Patents by Inventor Thomas K Litzenberger

Thomas K Litzenberger 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).

  • Patent number: 7631532
    Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: PEM Management, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Franco, Thomas K. Litzenberger
  • Publication number: 20080302162
    Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: PEM MANAGEMENT, INC.
    Inventors: James S. Franco, Thomas K. Litzenberger
  • Patent number: 7421875
    Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: PEM Management, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Franco, Thomas K. Litzenberger
  • Patent number: 7175533
    Abstract: A method of head trimming a fastener blank in a cold-forging process comprises placing a fastener blank into a bore of a punch having an end face; supporting an underside of a head portion of the fastener blank with the punch end face; moving a die having an internal passage and a trim plate with a cutting edge toward the fastener blank; shearing the head of the fastener blank with the cutting edge of the trim plate; stopping movement of the die at an extended trim position where the cutting edge lies beyond an underside of the head portion of the fastener blank; ejecting the fastener blank from the punch bore and through the die passage to an opposite side of the die; retracting the die; and removing a scrap ring from around the punch by a stripper sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: PEM Management, Inc.
    Inventors: James S Franco, Thomas K Litzenberger
  • Publication number: 20040182209
    Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. At this station, a fastener blank having a tubular barrel and a temporarily formed circular head is placed into a bore of the punch with a barrel of the fastener residing in the bore with the underside of the circular head abutting an end face of the punch. The forging apparatus then moves the die toward the top side of the fastener until a polygonal cutting edge of the die shears metal from around the edges of the circular head of the fastener blank. Movement of the die stops when the cutting edge lies beyond the underside of the head of the fastener. At this point, a knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forceably ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: James S. Franco, Thomas K. Litzenberger