Blind riveter with automatic rivet feed

A blind riveter comprising:

• a housing having a front end and formed adjacent said end with a chamber;
• a plurality of outwardly deflectable holding elements at said front end normally defining a forwardly opening aperture dimensioned to fit around the mandrel of a blind rivet;
• a chuck in said chamber locking engageable with a blind-rivet mandrel;
• actuating means in said housing connected to said chuck for displacing same between a front position lockingly engaged around a mandrel extending back into said chamber through said aperture from a blind rivet having a head resting against said holding elements and a back position spaced from said aperture by a distance greater than the length of a blind rivet with its mandrel, whereby displacement from said front to said back position with said chuck gripping a mandrel pulls the mandrel back in its rivet and upsets the rivet;
• a rivet feed duct opening into said chamber in back of said aperture and forwardly of said chuck in said back position, said duct extending backwardly from said front end;
• means for holding a supply of blind rivets and for separating individual rivets from said supply and feeding one rivet through said duct to said chamber each time said chuck is displaced into said back position, whereby displacement of said chuck from said back to said front position after introduction of a rivet into said chamber engages said chuck around the rivet mandrel and pushes the rivet through said aperture by outwardly deflecting said elements;
• and,
• means for locking said elements together and preventing lateral deflection apart of said members at least during displacement of said chuck from said front to said back position,
• said means for locking including backwardly directed formations on said elements and a locking member reciprocal in said housing between an advanced position interfitting with said formations on said elements and preventing outward displacement thereof and a withdrawn position out of engagement with said formations.

A blind riveter comprising:

• a housing having a front end and formed adjacent said end with a chamber;
• a plurality of outwardly deflectable holding elements at said front end normally defining a forwardly opening aperture dimensioned to fit around the mandrel of a blind rivet;
• a chuck in said chamber lockingly engageable with a blind-rivet mandrel;
• actuating means in said housing connected to said chuck for displacing same between a front position lockingly engaged around a mandrel extending back into said chamber through said aperture from a blind rivet having a head resting against said holding elements and a back position spaced from said aperture by a distance greater than the length of a blind rivet with its mandrel, whereby displacement from said front to said back position with said chuck gripping a mandrel pulls the mandrel back in its rivet and upsets the rivet;
• a rivet feed duct opening into said chamber in back of said aperture and forwardly of said chuck in said back position, said duct extending backwardly from said front end;
• and
• means for holding a supply of blind rivets and for separating individual rivets from said supply and feeding one rivet through said duct to said chamber each time said chuck is displaced into said back position, whereby displacement of said chuck from said back to said front position after introduction of a rivet into said chamber engages said chuck around the rivet mandrel and pushes the rivet through said aperture by outwardly deflecting said elements;
• said means for holding and separating includes a guide supporting a row of such blind rivets, a rivet chamber connected to said feed duct and having a laterally openable port alignable with said guide, and means for separating one rivet from said guide, feeding same through said port into said rivet chamber, and blowing same with gas pressure through said duct into said chamber of said housing,
• said rivet chamber being generally cylindrically elongated and has one end connected to said feed duct and a compressed-gas inlet opening into said rivet chamber and directed generally at said one end, and a rivet holding element in said cylinder displaceable between one position uncovering said port and blocking said inlet to admit a rivet into said rivet chamber, and another position covering said port and unblocking said inlet.

A method of operating a blind riveter having a housing formed at its front end with an aperture and formed therebeyond with a chamber in which is reciprocal a chuck engageable around a blind-rivet mandrel, said method comprising the steps of sequentially:

• gripping with said chuck a mandrel extending back into said chamber through said aperture from a blind rivet whose head rests against said front end at said aperture,
• displacing said chuck backwardly in said chamber to pull the gripped mandrel back in its rivet and upset same,
• displacing said chuck further back in said chamber continuously from said upset to leave therein a space between said chuck and said aperture sufficiently long to receive a fresh rivet with its mandrel,
• introducing a blind rivet with its mandrel into said chamber between said aperture and said chuck, and
• displacing said chuck forwardly in said chamber to engage around the mandrel therein and laterally deflect the sides of said aperture by pushing the rivet engaged by said chuck forwardly through said aperture, each rivet being separated from a supply of such rivets and being fed from behind into said chamber with its mandrel trailing.