GB2052326A - Tool for installing a releasable fastener - Google Patents

Abstract

Machine component and use thereof for assembling parts. The machine component comprises a body (1) which is preferably symmetrical relative to an imaginary line (2) through the body (1). The latter has two shafts (3, 4) which project from the body in opposite directions. From a neutral position in which the centre lines of the shafts coincide approximately with each other and with the line of symmetry (2), the shafts (3, 4) can be moved relative to the body (1). One of the shafts (3) can be moved parallel relative to the line of symmetry (2) and the other shaft (4) can be rotated around a point on the line of symmetry (2). The centre line of the shaft thereby forms an acute angle with the line of symmetry. When the machine component is used for guiding in two parts which are movable relative to each other, one of which is to be fitted into the other, the component helps to prevent the occurrence of the so-called jammed-drawer effect. The part which is to be inserted is held by the machine component and is inserted along a straight line with which the line of symmetry of the machine component is approximately parallel. The said point of the component should coincide substantially with that end of the part which is to be inserted which is located furthest from the component, i.e the end which will be inserted first.

Description

SPECIFICATION Tool for installing a releasable fastener This invention relates to a tool for installing a releasable fastener and more particularly to a tool for installing a releasable fastener to connect a pair of members such as a lid to a packing case where the fastener comprises an apertured plate housed in each of the lid and the packing case and a stud to extend through said apertured plates co-operating with inter-engaging means on one plate releasably to secure such plate to the stud.

In United Kingdom Patent Specification No.

1345959 there is disclosed a fastener for releasably securing one member to a second member comprising first and second apertured plates, a stud, and interengaging means on one of said plates for co-operation with the stud releasably to secure such plate to the stud, the plate having said interengaging means being provided with at least one protrusion shaped to permit ready introduction of said plate in a first direction into a rebate but being shaped to discourage removal of such plate in the opposite direction from such rebate.

In Patent Specification 1345959 there is described with reference to the drawings the installation of such a fastener in a packing case. One apertured plate is fitted in a rebate in the lid so disposed that said rebate overlies a second rebate in the remainder of the packing case when the lid is placed to close the packing case: the second apertured plate is fitted in the second rebate. The lid and packing case are drilled to provide a bore in which the stud may be inserted to secure releasably the lid by co-operation with the interengaging means on the second plate.

When installing such a fastener, it is necessary to correctly align the two rebates such that the apertures of the plates, when located therein, are coaxially aligned to receive the stud. It is also necessary to correctly drill the bore for the stud such that the bore is coaxially aligned with the apertures of the plates located in the rebates. Furthermore, it is preferable to ensure that the rebates are so dimensioned that the plates may not be inserted in a position which is laterally displaced relative the position in which the plate apertures are coaxially aligned with the bore.

Hitherto, the rebates have been cut-out individually and the bore drilled in a separate operation. This can result in the aperture of one or both of the plates being off centre relative to the bore or if the rebate(s) isíare oversize to the need to manually line up one or both of the plates with the bore after inserting the plate(s).

The present invention seeks to provide a tool for installing a releasable fastener which enables both rebates to be cut-out simultaneously and which itself ensures that the bore is drilled so as to be coaxially aligned with the apertures of plates thereafter installed.

It is a feature of the preferred embodiment that the tool may be powered by a conventional power tool, the tool itself being an attachment for such a power tool.

It is a feature of the preferred embodiment that the tool may be held in position by one hand of the user leaving the user's other hand free to operate, control and position the conventional power tool.

It is a further feature of the preferred embodiment that the tool may be adapted to rest on the members to be rebated and drilled such that the user may remove temporarily that hand which is holding the tool.

According to the present invention there is provided a tool for installing a releasable fastener having a pair of apertured plates and a stud in a pair of members such as a lid of a packing case and the body of a packing case wherein the installed plates have their apertures aligned to receive the stud, the tool comprising a body member with a first part adapted to overlie a first one of said pair of members and a second part orthogonally arranged relative to said first part and disposed to be in parallel relation to a second of said pair of members, said first body part carrying a guide for a drill piece, said second body part carrying a pair of cutters arranged in predetermined spaced relation for cutting rebates in respective ones of said first and second members, said second part of said body member being capable of predetermined and limited relative displacement relative to said first part between an advanced position in which said cutters are located to cut the rebates and a retracted position in which the cutters are retracted and the bore for the stud may be drilled.

Preferably, the cutters are mounted on a cutter spindle adapted to be driven by a power tool.

Advantageously, a drill bit may be provided for use with a power drill which drill bit carries means adapted to drivingly engage said cutter spindle.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in elevation and partly in section a tool according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 show an elevational section taken on the line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a plan view, partly in section, of the tool of Figure 1; and, Figures 4to 6show similar views to Figures 1 to 6 of a modification to the tool of Figure 1.

In the drawings there is shown a tool 10 for use in installing a releasable fastener (such as that illustrated and described in United Kingdom Patent Specification No.1345959) having a pair of apertured plates and a stud in a pair of members (2, 3) which illustratively are a lid 2 of the packing case and the body 3 of a packing case. The plates when installed have their apertures aligned to receive the stud.

The tool 10 has a first body part 20 adapted to overlie the lid 2. It will be noted that the packing case lid 2 has an edge member 4 and cover member 5. In order for the leading end 21 of the part 20 to be supported on the cover member 5 this part 20 is provided with an adjustable foot 22 in the form of a bolt 22a threadedly engaging a suitable bore 22c in the leading end 21 of part 20 and secured by a locking nut 226.

The tool also has a second body part 30 arranged orthogonally relative to the first body part 20. As may be seen from Figure 1, the second body part 30 is also disposed to be in parallel relationship to the second of the pair of members (2,3), namely a side wall 5 of the packing case body 3.

The first body part 20 carries a drill guide 40 (to be further described) for a drill piece. The second body part 30 carries a pair of cutters 51, 52 arranged in predetermined spaced relation, by distance X, for cutting rebates in respective ones 2,3 of the first and second members.

The second part 30 is mounted in a manner to be described on the first part 20 which allows the second part 30 to be capable of predetermined and relative displacement relative to said first part 20 between an advanced position (as shown in Figure 1) in which the cutters 51, 52 are located to cut the rebates and a retracted position (as shown in Figure 3) in which the cutters 51,52 are retracted and the bore forthe stud may be drilled.

Turning to Figure 2, it will be seen that the body part 30 comprises a slide member 31 slidably mounted in the body part 20. On body part 20 side walls 23 extend rearwardly from the leading end 21 and the inwardly directed faces 24 of side walls 23 are recessed to provide guide recesses 25 for laterally extending edges 32 at the top of slide member 31. Retaining plates 26 secured to the side walls 23 are arranged to overlie and to retain the edges 32 in the guide recesses 25. Thus, slide member 31 is slidable longitudinally of the side walls 23 between limit positions as will be explained below. The body part 30 extends orthogonally of the body part20 and houses the rotatable mounted spindle 60 which carries the cutters 51, 52. Spindle 60 is mounted in the slide member 31 by means of bush member 33 and also is mounted in journal 34.

As seen in Figure 2 bush member 33 is itself secured in a circular aperture 35 in slide member 31 by means of upper and lower circlips 36,37. Spindle 60 is secured axially relative to bush member 33 by virtue of a flange 61 and a circlip 62. Spindle 60 is adapted to receive cutters 51, 52 about a lower portion 64 thereof of a suitably reduced diameter.

Cutter 51 abuts a flange 65 and is held in axial abutment therewith by a space sleeve 66. Cutter 52 is held in axial abutment with spacer sleeve 66 by a further spacer sleeve 67 which also threadedly engages a lower, threaded portion 68 of the spindle 60. Sleeves 66, 67 ensure that the cutters 51, 52 are fixedly secured to spindle 60 so as to be rotatable therewith. The lower-most end 69 of spindle 60 is rotatably seated in the journal 34.

The upper end 70 of the spindle 60 is adapted for engagement by the drill bit 80. Drill bit 80 has a power tool connecting portion 81, a main shaft portion 82 and a drill bit portion 83 including the leading drill head 84. Adjacent the connecting portion 81 (for insertion in the chuck of a power drill), the main shaft portion 82 has a lateral bore 85 in which is secured a member 86 extending laterally of the main shaft portion 82 on opposed sides thereof.

Spindle 60 at its upper end 70 has a pair of radially extending slots 71 in which the member 86 may be received, whereby the drill bit 80, when driven by a power drill, causes rotation of the spindle 60 and thereby the cutters 51,52. It will be noted that the spindle 60 has bore sections 72, 73 for slidingly receiving the main shaft portion 82 and the drill bit portion 83 of the drill bit 80 respectively.

It will be noted that the journal 34 is mounted by means of circlip 91 in a seating 92 of a handle 90 attached to the part 30. It will be further observed that a guard 94 is arranged on the part 30 to prevent the user from contacting the cutters 51, 52. Stops 95 carried by the side walls 23 of the first body part 20 enable the body part to be correctly located prior to use of the tool: this is when the stops 95 abut the surface 5 of the member 3 (Figure 1).

Returning to Figure 1, when the part 20 is initially correctly located by means of stops 95 abutting surface member 3, then drill guide 40 is positioned such that drill bit 80, when inserted in the bore 41 thereof and connected with a power drill, drills a bore for the fastener stud in the correct location: for this operation the part 30 is in its retracted position.

The handle 90 previously mentioned is clearly illustrated in Figure 1 and is attached to the slide member 31 by fixing bolts 114 Likewise, the guard 94 is attached to handle 90 by means of screws or other suitable fasteners 35.

From Figure 3 it will be seen that the leading end 21 of part 20 has a longitudinally extending bore 27 in which a headed bolt 28 is a sliding fit. Bolt 28 projects through one face 29 of the leading end 21 to threadedly engage in bore 130 in the second body part 30. Abuttment between the face 120 of part 20 and face 29 determines the advanced position of the part 30. Abutment between the head 128 of bolt 28 and the closed end face 127 of bore 27 determines the retracted position of the part 20. An adjustment to the length of travel of part 20 is effected by advancing or retracting a threaded stop 131 located in the closed end 132 of bore 130: bolt 28 is inserted in bore 130 to abut stop 131.The part 20 is resiliently urged towards its retracted position by means of springs 110 housed in aligned, longitudinallyex- tending passages 111, 112 in parts 20,30 respectively.

From Figure 3 it will be noted that retaining plates 26 are secured by screws 113 and handle 90 is secured by fastening means 114.

In use the tool 10 is placed on the members 2,3 as shown in Figure 1. Part 20 overlies member 2 with the drill guide 40 overlying edge member 4. With part 30 in its retracted position, the drill bit 80 may be inserted in the drill guide 40 and connected to a power drill for drilling a bore in edge member 4 and member 3 which bore receives the stud of the fastener. The drill bit 80 is then removed from drill guide 40 and inserted in the bore 82 of spindle 60 so as to ensure driving engagement between member 86 of drill bit 80 and slots 71 of spindle 60. With the power connected, the part 30 is advanced to its advanced position and during this operation the cutters 51, 52 cut rebates for the apertured plates of the fastener. Thereafter after removal of the tool 10, the apertured plates are inserted in the rebates and finally the stud is inserted to complete the fastening by co-operation with engaging means associated with the plate in member 3.

Modifications of the tool 10 described above are possible. For example, the driving engagement between the drill bit 80 and spindle 60 may be accomplished by means of teeth on a flange on the drill bit 80 co-operating with grooves on an upper radial surface of the spindle 60 instead of the member 86 and slots 71. The drill guide 40 may be axially displaceable in the drilling direction thereof to advance a drill bit 60 retained therein towards the members 2,4. Such a displaceable drill guide would be resiliently biased to a position in which the drill bit was in a raised position clear of member 4. Again, the drill guide 40 may be provided with its own drill bit 80 therein and a separate tool piece mounted in the spindle 60.

Turning again to Figures 1 and 2 the tool 10 is adapted to maintain a stable attitude once placed upon the packing case and lid (3, 4). Specifically the stops 95 abutting the member 3 limit the movement of the tool 10 towards the member 3. When in abutment with the member 3 the stops 95 prevent the handle 90 tilting downwardly. Furthermore barbs 134 projecting forwardly from the cutter blade housing 94 are positioned to pierce and thereby engage the packing case 3 when the stops 95 abut said packing case 3. The barbs 134 also prevent such downward movement of the handle 90. The presence of the barbs 134 means that even if pressure is applied downwardly to the handle 90 such as to cause stops 95 to pivot about their lower ends, such downward movement can only be accomplished if the barbs 134 are forced through the wood of the packing case 3.Under normal circumstances therefore, the tool 10 once positioned on the packaging case 3 will remain safely in position even if the user removes his hand from handle 90 or even inadvertently exerts downward pressure as long as this is not so excessive as to cause barbs 134 to force their release from the wood of part 3. The barbs 134 also act to hold the body parts 20 in the same position relative to the packing case body parts 3, 4 as the body part 30 moves to its retracted position after the rebating operation and prior to the drilling operation. Alternative configurationsforthe barbs 134 will be readily apparent.

Turning to Figures 4 to 6 there is shown a modification of the tool of Figure 1 in which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals. Only the features of the modified tool which differ from the first embodiment will now be described.

Comparing Figure 1 with Figure 4, barbs 134 have been omitted and the adjustable foot 20 has been replaced by clamping means 220 in the form of a toggle clamp knownperse. The toggle clamp is a standard fitting and in order to arrange for fixing of the toggle clamp the sides of the part 20 have been extended upwardly at 221 (shown in Figures 4 and 5). A series of alternative positions for bolting on the toggle clamp 220 are provided by the pairs of holes 223. This allows the position of the toggle clamp to be adjusted for different widths of edge member 4 on top cover member 5. Likewise, foot 224 of the toggle clamp 220 is adjustable since it is threaded at 225 and secured by nuts 226 which can be released for altering the length of foot 224 extending to the right of toggle clamp member 227.The toggle clamp is secured and released by the lowering and raising respectively of toggle clamp member 228 which in turn places toggle clamp member 227 in its clamping position shown in Figure 4 or raised to a release position parallel to that shown for member 228 in Figure 4. The toggle clamp 220 is also shown in Figures 5 and 6, but only designated by numeral 220.

Continuing this comparison of Figures 1 and 4, in Figure 4, the part 20 is cast of aluminium and as well as overlying the member 2 also has a downwardly depending portion 250 parallel to the member 3 such that the part 20 fits the corner of the packing case.

Comparing Figure 2 and Figure 4, the depending portion 250 (Figure 4) of part 20 replaces the stops 95 and separate guard 94 of Figure 2. For egress of sawdust so as to prevent jamming of the drill bit, the lowermost end 69 of the spindle, which rotatably seated in journal 34, communicates to the exterior of handle 90 through a bore 260 which allow sawdust to escape.

The mounting of part 30 in part 20 in Figure 2 was by way of engagement of extending edges 32 in guide recesses 25 and retaining plates 26 secured by bolts 113 (Figure 3). In Figure 5, both parts 20,30 are formed from aluminium and the edges 32, recesses 25, plates 26 have been dispersed with. Instead, in order to facilitate relative displacement between parts 20, 30 each has respective longitudinal grooves 270, 271 which accommodate steel gib strips 272 of conventional form.

