Longitudinal, tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system

A method of fastening first and second structures, said method comprising:

• providing a first structure and a pin plate assembly, said pin plate assembly comprising a pin plate attached to the first structure, a pin positioned through a first through hole in the pin plate along a longitudinal axis, a stop on an aft section of the pin, and a spring captured between the stop and the pin plate;
• providing a second structure including a cam-lock assembly, said cam-lock assembly comprising a cam-lock and an engagement port;
• aligning and inserting the pin into the cam-lock in an unlocked position;
• and
• inserting a key into the engagement port and turning the key to rotate the cam-lock to draw the pin forward along the longitudinal axis causing the spring to compress and preload a surface between the first and second structures as the cam-lock rotates to a locked position.

A cam-lock fastened structure, comprising:

• a first structure;
• a second structure;
• a pin plate assembly comprising
• a pin plate attached to said first structure, said pin plate having a first through hole having a first diameter,
• a pin positioned through the first through hole along a longitudinal axis, said pin having an aft section of said first diameter that extends aft through the first through hole in the pin plate, a shoulder having a second diameter greater than said first diameter and a forward section recessed to define an aft facing pin-to-cam contact surface,
• a stop on the aft section of the pin, and
• a spring around the aft section of the pin captured and compressed between the stop and a back surface of the pin plate, in an unlocked position said compressed spring drawing the pin aft so that its shoulder engages a front surface of the pin plate;
• and
• a cam plate assembly attached to the second structure, said cam plate assembly comprising a cam plate having a second through hole of said second diameter to receive the shoulder of said pin, a cam-lock having a radial slot with an eccentric inner diameter sized to receive the forward section of the pin in the unlocked position and an engagement port configured for co-operating with a key to rotate the cam-lock about a rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the radial slot engages the pin-to-cam contact surface and draws the pin forward along the longitudinal axis such that the pin shoulder is pulled away from the pin plate causing the spring to compress further and preload a surface between the first and second structures with a clamping load between specified minimum and maximum loads as the cam-lock rotates to a locked position.