GB2480284A

GB2480284A - Placement tool with adaptor for installing fasteners

Info

Publication number: GB2480284A
Application number: GB1007876A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Rice
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-05-11
Filing date: 2010-05-11
Publication date: 2011-11-16
Also published as: GB201007876D0

Abstract

The placement tool 1 is for directing percussive force to a fastener 5 to install the fastener. The tool includes a placement part 2 having a conduit 7 with a terminal placement end 6 for receiving the fastener to place the received fastener within the conduit. An adaptor part 3 is arranged to attach to a percussion tool 10 to couple the percussion tool moveably to the placement part 2 to render at least a part of the percussion tool movable along the conduit 7 towards the placement end 6 of the conduit. An impact from the percussion tool may be received by the fastener within the conduit to move the fastener along the conduit by action of the percussive force thereby to install the fastener 5. A percussive tool and a method of using a percussive tool for applying percussive force to a fastener also include the placement part with conduit.

Description

Improvements in and relating to Percussive Tools The invention relates to percussive tools and methods of their use. In particular, though not exclusively, the invention relates to percussive tools for use in installing, forcing or driving fasteners in to a fastening position.

Panels for aircraft fuselage, wings tail etc, or for other vehicles or structures, are often mounted onto a chassis or framework and fixed in place using dedicated fasteners (e.g. rivets or other fasteners). These fasteners are typically installed by being pushed or driven through an opening in, or adjacent an edge of, a panel when placed in register with a corresponding hole in the chassis or framework. Friction and/or a deliberate distortion of parts of the fastener (e.g. expansion or splaying) may hold the fastener to the chassis or framework and thereby fix the panel to the chassis of framework.

Percussive force must be applied to such a fastener in order to drive it in to place.

This percussive force is often typically applied directly by a percussion tool designed for applying a repetitive hammering action to the fastener whilst placed for installation as described above. Of course, if the percussive force of the tool if not well-aimed it may strike the fastener inappropriately, and/or may be applied by mistake to the surface of the panel which the fastener is intended to fix. This can very easily cause damage to the panel and/or fastener as the percussive forces involved are not insignificant. Where the panel is for use in a vehicle such as on an aircraft wing, such damage may cause damage which would render the fastener and/or panel unfit for use. Removing and replacing such a unfit parts could be expensive, and if such unfit parts go undetected, the vehicle could unknowingly be rendered unsafe for use.

The invention aims to provide means and methods which may address these matters.

At its most general, the invention is to provide a way of placing a fastener relative to the percussive elements of a percussion tool (for driving the fastener) to restrict lateral movement of the fastener relative to the percussion tool both before and during application of percussive forces (e.g. rapidly repetitive percussion/hammering) thereby to help avoid the percussive elements striking anything other than the fastener in use.

In a first of its aspects, the invention may provide a placement tool for directing percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: a placement part comprising a conduit including a placement end (e.g. an open terminal end, e.g. most distant from the adaptor part in use) for receiving at least a part of a said fastener thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit relative to an adaptor part of the tool; wherein the adaptor part is arranged to attach to a percussion tool and to couple the percussion tool moveably to the placement part thereby to render at least a part of the percussion tool moveable along the conduit towards the placement end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.

Thus, a separate percussion tool (such as a force-applying power tool for generating and applying impulse forces) may be attached to the placement tool via the adaptor part to place the active (force-applying) element of the percussion tool in register with the conduit of the placement part and any fastener placed therein. In this way, the conduit may properly place the fastener relative to the percussion tool for installing the fastener by percussive force. The moveable coupling of the percussion tool to the placement part enables the benefits of this placement to continue as the fastener is driven in to place and forced along the conduit by the percussion tool in the process -i.e. the percussion tool is able to follow the part of the fastener it has struck when fastener moves as a result of being struck, while still suitably placed by the placement part. This avoids the percussion tool striking off-target during a sequence of a plurality of percussive strikes of the fastener.

