Abstract: An installation head, fastener, and method for installing the fastener are disclosed. The installation head has control fingers which control the position of the fastener with respect to the plunger and workpiece to which the fastener is to be attached during the entire travel of the fastener from the entry into the installation head to installation in the workpiece. The fingers are pivotally mounted to the plunger and travel with the plunger throughout the installation path. The fingers are adapted to engage the fastener in a displaced area on the fastener so that the fingers can control the fastener through installation of the fastener into the workpiece. The displaced area is positioned between the top and bottom of the fastener so that the fingers can maintain control throughout installation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rivetable element or fastener which comprises a shaft or barrel portion and an integral head portion which can be permanently affixed in a sheet metal part or panel by riveting, an assembly comprising a sheet metal part or panel and the riveting element, a method for the manufacture of the assembly, and a die specifically designed for forming the fastener and panel assembly. The underside of the head portion adjacent the shaft or barrel portion includes an out annular contact surface and an inner riveting portion which includes a plurality of spaced shallow pocket or closed fields which entrap the panel metal during installation. The shaft or barrel portion includes at least one depression based from the plane of the contact surface which, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a spiral thread.

Abstract: An installation tool, fastener, and method for installing the fastener are disclosed. The installation tool has control fingers which control the position of the fastener with respect to the plunger and workpiece to which the fastener is to be attached during the entire travel of the fastener from the entry into the installation tool to installation in the workpiece. The fingers are pivotally mounted to the plunger and travel with the plunger throughout the installation path. The fingers are adapted to engage the fastener in a displaced area on the fastener so that the fingers can control the fastener through installation of the fastener into the workpiece. The displaced area is positioned between the top and bottom of the fastener so that the fingers can maintain control throughout installation.

Abstract: An improved self-riveting fastening element for permanent attachment to a metal panel within a panel opening by a die member having an annular concave die cavity. The fastening element includes a tubular riveting portion and a radial flange portion and a fastening portion. The internal and external surfaces of the tubular riveting portion are relatively uniformly inclined toward the radial flange portion such that the thickness of the tubular riveting portion at the free end is less than the thickness adjacent the radial flange portion. In the preferred embodiment, the internal surface of the tubular riveting portion is cylindrical and the external surface is slightly conical tapering inwardly toward the free end to reduce the force required to radially deform the free end of the tubular portion radially outwardly.

Abstract: An improved installation apparatus and method of attaching a female fastener element, such as a self-riveting nut fastener, to a metal panel, wherein a small hole is first formed in the panel and the annular riveting portion of the fastener is driven through the hole and locked to the panel. The improved method of this invention includes locating the fastener on the panel, then driving a tapered punch through the fastener board to pierce a small hole in the panel, then driving a conical exterior surface of the punch through the hole, to enlarge the hole, and substantially simultaneously driving the fastener riveting portion against the panel and through the panel opening into a die member to lock the fastener on the panel.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of making a molded part having a sheet metal portion and at lease one fastener coupled to the sheet metal portion. The fastener has a body portion and an annular barrel portion which extends from the body portion. The body portion has a free open end and a bore extending therethrough in generally coaxial alignment with the opening in the barrel portion. The barrel portion free end is driven into the sheet metal to pierce the sheet metal and form a slug from the sheet metal. The barrel is also deformed radially outwardly in mechanical interlocking relation with the panel. The slug which is formed is wedged into the opening of the barrel portion to seal the barrel portion. The sheet metal and barrel portion can then be surrounded with molding material with the slug preventing the molding material from flowing into the bore.

Abstract: A method of forming an electrical connection to a conductive metal panel, wherein the connection includes a conductive metal stud having an annular riveting portion, an integral intermediate radial flange portion, and an externally threaded stud portion, a nut member adapted to be threadably received on the stud member shank portion having an end portion adapted to sealingly contact an annular electrical contact surface surrounding the shank portion of the stud member. The method includes threadably assembling the nut member on the stud member shank portion forming an assembly with sealing contact between the member end portion and the stud member contact surface. The assembly is then oriented with the free end of the stud member riveting portion opposite the panel, driving the riveting portion through an opening formed in the panel and deforming the annular riveting portion radially outwardly to rivet the assembly to the panel and form an electrical contact between the stud member and the panel.

Abstract: This invention describes a retaining device for holding, guiding and self-actuated releasing of assembly and auxiliary assembly parts, such as nuts, bolts, and rivets, in a device for pressing or attaching the parts to sheet metal, illustrated here with nuts as an example. The retaining device is used to hold the nuts in a definite, stable position during their transport from a starting position to the working position. It consists of two retaining catches that are pivotably mounted to the plunger so that they can be pivoted between a closed position in which they hold the nuts against the plunger, and an open position in which they release the nuts. A restricted guidance element for the retaining catches ensures that during an outward thrust movement of the plunger, the retaining catches remain in their closed position and will only be released to pivot into the open position after the plunger has reached the working position.

Abstract: A sheet metal part with at least one element introduced by a riveting process wherein the passage opening of the nut element is closed off by a stamped-out slug.

