US 8,006,361 B2Granted

Installation tool for use with a liner sleeve attachment

AssigneePhysical Systems, Inc.

InventorsCharles G. Hutter, III, Barry L. Madson

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Abstract

An installation tool for use with a liner sleeve attachment, such as a nutplate assembly for mounting onto a substrate blind side as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,747. The installation tool includes retractable grip jaws for gripping and pulling a fixture pin protruding from the attachment, for initially advancing a tapered tool nose piece into deforming engagement with an attachment liner sleeve leading end to flare and/or expand the liner sleeve to lock the liner sleeve onto the substrate. Continued pulling action exerts a sufficient force to collapse a fixture pin head and thereby permit pull-removal of the fixture pin from the attachment. The nose piece is carried by a retractable inner housing normally retained in an advanced position for deforming the liner sleeve, and thereafter movable to a retracted position spaced from the liner sleeve to accommodate substantially unobstructed fixture pin separation from the attachment.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An installation tool for securing a deformable liner sleeve within a substrate opening, and for substantially removing a fixture pin from the liner sleeve, said installation tool comprising:

an outer housing defining a leading end;
an inner housing slidably movable within said outer housing between an advanced position with a nose piece thereon advanced beyond said outer housing leading end, and a retracted position with said nose piece thereon retracted relative to said outer housing leading end;
a clutch unit normally retaining said inner housing in said advanced position;
grip means carried by said inner housing for engaging an elongated fixture pin mandrel protruding from said liner sleeve;
and
actuator means for applying a pulling force to said grip means, said pulling force initially drawing said nose piece toward the substrate for deforming and locking the liner sleeve within the substrate opening, said pulling force thereafter over-riding said clutch unit to shift said inner housing from said advanced position to said retracted position and thereby shift said outer housing leading end into bearing engagement with the substrate while retracting said nose piece relative to said substrate.

3 more elements

In combination:

a liner sleeve attachment including a deformable liner sleeve for secure mounting within a substrate opening, and a fixture pin having a collapsible head carried by said liner sleeve and an elongated mandrel protruding from said head;
and
an installation tool including an outer housing defining a leading end, and an inner housing slidably movable within said outer housing between an advanced position with a nose piece thereon advanced beyond said outer housing leading end, and a retracted position with said nose piece thereon retracted relative to said outer housing leading end;
said tool further including a clutch unit normally retaining said inner housing in said advanced position, grip means carried by said inner housing for engaging said fixture pin mandrel, and actuator means for applying a pulling force to said grip means;
said pulling force initially drawing said nose piece toward the substrate for deforming and locking said liner sleeve within the substrate opening;
said pulling force thereafter over-riding said clutch unit to shift said inner housing from said advanced position to said retracted position and thereby shift said outer housing leading end into bearing engagement with the substrate while retracting said nose piece relative to said substrate, and to cause said fixture pin head to collapse for pull-removal of said fixture pin from said liner sleeve.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/612,049Filed 18 Dec 2006 · us provisional application
Priority: 14 Feb 2006
Published: US 2007/0186411 A116 Aug 2007
Granted: 30 Aug 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

B21J 15/043
Riveting hollow rivets mechanically: by pulling a mandrel
B21J 15/04
Riveting procedures: riveting hollow rivets mechanically
B23P 9/025
Treating or finishing by applying pressure, e.g. knurling: to inner walls of holes by using axially moving tools
F16B 37/044
Devices for fastening nuts to surfaces, e.g. sheets, plates: nut cages