Sheet metal collet
AssigneeUSM Corporation
InventorRobert Gordon Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic device for feeding and welding T-profile button studs to a surface is provided with a collet for retaining and aligning an individual stud in place adjacent a workpiece. The collet is formed of relatively thin sheet metal and is effective to properly orient the fastener relative to the workpiece surface while minimizing the occurence or arcing in the area between the collet and the arc shield.
Claims10
In combination with an automatic welding gun for end welding buttons to a panel, having wall structure defining a chamber into which a button is fed, and having a circular opening formed therein, a button retaining collet comprising a substantially circular tubular member formed of a unitary sheet of metallic material having an inner end extending through said opening in said wall structure, said tubular member further having a plurality of slots formed therein, each of said slots extending from the outer end toward said inner end and one of said slots extending the entire length of said member, said tubular member being formed with a larger diameter portion at its inner end than the diameter of said outer end, a plurality of detent elements spaced about the outer surface of said tubular member on said larger diameter portion and located adjacent said member inner end, said detent elements have portions extending beyond the limits of said circular opening formed in said chamber with said tubular member in the relaxed condition and said detent element portions extending within the limits of said circular opening with said tubular member compressed in the radial direction to close said one slotted opening, and means formed in said wall structure adjacent said circular opening for receiving said detent elements, whereby said inner end of said tubular member is insertable through said circular opening in said wall structure when radially compressed until said detent elements are aligned with said means for receiving said detent elements, and on release of radial compression said detent elements are received in said detent receiving means to inhibit removal of said tubular member from said circular opening.
A collet for use in an automatic stud welding gun having wall structure defining a chamber into which a button to be welded is fed and a circular opening through which the button is delivered from the chamber, the collet comprising a tubular member formed of a unitary sheet of metallic material having an inner end for insertion into the circular chamber opening, said tubular member further having a plurality of slots formed therein, each of said slots extending from the outer end toward said inner end and one of said slots extending the entire length of said member, said tubular member being formed with a larger diameter portion at its inner end than the diameter of its outer end, a plurality of detent elements spaced about the outer surface of said tubular member on said larger diameter portion and located adjacent said member inner end, said detent elements having portions extending beyond the limits of the circular opening formed in the chamber with said tubular member in the relaxed condition and said detent element portions extending within the limits of the chamber circular opening with said tubular member compressed in the radial direction to close said one slotted opening whereby said inner end of said tubular member is insertable through the circular opening in the chamber only when in the radially compressed condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.