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US 4,783,985 AGranted
Integral rivet and method of making
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorsRobert L. LaBarge, Frank E. Maier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming an integral rivet in a sheet metal panel by successively coining portions circumscribing a central portion thereof so that the end panel stock is not stretched and a long shanked rivet is produced. The rivet has a relatively thin wall shank and a relatively thick crown which provides sufficient metal for stacking into a rivet head having a wide formable flange.
Claims11
A method of forming an integral rivet in a sheet metal panel, comprising the sequential steps of:
- coining a first annular portion of a metal panel to extrude a portion of metal inwardly and form an upstanding bubble;
- coining a second portion circumscribing the first portion to extrude additional metal inwardly and form a partial rivet having a larger area in plan than the area in plan of the bubble;
- coining a third portion circumscribing the partial rivet to extrude additional metal inwardly which increases the height of the partial rivet and forms the integral rivet.
A method of forming an integral rivet in a sheet metal panel, comprising:
- coining an annular portion of a metal panel to extrude metal inwardly and outwardly to form a bubble and an annular ridge therearound in the panel;
- coining a portion of the metal panel circumscribing said bubble;
- reforming the bubble into a rivet having a larger area in plan than the area in plan of the bubble;
- and
- coining a portion of the metal panel circumscribing said rivet to extrude metal inwardly to increase the height of the rivet.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.