Comparing Figures 3 and 6, consequent to the mounting of parts 20, 30 in displaceable manner by gib strips 270 as described above in relation to Figure 5, the plates 26 and their bolts 113 are removed. Likewise stops 95 are removed and feet 20 with bolt 22a and nut 22b are removed. Clamping means 220 are generally illustrated. In addition, Figure 6 shows fastener 280 which illustratively comprises a clamping screw which is threadedly located in a bore normal to the upper surface of part 20, the bore communicating with bore 27 in which headed bolt 28 is a sliding fit. The clamping screw of fastener 280 thus may be extended downwardly to bear on and clamp the position of bolt 28. This enables the part 30 to be clamped relative to part 20 when the drill guide 40 is in the drilling position. This has been found advantageous in practice since it prevents the tool user from inadvertently attempting to advance the part 30 towards its cutting position.

Claims (23)

1. A tool for installing a releasable fastener having a pair of apertured plates and a stud in a pair of container members such as a lid of a packing case and the body of a packing case wherein the installed plates have their apertures aligned to receive the stud, the tool comprising a body member with a first part adapted to overlie a first one of said pair of members and a second part orthogonally arranged relative to said first part and disposed to be in parallel relation to a second of said pair of members, said first body part carrying a guide for a drill piece, said second body part carrying a pair of cutters arranged in predetermined spaced relation for cutting rebates in respective ones of said first and second members, said second part of said body member being capable of predetermined and limited displacement relative to said first part between an advanced position in which said cutters are located to cut the rebates and a retracted position in which the cutters are retracted and the bore for the stud may be drilled.

2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutters are mounted on a cutter spindle adapted to be driven by a power tool

3. Atool as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a drill bit is provided for use with a power drill which drill bit carries means adapted to driving liy engage said cutter spindle.

4. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a leading end of the first body part has support means to support said leading end on the first member.

5. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said support means is adjustable to vary the length thereof below said leading end.

6. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the second body part comprises a slide member slidably mounted in the first body part.

7. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein said first body part has inwardly directed faces which are recessed to provide guide recesses for laterally extending edges on the slide member.

8. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein retaining plates are secured to side walls of the first body part, said retaining plates being arranged to overlie and to retain the edges of the slide member in the guide recesses.

9. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the second body part houses a rotatably mounted spindle which carries the cutters and the upper end of the spindle is adapted for engagement with a drill bit for rotation of the spindle.

10. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the second body part carries a guard arranged to prevent the userfrom contacting the cutters.

11. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the first body part has a pair of stops which, when arranged to abut a container member, determines the position of the tool for use.

12. A tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the leading end of the first body part has a longitudinally extending bore aligned with a longitudinally extending bore of the slide member, said leading end and slide member having abutment faces which when in contact determine the advance position of the second body part, headed bolt means within said bore, a further abutment face on said leading end which when contacted by the head of the headed bolt means determines the retracted position of the second body part.

13. Atool as claimed in Ciaim 12, wherein adjustment of the length of travel of the slide member is effected by advancing or retracting a threaded stop in a closed end of the bore in the slide member, the headed bolt member being inserted in the bore to abut the threaded stop.

14. Atool as claimed in either Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein resilient means is provided to urge the slide member towards its retracted position.

15. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein means, such as barbs, are provided to maintain the tool in a stable attitude once placed upon the container members.

16. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 6, 9 and 12 to 14, wherein said first body part carries a toggle clamp for supporting the leading end of the first body part on a container member.

17. A tool as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said first body part is provided with a series of alternative positions for the toggle clamp.

18. Atool as claimed in either Claim 16 or Claim 17, wherein the toggle clamp is adjustable to accommodate different container members.

19. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, 6,9, 12 to 14, 17 and 18, wherein the first body part additionally comprises a depending portion arranged orthogonally to the leading end such that the first body part accommodates the corner of a container.

20. Atool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the second part is adapted for the egress of sawdust so asto prevent jamming of the drill bft.

21. Atool as claimed in any one of claims 6,9, 12 to 14 and 17 to 20, wherein the first body part which receives the slide member and the slide member have longitudinally extending recesses which accommodate gib strips.

22. Atool as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 14 and 17 to 21, wherein the first body part has clamping means to secure the headed bolt such that the second body part is retained in its retracted position.

23. Atool for installing a releasable fastener adapted, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6 of the accompany ing drawings.