Abstract: A pneumatic system for absorbing and storing the recoil force of an electromagnetic riveter, and for positioning the elements of the machine where desired for optimal operation, includes a set of recoil cylinders connected between a base plate and a support plate on which the riveter is mounted. When the electromagnetic actuator of the riveter is energized and the recoil mass of the riveter is repelled away from the driver, the recoil cylinders absorb and damp the energy of recoil, and then the stored energy in the recoil cylinders acts to restore the recoil mass to its starting position. A set of damping cylinders prevents the recoil mass from slamming against the mechanism at the end of its return stroke. A set of pop-back cylinders holds the electromagnetic riveter at an elevated position wherein the end of the driver is clear of the top end of a shuttle having several stations, one of which holds a rivet die.

Abstract: A depth gauge used to measure a countersink of a hole drilled into a surface that is not orthogonal to the hole. The depth gauge includes a displacement indicator and an alignment device. The displacement indicator includes a main body and a displaceable member. The alignment device includes an extension member coupled to the displaceable member of the displacement indicator. The extension member is sized to extend along a radial axis of the displaceable member and has a diameter that is approximately the diameter of the hole to ensure alignment between a centerline of the hole and a centerline of the displaceable member. The alignment device also includes a swivel assembly having a fixed portion coupled to the main body of the displacement indicator and a base in rotational engagement with the fixed portion to ensure that the displaceable member is properly displaced with respect to the surface.

Abstract: A method of upsetting a headed rivet in a countersunk hole using an electromagnetic riveting machine having two opposed drivers which are impelled against each end of the rivet to upset the rivet with a single stroke of the machine. The movement of the driver at the headed end of the rivet in initiated slightly after movement of the driver at the shank end of the rivet to lift the headed end of the rivet slightly out of the countersink so, when the headed end driver operates, the rivet shank is deformed to fill the rivet hole as the head is driven back into the countersink for good shank interference in the hole adjacent the rivet head.

Abstract: A line laser assisted alignment apparatus that uses two laser line generators to define a reference axis that is aligned to coincide with an axis of a drill bit or other rotational tool. The reference axis of the alignment apparatus is matched with a marked position on a lower surface of an object that is to be worked by the drill bit or other rotational tool.

Abstract: An automated hole inspection system for measuring, on a plurality of planes, the diameter of a hole in a workpiece includes a hole gauge for measurement of a hole diameter in one plane, and a remote centering compliance device connected to the proximal end of the probe for allowing the probe to move laterally, perpendicularly to the probe axis, to self-center in the hole. A center locking device locks the remote centering compliance device on the axis of the probe after the probe has self-centered in the hole. A rotary actuator rotates the remote centering compliance device to rotate the probe to a new desired plane for making an additional diameter measurement in the hole.

Abstract: An automatic fastener installation machine feeds fasteners to a fastener inserter and senses the orientation and size of the fastener in the fastener inserter prior to inserting the fastener into a fastener hole in a work piece to determine whether the proper sized fastener is properly oriented in the fastener inserter. A support structure holds the work piece in position under the fastener inserter and the machine moves to the next fastener insert position while a fastener feeder delivers a fastener to a fastener holder. A vision system creates an image of the fastener in the fastener holder and compares predetermined points in the image with corresponding predetermined points that would be produced by the vision system of an image of a properly sized and oriented fastener in the holder, and produces a signal for the automatic fastener installation machine to proceed with its cycle when it determines that a fastener of the correct size is positioned correctly in the holder.

Abstract: A tilting platform that elevates and tilts an object while maintaining a center of gravity of the object about a center line of the platform. The platform includes a surface upon which the object is fastened, and a plurality of slideable sections each having a forward end coupled to a forward end of the surface. The slideable sections are retractable. The tilting plaform also includes a base coupled to a forward end of each of the plurality of slideable sections, where the plurality of slideable sections are retractable into the base, an actuator that retracts and expands the plurality of the slideable sections uniformly along the direction of the base, and the vertical linkage, coupled to the base, and coupled to the surface to cause the surface to tilt as the plurality of slideable sections are retracted by the actuator.

