The Boeing Company

Warren E Townsend

Daniel A Hendricks

One end of a pull rod (66) is pivotably attached to a lever (82), and the other end of rod (66) has a T-shaped slot (70) for receiving the head (28) and part of the shaft (24) of a plastic blind rivet fastener (22). Rod (66) slides axially in a tube (54) which has a radial end wall (60) with a slot (62) for slidably receiving the shaft (24). A spring (76) biases the rod (66) into a fastener-receiving position adjacent to wall (60). The lever (82) is squeezed toward a handle (56) to pull the rod (66) away from the wall (60) and the fastener head (28) axially inwardly. The abutment of the wall (60) against a collar (36) on shaft (24) slides collar (36) along shaft (24) to force a portion of a sleeve (30) on shaft (24) radially outwardly. A bent tube (104) may be provided instead of the straight tube (54). The pull member (110) received in the tube (104) has two rod portions (112,120) on oposite sides of the bend (106). These portions (112,120) are connected by a flexible cable (116).

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Warren E Townsend