The adaptor part may be arranged to couple the percussion tool to the placement part via a sliding coupling to render the at least a part of the percussion tool moveable by a sliding movement along the conduit. As a result, the received part of the percussion tool may be moveable smoothly and continuously along the conduit. The received percussion tool part is preferably reversibly slidingly moveable along the conduit such that it may be moved from and returned to a given position relative to the conduit.

This enables the received percussion tool part to be returned to any suitable "start" position after having been used to install a fastener to enable another fastener to be placed within the placement part ready for installation.

The placement tool may include a guide part via which the adaptor part is arranged to couple the percussion tool to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move said the received part of the percussion tool along the conduit. This sliding coupling, via the guide part, permits that the percussion tool need not be directly attached to the placement part, but may be indirectly coupled thereto. This indirect coupling permits greater versatility in movement of the received parts of the percussion tool, which may be moveable relative to both the guide part and the placement part. The guide part preferably houses the received part if the percussion tool in use.

The adaptor part may be arranged to separably couple to the placement part. The adaptor part may be arranged to be fixable by tool-fixing means (e.g. screws, bolts rods etc) to a percussion tool and to be subsequently attachable to the placement part with the percussion tool pre-fixed to it.

The placement tool may include the guide part as the means via which the adaptor part is arranged to separably couple the percussion tool to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move said at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit.

The adaptor part may include a through-opening which is adapted to admit the at least a part of the percussion tool and which includes percussion tool-fixing means via which the adaptor part is releasably fixable to the percussion tool. The percussion tool-fixing means may comprise one or more through-holes/bores for receiving fixing screws, bolts or rods etc, extending in a direction radially through the adaptor part to the through-opening in and converging towards the axis of the through-opening. In this way, the through-bores/holes may be adapted to cooperate (e.g. they may be threaded) with correspondingly dimensioned fixing screws, bolts or rods for locating within the through-bores/holes to cause ends of the fixing screws, bolts or rods to project from the adapter part into the through-opening to enable them to engage with a percussion tool located in the through-opening to hold, fix, grip, retain or otherwise couple the percussion tool to the adaptor.

The adaptor may include coupling means via which it is separably couplable to the guide part. The guide part may be adapted to engage with the coupling means of the adaptor part to implement a coupling therewith. For example, the adaptor part may comprise a cap, plug or disk having a shaping (e.g. a screw threading, snap-fitments, bayonet-type coupling) adapted to engage with a corresponding complementary shaping formed on a portion of the guide part to which the adaptor part is intended to couple. Preferably, the percussion tool-fixing means is/are positioned and adapted relative to the coupling means of the adaptor part so as to be inaccessible, covered, enclosed or trapped by the body of the guide part when the adaptor is coupled thereto via the coupling means. This helps retain moveable or removeable elements (e.g. fixing screws etc) of the percussion tool-fixing means in the adaptor part, and reduces the likelihood of accidental tampering of the percussion tool-fixing means when in use.

For example, the percussion tool-fixing means may include fixing screws, bolts or rods etc. and associated through-holes/bores which extend into the body of the adaptor part to receive the fixing screws etc. to extend thereform to engage a percussion tool, e.g. extend into the through-opening to engage a percussion tool placed there. The through-holes/bores may be positioned relative to the coupling means so as to be rendered inaccessible, covered, closed or trapped when the adaptor is coupled to the guide part. For example, if the coupling means is a screw threading on a surface of the adaptor part, the through-holes may be formed within the threaded surface region of the adaptor part. The adaptor may comprise a threaded disk or cap adapted to screw-fit to the guide part.

The through-opening is preferably arranged within the adaptor part to align the centre of the through-opening in register with the axis of the conduit.

The guide part may include a housing adapted to house received parts of the percussion tool. Preferably, the placement part is slidingly moveable relative to (e.g. in to) the housing to slidingly move the at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit. The placement part may be slidingly moveable into the housing so as to be fully contained therein.

