Abstract: A fastener (102) for installation in a workpiece (120, 122), the fastener comprising a pin (106) and a body (104) comprising a shell (108) and a radially enlarged head (112), wherein a first engaging means comprising a nylon sleeve (110) is located within a bore (116) of the shell, and a second engaging means comprising a plurality of barbs (118) is located on the exterior of at least part of the pin shank (142), and wherein the pin shank is insertable into the bore of the body from an end of the body remote from the head end, such that the first and second engaging means mutually engage.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing a sealing plug from a bore, the sealing plug has an outer sleeve and an inner stem retained within the outer sleeve, the removal taking place after a suitable hole has been drilled part-way into the stem, the removal apparatus hasa tapered punch for forcible insertion into the hole in the stem to create an interference fit between the punch and the stem and thereafter driving the stem out of the sleeve whilst also retaining the stem on the punch by virtue of the interference fit, and sleeve-engaging portion engagable with the sleeve after the punch has removed the stem from the sleeve, the sleeve-engaging portion and the punch being thereafter removable from the bore to remove both the sleeve and the stem from the bore whilst the sleeve and the stem are both retained on the appropriate parts of the apparatus.

Abstract: A manually held hydraulically and pneumatically powered swaging tool for swaging a collar (35) onto a grooved or threaded bolt (36) includes jaws (39) having internal grooves (40) which match the groove (20) on the bolt. The jaws (39) are openable to receive the projecting portion of the bolt (36) and are closable to engage the bolt. An anvil (26) outside the jaws is axially movable by hydraulic means forwards over the jaws to lock them into engagement with the bolt, and then to force the anvil over the collar (35) to swage it to the bolt. The tool includes a detection rod (40) for detecting when the bolt (36) has been fully inserted into the open jaw (39). Thereby to initiate closure of the jaws by pneumatic means. Also, initial forwards movement of the anvil (26) is arranged to move the jaws axially forwards by an appropriate small distance, if this is necessary to axially align the grooves (40) on the jaws correctly in relation to the groove (20) on the bolt to enable closure of the jaws.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing a sealing plug from a bore, the sealing plug has an outer sleeve and an inner stem retained within the outer sleeve, the removal taking place after a suitable hole has been drilled part-way into the stem, the removal apparatus has a tapered punch for forcible insertion into the hole in the stem to create an interference fit between the punch and the stem and thereafter driving the stem out of the sleeve while also retaining the stem on the punch by virtue of the interference fit, and sleeve-engaging portion engagable with the sleeve after the punch has removed the stem from the sleeve, the sleeve-engaging portion and the punch being thereafter removable from the bore to remove both the sleeve and the stem from the bore while the sleeve and the stem are both retained on the appropriate parts of the apparatus.

Abstract: A riveting tool for placing a blind breakstem rivet includes a body; a nose casing securable to the body, the nose casing having a nose tip having a nose tip; a jaw housing inside the nose casing, the jaw housing containing jaws for gripping and pulling a rivet stem in use, the jaw housing having an end which incorporates an aperture through which the jaws are urged towards the nose tip by resilient biasing means; and adjustment means configured to adjust a distance from the end of the jaw housing to an inside of the nose tip. Also provided is a nose casing for a riveting tool and a method for altering the jaw separation distance of a riveting tool prior to gripping a rivet stem.

Abstract: A shuttle (11) for feeding tubular rivets (12), which are of relatively short axial length compared with their head diameter, along a flexible hose (26) to a movable rivet-installation tool has an aperture (18) running parallel to its axis along its whole length. Through this aperture a rivet can be both inserted into, and removed from, the shuttle. It also enables the sideways removal from the shuttle of an elongated mandrel, over the end of which a rivet has been axially fed. The exterior of the shuttle (11) and the interior of the hose (26) have similar cross-sections, which are a sliding fit and which co-operate with each other to maintain the shuttle (11) in a pre-determined rotational relationship with the hose (26), to facilitate insertion and removal of the rivet as aforesaid.

Abstract: A fastener installation tool for installing breakstem fasteners, wherein a part of the fastener is broken off during installation and ejected into a collector bottle, provided with a safety disabling means, comprising a valve located in series with and between the tool trigger and main operating valve, wherein removal of the collector bottle causes the valve to close to prevent operation of the main operating valve, thereby to prevent use of the tool with the connector bottle disconnected.

Abstract: A container (12) for use with a tool (2) for installing fasteners of the type in which a part of the fastener is broken off during installation, the tool (2) having a body, the container (12) being for collecting broken-off fastener parts during operation of the tool, the container (12) comprising: attachment means (20, 21) for removably attaching the container (12) to the body (8) of the tool, the attachment means (20, 21) being resiliently biased into attachment with the body (8) by resilient biasing means; and one or more contact region (22, 23) for receiving manual pressure from a user, at least one of the said one or more contact regions (22, 23) being coupled to the attachment means (20, 21); wherein the resilient biasing means are such that the attachment means (20, 21) can be detached from the body of the tool by the user applying manual pressure on the said one or more contact regions (22, 23) thereby detaching the container (12) from the body of the tool (2).

Abstract: A fastener (2) such as a rivet, and a method of manufacture of such, wherein the fastener (2) is formed with helical (16) and annular grooves on the shell (4), such that when the fastener (2) is installed into a workpiece (24), a bulb (30) having a lobed blindside footprint (36) is produced on the blindside of the workpiece (24), the helical grooves (16) having an increasing depth towards the head end (12) of the shell (4) to promote formation of the bulb (30) initially towards the head end (12).

