool of claim 9 where the mandrel has a male thread for engagement with a female thread of the insert.
22. The tool of claim 9 where the drive is an air motor coupled to a gas valve connected between a pressurized gas supply and the tool by a hose, which valve is activatable by the controller.
23. The tool of claim 9 where the controller is connected to the manually held portion of the tool by an electrical cable.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US10/256,530 | 2002-09-27 | ||
| US10/256,530 US6735843B2 (en) | 2000-11-06 | 2002-09-27 | Spin pull module for threaded inserts |
| US10/314,585 | 2002-12-09 | ||
| US10/314,585 US6892431B2 (en) | 2000-11-06 | 2002-12-09 | Hand held spin-pull tool for installing threaded inserts and method for using same |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2443013A1 true CA2443013A1 (en) | 2004-03-27 |
Family
ID=32233064
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2443013 Abandoned CA2443013A1 (en) | 2002-09-27 | 2003-09-26 | Hand held spin pull tool for installing threaded inserts and method for using same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2443013A1 (en) |
-
2003
- 2003-09-26 CA CA 2443013 patent/CA2443013A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |