Abstract: A control system for an assembly tool includes sensors which monitor the status of the tool at each step of operation and a controller receives signals from the sensors to ensure proper status in any given step. The tool includes a collar transfer device which receives a fastener collar from a remote collar sending unit and transfers the collar to a collar-swaging assembly which moves the collar to a cooperating fastener pin and swages the collar onto the pin. The sensors of the system monitor the position of the collar transfer device, the presence or absence of a collar in the collar transfer device, the position of the swaging assembly, the presence or absence of a collar in the swaging assembly, and the presence or absence of a fastener pin of proper length in a position to be engaged by the collar.

Abstract: An improved hand-held collar dispenser for securing collars to a lockbolt or other fastening piece is disclosed. The dispenser has a feeding end and a dispensing end connected by a channel. A pair of retention clips selectively retains the collars within the body until the user chooses to dispense a collar. The retention clips are pivotally mounted to a guide block which moves between an extended position and a retracted position. When the guide block is in the retracted position, the tail of each retention clip abuts a respective angled surface preventing the retention clips from rotating. As the guide block moves between the retracted and extended positions, each retention clip slides along its corresponding angled surface permitting the retention clips to rotate to an open position in which a collar is permitted to pass between the claw ends of the retention clips and exit the dispenser.

Abstract: A fastening system including a two piece swage top fastener including a pin and a collar in which the pin has shallow lock grooves having a ratio of (h/Du).times.10.sup.2 of four (4) or less and in which the lock grooves have a simulated streamlined root contour generally defined by a portion of an ellipse, with the collar having a wall thickness defining a volume of material sufficient to provide overpacking of the shallow grooves of around 16% and to provide a clamp load of between around 85% to around 95% of the yield point of the pin, and with the pin and collar materials having ultimate shear strengths in a ratio of around 1.8:1 to 2.4:1 and with the width of the shallow pin grooves and intervening shoulders being generally in accordance with the shear strength ratio between the pin and collar.

Abstract: A fastening system including a two piece swage type fastener including a pin and a collar adapted to be swaged into lock grooves in the pin and in which the lock grooves are helical and with the collar having a limited female thread which is threadably engageable with the helical lock grooves for variably clamping work pieces to be secured prior to swage, with the collar thread being deformable in response to a relative axial load between the pin and collar at the initiation of the swage operation but prior to swaging and in which the lock grooves are shallow and have a ratio of (h/Du).times.10.sup.2 of four (4) or less and in which the lock grooves have a simulated streamlined root contour, with the collar having a wall thickness defining a volume of material sufficient to provide overpacking of the shallow grooves of around 16%, and with the pin and collar materials having ultimate shear strengths in a ratio of around 1.8:1 to 2.

Abstract: A blind fastener including a pin and a sleeve and having grip compensating means for accommodating workpieces varying in total thickness and having means for expanding the sleeve for filling the clearance between the fastener and associated openings in the workpieces and at the same time providing material from the sleeve in the area of expansion to define a lock between the pin and the sleeve.

Abstract: A fastener for securing workpieces having aligned bores and including a tubular sleeve and a pin with the sleeve having an elongated sleeve shank and a through bore and the pin having an enlarged pin head and an elongated pin shank, the pin shank having a retaining groove and a lock groove located proximate thereto, a resilient retaining clip located in the retaining groove and being axially captured therein, the retaining clip being of a split construction and having a relaxed outside diameter greater than that of the workpiece bores and being adapted to be located in at least one of the bores with an interference fit to thereby axially retain the pin to the workpieces in a preassembly, the sleeve shank having a sleeve lock groove adapted to be radially deformed into an aligned lock groove in the pin, the sleeve shank having a grip adjusting groove adapted to deform radially whereby the fastener can accommodate workpieces varying in total thickness.

Abstract: A fastener for securing workpieces having aligned bores and including a tubular sleeve and a pin with the sleeve having an elongated sleeve shank and a through bore and the pin having an enlarged pin head and an elongated pin shank, the pin shank having a locking groove, a resilient retaining clip located in the locking groove and being axially captured therein, the retaining clip being of a split construction and having a relaxed outside diameter greater than that of the workpiece bores and being adapted to be located in at least one of the bores with an interference fit to thereby axially retain the pin to the workpieces in a pre-assembly, the retaining clip and pin lock groove defining a lock cavity, the sleeve shank having its free end adapted to be radially deformed into the lock cavity, the sleeve shank being adapted to buckle radially after the sleeve free end is deformed into the lock cavity whereby the fastener can accommodate workpieces varying in total thickness.

Abstract: An optimized two piece fastener system and a related method for providing an optimized fastening system including a pin member and a collar having an optimized strength to weight ratio with the materials of the pin member and collar having a predetermined tensile strength ratio, the collar having a preselected excess volume to provide a desired `overpacking` condition, the collar being of size whereby after swage it will define a minimum wall thickness whereby failure can incipiently occur in shear and/or compression and with a pull type fastener providing a breakneck groove with a preselected stress concentration factor whereby the fastener system can be set on workpieces having a collar engaging surface from 0.degree. to 7.degree. relative to a plane normal to the pin axis.

Abstract: A blind fastener is disclosed which comprises a sleeve and pin of a selected metal in which the pin is designed to form a blind head over a wide range of grips which offers substantially uniform tensile values over the entire grip range. The blind head forming end of the pin includes a plurality of spaced annular or helical ribs formed between spaced annular or helical grooves which are designed to progressively distort or fold as the pin is pulled through the sleeve, at least one of the ribs remaining in an unfolded condition after the fastener is set. The pin shank and internal opening of the sleeve may be provided with complementary tapers to provide a sealing effect if desired.

Abstract: A two piece flush type fastener is provided with an improved head structure which includes a raised dish compensating portion on the outer end thereof the height of which is proportioned relative to anticipated peak installation loads, nominal pin diameter and material shear strength such that upon setting of the fastener the head will controllably yield so as to provide a substantially flat head surface on the installed fastener and eliminate the reduction in head strength which may accompany excessive dishing of the head outer surface. The dish compensating raised surface portion on the head also enables formation of a higher tensile strength joint having improved fatigue performance for a given size head.

Abstract: A fastening system for setting stump type swage fasteners providing high fastener clamping force and low application loads and low removal loads of the associated tool; the associated tool anvil, comprising self releasing anvil segments, has a swage surface providing desired material flow to enhance fastener clamping force and also has relief grooves which inhibit galling and result in `witness` lines providing a visual indication of proper setting of the fastener.