This permits the guide part, received percussion tool parts and fastener to move generally in unison as the fastener is driven and moved along the conduit towards the open/placement end thereof and increasingly into e.g. a hole in a panel of an aircraft wing of the like. The placement part may then remain in place relative to the panel/hole as the guide part and percussion tool each move towards the panel/hole following the driven fastener. The end of the placement part containing the placement/open end of the conduit may be pressed against the panel with the tip of a fastener in register with a hole in the panel and the rest of the fastener located within the conduit. The pressing of the end of the placement part may be achieved by applying a pressing force to the guide part. This may cause the slidingly-coupled percussion tool parts to slide into and along the conduit of the placement part and engage with the fastener there. In this position, a percussive force may be applied to the engaged end of the fastener via the received parts of the percussion tool.

The placement tool may include biasing means (e.g. a spring) which urges the placement part to move in a direction away from the adaptor part (e.g. and away from the percussion tool if coupled thereto). For example, the percussive tool may include a spring or other resilient biasing means arranged to engage both the placement part and the guide part to urge the two away from each other towards a state in which the placement means fully and maximally extends from the body of the guide part. One or each of the placement part and guide part may include a stop portion arranged to engage with the other of the of the placement part and guide part when the guide part is fully extended in this way, to obstruct further sliding movement of the placement part away from the guide part.

The placement tool may be arranged for use with a percussion tool at least a part of which (e.g. those parts received for movement along the conduit) is elongate. The conduit of the placement part may be elongate and linear with a long axis co-linear with the long axis of the at least a part of the percussion tool when coupled thereto by the adaptor part. The placement tool may be arranged for use with a percussion tool such that the at least a part of the percussion tool is moveable along the conduit without contacting the conduit when coupled thereto by the adaptor part. The placement part may be arranged to be moveable along the guide part without the guide part entering the conduit. The conduit may be a bore extending through the placement part.

The guide part may include a bore along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit when coupled thereto by the adaptor part.

The adaptor part may be arranged to attach to a percussive tool possessing a reciprocator member for generating a reciprocating movement, wherein the adaptor part is arranged to couple the reciprocator member to the placement part to permit transmission of reciprocating movement of a said fastener.

In another aspect, the invention may provide a percussive tool including a placement tool as described above and coupled to a percussion tool.

For example, in a second of its aspects, the invention may provide a percussive tool for applying percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: a placement part comprising a conduit including an open end for receiving at least a part of the fastener thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit relative to a percussion part of the tool; wherein the percussion part is coupled to the placement part so as to be moveable (e.g. reversibly) along the conduit towards the open end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.

In this way, the conduit may properly place the fastener relative to the percussion part for installing the fastener by percussive force. The moveable coupling of the percussion part to the placement part enables the benefits of this placement to continue as the fastener is driven in to place and forced along the conduit by the percussion part in the process -i.e. the percussion part is able to follow the part of the fastener it has struck when fastener moves as a result of being struck, while still suitably placed by the placement part. This avoids the percussion part striking off-target during a sequence of a plurality of percussive strikes of the fastener.

The percussion part may be coupled to the placement part via a sliding coupling so as to be moveable by a sliding movement along the conduit. As a result, the percussion part may be moveable smoothly and continuously along the conduit. The percussion part is preferably reversibly slidingly moveable along the conduit such that it may be moved from and returned to a given position relative to the conduit. This enables the percussion part to be returned to any suitable "start" position after having been used to install a fastener to enable another fastener to be placed within the placement part ready for installation.

The percussive tool may include a guide part via which the percussion part is coupled to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit. This sliding coupling, via the guide part, permits that the percussion part need not be directly attached to the placement part, but may be indirectly coupled thereto. This indirect coupling permits greater versatility in movement of the percussion part. It may be moveable relative to both the guide part and the placement part. The guide part preferably houses the percussion part.

The percussion part may be coupled to the guide part by a resiliently coupling which is resiliently deformable to permit application of the percussive force via a reciprocating movement of the percussion part relative to the guide part and the placement part.

