GB2152420A

GB2152420A - Hand riveting tool

Info

Publication number: GB2152420A
Application number: GB08405071A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Manfred Franz Schwab
Original assignee: Honsel Nieten & Metallwarenfab
Current assignee: Honsel Nieten & Metallwarenfab
Priority date: 1984-01-12
Filing date: 1984-02-27
Publication date: 1985-08-07
Also published as: JPS60148637A; DE3400889A1; FR2558081A1; GB8405071D0

Abstract

A hand riveting tool has two levers (7) for performing the actual riveting operation, and a screwthreaded mandrel (2) which can be set in rotation, to screw the rivet nut (not shown) into position for riveting thereof. The end of the screwthreaded mandrel (2) which is remote from the head end of the tool is connected to an electric motor (17) for selectively rotating the mandrel (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hand riveting tool Background of the invention In one form of hand riveting tool, the tool has two pivotal levers for carrying out the actual riveting operation, and a screw-threaded mandrel which can be caused to rotate for screwing the rivet nut into position. Although a tool of that kind can be used to carry out a riveting operation without real substantial difficulty, using the tool involves performing a large number of manual operations which can be burdensome for the operator. That in turn can result in operator fatigue when the tool is in use over prolonged periods of time, involving carrying out substantial numbers of riveting operations, while in addition the mere fact of having to perform the individual operations involved in using the tool takes up a great deal of time.Thus, the lever arms must first be pivoted into the fully open or spread-apart position, and the mandrel is then caused to rotate by pushing back a hand knob of a traction tube mounted on the mandrel, while the rivet nut is screwed on to the mandrel at the head end of the tool between the thumb and the index finger. The actual riveting operation is performed by the two levers being brought together by pivotal movement in an inward direction, that is to say, towards each other.

When that has been done, the mandrel is unscrewed from the rivet nut by actuating the abovementioned tube on the mandrel.

Summary of the invention An object of the present invention is to provide a hand riveting tool which is substantially simpler to operate, in order to carry out a riveting operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand riveting tool which provides for partially automated operation thereof, thereby to reduce operator fatigue and also the operating time for a riveting operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hand riveting tool, part of the operation of which is electrically powered.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hand riveting tool which is at least partly electrically operated by a portable power source carried by the tool itself.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a portable hand riveting tool in which part of the operation thereof is battery-powered.

These and other objects are achieved by means of a hand riveting tool which has two pivotally mounted levers for carrying out the actual riveting operation, and a screwthreaded mandrel which can be set in rotation for screwing the rivet nut into position, before the levers are operated. The end of the mandrel which is remote from the end that carries the riveting nut is operatively connected to an electric motor operable to rotate the mandrel, thereby to screw the rivet nut into position.

It will be seen therefore that the tool can be operated to power the electric motor thereby to screw the rivet nut into position, whereupon the pivotal levers can be operated in the usual manner to perform the actual riveting operation. That therefore speeds up the rate of operation of the tool, so as to give shorter riveting times, as well as simplifying operation of the tool in carrying out the riveting operation, and reducing fatigue on the part of the operator.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the tool, besides the electric motor, also incorporates means for accommodating an electrical battery to serve as a power supply, being connected to the electric motor by suitable power lines. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electric motor and the battery-accommodating means are in the form of a unit in a common drive housing.

The drive housing is advantageously adapted to be screwed into the rearward end portion of the housing of the riveting tool, which is disposed at the end remote from the head of the tool.

In an advantageous feature of the invention, the drive housing is releasably secured to the housing of the tool by means of a lock nut. The lock nut desirably has an annular, inwardly projecting flange portion which engages behind a step or shoulder at which the drive housing is reduced in width.

The step or shoulder is advantageously the connecting location at which the reduced-width portion of the drive housing which accommodates the battery is releasably connected to the portion of the drive housing which is of larger diameter and which accommodates the electric motor.

The first-mentioned portion of the drive housing, which carries the battery, is preferably of such a design that it can be disconnected from the second portion of the drive housing in which the electric motor is accommodated, so that the battery can be replaced. Preferably, an on-off switch for the electric motor is provided on the drive housing, more preferably on a rearward portion of the drive housing in which the battery is accommodated.

