US 2014/0208592 A1Published application

Method and Apparatus for Automated Multi-Drilling and Multi-Rivet Machine

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsRodney Stephen Wright, David Hassan Amirehteshami, John W. Pringle, IV

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Abstract

Method and apparatus for assembling, with fasteners, components of a structure having an outboard side, an inboard side, and a supporting frame. The components are placed together on the frame. An electromagnet having a core with multiple openings is positioned on the outboard side. A magnetically attractive member is placed against the inboard side opposite and aligned with the electromagnet. When activated, the electromagnet is attracted towards the magnetically attractive member and the two hold the components together. Multiple drill members pass through the openings in the core of the electromagnet and multiple openings are drilled simultaneously through the components. Subsequently, multiple rivets or huck bolts are simultaneously inserted into the drilled openings. Finally, fasteners are hammered through the drilled openings and rivets are secured by bucking bars provided on the magnetically attractive member. Alternatively, openings are provided in the magnetically attractive member for manually securing huck bolts to the components.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for assembling components of a structure with fasteners, wherein said structure has an outboard side and an inboard side and a preexisting supporting frame for said components, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first component of said structure;
providing a second component of said structure;
placing portions of said first and second components together on said frame for providing a combined fastener receiving zone for each of said components;
providing an electromagnet having a magnetizable core on said electromagnet, said core having multiple openings passing therethrough;
positioning said electromagnet against said fastener receiving zone on said outboard side while positioning said openings at a substantially normal position against said zone;
positioning a magnetically attractive member against said inboard side of said zone;
aligning said electromagnet on the outboard side with said magnetically attractive member on said inboard side;
activating said electromagnet for attracting said electromagnet towards said magnetically attractive member for holding said components together along said zone;
providing multiple drill members for passage into said openings into said core;
drilling multiple openings with said drill members substantially simultaneously in said zone;
subsequently placing multiple fasteners substantially simultaneously into said multiple drilled openings;
and
subsequently driving said multiple fasteners substantially simultaneously through said drill openings in said zone for substantially simultaneously attaching said components together along said zone.

10 more elements

Apparatus for performing at least one step for assembling first and second unassembled components of a structure with fasteners, said structure having a preexisting frame supporting said unassembled components, said frame having an outboard side and an inboard side, said unassembled components having a combined fastener receiving zone, said apparatus comprising:

a first robotic member mounted on said outboard side;
an electromagnet mounted on said first robotic member for moving said electromagnet between an operative position and an inoperative position;
said operative position being against said fastener receiving zone on said outboard side;
said electromagnet having a central magnetizable core with multiple upright openings in said core and an electrical coil surrounding said core;
a second robotic member operatively mounted on said outboard side;
a tool carrier operatively mounted on said second robotic member for operative passage of said tools through said openings in said core of said electromagnet;
a magnetically attractive member mounted on said inboard side aligned with said operative position of said electromagnet at said fastener receiving zone on said inboard side, said magnetically attractive member attracting said electromagnet when said electromagnet is activated;
and
said tools mounted on said carrier conducting said at least one step of assembling said first and second unassembled components together.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/755,888Filed 31 Jan 2013
Published: 31 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

B21J 15/142
Specially adapted for riveting specific articles, e.g. brake lining machines: aerospace structures
B23B 39/161
Drilling machines with a plurality of working-spindles; Drilling automatons: with parallel work spindles
B23P 19/04
Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some…
B23P 19/069
Screw or nut setting or loosening machines: multi-spindle machines