The resilient coupling enables repetitive percussions to be applied by the percussion part by applying repetitive forces (e.g. percussions) to the percussion part itself. For example, where the percussive part is elongate, with opposite ends separated by the length of the percussive part, it may be coupled to the guide part such that the one end thereof is arranged to receive a percussion/impulse force and to transmit that received force to its opposite end and thence apply it to a fastener placed to be struck by that opposite end. The force-receiving end of the percussive part may be arranged to receive the force via percussion(s) applied to it. The resilient deformability of the resilient coupling enables the percussion part to urge back towards its prior position (relative to the guide part) after application of one percussion has ended and before application of the next, in a pecking action.

The percussive tool may include a part possessing a reciprocator member for transmitting a reciprocating movement to the percussion part to permit generation of reciprocating movement of the percussion part. The resilient coupling may couple the percussion part to the reciprocator member to permit generation of reciprocating movement of the percussion part. The percussive tool may include an adaptor part to couple the reciprocator member to the placement part (e.g. via the guide part) thereby to couple the percussion part to the placement part. The reciprocator member may comprise a power tool possessing the reciprocator member for transmitting a reciprocating movement or impulse force.

The resilient coupling may be a resilient metal or plastic, or other suitable material, such as a spring or helical coil the coils of which are adapted to grip an outer force-receiving elongate end of the percussive part. The resilient coupling may be fixed to the reciprocating part of the reciprocator member. For example, one end of a said helical spring/coil may be fixed to the reciprocating end of the reciprocator part, the other end being free to receive (e.g. within its coils and along its axis) the force-receiving end of the percussion part.

The guide part may include a housing having an inner space within which the percussion part is housed (e.g. via the resilient fixing) and into which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit.

This permits the guide part, percussion part and fastener to move generally in unison as the fastener is driven and moved along the conduit towards the open end thereof and increasingly into e.g. a hole in a panel of an aircraft wing of the like. The placement part may then remain in place relative to the panel/hole as the guide part and percussion part each move towards the panel/hole following the driven fastener.

The end of the placement part containing the open end of the conduit may be pressed against the panel with the tip of a fastener in register with a hole in the panel and the rest of the fastener located within the conduit. The pressing of the end of the placement part may be achieved by applying a pressing force to the guide part. This may cause the slidingly-coupled percussion part to slide into and along the conduit of the placement part and engage with the fastener there. In this position, a percussive force may be applied to the engaged end of the fastener via the percussion part.

The placement part may be slidingly moveable into the inner space of the guide part so as to be fully contained therein. The guide part may be dimensioned such that the placement part, when fully contained within the guide part, cannot be further moved relative to the guide part by urging it against a flat surface to which the guide part is also urged. This may limit the depth to which the percussion part may enter the conduit. The length of the percussion part may be such that it does not project from the open end of the conduit when the placement part is fully contained within the guide part. This safety measure would prevent the percussion part poking out of end of the conduit where it may be liable to cause damage. The percussion part may be coupled to the placement part such that the percussion part is prevented from reaching the open end of the conduit thereby being moveable along the conduit towards, but not fully to, the open end thereof.

The percussive tool may include biasing means which urge the placement part to move in a direction away from the percussion part. For example, the percussive tool may include a spring or other resilient biasing means arranged to engage both the placement part and the guide part to urge the two away from each other towards a state in which the placement means fully and maximally extends from the body of the guide part. This arrangement may be such as to urge withdrawal of the percussion part from the conduit in a direction away from the open end of the conduit. One or each of the placement part and guide part may include a stop portion arranged to engage with the other of the of the placement part and guide part when the guide part is fully extended in this way, to obstruct further sliding movement of the placement part away from the guide part.

The percussion part may be elongate. The conduit may be elongate and linear with a long axis co-linear with the long axis of the percussion part. The percussion part may be arranged to be moveable along the conduit without contacting the conduit. The placement part may be arranged to be moveable along the guide part without the guide part contacting the conduit, or without entering the conduit. For example, preferably the placement part is arranged to be slidingly moveable (reversibly) to enter into the body of the guide part.

The conduit may be a bore extending through the placement part. The guide part may include a bore along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit.

