US 5,502,886 AGranted

Composite stringer disassembly machine

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsDonald A. Jensen, Maxine E. Duncan, Joel M. Thomas

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Abstract

A machine (28) for use in removing first and second mandrels (20) from a stringer assembly (26) that includes a composite I-beam and the mandrels is disclosed. The mandrels are located in channels on opposite sides of the composite I-beam. The machine includes a framework (30) having an elongate platform (36) for supporting the stringer assembly (26). Mounted on the framework are a plurality of stations (32) located long the longitudinal platform (36). Each station includes first and second movable platforms (42) mounted to opposite sides of the longitudinal platform from one another. Each platform includes a clamp (38 and 40) for sequentially clamping the stringer assembly to the framework when the mandrels are being removed. The movable platforms are attached to the mandrels. A jackscrew mechanism moves the movable platforms with respect to one another when the sides of the stringer assembly are clamped to the platform. The force created by the jackscrews pulls the mandrels away from the composite I-beam, first from one side of the stringer assembly then from the other side. A third clamp (76), mounted to one side of the framework, is used to clamp the one side of the composite I-beam to the framework after the mandrel has been removed from that side of the beam.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A machine for use in removing first and second mandrels from a composite I-beam, the first mandrel being held in the one channel of the I-beam, and the second mandrel being held in the other channel of the I-beam, the machine comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a longitudinal platform mounted on said frame for supporting a stringer assembly comprising a composite I-beam and first and second mandrels held in the channels of said composite I-beam;
(c) a plurality of stations mounted on said frame and positioned along the length of said platform, each of said stations including:
(1) first clamp means for clamping one side of said stringer assembly to said longitudinal platform;
(2) second clamp means for clamping the other side of said stringer assembly to said longitudinal platform;
(3) pulling means for applying a pulling force to each mandrel to pull each mandrel away from said composite I-beam;
and
(4) third clamp means for clamping the remainder of said stringer assembly to said longitudinal platform after said first mandrel has been removed from a channel of said composite I-beam;
and
(d) control means connected to said first, second and third clamp means and to said pulling means for actuating said first, second and third clamp means and said pulling means to sequentially clamp said stringer assembly to said longitudinal platform and pull said mandrels out of the channels in said composite I-beam.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.