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US 8,769,788 B2Granted
Rivet machine
AssigneeBTM Corporation
InventorsWilliam M. Faitel, Robert W. Weaver, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastener machine is provided. In another aspect, a rivet machine employs a rivet feeding mechanism. A further aspect includes a guide located at an intersection between a feed track and a feed rail with the guide having an angular offset orientation relative to both in order to deter ricocheting of the rivet back into the feed track when the rivet enters the feed rail. Moreover, an aspect of the present machine employs a rocker arm.
Claims30
A rivet machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a feed track along which the rivet travels due to pneumatic pressure;
- a feed rail including a linear channel;
- a shaft linearly moveable within the channel to push the rivet toward a setting ram-aligned position after the rivet enters the feed rail, wherein the shaft is nonmagnetizable material;
- and
- a guide located at an intersection between the feed track and the feed rail, the guide having an angular offset orientation relative to the adjacent section of the feed rail to deter ricocheting of the rivet back into the feed track after the rivet enters the feed rail.
3 more elements
A rivet machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a feed track along which the rivet travels due to pneumatic pressure;
- a feed rail including a channel;
- a mechanical pusher moveable within the channel to advance the rivet toward a setting ram-aligned position after the rivet enters the feed rail;
- a piston actuator operably moving the pusher;
- and
- a rocker arm pivotable adjacent the feed rail, a finger of the rocker arm being moveable through a hole in the channel to limit passage of the rivet in the channel, the pusher operably contacting against the rocker arm in at least one operating condition, wherein an intersection between the channel of the feed rail and the hole for the finger includes a beveled shape to deter tripping of the rivet when the rivet moves over the hole.
4 more elements
A fastener setting machine comprising:
- a fastener;
- a feed track along which the fastener travels;
- a feed rail;
- a mechanical pusher moveable within the feed rail to advance the fastener toward a setting-ram aligned position after the fastener enters the feed rail;
- a biasing member;
- a plunger moveable in a hole in a surface of a feed path, the biasing member urging the plunger to protrude from the hole, the plunger having a length at least two times as long as its nominal width, and the plunger including a lateral flange;
- a stop surface abutting against the flange of the plunger to deter fatigue of the biasing member;
- the fastener being deterred from passing the plunger in at least one operating condition and the plunger being depressed by the fastener in another operating condition;
- and
- a rocker arm pivotable behind the feed rail, a finger of the rocker arm being moveable through a hole in the feed rail to limit movement of the fastener in the feed rail, the pusher operably contacting against the rocker arm when the pusher is advanced.
7 more elements
A rivet machine comprising:
- a rivet;
- a feed rail including a linear channel;
- an elongated shaft operably pushing the rivet along the channel toward a setting ram-aligned position, the shaft being a magnetically inert material;
- a fluid actuated cylinder operably advancing and retracting the shaft;
- a return sensor operably detecting a retracted position associated with the shaft;
- an advancing sensor operably detecting an advanced position associated with the shaft;
- a rivet feed sensor operably detecting a rivet presence condition associated with the shaft;
- the return, advanced and rivet feed sensors all being located adjacent an opposite end of the cylinder from the shaft;
- and
- a controller receiving signals from the sensors for automatically determining if an undesirable operating condition exists.
7 more elements
A method of using a rivet machine, the method comprising:
- (a) pneumatically moving a fastener from a first feed path to an offset angled second feed path;
- (b) the fastener depressing and riding over a biased plunger during step (a):
- and
- (c) deterring bounce back of the fastener by causing the fastener to enter the second feed path at an angle between 110° and 160° relative to an elongated orientation of the second feed path;
- (d) mechanically pushing the fastener along the second feed path after step (c);
- (e) the fastener pivoting and riding over a rocker arm during step (d);
- and
- (f) advancing a ram to set the fastener into a workpiece.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.