Gemcor Engineering Corp.

Gencor Engineering Corp.

Thomas H Speller, Sr

Jeffrey P Weaver

Mark J Andrews

John W Davern

Jeffery P Weaver

A programmable or flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly during assembly processes thereon comprising an elongated base supported in a predetermined position, a plurality of positioning units located at spaced locations along the base, each of the positioning units having a clamp adapted to engage the details, the positioning units being located to allow access to the details from two directions of movement of tools of assembly apparatus moving with respect to the workpiece during assembly processes thereon, a robot operatively associated with the positioning units for moving the positioning units relative to the base for accepting the various members of a family of details which all have the same configuration and differ by increments in size and for holding the details together as an assembly and holding the assembly in the proper detail location and assembly position for assembling, and an actuator for moving the clamp into and out of engagement with the details. A programmable or flexible assembly cell comprises at least one automatic assembly machine, each machine having operational parameters determined by the nature of the details to be assembled, at least one of the programmable or flexible fixtures for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly, the fixture being capable of accepting a family of details, which all have the same configuration and differ by increments in size, the fixture having the plurality of movable positioning units at spaced locations along the fixture and each of the positioning units having the clamp adapted to engage the details, at least one robot for adjusting the fixture positioning units and for placing details and assemblies in the fixture and removing details and assemblies from the fixture, and a conveyor for transporting details to the cell and for transporting assemblies from the cell. A cell controller monitors information pertaining to the details and assemblies, monitors operation of the assembly machine and controls operation of the robot.

Programmable fixture and assembly cell

Riveting apparatus for operation on a workpiece having opposite sides and supported vertically on a horizontal surface comprising a frame having a pair of spaced apart sides movable along the supporting surface and straddling the workpiece, first and second carriages movably mounted on respective sides of the frame and riveting tools on first and second heads on the first and second carriages, respectively, the tools being movable toward and away from the workpiece. The frame travels in a first direction along the supporting surface and along the workpiece, the first and second carriages are movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and toward and away from the supporting surface, and the frame is movable in a third direction transverse to the first direction and toward and away from the workpiece. The first and second heads are movable independently about axes substantially parallel to the first direction and to the supporting surface, and both heads are movable independently about axes substantially perpendicular to the first direction and to the supporting surface.

Five axis riveter and system

A programmable or flexible fixture for holding a plurality of details comprising an assembly during assembly processes thereon comprising an elongated base supported in a predetermined position, a plurality of positioning units located at spaced locations along the base, each of the positioning units having a clamp adapted to engage the details, the positioning units being located to allow access to the details from two directions of movement of tools of assembly apparatus moving with respect to the workpiece during assembly processes thereon, a robot operatively associated with the positioning units for moving the positioning units relative to the base for accepting the various members of a family of details which all have the same configuration and differ by increments in size and for holding the details together as an assembly and holding the assembly in the proper detail location and assembly position for assembling, and an actuator for moving the clamp into and out of engagement with the details. The fixture is used in an automatic assembly method wherein at least one automatic assembly machine has operational parameters determined by the nature of the details to be assembled, wherein the robot adjusts the fixture positioning units and places details and assemblies in the fixture and removes details and assemblies from the fixture, and wherein a conveyor transports details to the cell and transports assemblies from the cell. A cell controller monitors information pertaining to the details and assemblies, monitors operation of the assembly machine and controls operation of the robot.

A method for dimpling and riveting a workpiece wherein the workpiece is clamped, the dimpling, drilling and riveting are performed sequentially while the workpiece is clamped, and the workpiece is heated prior to dimpling. During clamping a pressure foot force is applied to one side of the workpiece, and during dimpling a force is applied to the opposite side causing movement of the workpiece a small distance and against the pressure foot force. The dimpled recess in the workpiece is in the general shape of a truncated cone, and the drilling provides a rivet-receiving hole through the workpiece in the recess. When it is desired to provide a fluid-tight seal, the minor diameter of the truncated cone is made slightly greater than the diameter of the rivet-receiving hole thereby providing an annular step or ledge extending between the hole and the outwardly diverging wall of the dimpled recess. During upsetting of the rivet there is a radial compression of the workpiece material in the region of the annular step to provide a fluid-tight seal between the rivet and the workpiece.

Dimpling and riveting method and apparatus

Riveting apparatus for operation on a workpiece having opposite sides and supported vertically on a horizontal surface comprising a frame having a pair of spaced apart sides movable along the supporting surface and straddling the workpiece, first and second carriages movably mounted on respective sides of the frame and riveting tools on first and second heads on the first and second carriages, respectively, the tools being movable toward and away from the workpiece. The frame travels in a first direction along the supporting surface and along the workpiece, the first and second carriages are movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and toward and away from the supporting surface, and the frame is movable in a third direction transverse to the first direction and toward and away from the workpiece. The first and second heads are movable independently about axes substantially parallel to the first direction and to the supporting surface, and both heads are movable independently about axes substantially perpendicular to the first direction and to the supporting surface. The workpiece is supported by a fixture extending along the path of travel of the apparatus and the fixture is supported at spaced locations therealong above the supporting surface by retractable supports separately movable away from the fixture to provide clearance space between the fixture and the supporting surface for travel of a base of the machine. In a riveting system wherein a plurality of such workpieces are supported vertically on a horizontal surface and arranged in spaced apart parallel rows, there is provided a shuttle carriage extending transverse to the workpiece paths and intersecting the paths for receiving the riveting apparatus and transferring it to any of the other workpiece paths in a manner maintaining the same orientation of the apparatus about a vertical axis during the transfer.

Five axis riveter

Dimpling and riveting a workpiece wherein the workpiece is clamped, the dimpling, drilling and riveting occur sequentially while the workpiece is clamped, and the workpiece is heated prior to dimpling. During clamping a pressure foot force is applied to one side of the workpiece, and during dimpling a force is applied to the opposite side causing slight movement of the workpiece against the pressure foot force. The dimpled recess in the workpiece is about the shape of a truncated cone and a rivet-receiving hole is drilled through the workpiece in the recess. To provide a fluid-tight seal, the minor diameter of the truncated cone is made slightly greater than the diameter of the rivet-receiving hole thereby providing an annular step between the hole and the outwardly diverging wall of the dimpled recess. During upsetting of the rivet the workpiece material is compressed radially around the annular step to provide a fluid-tight seal between rivet and workpiece. A pressure foot contacts one side of the workpiece, a biasing arrangement connected to the pressure foot and to the apparatus frame applies force to the pressure foot, a clamp member contacts the opposite side of the workpiece and a mechanism connected to the clamp member and to the frame moves the clamp member into contact with the workpiece and moves the workpiece into contact with the pressure foot and then moves the clamp and pressure foot with the workpiece therebetween against the pressure foot force during dimpling.

Growing community of inventors

Buffalo, NY, United States of America

Thomas H Speller, Sr