Abstract: A fixture element which enhances loading/unloading of a ball relative thereto while promoting supporting engagement with and positioning of the ball to allow an image to be imprinted on an outer spherical surface thereof by a printing process requiring a predetermined area defined by the outer spherical surface of said ball to remain unobstructed during the printing process is disclosed. Such element includes a head portion and a shaft portion extending from the head portion. The head portion of the element defines a generally curved inner surface extending thereacross and generally corresponding to a segment on the outer spherical surface of said ball. To increase the interface with the ball, the head portion of the element defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced wings for positioning and supporting the ball engaged thereby for rotation about the axis of the element's shaft portion.

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 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: 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 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 method of cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes bringing a transducer into contact with the coil and transferring heat from the coil to the transducer by conduction. The heat is removed from the transducer by unconditioned plant air blown across a set of fins in the sides of the transducer.

Abstract: A method of recovering rivets from a rivet hole prior to the deformation of the rivets by the rivet dies includes the steps of positioning a suction cavity over the rivet in the rivet hole, pushing the rivet out of the hole with a rivet tail die and blocking the hole with the rivet tail die to prevent suction from the tail-side pressure nose from holding the rivet in the rivet hole. The swirling air in the suction cavity induced by the suction hose connected to the suction cavity pulls the rivet out of the hole and sucks it out of the suction cavity through the suction hose.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes a transducer which is brought into intimate contact with the coil to transfer heat from the coil to the transducer by conduction. The transducer is cooled by unconditioned plant air blown across a set of fins in the sides of the transducer.

Abstract: A method for providing a lateral bearing for the lower end of a drill quill which is mounted for plunging axial movement for drilling within a driver of a riveting machine, likewise mounted for axial movement. The method includes the steps of radially bearing the quill in a radial bearing and supporting the radial bearing in a cylindrical bearing support member having an axial bore which receives the radial bearing. The bearing support member is mounted on a bottom plate and laterally stabilizes the end of the drill quill for drilling precision. The drill quill is coaxially mounted within the rivet driver which also moves vertically, parallel to the plunging direction of the drill quill, to upset rivets.

Abstract: A method of riveting includes drilling a hole in a workpiece with a drill bit held in a spindle mounted on an axial centerline of a drill/rivet machine. The drill descends through a drill/suction cavity of a movable shuttle and drill chips cut by the drill bit are suctioned away from the workpiece as they are made. The drill bit is withdrawn to a level just above the drill/suction cavity, which is then moved to position a rivet insert station over the newly drilled hole in the workpiece. A rivet is blown into the rivet insert station, is guided into alignment with the hole and injected directly into the hole by air pressure. The shuttle moves a rivet die over the newly installed rivet in the hole and a driver of an electromagnetic riveter is lowered into contact with the die, which in turn is pressed against the rivet head. Another rivet die is pressed against the rivet tail on the other side of the panel by a driver of another electromagnetic riveter.

Abstract: A method of guiding rivets around a small radius curve includes sending the rivet through a rivet supply line into a rivet brake and staging tube where it is held until the rivet hole is drilled. The rivet is then blown into a curved, arched slot in a rivet guide shoe that fits into a recess in a movable shuttle body. The shuttle body is first moved to position a drill cavity in line with a drill which drills the hole. The shuttle is then moved to align the curved, arched slot in the rivet guide shoe with the rivet brake and staging tube to receive the rivet and convey it around the curved slot and into a rivet guide tube fitted into the far end of the slot. The rivet guide tube has an axial passage equal in diameter to the diameter of the curved, arched slot, so the rivet encounters no edges or other discontinuities in the transition from the slot to the guide tube. The rivet is guided into the guide tube by an ear on the upper end of the guide tube.

Abstract: A device for providing a lateral bearing for the lower end of a drill quill which is mounted for axial movement within a driver for a riveting machine, likewise mounted for axial movement, includes a cylindrical bearing support member having an axial bore which receives a quill bearing. The bearing support member is mounted on a bottom plate and laterally stabilizes the end of the drill quill for drilling precision. The bearing support member has a series of arcuate slots extending axially therethrough which receive a series of segments of a segmented upper portion of a driver. After insertion of the upper segmented portion of the driver, a lower cylindrical portion of the driver is screwed to the bottom end of the segments of the upper portion so that the driver can slide vertically in the slots in the bearing support.

Abstract: A method of recovering rivets from a rivet hole prior to the deformation of the rivets by the rivet dies includes the steps of positioning a suction cavity over the rivet in the rivet hole, pushing the rivet out of the hole with a rivet tail die and blocking the hole with the rivet tail die to prevent suction from the tail-side pressure nose from holding the rivet in the rivet hole. The swirling air in the suction cavity induced by the suction hose connected to the suction cavity pulls the rivet out of the hole and sucks it out of the suction cavity through the suction hose.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine and its constituent components for drilling a hole in a workpiece, inserting a rivet in the hole, and upsetting the rivet, all without moving the lateral position of the machine or the workpiece, and to an assembly for supporting and positioning a plurality of said machines for working simultaneously on the workpiece.

