Emhart Industries, Inc.

Emhart Inc.

Richard G Weber

Charles F Smart

Jeffrey T Blake

William E O'Connor

A system for first setting a blind rivet and then verifying the correctness of the set comprising a rivet setting tool to set the rivet and computer logic to verify the correctness of the set. The setting tool includes a jaw assembly for holding the stem of the rivet's mandrel fitted to an axially movable pulling shaft. Both the pulling force of the setting tool and the displacement of the pulling shaft are measured and the measurements are interpreted by an integrator to determine the total energy of the setting process. The determined total energy is then compared with an ideal total energy to assess whether or not the set of the particular rivet is acceptable. Other quantitative comparisons may be made against other ideal values.

Blind rivet setting system and method for setting a blind rivet then

A solenoid actuated blind rivet tool having pulling impulse intensifying apparatus co-acting with the mandrel pulling mechanism. One type of impulse intensifying mechanism is a slidable connection of the tool's nose housing, housing the assembly for engaging and tensioning the mandrel, and power chamber which comprises the remainder of the tool housing, which power chamber carries a solenoid for powering the tool. The solenoid pulls the nose housing rearwardly until it impacts against the power chamber, creating a high-magnitude impulse force to break the mandrel. In lieu of a slidably mounted nose piece, the tool may include a member linked to the pulling mechanism and a ram which is driven against the member by the solenoid thereby creating an impulse force which is transmitted to the pulling mechanism.

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Ridgefield, CT, United States of America

Richard G Weber