Gemcor Engineering Corp.

Ernest K Krell

David Michalewski

William W Mangus

Mark J Catania

Martin L Gutowski

Apparatus for positioning tooling with respect to a workpiece such as for positioning an anvil and clamping members on the inner surface of a fuselage being riveted. The apparatus comprises a tooling head, a frame for supporting the head, a carriage for moving the frame relative to the workpiece including movement of the frame along an axis. The frame is movable radially of the axis toward and away from the workpiece for macro-movement of the head. The head is also movable relative to the frame for movement of the tooling radially of the axis toward and away from the workpiece for micro-movement of the tooling for clamping to and unclamping from the workpiece as well as to clear flange portions of stringers being riveted to the workpiece. The micro-movement of the tooling head relative to the frame is provided so as to achieve decreased production cycle time as well as reduced power expenditure for reduced cost during movement from one riveting location to another so that the riveting operation may be at reduced cost.

Apparatus for positioning of tooling efficiently

Apparatus and method for positioning tooling with respect to a workpiece such as for positioning an anvil and clamping members on the inner surface of a fuselage being riveted. The apparatus comprises a tooling head, a frame for supporting the head, a carriage for moving the frame relative to the workpiece including movement of the frame along an axis. The frame is movable radially of the axis toward and away from the workpiece for macro-movement of the head. The head is also movable relative to the frame for movement of the tooling radially of the axis toward and away from the workpiece for micro-movement of the tooling for clamping to and unclamping from the workpiece as well as to clear flange portions of stringers being riveted to the workpiece. The micro-movement of the tooling head relative to the frame is provided so as to achieve decreased production cycle time as well as reduced power expenditure for reduced cost during movement from one riveting location to another so that the riveting operation may be at reduced cost.

Method and apparatus for positioning of tooling efficiently

A method and apparatus for positioning tooling (16, 16) with respect to an arc-shaped workpiece assembly (12) spaced radially away from a centerline (14). The apparatus includes axially spaced apart support arm assemblies (40, 42) which are swingable about the centerline. Each support arm is provided with a fixed portion (72) and a radially inwardly and outwardly movable portion (70), the movable portions of both arm assemblies being simultaneously movable under the control of a CNC controller (58). The ends of inner and outer beams (36, 38) are supported by the radially movable portion (70). Supported upon each of the inner and outer beams is a carriage assembly (32, 34) movable along the beam (36, 38). A head (28, 30) is supported upon each of the carriages, each head having a relatively stationary half (124) and a shiftable half (122), the shiftable half being mounted upon a track carried by the stationary half to provide for movement about a center point. In operation the beams will be swung to their desired position about the centerline, the carriages will be moved to their desired positions, at least one of the heads will be extended, and the tooling will be advanced towards the workpiece, all of this movement being controlled by the CNC controller. To permit loading of the apparatus, the inner beam may be split and shifted axially outwardly as the workpiece assembly is loaded.

Method and apparatus for positioning tooling

A method and apparatus for riveting together workpieces which, in their assembled relationship, have non-parallel exterior surface. Apparatus is provided for clamping the workpieces together between an upper clamp pad and a lower clamp pad, the lower clamp pad being mounted on a spherical bearing so that the lower clamp pad can conform to the workpiece surface. The lower clamp pad is provided with a conical aperture which can act as a pilot for tooling. The tooling is also mounted on spherical bearings so that when the lower clamp pad is in contact with the lower surface of the workpiece, and the tooling is moved towards the workpiece. The tooling will be piloted by the conical aperture to be normal to the surface. After the workpieces are clamped together, the workpieces are drilled from the upper surface and the upper surface is also countersunk. Then tooling is introduced through the lower clamp pad to countersink the lower surface about the drilled aperture with the centerline of the countersink on the lower surface being at right angles to the plane of the lower surface. Next, a rivet having a manufactured head is inserted into the aperture from the upper end and the lower end of the rivet is upset, the upper and lower riveting anvils which are used during the upsetting operation acting together in a vertical work line which is concentric with the centerline of the drilled aperture. Finally, the bucktail portion of the upset rivet, which extends beyond the lower surface of the workpiece, is shaved by a shaver piloted by the lower clamp in such a manner that the axis of the shaver is perpendicular to the plane of the lower surface to thereby provided a shaved aerodynamic surface.

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Lewiston, NY, United States of America

Ernest K Krell