Abstract: A device for receiving rivets from a rivet delivery tube of a pneumatic supply system, slowing the rivet velocity, and holding the rivet in a staged position until it is ready to be fed into a hole in a workpiece, includes a perforated tube having a connection to the rivet delivery tube. The interior diameters of the rivet brake and staging tube and the rivet delivery tube are equal so the rivet sees no edges or shoulders when passing through the delivery tube into the staging tube. The rivet brake and staging tube has a flange by which it is connected to the side of a shuttle carrier which carries a shuttle body in which is mounted a slotted rivet guide shoe. The rivet guide shoe has an arm that is positioned in front of the end of the rivet brake and staging tube when the shuttle is in its drilling position, so the rivet may be sent while the rivet hole is being drilled, and the rivet is held at the end of the rivet brake and staging tube, ready for insertion into the hole.

Abstract: A method of detecting rivets which are outside of a predetermined length tolerance includes holding a rivet in a first reference position with its head in a rivet hole countersink, and moving a probe, in the form of a rivet tail die, into contact with the rivet tail. The position of the probe when it contacts the rivet tail is detected and compared with the predetermined position tolerences corresponding to the rivet length tolerences. The rivet is held in the first reference position by a rivet head die with a force greater than the force exerted by the probe when contacting the rivet tail to ensure that the rivet stays in the reference position during the measuring step. If the rivet is too long or too short, a rivet recovery sequence is executed to remove the out-sized rivet and a new rivet is inserted and measured. When the rivet is confirmed to be within the length tolerance, the rivet dies are driven inward toward each other to upset the rivet.

Abstract: An apparatus for suctioning chips cut by a drill, mist lubrication of the drill, and cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes a movable shuttle body having a drill/suction cavity open at the top to receive a drill dit, and having a tapered opening at the bottom through which the drill descends to drill a hole in a workpiece clamped by a pressure foot attached to a carrier in which the shuttle body slides. A port opening in the side of the cavity is connected to a vacuum hose through which drill chips cut by the drill bit are suctioned away from the workpiece as they are made. A second port opening in the side of the cavity aligns with a nozzle through which mist lubrication is blown on the drill bit before it starts drilling, and through which air is blown into the cavity to swirl the chips as they are being cut by the drill to facilitate their removal through the vacuum port. The coil of an electromagnetic riveter is cooled by conduction to a transducer with which the coil is in contact.

Abstract: A device for feeding rivets around a small radius curve includes a rivet guide shoe that fits into a recess in a movable shuttle body that can be moved to position a drill cavity, the rivet insertion device, and a rivet die sequentially under the machine axis for drilling, rivet insertion, and rivet upsetting. The rivet guide shoe has a curved, arched slot which is aligned with the delivery end of the rivet supply line when the shuttle is in its rivet insert position. The rivet is blown through the rivet supply line into the curved, arched slot in the rivet guide shoe. It travels around the slot and enters a rivet guide tube that is fitted into the end of the slot and has an axial passage equal in diameter to the diameter of the curved, arched slot, so the rivet encounters no edges or other discontinuities in the transition from the slot to the guide tube.

Abstract: A method of mist lubrication of a drill, suctioning chips cut by the drill, and cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes aligning the open top of a drill/suction cavity of a movable shuttle body with a drill which descends through the cavity and through a tapered opening at the bottom of the cavity to drill a hole in a workpiece clamped by a pressure foot attached to a carrier in which the shuttle body slides. As the drill descends through the cavity, mist lubrication is blown on the drill bit through a nozzel aligned with a port opening in the side of the cavity. Drill chips cut by the drill bit are suctioned away from the workpiece as they are made through a second port opening in the side of the cavity which is connected to a vacuum hose. Air is blown into the cavity through the same nozzel to swirl the chips as they are being cut by the drill to facilitate their removal through the vacuum port.

Abstract: A steering system is disclosed for percussion boring tools for boring in the earth at an angle or in a generally horizontal direction. The steering mechanism comprises a slanted-face nose member attached to the anvil of the tool to produce a turning force on the tool and movable tail fins incorporated into the trailing end of the tool which are adapted to be selectively positioned relative to the body of the tool to negate the turning force. The fins are constructed to assume a neutral position relative to the housing of the tool when the tool is allowed to turn and to assume a spin inducing position relative to the housing of the tool to cause it to rotate when the tool is to move in a straight direction. Turning force may also be imparted to the tool by an eccentric hammer which delivers an off-axis impact to the tool anvil. For straight boring, the tail fins are fixed to induce spin of the tool about its longitudinal axis to compensate for the turning effect of the slanted nose member or eccentric hammer.