Abstract: A vacuum bag assembly used in making laminated articles having layers of composite materials and thermosetting resins that are formed and adhesively bonded together. The assembly includes a forming tool on which the composite materials and the thermosetting resins may be positioned. The composite materials have edges well spaced from edges of the forming tool. A vacuum bag is positioned over the composite material and the forming tool. The vacuum bag includes a flexible mat, having an irregular surface contiguous with the composite materials. The flexible mat also has edges well spaced from the edges of the forming tool. The vacuum bag also has a continuous flexible suction channel having an inner arch-like surface and an outer arch-like surface positioned between the edges of the flexible mat and the edges of the forming tool. The suction channel is attached to the flexible mat by a flexible connecting flange.

Abstract: Flanges are forming simultaneously around multiple holes in a sheet metal part with a press in which multiple sets of tooling are mounted on a pair of plates fastened to the top and bottom platens of the press. The plates have guides for ensuring that the plates, and the tooling on the plates, are aligned when the plates are brought together by closing the press. The tooling includes dies attached to die holders on the upper plate, and punches attached to punch holders on the lower plate using attachments that permit a small lateral movement of the dies and the punches on their holders so that the punches can self-align with the holes in the part when the part is fit onto the punches, and so that the dies can self-align with the punches when the press closes.

Abstract: A method of prescoring foam board for making composite panels includes impressing a pattern of ridges projecting from a surface of a die into at least one face surface of the foam board. The pattern of ridges on the die forms a pattern of indentations having three series of parallel linear indentations, each series being angularly offset from each series other by 60.degree.. The ridges on the embossing die are pressed into the foam sufficiently deep that the the pattern of indentations impressed in the board surface after whatever springback occurs remain deep enough to enable volatiles generated in an interior zone of a panel to escape when drawn out by a vacuum pump when the foam board is heated under pressure between two face sheets of resin-preimpregnated fabric to form a composite panel.

Abstract: A method of making a large airplane structure from a plurality of subassemblies. The method comprises drilling coordination holes in selected components which are made for accurate assembly of the subassemblies, and that will be located on the subassemblies in a position to be used to accurately position the subassemblies relative to each other so the spatial relationships between key features of the subassemblies as defined by the coordination holes make the subassemblies self-locating and intrinsically determinate of the final contour and configuration of the large airplane structure, independent of tooling. The drilling of coordination holes in the selected components is done using an end effector carried by a precision computer controlled robot that is directed to the drilling locations using a digital dataset taken directly from original digital part definition records.

Abstract: A method for direct insertion of a headed rivet into a countersunk hole in a workpiece includes placement of a rivet guide in axial alignment over the countersunk hole in the workpiece and blowing a rivet, nose first, through a rivet guide tube in the rivet guide toward the countersunk end of the hole. Air is blown through an annular passage at the exit end of the rivet guide tube into a rivet cavity at the exit end of the rivet guide, to align the rivet axis with the axis of the hole. A vacuum is established on the other end of the hole in the workpiece to draw the rivet into the hole.

Abstract: An automated assembly machine for fabricating large mechanical structures including a floor assembly jig for receiving and holding parts in a desired orientation, a pair of carriages, a first drive mechanism for independently driving the carriages longitudinally, a second drive mechanism for moving the carriages vertically, a tool tray mounted on the carriages, and a plurality of tools, including a drill, a hole diameter measurement probe, a nut runner, and an electromagnetic riveter, mounted on the tool tray for lateral movement toward and away from a workpiece clamp-up position. The tools are positioned at the workpiece clamp-up position by moving one of the carriages longitudinally along the floor assembly jig and raising the other carriage to elevate the tool tray to a desired elevation.