Further objects, features and advantages of a tool in accordance with the principles of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

Brief description of the drawing The single Figure of drawing shows a view partly in longitudinal section of a hand riveting tool according to the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring therefore to the drawing, shown therein is a hand riveting tool of the pivoted lever type, in which reference numeral 1 denotes a mouthpiece or tip portion of the tool. Disposed movably within the tip portion 1 of the tool, at the forward end thereof, being the end which is towards the left in the drawing, is a screwthreaded mandrel generally indicated by reference numeral 2, on to which can be screwed a rivet nut (not shown) for processing thereof. Provided at the rearward end of the tip portion 1, namely, at the right-hand of the tip portion 1 as viewing the drawing, is a lock nut 3 for locking the tip portion 1 in position on the tool.

The tool further comprises a mounting sleeve 4 which carries a transverse mounting member indicated generally by reference 5 and which is constituted by two mounting portions which extend towards respective sides of the mounting sleeve 4 of the tool and which each carry a respective pivot pin as indicated at 6 for pivotally mounting two operating levers 7 on the tool. Two transverse links 8 extend from the operating levers 7 to the housing 10 of the tool. More specifically, a first end of each link 8 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 9 to the respectively associated operating lever 7 at a position closely adjacent the pivot pin 6 thereof, while the second end of each link 8 is pivotally connected by a respective pivot pin 11 to a mounting portion on the housing 10 of the tool.

A knurled sleeve 12 is carried on the front end portion of the housing 10, being the end which is towards the left in the drawing, for adjusting the operating stroke of the tool.

Disposed in the region of and extending through the mounting sleeve 4 and the forward end of the housing 10 of the tool is a spindle 14 carrying a screwthreaded head 13 at its right-hand end in the drawing, for connecting the spindle 14 by way of a drive lug or blade portion 15 to a drive spindle 16 which projects out of an electric motor 17. At its other end, which is towards the left in the drawing, the spindle 14 is operatively connected to the adjacent end of the mandrel 2, for example being screwed thereinto. The connection between the axially extending spindle 14 and the axially extending mandrel 2 which thus is disposed in axial alignment with the spindle 14 is secured by a lock nut 29. Reference numeral 18 denotes a guide sleeve member through which the mandrel 2 extends, as can be clearly seen from the drawing.

The housing of the tool comprises two main portions, namely a drive housing portion which encloses the electric motor 17, and a drive housing portion 19 which is releasably connected to the drive housing portion 17 and which has means for accommodating an electrical battery which is electrically connected by suitable connecting means (not shown) to the electric motor disposed in the drive housing portion 17, to act as an electircal power supply therefor. The drive housing formed by the portions 17 and 19, which encloses the electric motor and the battery in the form of a common enclosing housing is formed as a unit and is mounted to the rearward end of the housing 10 of the tool, being the end remote from the operating head formed by the components 1 and 3 thereof.

For that purpose, the rearward end of the housing 10 of the riveting tool has a male screwthread 20 onto which a lock nut 21 is screwed. The lock nut 21 has an annular, inwardly projecting flange portion 22 with which it engages behind a step or shoulder 23 which is disposed at the connecting location between the drive housing portion 17 which accommodates the electric motor, and the drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery. It will be noted that the drive housing portion 17 is of larger diameter than the drive housing portion 19.

The drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery can be released from the drive housing portion 17 which accommodates the electric motor in order to replace the one or more batteries in the housing portion 19.

When the rivet is tight and the electric motor cannot produce sufficient force to continue to rotate it, then the spindle 14 can be rotated with the electric motor by hand, by releasing the lock nut 21.

Reference numeral 24 in the drawing denotes an on-off or like control switch which is disposed at a suitable location, being illustrated on the drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery or batteries, for actuating the electric motor for driving the spindle 14 and thus the mandrel 2 in rotation. Reference numeral 25 in the drawing indicates hand grips on the ends of the levers 7 remote from the ends at which they are pivotally connected at 6 to the mounting sleeve 4, for pivotally moving the operating levers 7 by pivotal motion relative to the body of the tool.

It will be seen therefore that the above-described tool can be operated to rotate the mandrel 2 by actuating the hand switch 24, thereby to power the electric motor 17 to rotate the spindle 14 and the mandrel 2 carrying the rivet nut, to screw the rivet nut into position. When that has been done, the actual riveting operation is performed by actuating the levers 7, by grasping them at the hand grips 25, so as to move the levers pivotally towards each other and thus into the position shown in the drawing. The switch 24 is then operated again, to unscrew the mandrel 2 from the rivet nut when set in position.

It will be appreciated that the mode of operation of the tool according to the present invention substantially simplifies a riveting operation. Besides the actual phase of operating the levers 7 by pivoting them towards each other in order to set the rivet in position, it is only necessary to operate the switch 24 in the appropriate manner for producing the rotary movement of the mandrel 2 for screwing on and screwing off the rivet nut to be fixed in place. That therefore ensures that the tool can be operated at a high rivet-setting rate so as to give shorter riveting times, while also simplifying operation of the tool and reducing operator fatigue.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

position on the tool.

