Apparatus and method for automated application of rivets
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorEdward J. BATT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for automated application of rivets to a part is described, in which an operator is not required to manually align a rivet gun with each hole to be riveted or to manually squeeze the rivet into place. The apparatus includes a frame assembly, a tool positioning assembly attached to the frame assembly, and a movable tool assembly engaged with the tool positioning assembly and configured to be moved with respect to the tool positioning assembly. The tool positioning assembly is adjustable to correspond with a position of a number of rivet holes on a part to be riveted. In this way, the movable tool assembly is able to sequentially align with each of a number of rivet holes via alignment with the tool positioning assembly and to apply a rivet to each of the rivet holes.
Claims21
An apparatus for automated application of rivets to a part, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a tool positioning assembly attached to the frame assembly;
- and
- a movable tool assembly engaged with the tool positioning assembly and configured to be moved with respect to the tool positioning assembly,
- wherein the tool positioning assembly is configured to be adjusted to correspond with a position of a plurality of rivet holes on a part to be riveted, and
- wherein the movable tool assembly is configured to move relative to the part to be riveted to sequentially align with each of the plurality of rivet holes via alignment with the tool positioning assembly and to apply a rivet to each of the plurality of rivet holes.
15-26. (canceled)
An apparatus for automated application of rivets to a part comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- a tool positioning assembly comprising a plurality of tool positioning modules, each tool positioning module configured to align with a respective rivet hole;
- and
- a movable tool assembly engaged with the tool positioning assembly and configured to be moved with respect to the tool positioning assembly to sequentially align with the plurality of tool positioning modules, wherein the movable tool assembly applies a rivet to the respective rivet hole when aligned with each tool positioning module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.