Abstract: A blind fastener comprising a body (22) and a stem (26), wherein the fastener is installed in a workpiece by applying a pulling force to the bodycausing a bulb to form at a radially expandable section of the body, the stem of the fastener comprising two waisted regions (38, 40) of reduced diameter, such that when the body of the fastener is crimped after assembly with the stem, the body is caused to form a barrel shape, whereby clearance between the body and stem is minimised

Abstract: A blind fastener for insertion through an aperture in a workpiece, the fastener including a pin, a sleeve and an abutment member; wherein the abutment member can be removed from the sleeve so that the pin and sleeve can be forced out of the aperture, to remove the fastener therefrom, wherein the sleeve has a radially expanding head, which is received in a recess of the abutment member and wherein, prior to insertion of the fastener into the workpiece aperture, the abutment member is secured to the sleeve by deformation of part of the abutment member adjacent the recess over and into contact with the sleeve head.

Abstract: A breakstem rivet placing tool conventionally includes a flow restrictions for hydraulic fluid used to drive the tool in a stem pulling direction. This serves to prevent recoil of the tool due to rapid acceleration of an internal piston when the stem of the breakstem rivet breaks. Prior art flow restrictions create a jet of high velocity hydraulic fluid into the tool which may damage components by erosion. A revised fluid damper valve deflects and/or diffuses the fluid flow to avoid damage by erosion.

Abstract: In a fastener tool, a constant flow of compressed air is supplied. When the tool is not in use however the constant flow of compressed air results in waste. The tool is therefore provided with a trigger that is adapted when in a first position to stop the flow of compressed air through the tool in order to disable the tool and when in a second position to actuate installation means.

Abstract: A fastener installation tool for installing breakstem fasteners, wherein a part of the fastener is broken installation and ejected into a collector bottle, provided with a safety disabling means, comprising a valve located in series with and between the tool trigger and main operating valve, wherein removal of the collector bottle causes the valve to close to prevent operation of the main operating valve, thereby to prevent use of the tool with the connector bottle disconnected.

Abstract: A fastener placing tool (11) for placing fasteners of the breakstem blind rivet type incorporates a force/stroke monitoring device (22) which comprises an assembly body (24) detachably mounted on the tool between the latter and the anvil (18), a load-cell sensor (33) carried by the assembly body (24) for sensing the force applied by the hydraulic piston (16) to the jaw assembly 17 with respect to the anvil (18), and a non-contact stroke-sensor (35) carried by the assembly body (24) for sensing the position of the jaw assembly (17) relative to the anvil (18). The stroke-sensor (35) operates without physical contact with the jaw assembly (17) or any part of the tool moving therewith. To this end the jaw assembly (17) is connected to the hydraulic piston (16) by means of an adaptor tube (23) which has a conical tapering outer surface.

Abstract: A manually held hydraulically and pneumatically powered swaging tool for swaging a collar (35) onto a grooved or threaded bolt (36) includes jaws (39) having internal grooves (40) which match the groove (20) on the bolt. The jaws (39) are openable to receive the projecting portion of the bolt (36) and are closable to engage the bolt. An anvil (26) outside the jaws is axially movable by hydraulic means forwards over the jaws to lock them into engagement with the bolt, and then to force the anvil over the collar (35) to swage it to the bolt. The tool includes a detection rod (40) for detecting when the bolt (36) has been fully inserted into the open jaw (39). Thereby to initiate closure of the jaws by pneumatic means. Also, initial forwards movement of the anvil (26) is arranged to move the jaws axially forwards by an appropriate small distance, if this is necessary to axially align the grooves (40) on the jaws correctly in relation to the groove (20) on the bolt to enable closure of the jaws.

Abstract: A blind fastener (11) for installation in a thermoplastic workpiece, which blind fastener has a leading end face (21) which is substantially flat and non-abrasive and without drilling teeth, so that when the leading end face of the fastener is held in contact with the near face of the thermoplastic workpiece (22) and heat and pressure are applied to the contacted area of the workpiece by means of the leading end of the fastener, the fastener progressively forms a hole through the thermoplastic workpiece in which hole it can then be installed.

Abstract: In a fastener tool, a constant flow of compressed air is supplied. When the tool is not in use however the constant flow of compressed air results in wastage. The tool is therefore provided with a trigger (10) that is adapted when in a first position to stop the flow of compressed air through the tool in order to disable the tool and when in a second position to actuate installation means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing plug for blind installation in a suitable hole (50) thereby to plug and seal the hole, which sealing plug comprises a sleeve (2), a nut stem (4) having a shoulder (8), and a head (6) at least part of which is radially enlarged with respect to the remainder of the stem; the nut stem being of a material which is harder than that of the sleeve; the nut stem being internally threaded; whereby, when the sealing plug is inserted in a suitable hole, with the sleeve entirely within the hole, and increasing force is applied to the stem with respect to the sleeve, axial compression is applied by the shoulder to the sleeve material abutting it, thereby causing the sleeve to deform and expand radially outwardly to engage with the wall (52) of the hole.

Abstract: An insert for blind installation in a workpiece, and method of manufacture of an insert, the insert (2) comprising a body (4) and anchor stud (6); wherein the stud is inserted into a through bore (22) in the body, part of the stud extending beyond the end of the through bore, and a part of the stud provided with opposed areas of knurling (14, 16) such as threading, being enveloped by a reduced diameter section (24) of the body, such that crimping the stud onto the body causes material to enter the knurling, thereby firmly attaching body and stud, allowing the insert to withstand high torque.