Abstract: An improved pulling head is provided for setting blinds fasteners, such as by pulling the setting pin of a blind rivet or the like, wherein the pulling head is rapidly and easily adjustable for use with blind fasteners of different sizes or types. The improved pulling head comprises an elongated support housing carrying a sliding draw bolt assembly for grasping and pulling a setting pin inserted into a nose end of the support housing through a selected one of a plurality of head inserts of selected different sizes or types. The head inserts are carried by a generally cone-shaped turret cap mounted at the support housing nose end for rotation about an axis offset from the direction of sliding draw bolt assembly movement thereby permitting the selected head insert to be rotated to an operative position in front of the draw bolt assembly and the remaining nonselected head inserts to be stationed in inoperative positions spaced from contact with the structure being fastened.

Abstract: A blind rivet with a deformable annular clamping ridge around the leading end of the expansion section of the setting pin, with a tapered leading face and a crest diameter a few thousandths of an inch larger than the inside diameter to which the sleeve of the rivet is to be expanded, thereby to provide a high momentary clamping force against the workpieces to be riveted, greater bearing area as a result of the greater initial effective diameter, and a better hole filling because of the excess material provided by the ridge. The ridge may be of the same material as the remainder of the head, to be deformed as an incident to wire-drawing elongation of the head, or may be a soft-coating applied to a harder core material.

Abstract: Blind fastening means for fastening thin materials together without crushing them. Such means comprises a blind rivet sleeve, a blind rivet pin provided with a head to engage the blind end of the sleeve, and spacing means provided intermediate the blind end of the sleeve and the head thereof. As the head of the pin is drawn against the blind end of the sleeve an enlarged blind head forms at the blind side of the materials being fastened while the spacer means engages the interior side of the uppermost of the materials being fastened whereby to prevent crushing of such materials. In one instance the spacer means comprises a spacer sleeve. In a modification the spacer means comprises a second enlarged blind head. The various enlarged blind heads may be achieved in several ways.

Abstract: Blind fastening means for fastening thin materials together without crushing them. Such means comprises a blind rivet sleeve, a blind rivet pin provided with a head to engage the blind end of the sleeve, and spacing means provided intermediate the blind end of the sleeve and the head thereof. As the head of the pin is drawn against the blind end of the sleeve an enlarged blind head forms at the blind side of the materials being fastened while the spacer means engages the interior side of the uppermost of the materials being fastened whereby to prevent crushing of such materials. In one instance the spacer means comprises a spacer sleeve. In a modification the spacer means comprises a second enlarged blind head. The various enlarged blind heads may be achieved in several ways.

Abstract: A blind rivet comprising a sleeve with a preformed rivet head at one end, and a setting pin telescoped into the sleeve and having a pulling section projecting beyond the headed end of the sleeve and an expanding head projecting beyond the other end of the sleeve, to be pulled into the sleeve from the headed end thereof to expand the other end of the sleeve into a bulb-shaped rivet head against one side of two workpieces that are to be riveted together, the pulling section being broken off after the rivet is set, in response to engagement of the expanding head with stop means in the sleeve. The expanding head has an expanding shoulder for initiating expansion of the sleeve, and a taper beyond this shoulder which progressively increases the diameter of the head toward its free end.

Abstract: The method and means for installing blind fasteners involves a pulling head design such that will cause the stem of the rivet pin to be broken at a predetermined location by a trimming or notching action of the head. This allows a previously unweakened blind fastener pin to be weakened for breaking at a prescribed location after the fastener is installed, thus accomplishing a pin break off substantially flush with the head of the fastener over an extremely wide range of thickness and types of materials being fastened. The pulling means may include a support housing which slidably receives a chuck assembly for pulling the blind rivet pin. A collet is also mounted in the support housing. The collet has suitable cutting edges for weakening the pin stem immediately adjacent the head of the rivet sleeve when appropriate load forces are reached. Cooperating cam surfaces on the support housing and collet react to the load forces to effect this weakening action.