Pressure foot assembly for clamping a joint
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid P. Banks, James N. Buttrick, Jr., Charles H. Glaisyer, Darrell D. Jones, Russell C. McCrum, Philip M. Wright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a pressure foot that applies a clamping pressure to an area undergoing drilling or fastening operations on a joint formed by a first panel and a second panel. The pressure foot includes a front clamp for pressing against a front side of the area undergoing the drilling or fastening operations, and a carriage for moving the front clamp along a length and width of the joint formed by the first panel and the second panel.
Claims13
A pressure foot for applying a clamping pressure to an area undergoing drilling or fastening operations on a joint formed by a first panel and a second panel, said pressure foot comprising:
- a front clamp for pressing against a front side of the area undergoing the drilling or fastening operations, said front clamp including:
- a porthole clamp section for surrounding the area undergoing the drilling and fastening operations;
- a U-shaped frame having an upper arm and a lower arm, wherein said lower arm is coupled to said porthole clamp;
- a mid linkage flexibly coupled to said upper arm and said lower arm and having a centrally located joint;
- a clamping air cylinder coupled to the centrally located joint which, when extended, forces the porthole clamp section against the joint formed by the first panel and the second panel;
- and
- a carriage for moving said front clamp along a length and width of said joint formed by the first panel and the second panel.
A pressure foot for applying a clamping pressure to an area undergoing drilling or fastening operations on a joint formed by a first panel and a second panel, said pressure foot comprising:
- a front clamp for pressing against a front side of the area undergoing the drilling or fastening operations, said front clamp including:
- a porthole clamp section for surrounding the area undergoing the drilling and fastening operations;
- a U-shaped frame having an upper arm and a lower arm, wherein said lower arm is coupled to said porthole clamp;
- a mid linkage flexibly coupled to said upper arm and said lower arm and having a centrally located joint;
- a clamping air cylinder coupled to the centrally located joint which, when extended, forces the porthole clamp section against the joint formed by the first panel and the second panel;
- a carriage for moving said front clamp along a length and width of said joint formed by the first panel and the second panel;
- and
- a front sensor capable of detecting the pressure applied between said front clamp and the joint.
A pressure foot for applying a clamping pressure to an area undergoing drilling or fastening operations on a joint formed by a first panel and a second panel, said pressure foot comprising:
- a front clamp for pressing against a front side of the area undergoing the drilling or fastening operations, said front clamp including:
- a porthole clamp section for surrounding the area undergoing the drilling and fastening operations;
- a U-shaped frame having an upper arm and a lower arm, wherein said lower arm is coupled to said porthole clamp;
- a mid linkage flexibly coupled to said upper arm and said lower arm and having a centrally located joint;
- a clamping air cylinder coupled to the centrally located joint which, when extended, forces the porthole clamp section against the joint formed by the first panel and the second panel;
- and
- a carriage for moving said front clamp along a length and width of said joint formed by the first panel and the second panel;
- and
- a position measuring device coupled to said front clamp, said position measuring device including an LVDT which verifies a position of said front clamp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.