Henrob Limited

Atlas Copco Ias UK Limited

Other

Stuart Edmund Blacket

Wojciech Gostylla

Shane Peter Matthews

Ralph Fuhrmeister

Nicholas Richard Clew

Michael Butler

Rupert Andrew Craythorn

Paul Briskham

Russell John Trinick

Neal Sean Williams

Roger Stanton Doo

Christopher James Clarke

Shane Bathurst

Michael Feldpausch

A rivet supply system supplies rivets to a rivet setting tool comprising a punch, an extendable nose arrangement and a die, and comprises at least one rivet delivery track for delivering the rivets to the nose arrangement, at least one rivet transfer device for holding or releasing the rivets received at the rivet-receiving zone, and at least one refillable magazine for storing the rivets in proximity of the setting tool. The magazine comprises a magazine portion of the rivet delivery track, wherein the rivets can be stored within the magazine, or can transit through the magazine to be delivered to the setting tool. The magazine also comprises at least one docking interface for refilling the magazine from for example a bulk feeder. The magazine is in rivet-supply relation with the nose arrangement so that it can supply rivets to the setting tool, and is moveable together with the nose arrangement.

Fastener magazines, and related supply systems and methods

A method of inserting a rivet into a workpiece comprises moving the rivet and workpiece relative to one another, along a longitudinal axis of the rivet, so as to drive the rivet into the workpiece. The rivet is rotated about its longitudinal axis, relative to the workpiece, for at least part of the time during which it is in contact with the workpiece. The speed of said rotation, or the speed of movement along the longitudinal axis of the rivet, is altered at least once before driving of the rivet into the workpiece is complete. One axial end of the rivet has a tip for piercing the workpiece, and the rivet has a substantially cylindrical shank extending longitudinally from the tip. The shank has one or more surface irregularities.

Method of riveting

A linear actuator assembly comprises a housing, an output shaft, a nose piece and a negative pressure device. The output shaft defines an actuator assembly axis, and is movable along the actuator assembly axis between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the housing. The nose piece is slidably mounted to the output shaft and movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the output shaft. The nose piece and the output shaft co-operatively define a chamber for containing a quantity of fluid, the volume of the chamber being smaller when the nose piece is in the retracted position than when the nose piece is in the extended position. The negative pressure device is connectable to the chamber, and is selectively operable so as to reduce the pressure in the sealed volume, thereby urging the nose piece from the extended position towards the retracted position.

Linear actuator assembly

A linear actuator assembly comprises a linear actuator which has a housing and an output shaft, the output shaft defining an actuator axis and being movable along the actuator axis between an extended position and a retracted position. The assembly also comprises a buffer carriage arranged in an active configuration in which it is mounted on either the housing or the output shaft. The buffer carriage has a rotary portion which is rotationally coupled to the output shaft such that rotation of the output shaft about the actuator axis requires corresponding rotation of the rotary portion. The rotary portion is rotationally restrained when the buffer carriage is in the active configuration.

A blind riveting apparatus () comprises a motor (), and a clamp () for gripping the mandrel of a blind rivet, the clamp being movable substantially along the axis of the rivet. The apparatus further comprises a first transmission () configured to transfer rotary motion of the motor () to the clamp () when engaged; and a second transmission () configured to convert rotary motion of the motor () to linear motion of the clamp (), and thereby retract the clamp () to pull on the mandrel, when engaged. A transmission control apparatus is arranged to selectively adjust the degree of engagement of at least one of the first () and second () transmissions, the transmission control apparatus comprising a variable-influence brake or clutch (). Methods of blind riveting, and further pieces of blind riveting apparatus, are also disclosed.

Blind riveting apparatus and methods

A mounting assembly for a spot-joining apparatus comprises a first support arm (). The first support arm () has a mounting surface (), and receiving portion configured to receive an actuator or an anvil. The mounting assembly also comprises an alignment bracket () configured to engage with the actuator or anvil. The alignment bracket () is movable between a plurality of locations on the mounting surface () of the first support arm (). The mounting assembly further comprises a clamp assembly (or) configured to secure the alignment bracket () in any of the plurality of locations.

Mounting assembly

A spot-joining apparatus comprises a motor, a punch for driving a fastener or performing a clinching or friction stir spot welding operation, a first transmission, a second transmission and a transmission control apparatus. The first transmission is configured to transfer rotary motion of the motor to the punch when engaged. The second transmission is configured to convert rotary motion of the motor to linear motion of the punch, and thereby drive the punch towards a workpiece, when engaged. The transmission control apparatus is arranged to selectively adjust the degree of engagement of at least one of the first and second transmissions. Further apparatus for spot joining, and methods of spot-joining, are also disclosed.

Spot-joining apparatus and methods

A method of inserting a rivet () into a workpiece () comprises moving the rivet () and workpiece () relative to one another, along a longitudinal axis of the rivet, so as to drive the rivet into the workpiece. The rivet is rotated about its longitudinal axis, relative to the workpiece, for at least part of the time during which it is in contact with the workpiece. The speed of said rotation, or the speed of movement along the longitudinal axis of the rivet, is altered at least once before driving of the rivet into the workpiece is complete.

Fastener delivery apparatus for automatically selecting and delivering fasteners such as rivets to a setting tool. The fasteners are pre-loaded in a package and dispense via at least one fastener delivery tube that interconnects the setting tool to a fastener feeder device. The fastener feeder device releases selected fasteners from the package into the delivery tube. The fasteners are transportable individually or in groups in the tube from the feeder device to the tool. A transfer station attached to the tool or the delivery tube transfers a fastener from the delivery apparatus into the tool, transfer station is adjacent to the tool so that a delivered fastener may be inserted by the transfer station into the tool and a second position in which it is clear of the tool so as to permit the tool or a portion thereof to move towards a workpiece to insert a smooth, rapid and reliable delivery of fasteners of various sizes and types to the nose of a setting tool in any particular order and provides all the fastener types for any particular work cycle.

Method for delivering and setting self-piercing rivets

A method of riveting comprising using a punch to push a rivet through a workpiece such that a shank of the rivet is received in a die defined by a die body which is in contact with the workpiece, a slug of material being removed from the workpiece by the rivet and being received in the die, the method further comprising closing or substantially closing the die using a rod and using the rod to upset the shank of the rivet.

Riveting method and apparatus

A fastener dispensing apparatus includes a body that defines a punch path and at least partially surrounds a punch that includes forward and rearward portions. The punch reciprocates between retracted and advanced positions in which the tip of the forward portion extends from an end of the punch path to drive a fastener towards the workpiece. A fastener feed path extends transverse to the punch path and is defined by a surface of the body, the fastener feed path receives an elongate carrier of fasteners. A fastener feeding device sequentially feeds fasteners along the fastener feed path and into alignment with the end of the punch path. An actuator is drivable by the reciprocal movement of the rearward portion of the punch. An engagement member engages the carrier and is moveable relative to the body.

Growing community of inventors

Queensland, Australia

Stuart Edmund Blacket