Abstract: The invention describes a feed device that feeds assembly parts such as nuts, bolts, and rivets, from a sorting unit to the feed channel of a processing device for pressing or mounting of assembly parts to sheet metal. The feed device consists of a nozzle with a nozzle channel through it connected on one end to a feed line coming from the sorting unit. A protrusion of the nozzle can deploy into a recess opening of a guide piece of the processing device so that the nozzle channel will open laterally into the feed channel of the device. To connect the nozzle to the guide piece, two levers linked to the nozzle are used; they are pretensioned by springs in a closed position surrounding the guide piece and can be moved manually, possibly with the assistance of a tool, into an open position. In this manner the feed device can be easily connected to the processing device and then detached from it.

Abstract: A self-attaching fastening element, such as a nut fastener, having a body portion and an integral annular riveting barrel portion. The body portion includes axial grooves and, in the preferred embodiment of the nut-type fastener, the body portion includes a radial flange and the grooves extend radially from the body portion into the flange portion. In the most preferred embodiment, the body portion is polygonal and the axial grooves are located in the juncture of adjacent flat surfaces. The method of attaching the self-attaching fastening element of this invention to a panel includes forming an opening in the panel coaxially aligned with the barrel portion having a diameter less than the barrel portion, driving the barrel portion into the panel, thereby drawing a cone-shaped portion in the panel receiving the body portion, driving the body portion into the cone-shaped panel portion, deforming the panel portion into the body portion and the axial grooves.

Abstract: An improved installation apparatus and method of attaching a female fastener element, such as a self-riveting nut fastener, to a metal panel, wherein a small hole is first formed in the panel and the annular riveting portion of the fastener is driven through the hole and locked to the panel. The improved method of this invention includes locating the fastener on the panel, then driving a tapered punch through the fastener board to pierce a small hole in the panel, then driving a conical exterior surface of the punch through the hole, to enlarge the hole, and substantially simultaneously driving the fastener riveting portion against the panel and through the panel opening into a die member to lock the fastener on the panel.

Abstract: A self-clinching nut fastener, which may be used as a pierce nut, having a central cylindrical pilot portion, an annular flange portion surrounding the pilot portion, having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face and an annular groove defined in the flange end face surrounding the pilot. The bottom wall of the groove includes a projecting convex annular protuberance which extends circumferentially around the pilot and radially from the pilot to a midportion of the groove bottom wall spaced from the groove outer wall and the groove outer wall is inclined inwardly toward the pilot to define a restricted opening to the annular groove. The installation apparatus includes a die button having a projecting annular clinching lip configured to be received within the nut groove.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an enclosed nut and bolt retainer to protect against the penetration of adjacent objects by the end of the bolt. The retainer is formed by drawing an enclosed pocket from a material, such as metal. The pocket has an opening for receipt of a nut, which is preferably press fit into the pocket. The pocket is deep enough to provide space between the bolt end, when fully threaded into the nut, and the bottom of the pocket. In this way, the bolt is shielded by the pocket enclosure.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for installing fasteners in a panel and automatically sensing and compensating for certain error conditions which commonly arise in the installation process. The system includes monitoring the load exerted during the installation process and comparing the exerted load to nominal load values. If an error results between the two load values, appropriate corrective action is taken. If there is no corrective action which can be initiated to rectify the error condition, the system is halted.

Abstract: A method of making a self-attaching nut or pierce nut, such as a round nut having cylindrical pilot, an annular groove surrounding the pilot and a panel supporting flange portion surrounding the groove, wherein the groove bottom wall includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced anti-rotation protuberances separated by radial channels and wherein the flange portion is preferably tapered toward the pilot portion to provide a re-entrant groove which provides a secure installation to a panel. The method includes first forming a nut blank having the general configuration of the nut with a continuous annular protuberance and an annular flange portion which extends perpendicular to the groove bottom wall.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for installing fasteners in a panel and automatically sensing and compensating for certain error conditions which commonly arise in the installation process. The system includes monitoring the load exerted during the installation process and comparing the exerted load to nominal load values. If an error results between the two load values, appropriate corrective action is taken. If there is no corrective action which can be initiated to rectify the error condition, the system is halted.

Abstract: A pierce nut having a central pilot, a cylindrical flange portion surrounding the pilot and a groove in the flange portion having at least one inclined side wall and a bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance preferably comprising spaced arcuate protuberances extending around the pilot which deforms panel metal beneath the inclined side wall and providing anti-rotation means when the nut is attached to a metal panel. The outer groove side wall includes radial notches or grooves which receive panel metal to provide anti-torque means. The improved die button includes an annular lip having an inside piercing edge spaced from the end to pierce a smaller slug and an annular convex fillet which deforms more panel metal into the nut groove to form a secure mechanical interlock between the nut and panel.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for installing fasteners in a panel and automatically sensing and compensating for certain error conditions which commonly arise in the installation process. The system includes monitoring the load exerted during the installation process and comparing the exerted load to nominal load values. If an error results between the two load values, appropriate corrective action is taken. If there is no corrective action which can be initiated to rectify the error condition, the system is halted.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to self-piercing fasteners, such as studs, bolts or nuts, the method of attaching such fasteners to a panel and fastener installation apparatus, including the installation head and die button. The fastener includes a self-piercing and riveting annular wall which is driven into a panel supported against a die member by the installation head. The die member includes an annular die cavity surrounding a central projecting die portion which is telescopically receivable in the free open end of the fastener annular wall. The free end of the fastener annular wall includes a piercing surface which mates with a piercing surface at the outer edge of the projecting die portion to pierce a slug from the panel.