Clinching tool

A clinching tool for fastening two sheets of material together, said tool comprising:

• (A) a punch adapted to be mounted in a punch retainer for movement along a longitudinal punch axis;
• and
• (B) a die including
• (1.) a collet having a clinching section including die portions movable laterally relative to each other and defining a die opening therebetween centered on said longitudinal axis for receiving said punch as the latter is moved along said longitudinal axis, and a base section integral with said clinching section and disposed laterally of said clinching section and laterally of said axis, and
• (2.) an anvil positioned in said die opening in inset relation to the face of said clinching section facing said punch to define a die cavity with said die portions;
• (C) said collet comprising a flat plate member;
• (D) said clinching section being defined adjacent one end of said plate member;
• (E) said base section being defined adjacent an opposite end of said plate member;
• (F) said die opening comprising a through opening extending from face to face of said plate member;
• and
• (G) said die portions being defined by a split in said plate member extending from said one end of said plate member and passing through said die opening to an inboard end positioned between said die opening and said opposite end of said plate member.

A collet for use with a punch member to form a clinching tool for fastening two sheets of material together, said collet comprising:

• (A) a unitary plate member having end edges and side edges, said plate member having a substantially uniform thickness through its width and length;
• (B) a split formed in one end edge of said plate member and extending toward the other end edge of said plate member to form integral die portions on either side of said split movable laterally outwardly in cantilevered fashion during the clinching operation;
• (C) arcuate cut-aways along both edges of said split at a location intermediate the ends of said split coacting to define a generally circular die opening;
• and
• (D) mounting means proximate the other end edge of said plate member to facilitate mounting of said plate member to a support surface.

A collet for use with a punch member to form a clinching tool for fastening two sheets of material together, said collet comprising:

• (A) a plate member having end edges and side edges;
• (B) a split formed in one end edge of said plate member and extending toward the other end edge of said plate member to form die portions on either side of said split;
• (C) arcuate cut-aways along both edges of said split at a location intermediate the ends of said split coacting to define a generally circular die opening;
• and
• (D) mounting means proximate the other end edge of said plate member to facilitate mounting of said plate member to a support surface;
• (E) said side edges being cut-away adjacent the inboard end of said split to form a weakened hinge area intermediate the ends of the plate member to facilitate the cantilevered laterally outward movement of said die portions.

A collet assembly for use with a punch for fastening two sheets of material together, said assembly comprising:

• (A) a unitary collet plate having a clinching section proximate one end thereof including integral resilient die portions formed by a split in said plate and movable resiliently laterally relative to each other in coaction with movement of the punch along said longitudinal axis and defining a die opening therebetween extending through said plate and adapted to be centered on the longitudinal axis of the punch, said collet plate having a substantially uniform thickness throughout its width and length;
• (B) a backing plate having a configuration generally matching the configuration of the collet plate and having a working face adapted to be positioned against one face of said collet plate;
• and
• (C) a pin having a diameter sized to fit in said die opening and having a length such that with one end thereof bearing against said working face of said backing plate, the other end thereof is inset with respect to the other face of said collet plate to coact with said die portions to define a die cavity.

A collet for use with a punch member to form a clinching tool for fastening two sheets of material together, said collet comprising:

• (A) a plate member having end edges and side edges;
• (B) a split formed in one end edge of said plate member and extending toward the other end edge of said plate member to form die portions on either side of said split;
• (C) arcuate cut-aways along both edges of said split at a location intermediate the ends of said split coacting to define a generally circular die opening;
• (D) mounting means proximate the other end edge of said plate member to facilitate mounting of said plate member to a support surface;
• (E) said split comprising a first split in said die opening comprising a first die opening;
• (F) said collet further including a second split formed in said one edge of said plate member and extending toward said other end of said plate member in generally parallel, laterally spaced relation to said first split to form further die portions on either side thereof;
• (G) arcuate cut-aways being provided along the opposite edges of said second split at a location intermediate the ends of said second split to define a second generally circular die opening laterally spaced from said first die opening.