The Boeing Company

David Raines

Byron James Autry

Santiago M Mejia

Paul Gabriel Werntges

Patrick James Macko

Sara Murphy

Larry Scott Smotherman

Scott L Smotherman

Darrell Darwin Jones

Daniel R Smith

Dennis Ray Mathis

James R Kendall

Patrick B Stone

Matthew Benjamin Moore

Brian Timothy Peters

Charlie E Branyon, Iii

Daniel B Freeman

Samantha Eberhardt

David Howard Curry, Iii

David M Petka

David H Curry, Iii

An apparatus, system, and methods for providing flowable material to a part-forming fixture. The apparatus comprising a tool manifold and a fixture manifold. The tool manifold comprises a tool-manifold base and a plurality of tool fittings extending through the tool-manifold base. The fixture manifold comprises a fixture-manifold base and a plurality of fixture fittings extending through the fixture-manifold base. An interface end of each one of the plurality of tool fittings is removably attachable to an interface end of a corresponding one of the plurality of fixture fittings such that, when attached, a seal is created between the tool fittings and the corresponding fixture fitting and flowable material is flowable from each one of the tool fittings into the corresponding one of the fixture fittings.

Quick connect manifold for flowable material delivery to a part-forming fixture and associated systems and methods

A device to assemble a skin and a frame of an aircraft fuselage. The device includes first and second brace members that extend along opposing sides of a gap. Arches are spaced apart and fixedly connected to the first and second brace members and that extend across the gap. A strongback is attached to and movable along the first and second brace members with the strongback having a curved shape that matches the plurality of arches. The strongback includes clamps configured to engage with the frame. First and second tension devices apply tension to the skin at the strongback.

Method and apparatus for the application of frame to fuselage pull-up force via fuselage skin waterline tensioning

In an example, a system is disclosed. The system comprises a one-piece mandrel, a fuselage coupled to the one-piece mandrel, and a strongback apparatus positioned on the fuselage. The strongback apparatus comprises an arcuate central body comprising a front end, a rear end, and a plurality of elongated members that connect the front end to the rear end, and actuators mounted to the plurality of elongated members. The actuators are configured to move in a radially outward direction from extended positions to retracted positions and comprise (i) proximal ends mounted to the plurality of elongated members and (ii) distal ends having vacuum suction cups. In the extended positions, the vacuum suction cups engage the fuselage on which the strongback apparatus is positioned. As the actuators moves from the extended positions to the retracted positions, the vacuum suction cups pull the fuselage away from the one-piece mandrel.

Methods and apparatuses for decoupling a fuselage from a mandrel

Systems and methods are provided for demolding a composite part from a mandrel. The method includes mechanically coupling a first arm of an extraction tool to a first arcuate portion of a composite part that has been hardened onto a mandrel, mechanically coupling a second arm of an extraction tool to a second arcuate portion of the composite part, and separating the composite part from the mandrel by iteratively performing the following operations until the composite part no longer contacts the mandrel: elastically straining the first arcuate portion of the composite part via the first arm, and elastically straining the second arcuate portion of the composite part via the second arm.

Demolding of large composite parts for aircraft

An apparatus for mounting a splice component for joining two or more workpieces includes a base plate and one or more bias assemblies. The base plate includes one or more passageways extending through the base plate and one or more barrier elements mounted proximate to the passageway(s). Each barrier element and associated passageway are configured to freely receive a protrusion of a splice component. The bias assembly includes a bias element that extends proximate to the passageway and is configured to move resiliently to urge the protrusion against the barrier element. The passageway, the barrier element, and the bias assembly are configured to allow movement of the splice component relative to the base plate transverse to a direction of force applied by the bias element on the protrusion.

Assembly tool for fuselage structure splice

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, AL, United States of America

David Raines