The Boeing Company

Daniel A Hendricks

Brian Jay Tillotson

Bradley James Mitchell

Charles Briggs Spinelli

Kevin Yong Ung

Tamaira Emily Ross

Steven Craig Venema

David B Blackwell

James T Farricker

Brenda K Carlson

Peter E Herley

Richard R Rocks

Paul Joseph Shemeta

Arlen Ray Pumphrey

Kristina A Chinn

Robert Stephen Schempp

Warren E Townsend

Tamaira E Ross

Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader.

Wireless collection of fastener data

Apparatus for assembling fasteners includes a fastening wrench operated by a first operator and having interchangeable sockets of different sizes for engaging nuts of different sizes. The nuts are required to be tightened to different torque values on their respective bolts. When the first operator removes a socket from a socket tray in preparation for attaching the socket to the fastening wrench, a signal is sent to a controller which determines the torque value associated with that socket size. When the fastening wrench reaches the specified torque value during the tightening operation, the controller automatically shuts the fastening wrench off. The apparatus also includes a second wrench, operated by a second operator, for engaging the heads of the bolts to prevent them from turning during the tightening process. During the tightening process the second operator may not be in communication with the first operator. The second wrench includes a safety switch which when not depressed by the second operator, prevents the fastening wrench from operating for the protection of the second operator.

Automatic fastening tool and method therefor

Quick change chuck systems with integral fluid inducer. A quick change drill bushing system reduces misalignment of bushing to motor spindles and enables rapid change of cutting tools and bushing thereby reducing the number of dedicated working systems. The quick change chuck system with integral fluid inducer may utilize a quick change nosepiece system in combination.

Quick change drill chuck systems

Disclosed is device (10) for orienting and conveying a headed fastener (14), wherein the device is positioned beneath any suitable dispenser (12) whereby headed fasteners are removed from a supply container and successively dropped with random orientation onto the device. The device (10) is configured to receive the headed fasteners (14) within a selected groove (32, 132) so that the headed fastener will assume a predetermined orientation within the device. The oriented fastener is then conveyed from the point it is received in the groove to a conduit (55, 57) which directs the headed fastener into the feeder tube (16) of the fastening machine. The fasteners are rotated as they are conveyed along the device in order to create a gyroscopic effect in the fastener as a means of maintaining the relative orientation of the fastener as it moves through the groove toward the feeder tube.

Device for orienting and conveying a headed fastener

One end of a pull rod (66) is pivotably attached to a lever (82), and the other end of rod (66) has a T-shaped slot (70) for receiving the head (28) and part of the shaft (24) of a plastic blind rivet fastener (22). Rod (66) slides axially in a tube (54) which has a radial end wall (60) with a slot (62) for slidably receiving the shaft (24). A spring (76) biases the rod (66) into a fastener-receiving position adjacent to wall (60). The lever (82) is squeezed toward a handle (56) to pull the rod (66) away from the wall (60) and the fastener head (28) axially inwardly. The abutment of the wall (60) against a collar (36) on shaft (24) slides collar (36) along shaft (24) to force a portion of a sleeve (30) on shaft (24) radially outwardly. A bent tube (104) may be provided instead of the straight tube (54). The pull member (110) received in the tube (104) has two rod portions (112,120) on oposite sides of the bend (106). These portions (112,120) are connected by a flexible cable (116).

Hand tool for installing plastic fasteners

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Bothell, WA, United States of America

Daniel A Hendricks