In a third of its aspects, the invention may provide a method for using a percussive tool to apply percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: receiving at least a part of the fastener in the conduit of a placement part of the tool thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit between a percussion part and an open end of the conduit; moving the percussion part along the conduit towards the open end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.

In any of its aspects, the invention may be adapted and arranged for use installing fasteners by percussive force, such as so-called "Lightening Strike Bolt" fasteners well known to those skilled in the art of installing fasteners to aircraft.

Non-limiting examples of the invention will now be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a cut-away (part cross-sectional) view of a percussive tool; Figure 2 is a cut-away (part cross-sectional) view of a percussive tool applying percussive force to a fastener to begin installing the fastener; Figure 3 is a cut-away (part cross-sectional) view of a percussive tool applying percussive force to a fastener to fully install the fastener.

In the drawings like items are assigned like reference symbols.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a percussive tool for applying a percussive force to a fastener (a Lightening Strike Bolt, 5) to install the fastener. The percussive tool includes a placement tool (1) coupled to a percussion power tool (10) via an adaptor part (17) of the placement tool. The percussive tool comprises a placement part (2) which includes a conduit (7) in the form of a cylindrical bore passing through the body of the placement part from an open end for receiving the fastener through to an enclosed end (8) adapted for receiving a percussion part (4) of the percussion power tool. The bore of the conduit (7) is dimensioned to be slightly larger than the greatest lateral dimension of the fastener (5) it is adapted to receive so that the received fastener is accurately placed in the percussive tool relative to the percussion part (4). In particular, in this example, the fastener is an elongate article having a long axis which, when received in the placement part, is substantially co-linear with the long access of the bore of the conduit. In this way, the placed fastener may be driven longitudinally along the axis of the conduit bore by action of the percussion part as will be described below.

The percussion part of the percussion power tool (4) comprises a steel rod coupled to the placement part (2) of the placement tool (1) via a guide part (3). The guide part (3) is slidingly movable relative to the placement part (2) when the percussion part is separably attached to the guide part by the adaptor part (17) as shown in Figure 1.

The placement part (2) is slidingly movable into the inner volume (16) of the guide part (3) within which is housed the percussion part (4). By virtue of this sliding action, the percussion part (4) is slidingly movable relative to the placement part so that the proximal end (14) of the percussion part may enter the adjacent enclosed end (8) of the conduit bore of the placement part (2). Continued such sliding motion permits the proximal end of the percussion part (14) to enter and move along the bore of the conduit (7) in a direction towards the open end of the bore (6) and ultimately into contact with an opposing end of the fastener (5) placed within the conduit bore (7).

Figure 2 illustrates the relative positioning of the placement part (2), the fastener (5) within it, the guide part (3) and the percussion part (4) housed within the guide part when the guide part and percussion part are slidingly moved in this way. In Figure 2 the arrow marked (X) indicates the direction of movement of the guide part (3).

The placement part (2), with the fastener (5) placed within it, is positioned with its open placement end (6) pressed against a panel (20) of an aircraft wing (aircraft not shown). A hole (21) is formed within the panel (20) passing through the panel and dimensioned to receive the shaft of the fastener (5) in a tight interference fit. A wing frame component (22) is also shown in Figure 2 and comprises a similar such hole (23) passing through it. The hole (21) in the wing panel (20) is aligned in register with the hole (23) of the wing frame component (22). The placement part of the percussive tool (2) is placed over the hole (21) in the aircraft panel such that the fastener (5) placed within the placement part is placed in register with the hole. Once in register in this way, in use, a pressing force may be applied to the guide part (3) of the percussive tool in the direction indicated by arrow (X) in Figure 2 so as to apply a force at the wing panel (20) around the periphery of the panel hole (21) via the open placement end of the placement part. In being slidingly movable relative to guide part (3) the placement part (2) is caused to slide into the internal place (16) of the guide part containing the percussion part (4) as described above in order to achieve the contact between the opposing ends of the percussion part (14) and the fastener (5) as illustrated in Figure 2.

