Apparatuses and methods for guiding a drill bit to form a hole
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsVoltaire Valeriano, Jr., Matthew G. Kesterson, Florante M. Halili, Gregory Van
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Abstract
An assembly for guiding a drill bit of a drill assembly comprises a chassis and a centering bushing, comprising an exterior conical portion and a central opening. The assembly further comprises a vacuum-cup bracket, coupled to the chassis and adjustably positionable relative to the chassis along a second axis. The assembly also comprises vacuum cups, coupled to the vacuum-cup bracket. The assembly additionally comprises a pressure foot, coupled to the chassis at the first end of the chassis and adjustably positionable relative to the chassis along the second axis.
Claims20
An assembly for guiding a drill bit of a drill assembly, the drill assembly comprising a nose-piece, having an upper end and a lower end, the assembly comprising:
- a chassis, having a first end and a second end, located opposite each other along a first axis;
- a centering bushing, located at the second end of the chassis and comprising:
- an exterior conical portion, having a first azimuthal-symmetry axis;
- and
- a central opening, having a second azimuthal-symmetry axis, collinear with the first azimuthal-symmetry axis;
- a vacuum-cup bracket, coupled to the chassis between the first end and the second end and adjustably positionable relative to the chassis along a second axis that is normal to the first axis;
- vacuum cups, coupled to the vacuum-cup bracket;
- and
- a pressure foot, coupled to the chassis at the first end of the chassis and adjustably positionable relative to the chassis along the second axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.