The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Rachel M Chow

Dennis Ray Mathis

Jason A Kerestes

Tyler Emerson Berkey

Daniel B Freeman

Andrew J Maass

Jason Kerestes

A lockbolt swage end effector incorporates a swage tool releasably engaged by a connector assembly to hydraulic operator carried in a frame. A two piece core-bolt operably connects the swage tool and the hydraulic operator through the connector assembly. A connection flange attaches the frame to a mating flange on a robotic manipulator.

Swage end effector with automated fastener size change capability

A tool-change station includes a base, and a first tool-change member that is coupled to the base and is rotatable relative to the base. The first tool-change member includes a first tool-engagement portion, geometrically complementary with a tool-change-engagement portion of a tool of a rotary drive.

Tool-change stations

A rotary-drive sub-assembly includes a tool and a tool retainer. The tool includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a tool-change-engagement portion and a first threaded portion that is fixed relative to the tool-change-engagement portion. The second body includes a fastener-engagement portion. The second body is translatable relative to the first body, co-axially with the first body, and is co-axially rotationally fixed relative to the first body. The tool further includes a keeper, fixed within the first body, and a resilient member, captured between the second body and the keeper. The tool also includes a tool retainer, including a second threaded portion, configured to be threadably fastened with the first threaded portion of the first body, and a key, fixed relative to the second threaded portion.

Apparatuses for coupling threaded fasteners

A method of threadably coupling a first fastener with a second fastener using a rotary drive including a tool. The method includes rotationally anchoring the second fastener relative to the tool by co-axially urging a fastener-engagement portion of the tool against the second fastener and rotating the tool relative to the second fastener using a socket of the rotary drive until the fastener-engagement portion of the tool mates with a receiving portion of the second fastener, receiving the first fastener within the socket of the rotary drive co-axially with the fastener-engagement portion of the tool, and rotating the first fastener with the socket of the rotary drive relative to a housing of the rotary drive to cause the first fastener to threadably engage the second fastener.

Methods for coupling threaded fasteners

A method of coupling or decoupling a tool of a rotary-drive sub-assembly and a tool retainer of the rotary-drive sub-assembly includes rotationally anchoring the tool to a first tool-change member, rotatably coupled to a base, by engaging a tool-change-engagement portion of the tool with a first tool-engagement portion of the first tool-change member. The method also includes causing relative rotation between the tool and the tool retainer.

Methods for coupling or decoupling a tool and a tool retainer of a rotary drive sub-assembly

A method of threadably coupling a first fastener with a second fastener using a rotary drive including a tool. The method includes rotationally anchoring the second fastener relative to the tool. The first fastener is received within a socket of the rotary drive co-axially with a fastener-engagement portion of the tool. The first fastener is rotated with the socket relative to a housing of the rotary drive to cause the first fastener to threadably engage the second fastener. When the first fastener is rotated relative to the housing and while the fastener-engagement portion is mated with a receiving portion of the second fastener, the fastener-engagement portion is co-axially translated relative to a tool-change-engagement portion of the tool and relative to the socket so that a fastener-engagement indicator, coupled with the fastener-engagement portion, extends past a surface of a tool retainer, coupled to the tool-change-engagement portion.

A rotary-drive sub-assembly includes a tool and a tool retainer. The tool includes a fastener-engagement portion, a first threaded portion, and a tool-change-engagement portion between the fastener-engagement portion and the first threaded portion. The tool retainer includes a body and a retaining member. The body includes a symmetry axis, a second threaded portion, configured to be threadably fastened with the first threaded portion of the tool so that the tool is rotationally anchored relative to the body of the tool retainer about the symmetry axis and is translationally anchored relative to the body of the tool retainer along the symmetry axis, and a key, fixed relative to the second threaded portion. The tool retainer further includes a retaining member that is removably coupled to the body at a fixed location.

Growing community of inventors

Ladson, SC, United States of America

Rachel M Chow