In this "ready" position, a repeating and repetitive percussive force may be applied to the distal end (12) of the percussion part via the striking end (11) of the percussion power tool (10) attached to the guide part of the percussive tool via the adaptor part (17).

The adaptor part comprises an annulus defined by a disk portion having a centrally positioned through-opening (25) passing therethrough and dimensioned to receive a part of the body of a percussion power tool (10) to permit the power tool to extend therethough and the annulus of the adaptor part to surround the received parts of the power tool. The outermost cylindrical surface of the annulus bears a treading (20) adapted to cooperate with a corresponding threading formed in the inner cylindrical wall of the bore of the guide part (3). The adaptor part thereby is attachable to the guide part via a screw fit therewith. A plurality of percussion tool-fixing through-bores (e.g. six -three shown in Figure 1, three (no shown) on an opposite side of the adaptor part) extend into the annulus of the adaptor part extending from outermost through-bore openings (21) formed in the threaded region of the adaptor part, to innermost through-bore openings presented at the inner annular surface of the adaptor part which defines the through-opening (25). The through-bores are each threaded to engage with respective fixing screws (not shown) dimensioned to extend from the respective outermost through-bore opening (or just below it within the through-bore) to and beyond the respective innermost through-bore opening and into the through-opening (25) to engage, in unison with other such fixing screws in other such through-bores spaced around the adaptor part. The through-bores are arranged to extend through the adaptor part in directions which mutually converge towards the centre of the through-opening. Through-openings may be arranged in opposing pairs facing each other across the through-opening such that respective fixing screws may extend outwardly in opposite directions. The received parts of the percussion power tool (10) are gripped by the plurality of fixing screws acting in unison to urge against the power tool in at least partly opposite directions in a jaw/vice arrangement. The outermost through-bore openings are covered and inaccessible when the adaptor part is screwed into the guide part (3) as shown.

A resiliently deformable coupling in the form of a helical spring (22) has a first end attached to the force-applying end (11) of the percussive power tool (10) and extends from the power tool to permit coils to envelope the distal (force-receiving) end (12) of the percussion part (4). The elongate cylindrical body (13) of the percussion part (4) flares out to form a collar portion (23) adjacent the distal end and is dimensioned relative to the helical spring to permit coils of the spring to easily expand over the collar portion to firmly grip the collar portion. Impulses of force generated by the force-applying end (11) of the percussion power tool via a reciprocating movement thereof. This force is transmitted to the distal end (12) of the percussion part coupled to, and urged against, the force-applying end of the power tool by the coils of the helical spring.

The percussion power tool (10) is adapted and arranged to cause the force-applying tip (11) to execute a rapid and repeating reciprocating movement back and forth in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the placement tool co-linear with the longitudinal axis of the percussion part (4), the bore (7) of the conduit of the placement part, and the long axis of the fastener (5) placed within that bore.

The adaptor part (17) enables the power tool (10) to be moved into the inner space (16) of the guide part so as to enable it to contact the opposing end of the fastener as described above, so that the reciprocating movement of the power tool may be coupled to the percussion part so as to cause the percussion part to execute a corresponding reciprocal motion back and forth along its longitudinal axis. The resilient deformability of the resilient coupling (22) provides the requisite "springiness" in the position of the percussion part to enable the percussion part (4) to move back and forth in response to the applied reciprocating movement. In this way, the percussion part and the force-applying tip (11) of the power tool execute a choreographed back and forth reciprocating movement along the axis of the guide part and placement part. This reciprocating movement of the percussion part is indicated by arrow (Y) in Figure 3.

The reciprocating movement of the percussion part results in a repetitive succession of percussive impacts between the end of the percussion part within the bore (7) of the placement part, and the end of the fastener (5) within the same bore and opposing the percussion part. In this way, a repetitive hammering of the fastener is executed.

