GB2303326A

GB2303326A - Rivet setting tool

Info

Publication number: GB2303326A
Application number: GB9514772A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Robin Smith
Original assignee: Newfrey LLC
Current assignee: Newfrey LLC
Priority date: 1995-07-19
Filing date: 1995-07-19
Publication date: 1997-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2015-07-19
Also published as: GB9514772D0; GB2303326B

Description

RIVET SETTING TOOL The present invention is concerned with blind rivet setting tools, such as those for setting rivets which comprise a tubular rivet having a head and a threaded mandrel which passes through the tubular rivet and engages a threaded portion of the tubular rivet remote from the head, the rivet being set by pulling the mandrel relative to the rivet. The invention is particularly concerned with setting those blind rivets in which the mandrel takes the form of a cap screw, such as those shown in EP 0 494 747.

In the past, internally threaded tubular rivets were set by placing them onto a mandrel of a setting machine, placing the rivet in position relative to a workpiece using the setting tool, setting the rivet, and then undoing the mandrel from the set rivet. Such applications may be termed spin pull spin. However, such an operation is time consuming since each rivet must be attached to the mandrel, set, removed from the mandrel, and then fitted with a screw.

The rivets described in EP 0 494 747 do away with the need to fit the rivet body to the mandrel and then remove it once set. However these rivets clearly cannot be set using such known machines.

Other blind rivets set in a similar manner are also known. For example, those known as 'double headed rivets' which comprise a tubular rivet having a head flange, and a mandrel which passes through the tubular rivet and comprises a setting head which engages an end face of the tubular rivet remote from its head flange and a pulling head which is pulled to move the mandrel relative to the rivet to set it. A rivet setting tool for such rivets is known from EP 0 468 417A.

While such a tool may be used to set the rivets known from EP 0 494 747A, it is still necessary to rotate each cap screw to drive it into position once it has been set.

According to the invention, we provide a riveting tool for use in setting blind rivets which comprise a tubular rivet having a head flange and a threaded mandrel which passes through the tubular rivet and engages a threaded portion of the tubular rivet, and a pulling head which is pulled to move the mandrel relative to the rivet to set it, the tool comprising, a nosepiece a pulling assembly mounted in the nosepiece and arranged to grip the pulling head of a mandrel and moveable relative to the nosepiece to pull the mandrel to set the rivet, characterised in that means are provided for engagement with the mandrel head to drive it axially and rotationally.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1, which shows in cross section a setting tool according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a setting tool 1 according to the present invention. The tool may be conveniently suspended from a hanging bracket 2.

The tool 1 is shown with a rivet assembly 3. The rivet assembly comprises a tubular rivet sleeve 4 having a head flange 5 and a threaded mandrel 6 which passes through the tubular rivet and engages a threaded portion of the tubular rivet, and a pulling head 7 which is to be pulled to move the mandrel relative to the rivet to set the rivet.

The rivet assembly 3 is held within a nosepiece 10 of the tool 1, and in particular by a pulling assembly 12 located within a bore extending through the nosepiece 10 and a housing 14 of the tool. The nosepiece is connected to the housing 14 of the tool.

The pulling assembly 12 comprises pulling jaws 16 connected by a washer 18 to a piston assembly 22. The piston assembly 22 comprises an adaptor 24 and a piston 26.

The piston 26 is located within the bore in the housing 14 by a fixed sleeve 28. The bore in the housing is a blind bore. A chamber 42 is formed between the fixed sleeve 28 and the piston 26. The chamber 42 is provided with a port 52 through which hydraulic fluid may be supplied and withdrawn. An actuator rod 30 passes through the washer 18, the adaptor 24, the piston 26 and into the rear of the housing, through the end face of the blind bore.

At the rear of the housing, there is located an air motor 32 and a chamber 34. The actuator rod 30 passes through the air motor 32 and towards the chamber 34. The actuator rod 30 is connected to the air motor 32 by splines 36. The chamber 34 is formed by an end cap 36 on the housing and a plug 38 of top hat configuration which is movable within the end cap 37. The actuator rod 30 terminates within the plug 38.

Both the air motor 32 and the chamber 34 are connected to a pneumatic source, activated by a two way trigger 40.

The rivet is set by actuating the pulling assembly, by introducing hydraulic fluid into the chamber 42 defined between the fixed sleeve 28 and the piston 26. This causes the piston 26 to move to the right as shown in Figure 1.

This causes the pulling jaws 16 to which it is connected also to move to the right. Since the flange 5 of the rivet is held against the nosepiece 10, the sleeve 4 will be deformed. The pulling jaws 16 will be moved only as far as the travel of the actuating rod 30 within the setting tool where piston 26 abuts against face 45.

On completion of the setting cycle with the two way switch 40 released from a first position the piston 26 with the pulling jaws 16 will return to the start of that cycle.

By placing the two way switch 40 into a second position, air is admitted to chamber 34 to drive the actuator rod 30 forward. The actuator rod is then rotated by means of air being admitted into the air motor 32 to cause it to rotate thus transmitting torque to the actuator rod 30 via splines 36. Chamber 34 then enlarges by moving plug 38 to the left, thus driving the actuator rod. The air motor also drives the actuator rod by way of the splines.

The end 42 of the actuating rod then pushes the pulling jaws 16 apart and engages in the mandrel head 7. The forward rotationally movement of the actuator rod thus serves to drive the screw headed mandrel home past the gripping portions of the pulling jaws and secure the head against the workpiece.

Claims

1 A riveting tool for use in setting blind rivets which comprise a tubular rivet having a head flange and a threaded mandrel which passes through the tubular rivet and engages a threaded portion of the tubular rivet, and a pulling head which is pulled to move the mandrel relative to the rivet to set it, the tool comprising, a nosepiece a pulling assembly mounted in the nosepiece and arranged to grip the pulling head of a mandrel and moveable relative to the nosepiece to pull the mandrel to set the rivet characterised in that means are provided for engagement with the mandrel head to drive it axially and rotationally.

2 A riveting tool according to Claim 1, characterised in that separate means are provided for operating the pulling assembly and for driving the mandrel head.

3 A riveting tool substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying Figure.