Abstract: A superplastic forming system includes a free standing generally block-shaped ceramic monolithic die base having a bottom surface on which the die rests, and a top surface, opposite to the bottom surface, in which a forming cavity is formed and which is surrounded by a contact surface. The forming cavity has a shape like the desired shape of sheet metal parts to be formed by superplastic forming in the die. A die lid having a horizontal cross sectional shape and size approximately equal to the die base, and having a contact surface corresponding in size and contour to the die base contact surface is placed on the base with the contact surfaces aligning and in contact.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is a bulkhead mounted energy absorbing pad especially useful to protect the head of a passenger seated immediately aft of that bulkhead in a vehicle undergoing a severe frontal crash event. The energy absorbing structure of the pad is a thick panel of low strength aluminum foil honeycomb having its cells aligned essentially with the impact vector. Thin, protective and aesthetic cover sheets and protective edge closeout structure is disclosed.

Abstract: A tool for sealing two ends of a tube of superplastic material in preparation for superplastically forming the tube against inside surfaces of a die by gas pressure inside of the tube. The tool has a longitudinal axis that is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the tube when the tool is positioned in the tube, and has two end caps with a cross-sectional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the tube ends on a plane perpendicular to the axis. A central connecting tube extends between and connects the two end caps. The end caps are made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the tube, and expand, on heating, into intimate sealing contact with the inside surface of the tube ends.

Abstract: A system for assembling parts on a sheet to form a panel includes a fixture for holding the sheet and presenting the sheet broadside to a robot. A rack within the reach of the robot holds a plurality of end effectors, each having an interconnect which can be gripped and centered by the robot when it picks up by the end effector. The end effectors include, 1) a drilling end effector having a drill for drilling holes in the sheet on centers determined by movement of the robot; 2) a routing end effector having a router for routing peripheral edge portions of the sheet along lines determined by movement of the router; 3) a probe end effector having a probe for sensing contact with surfaces on an index device mounted on the fixture at a known location to serve as a reference monument.

Abstract: A system for maintaining normality of a tool nose to a workpiece supported on a floor assembly jig adjacent to a carriage on which the tool nose is mounted while the carriage is negotiating a bend in the floor assembly jig includes a support system for supporting the carriage on a rail for longitudinal travel along the rail. The support system has two longitudinally spaced bearing blocks and a slide on each bearing block for mounting the carriage on the bearing blocks for lateral movement of the carriage toward and away from the rail. Each bearing block includes a bearing base in which is journaled a plurality of rollers in rolling contact with a horizontal upwardly facing surface on the rail for rolling vertical support of the bearing base on the rail, and also has at least one roller in rolling contact with a laterally facing surface on each side of the rail for lateral support of the bearing base.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately positioning parts precisely in a predetermined location, including a frame having a part receiving zone on which said parts are placed for movement to the predetermined location. Two positioners are mounted on linear bearings connected to the frame and are connected to a cable for opposed motion toward and away from the part on the receiving zone under control of the cable. The cable is trained around a four pulleys mounted on said frame and connected to a cable cylinder. The cable passes axially through cylinder and connects to a piston on the centerline of the piston. Movement of the piston in one direction in the cylinder is operative to move the cable and the attached positioners toward each other to center the part. Movement of the piston in the opposite direction moves the positioners away from each other to release the part.

Abstract: A data bus for a fault tolerant avionics digital autonomous terminal access communications system is provided with a terminating resistor for absorbing or sufficiently attenuating signals incident on it so that they are not reflected back into the transmission line at amplitudes where they would cause distortion of the data signal. The data bus and terminating resistors are designed to continue providing full operational capability even if the electrical resistance of the terminating resistor increases by about 5%. The terminating resistor has at least about twenty resistive elements connected in parallel across two conductors in the data bus at one end thereof. Each resistive element includes a non-conductive substrate having a face surface on which is deposited a conductive film to produce a primary resistor.