Riveting tool and method of its use

A staking rivet tool for securing two workpieces together with a rivet, the rivet including a preformed head and an elongated rivet shaft extending from the preformed head to a distal end, the shaft having a length selected to permit its insertion through aligned rivet apertures formed in each of the workpieces so as to define a projecting end extending therepast, the tool being operable to form a head of the rivet and comprising,

• a support sleeve having a generally cylindrical bore extending axially at least partway therethrough,
• a riveter die slidably disposed in the bore, the riveter die extending axially from a forward end for positioning spaced proximate the workpieces to a rearward end remote therefrom and including,
• a cylindrical secondary bore extending longitudinally through the riveter die from the forward end to the rearward end, the secondary bore having a lateral cross-sectional profile generally corresponding to that of the rivet shaft,
• a head cavity formed in the forward end, the secondary bore being open into a rearward portion of the head cavity, the head cavity having a shape generally corresponding to a shape of a preferred formed rivet head and having a size selected such that upon initial engagement of the riveter die with the rivet, the projecting end of the rivet shaft locates at least partially within the secondary bore so as to be at least partially constrained against lateral deformation thereby and at least partially in the head cavity,
• a strike rod slidably received in the secondary bore, the strike rod being selectively movable between a first position wherein a forwardmost face of said rod is spaced rearwardly from said cavity to a second position moved forward therefrom, wherein the movement of the rod to the second position engages the distal end of the rivet to laterally deform the portion of the
• rivet shaft in the head cavity, and a ram being selectively operable to move the strike rod from said first position to said second position.

A method of heading staking a rivet to secure together two workpieces, the workpieces each including a rivet opening formed therethrough,

• the rivet including a preformed head and an elongated rivet shaft extending axially from the preformed head to a distal end, the shaft having an axial length selected to permit its insertion through the rivet openings of the workpieces when aligned and juxtaposed, so as to define a projecting end extending therepast,
• the tool comprising,
• a support sleeve having a generally cylindrical bore extending axially at least partway therethrough,
• a riveter die slidably disposed in the bore, the riveter die extending axially from a forward end for positioning spaced proximate the workpieces to a rearward end remote therefrom and including,
• a head cavity formed in the forward end,
• a cylindrical smaller diameter die bore extending longitudinally through the riveter die substantially from a rearward portion of the head cavity to the rearward end, the secondary bore having a lateral cross-sectional profile generally corresponding to that of the rivet shaft,
• the head cavity having a shape generally corresponding to a shape of a preferred formed rivet head and having a size selected such that upon initial engagement of the riveter die with the rivet at least a portion of the projecting end of the rivet shaft locates within the secondary bore so as to be at least partially constrained against lateral deformation thereby,
• a strike rod slidably received in the secondary bore, the strike rod being selectively movable between a first position wherein a forwardmost face of said rod is spaced rearwardly from said cavity to a second position moved forward therefrom, wherein the movement of the rod to the second position engages the distal end of the rivet to compress and laterally deform a portion of the rivet shaft in the head cavity, and
• a drive being selectively operable to move the strike rod from said first position to said second position,
• wherein said workpieces are secured to each other by:
• positioning the workpieces substantially in juxtaposition with the rivet openings of each workpiece being substantially aligned,
• inserting the rivet shaft through the openings to move the preformed rivet head into substantial juxtaposed contact with a first of said workpieces, and with the projecting end extending outward beyond the second other workpiece,
• positioning said riveter die in axial alignment with said rivet shaft,
• moving said support sleeve axially into initial engagement with said second work piece to locate at least a portion of said projecting end in said secondary bore, wherein contact with the rivet shaft slides said strike rod to the first position,
• actuating said drive to move the strike rod forwardly towards said workpieces and said forward position, whereby upon axial compression of the rivet shaft the engagement of the portion of the rivet shaft in the secondary bore with the riveter die substantially prevents its lateral deformation while effecting radial deformation of part of the projecting portion of the rivet shaft in the head cavity to at least partially form a formed rivet head.