The tool further comprises a mounting sleeve 4 which carries a transverse mounting member indicated generally by reference 5 and which is constituted by two mounting portions which extend towards respective sides of the mounting sleeve 4 of the tool and which each carry a respective pivot pin as indicated at 6 for pivotally mounting two operating levers 7 on the tool. Two transverse links 8 extend from the operating levers 7 to the housing 10 of the tool. More specifically, a first end of each link 8 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 9 to the respectively associated operating lever 7 at a position closely adjacent the pivot pin 6 thereof, while the second end of each link 8 is pivotally connected by a respective pivot pin 11 to a mounting portion on the housing 10 of the tool.

A knurled sleeve 12 is carried on the front end portion of the housing 10, being the end which is towards the left in the drawing, for adjusting the operating stroke of the tool.

Disposed in the region of and extending through the mounting sleeve 4 and the forward end of the housing 10 of the tool is a spindle 14 carrying a screwthreaded head 13 at its right-hand end in the drawing, for connecting the spindle 14 by way of a drive lug or blade portion 15 to a drive spindle 16 which projects out of an electric motor 17. At its other end, which is towards the left in the drawing, the spindle 14 is operatively connected to the adjacent end of the mandrel 2, for example being screwed thereinto. The connection between the axially extending spindle 14 and the axially extending mandrel 2 which thus is disposed in axial alignment with the spindle 14 is secured by a lock nut 29. Reference numeral 18 denotes a guide sleeve member through which the mandrel 2 extends, as can be clearly seen from the drawing.

The housing of the tool comprises two main portions, namely a drive housing portion which encloses the electric motor 17, and a drive housing portion 19 which is releasably connected to the drive housing portion 17 and which has means for accommodating an electrical battery which is electrically connected by suitable connecting means (not shown) to the electric motor disposed in the drive housing portion 17, to act as an electircal power supply therefor. The drive housing formed by the portions 17 and 19, which encloses the electric motor and the battery in the form of a common enclosing housing is formed as a unit and is mounted to the rearward end of the housing 10 of the tool, being the end remote from the operating head formed by the components 1 and 3 thereof.

For that purpose, the rearward end of the housing 10 of the riveting tool has a male screwthread 20 onto which a lock nut 21 is screwed. The lock nut 21 has an annular, inwardly projecting flange portion 22 with which it engages behind a step or shoulder 23 which is disposed at the connecting location between the drive housing portion 17 which accommodates the electric motor, and the drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery. It will be noted that the drive housing portion 17 is of larger diameter than the drive housing portion 19.

The drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery can be released from the drive housing portion 17 which accommodates the electric motor in order to replace the one or more batteries in the housing portion 19.

When the rivet is tight and the electric motor cannot produce sufficient force to continue to rotate it, then the spindle 14 can be rotated with the electric motor by hand, by releasing the lock nut 21.

Reference numeral 24 in the drawing denotes an on-off or like control switch which is disposed at a suitable location, being illustrated on the drive housing portion 19 which accommodates the battery or batteries, for actuating the electric motor for driving the spindle 14 and thus the mandrel 2 in rotation. Reference numeral 25 in the drawing indicates hand grips on the ends of the levers 7 remote from the ends at which they are pivotally connected at 6 to the mounting sleeve 4, for pivotally moving the operating levers 7 by pivotal motion relative to the body of the tool.

It will be seen therefore that the above-described tool can be operated to rotate the mandrel 2 by actuating the hand switch 24, thereby to power the electric motor 17 to rotate the spindle 14 and the mandrel 2 carrying the rivet nut, to screw the rivet nut into position. When that has been done, the actual riveting operation is performed by actuating the levers 7, by grasping them at the hand grips 25, so as to move the levers pivotally towards each other and thus into the position shown in the drawing. The switch 24 is then operated again, to unscrew the mandrel 2 from the rivet nut when set in position.

It will be appreciated that the mode of operation of the tool according to the present invention substantially simplifies a riveting operation. Besides the actual phase of operating the levers 7 by pivoting them towards each other in order to set the rivet in position, it is only necessary to operate the switch 24 in the appropriate manner for producing the rotary movement of the mandrel 2 for screwing on and screwing off the rivet nut to be fixed in place. That therefore ensures that the tool can be operated at a high rivet-setting rate so as to give shorter riveting times, while also simplifying operation of the tool and reducing operator fatigue.