As successive percussions are applied to the fastener, the fastener is increasingly pushed into the waiting holes (21,23) in the wing panel (20) and wing frame component (22) with which the fastener had been placed in register by the placement part. Throughout this repetitive hammering operation, the placement part may be held in position relative to the holes (21,23) in the wing panel and wing frame element thereby to ensure that the fastener (5) is always appropriately placed and aligned to receive well-aimed percussions from the percussion part (4). As the fastener (5) is increasingly installed and inserted into the waiting panel hole (21) the uppermost end of the fastener is increasingly pushed down towards the panel (20) in question. By enabling the placement part (2) to smoothly and continuously slide into the inner housing space (16) of the guide part (3), it may retain its position relative to the fastener while allowing the percussion part (4) to follow the uppermost end of the fastener in its journey down towards the surface of the wing panel (20) as illustrated in Figure 3.

Once the fastener (5) is fully installed within the wing panel (20) and wing frame article (22), the percussive tool may simply be lifted away from the wing panel and a further fastener (5) placed within the bore of the conduit of the placement part (2) ready for installation somewhere else in the panel, or elsewhere. Alternatively, a fastener (5) may be initially "stood" at the entrance of a hole (21) in the wing panel in an erect state and the bore of the conduit of the placement part placed over it to arrange the percussive tool in the "ready" state illustrated in Figure 2.

An extender spring (24) is housed within the inner space (16) of the guide part between an annular retainer gasket (15) and the surface of the proximal end of the placement part surrounding the opening of the conduit there and facing in the direction of the annular retainer gasket. The extender spring is a compression spring arranged to urge the placement part in a direction away from the guide part. The strength of the compression spring is such as to permit easy manual pressing of the guide part towards the placement part (direction X). This causes the compression spring to compress as shown in figures 2 and 3. Releasing the pressing force enables the compression spring to push the placement part to a fully extended state as shown in figure 1 (e.g. from a fully retracted state as shown in Figure 3). A stop portion (not shown) in the placement part cooperates with the guide part at the fully-extended state of the placement part to prevent further extension/movement of the placement part away from the guide part.

The placement part may be tubular (e.g. cylindrical), as may be the guide part (3).

The placement part and/or the guide part may be formed from a metal such as steel.

Alternatively, suitably durable plastics may be used for forming the placement part and the guide part. The percussion part (4) is preferably made of a durable and sufficiently hard metal such as steel. The placement tool is preferably adapted for use with fasteners made of metal such as copper, brass, iron, steel or a metal alloy.

