Patents by Inventor Rick Mullininx

Rick Mullininx has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Automated drill and rivet machine
    Patent number: 6523245
    Abstract: An automated drill and rivet machine is provided for riveting a work piece. The machine is moveable with respect to the work piece, and sensors locate sequential rivet sites along the work piece. A control system directs the movement and operation of the machine at sequential rivet sites for drilling and mashing. A method for automatically fastening components is provided including the steps of indexing an automated drill and rivet machine at a first work site and placing the machine in a first mode in which the machine to repeatedly performs the steps of drilling, storing the work site location, sensing a next work site, and moving the machine to the next work site. The operator then inserts a fastener at the previous drilling work sites and places the machine in a second mode in which the machine repeatedly performs the steps of returning to a previous work site and mashing the rivets at the previous work site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Great Dane Limited Partnership
    Inventors: P. Alan Whiten, Rick Mullininx, Allen Crosby
  • AUTOMATED DRILL AND RIVET MACHINE
    Publication number: 20030009867
    Abstract: An automated drill and rivet machine is provided for riveting a work piece. The machine is moveable with respect to the work piece, and sensors locate sequential rivet sites along the work piece. A control system directs the movement and operation of the machine at sequential rivet sites for drilling and mashing. A method for automatically fastening components is provided including the steps of indexing an automated drill and rivet machine at a first work site and placing the machine in a first mode in which the machine to repeatedly performs the steps of drilling, storing the work site location, sensing a next work site, and moving the machine to the next work site. The operator then inserts a fastener at the previous drilling work sites and places the machine in a second mode in which the machine repeatedly performs the steps of returning to a previous work site and mashing the rivets at the previous work site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: P. Alan Whiten, Rick Mullininx, Allen Crosby