Abstract: A process for making an integrated terminating resistor on a two-conductor data bus includes making a series of individual resistor elements and assembling the resistor elements in a stack of parallel, spaced array of elements. The elements are soldered together between end portions of the two conductors of the data bus at both ends thereof by inserting the conductors into two diametrically opposed, axially aligned notches in all of the resistor elements and heating solder in the notches to reflow the solder to bond the conductor in the notches. A parallel electrical and mechanicalconnection is thereby established, connecting the elements together electrically and mechanically in a closely spaced array. The array is sealed in a shock absorbing and abrasion resistant enclosure.

Abstract: A planar composite panel is constructed from two resin-impregnated fiber face sheet covering and bonded to the two sides of a honeycomb core element and a surrounding border element made of rigid foam board. The two planar faces of the rigid foam board are embossed with a pattern of indentations in the form of interlinked equilateral triangles which are sufficiently deep and close together to provide escape paths for volatiles generated inside the panel during curing of the resin in the face sheets by which the face sheets are bonded to the honeycomb core element and the foam board, to prevent the development of excessive pressure between the face sheets that otherwise would interfere with the bonding.

Abstract: A method of upsetting a rivet, having a headed end and a nose end, in a countersunk hole in a workpiece using an electromagnetic riveting machine having two opposed drivers, one at each end of the rivet. The rivet is upset by impelling the drivers in the electromagnetic riveter against each end of the rivet to upset the tail of the rivet into a button, and expand the shank on the rivet within the hole in the workpiece. The force exerted by the driver at the headed end of the rivet is distributed in a broader, lower time/force curve than the force distribution exerted by the driver at the nose end of the rivet, so the force on the headed end driver is lower than the force on the tail end driver to prevent dimpling of the workpiece, and the greater force on the tail end driver imparts a certain momentum to begin upsetting the tail end of the rivet, while the force exerted by the headed end driver increases sufficiently to upset the rivet shank in the vicinity of the rivet head.

Abstract: A method for reconfiguring a jig for supporting an elongated workpiece to enable the jig to support two different configurations of the workpiece. The jig has a multiplicity of clamps for holding the workpiece, each clamp mounted at the top of a clamp post and each clamp post supported on a pillar mounted on a fixed solid base. The jig is configured by sliding the posts along slides on the pillars to a first position at which the posts can be placed to position the clamps at the correct elevation to support the workpiece at a first configuration position, and inserting a pin through aligned pairs of holes in each of the clamp post and the pillar to prevent the post from sliding from the first position relative to the pillar. The weight of the clamp post and clamp are counterbalanced with a fluid cylinder connected at one end to the clamp post, and connected at the other end to the pillar.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing panels and major airplane fuselage sections, including a reconfigurable fixture that holds panels for routing and drilling by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemblies as represented by coordination holes drilled into the parts and subassemblies and making the parts and subassemblies intrinsically determinate of the dimensions and contour of the assembly.

Abstract: A planar composite panel is constructed from two resin-impregnated fiber face sheet covering and bonded to the two sides of a honeycomb core element and a surrounding border element made of rigid foam board. The two planar faces of the rigid foam board are embossed with a pattern of indentations in the form of interlinked equilateral triangles which are sufficiently deep and close together to provide escape paths for volatiles generated inside the panel during curing of the resin in the face sheets by which the face sheets are bonded to the honeycomb core element and the foam board, to prevent the development of excessive pressure between the face sheets that otherwise would interfere with the bonding.

Abstract: A fastener feed system for selecting a fastener needed for a particular fastening location from a fastener storage area and delivering the fastener to a workpiece where the fastener is to be installed includes a tray having a floor and a grid partition arrangement defining a multiplicity of cells for holding single fasteners in a vertical orientation and a delivery tube for conveying the fasteners, selected and extracted from the tray, to a fastener inserting device for inserting the fasteners into holes in the workpiece. A suction head, attached to the proximal end of the delivery tube, contacts a top edge of the grid partition arrangement and applys suction to a selected cell to suck the fastener in the cell through the suction head and into the delivery tube. An X-Y motive device is provided for positioning the suction head over the selected cell.

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 clamp structure for holding a workpiece in a vertical position, and which is reconfigurable to enable manufacture of an opposite hand version of the workpiece, includes a plurality of pillars mounted on a fixed solid base and a clamp post on each of the pillars having a top end on which is mounted a clamp. An air cylinder has one end connected to the pillar and an opposite end connected to the clamp post. The air cylinder is connected to a source of air pressure for pressurizing the air cylinder to a pressure sufficient to substantially counterbalance the weight of the clamp post and clamp. A pair of holes in structure mounted on the pillar, and a pair of holes in structure mounted on the clamp post are alignable in pairs for two heights of the clamp for two different configurations of the workpiece, so the clamp structure can be used to clamp two different configurations of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of upsetting rivets with an electromagnetic riveter having a flat, high amperage capacity coil which impells the driver against the rivet, and attaining a short stroke for the coil, includes positioning the coil in contact with the face of the driver on one side of the coil, and in contact with a conductive transducer on the other side of the coil. A recoil mass is positioned on the side of the transducer opposite to its face in contact with the coil, and firm face contact is established between the transducer and the recoil mass. Hard mechanical contact is established between the coil, the driver, and the die, and a pulse of high amperage current is delivered to the flat coil through a power lead to generate a repulsive force between the coil and the transducer. The the force is transmitted from the coil, through the driver to the die to deliver a single, high power, short stroke impulse against the rivet to upset the rivet.

Abstract: A nut feeding method and apparatus for an automatic assembly machine includes a carrousel for carrying a large supply of nuts on vertical feed rods hanging from a rotating head from which the nuts can be fed to a nut runner. A shaft projects on an axis of rotation from the rotating head, and a drive mechanism rotates the shaft to rotate the carrousel about the axis of rotation. The body of the apparatus has a sliding surface adjacent the lower end of the rods around which a lower nut on each rod slides in a circular path as the carrousel rotates. A nut on one of the rods can pass through an opening, when selectively uncovered by a movable plug, in the sliding surface at one radial position on the circular path for feeding to the nut runner. A nut channel beneath and communicating with the opening conveys the nut to a nut loading station. An air cylinder moves a nut feed pin to feed the nut to the nut driver socket in the nut driver.