The above embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting. Modifications to, and variants or, the above embodiments such as would be readily contemplated by the skilled person are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A placement tool for directing percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: a placement part comprising a conduit including a placement end for receiving at least a part of a said fastener thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit relative to an adaptor part of the tool; wherein the adaptor part is arranged to attach to a percussion tool and to couple the percussion tool moveably to the placement part thereby to render at least a part of the percussion tool moveable along the conduit towards the placement end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.
2. A placement tool according to any preceding claim in which the adaptor part is arranged to couple the percussion tool to the placement part via a sliding coupling so as to be moveable by a sliding movement along the conduit.
3. A placement tool according to any preceding claim including a guide part via which the adaptor part is arranged to couple the percussion tool to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move said at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit.
4. A placement tool according to claim 3 in which the guide part is arranged to house the at least a part of the percussion tool.
5. A placement tool according to any of claims 3 and 4 in which the guide part includes a housing adapted to house the at least a part of the percussion tool and into which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit.
6. A placement tool according to claim 5 in which the placement part is slidingly moveable into the housing so as to be fully contained therein.
7. A placement tool according to any preceding claim including biasing means which urges the placement part to move in a direction away from the percussion tool when coupled thereto by the adaptor part.
8. A placement tool according to any preceding claim arranged for use with a percussion tool said at least a part of which is elongate wherein the conduit is elongate and linear with a long axis co-linear with the long axis of the at least a part of the percussion tool when coupled thereto by the adaptor part.
9. A placement tool according to any preceding claim arranged for use with a percussion tool such that said at least a part of the percussion tool is moveable along the conduit without contacting the conduit when coupled thereto by the adaptor part.
10. A placement tool according to any of claims 3 to 9 in which the placement part is arranged to be moveable along the guide part without the guide part entering the conduit.
11. A placement tool according to any preceding claim wherein the conduit is a bore extending through the placement part.
12. A placement tool according to any of claims 3 to 11 in which the guide part includes a bore along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit when coupled thereto by the adaptor part.
13. A placement tool according to any preceding claim in which the adaptor part is arranged to attach to a percussive tool possessing a reciprocator member for generating a reciprocating movement, wherein the adaptor part is arranged to couple the reciprocator member to the placement part to permit transmission of reciprocating movement of a said fastener.
14. A placement tool according to any preceding claim in which the adaptor part is arranged to separably couple to the placement part.
15. A placement tool according to according to claim 14 including a guide part via which the adaptor part is arranged to separably couple the percussion tool to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move said at least a part of the percussion tool along the conduit.
16. A placement tool according to any preceding claim in which the adaptor part includes a through-opening which is adapted to admit said at least a part of the percussion tool and which includes fixing means via which the adaptor part is releasably fixable to the percussion tool.
17. A placement tool according to any of claims 14 to 16 in which the through- opening is arranged within the adaptor part to align the centre of the through-opening in register with the axis of the conduit.
18. A percussive tool including a placement tool according to any preceding claim coupled to a said percussion tool.
19. A percussive tool for applying percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: a placement part comprising a conduit including a placement end for receiving at least a part of the fastener thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit relative to a percussion part of the tool; wherein the percussion part is coupled to the placement part so as to be moveable along the conduit towards the placement end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.
20. A percussive tool according to claim 19 in which the percussion part is coupled to the placement part via a sliding coupling so as to be moveable by a sliding movement along the conduit.
21. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 20 including a guide part via which the percussion part is coupled to the placement part and along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit.
22. A percussive tool according to claim 21 in which the guide part houses the percussion part.
23. A percussive tool according to claim 22 in which the percussion part is coupled to the guide part by a resiliently coupling which is resiliently deformable to permit application of the percussive force via a reciprocating movement of the percussion member relative to the guide part and the placement part.
24. A percussive tool according to any of claims 21 and 23 in which the guide part includes a housing within which the percussion part is housed and into which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit.
25. A percussive tool according to claim 24 in which the placement part is slidingly moveable into the housing so as to be fully contained therein.
26. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 25 wherein the percussion part is coupled to the placement part such that the percussion part is prevented from reaching the placement end of the conduit thereby being moveable along the conduit towards, but not fully to, the placement end thereof.
27. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 26 including biasing means which urges the placement part to move in a direction away from the percussion part.
28. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 27 in which the percussion part is elongate and the conduit is elongate and linear with a long axis co-linear with the long axis of the percussion part.
29. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 28 in which the percussion part is arranged to be moveable along the conduit without contacting the conduit.
30. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 29 in which the placement part is arranged to be moveable along the guide part without the guide part entering the conduit.
31. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 30 wherein the conduit is a bore extending through the placement part.
32. A percussive tool according to any of claims 21 to 31 in which the guide part includes a bore along which the placement part is slidingly moveable to slidingly move the percussion part along the conduit.
33. A percussive tool according to any of claims 19 to 32 including a reciprocator member for transmitting a reciprocating movement to the percussion part to permit generation of reciprocating movement of the percussion part.
34. A method for using a percussive tool to apply percussive force to a fastener to install the fastener comprising: receiving at least a part of the fastener in the conduit of a placement part of the tool thereby to place the received part of the fastener within the conduit between a percussion part and an open end of the conduit; moving the percussion part along the conduit towards the open end thereof to impact upon the received part of the fastener placed within the conduit to move the received part of the fastener along the conduit by action of percussive force for installing the fastener.
35. A placement tool substantially as disclosed in any one embodiment with reference to the description above and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.
36. A percussive tool substantially as disclosed in any one embodiment with reference to the description above and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.
37. A method for using a percussive tool substantially as disclosed in any one embodiment with reference to the description above and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.