Abstract: An aligner and a method for its use in staking a fastener. More specifically, the aligner guides a tip of a staking tool in some portion of a staking operation properly into alignment with a clinch portion of a staked fastener. As a result, the clinch portion is shaped into a head of a generally higher quality than would otherwise occur.

Abstract: A fastener element (16) has a head section (18), a threaded shank section (17) with threads (20) at a pitch and a distal end section (22). A retention device (24) is secured to the distal end section and is engageable with a fastener receiving member (14).

Abstract: A cold or hot-forging heading die used in metalworking to form a “head” on the end of a metal rod is configured to provide two heading cavities formed in opposite ends of the carbide insert. The heading die of the invention comprises a hardened steel ring with a cylindrical carbide insert having a through bore with a first cavity machined concentrically with the bore in one end of the carbide insert. The die is then inverted and a second cavity formed in the opposite end of the insert. The second cavity can be identical to the first cavity or provide the shape for an alternate head configuration.

Abstract: A mold for forming an auger tip on a screw is disclosed. The mold has a pair of symmetrical secondary molds each has a base mold (50), a first mold (30) detachably received in the base mold (50) and a second mold (40) detachably received in the first mold (30) detachably received in the first mold (30) and having a forming edge (41) formed thereon so as to form the auger tip on the screw by colliding two forming edges together. Therefore, when the forming edge (41) is damaged and replacement thereof is necessary, a user is able to replace only the second mold to reduce the cost.

Abstract: A header die for forming a self-tapping fastener blank provides die forming zones within which the blank is formed, the blank therby defining an odd number of lobes along a cross section taken perpendicular to its axis of rotation. The lobes define a relatively high out-of-round cross section along a tapered thread-forming zone, and a relatively low out-of-round cross section along the main body taken in a direction toward the drive head. Between the main body and tapered thread-forming zone is located an additional thread forming zone having an axial length of approximately one thread pitch and a cross section that conforms to the high out-of-round of the tapered zone. The maximum diameter (at the lobes) of the additional thread-forming section approximately matches that of the full-diameter main body section. A lower-diameter stabilizing section can be provided ahead of the tapered zone, adjacent the tip of the fastener.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing fasteners such as self-piercing rivets, self-piercing studs, plugs, inserts, etc.. In such method a blank is provided and said blank is subjected to a rolling process causing material of the blank to flow radially towards said central axis and axially so as to axially lengthen the blank, with said predetermined geometry of said finished fastener being formed by said rolling process. In addition, a mandrel can be used to precisely define the geometry of the fastener. Fasteners made by the method of the invention are much cheaper than fasteners made by conventional upsetting and extrusion processes. Furthermore, the fasteners made by the method of the invention generally have the advantage of superior grain flow and closer manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: A metal rod (20) having a conical or pyramidal cut extremity (20a) is used to make a mandrel for blind rivets. The rod is held in place between a pair of die segments (11) such that its end (26) of a preset length, including the tip protrudes from an upper surface (14) of the segments. Subsequently, a free intermediate portion of the swageable end (26) is axially compressed to form a mandrel head (27) by a punch (12) which has a lower face (17) parallel to the upper surface (14) of the segments with a conical or pyramidal recess (18) formed on the end. The free intermediate portion of the swageable end (26) swells radially outward to form the head (27) having a flat flange (31) from which the tip intrudes. The mandrel, which has the head formed uniformly without any eccentricity about the longitudinal axis of a mandrel body, can be produced inexpensively using a prior art nail manufacturing apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a shaped configuration by cold forging at an end of a long element, such as the armature shaft of a starter motor for an automobile. The die used in this method has an inner space in which a section for forming the shaped configuration is provided at one end portion thereof, and the diameter of the inner space gradually increases from the shaped configuration forming section to the other end portion of the inner space. A material is placed in the die from the other end portion of the inner space and, then, is forced into the die by a punch to be forged into the shape corresponding to that of the inner space of the die. After the forging, the shaped material is pushed out of the die by a knock-out pin which is inserted into the die in the opposite direction to the direction in which the material is forced.