Abstract: Riveted assemblies are provided that can include: a first component having opposing first and second sidewalls; a second component having opposing third and fourth sidewalls, wherein the second sidewall of the first component abuts the third sidewall of the second component to bind and form an affixing interface comprising the second and third sidewall between the first component to the second component; and a rivet extending between a head along a shank to an end, the rivet piercing the first sidewall with the end of the rivet being between the first and fourth sidewalls. Methods for affixing at least two components using a rivet are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates, amongst other things, to a punch-in element having a hollow head part of larger transverse dimension and a hollow shaft part of smaller transverse dimension which projects away from one side of the head part, wherein a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is formed at the said side of the head part and surrounds the shaft part, with a plurality of ribs at the outer periphery of the shaft part which extend in the axial direction along the shaft part from the sheet metal contact surface to close to the free end of the shaft part. A pre-installation component, a component assembly and a method is also claimed.

Abstract: A wire mesh rivet (13) is provided which is used to produce a wire mesh isolator (11) in a bore (9) of a substrate such as a heat shield (7) for a vehicle exhaust system. The rivet (13) comprises a unitary wire mesh structure (19) which has a collar (15) and a shank (17). The collar (15) has a higher density than the shank (17), e.g., the collar (15) has the density of the finished isolator (11). The rivet (13) is formed into the finished isolator (11) by compressing the shank (17) to form a second collar, while restraining the original collar (15) from substantially changing its shape. The rivet (13) can include a metal insert (23) which prevents the wire mesh of the finished isolator (11) from experiencing high levels of compression when the substrate is fastened to its supporting structure.

Abstract: Blind fasteners and methods of manufacture. The blind fasteners each have a sleeve with a sleeve head thereon and a stem having a stem head thereon. The stem extends through the sleeve from an end of the sleeve opposite the sleeve head with the stem head adjacent the end of the sleeve opposite the sleeve head. The sleeve has a non-uniform wall thickness to cause the sleeve to buckle outward against a blind side surface of a work piece to form a blind side head when the stem is pulled relative to the sleeve head to set the fastener in a work piece, the work piece having a thickness which may range from a predetermined minimum grip to a predetermined maximum grip. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making a rivet (R), of the type comprising, by deformation of the material of a substantially cylindrical metal segment, the operations of preforming a milled head (100) at the end of a rod (200), characterised in that it comprises, by deformation of the material (cold stamping) the following operations: creating a portion with a lower diameter (210) from the free end; creating a substantially cylindrical hollow core (220) for forming a tubular portion; preforming the hollow core (220) as a truncated cone; performing the lower diameter outer surface as a truncated cone. The invention also relates to the rivet obtained by said method.

Abstract: A blind rivet formed with a tubular shell, and a mandrel extending through the shell. The shell has an outwardly extending flange at one end forming a rivet head, and having a first set of radial indentations arranged around the periphery of the shell at a first distance from the rivet head, and a second set of radial indentations arranged around the periphery of the shell at a second distance from the rivet head. Each of the radial indentations are formed by crimping them in the rivet shell after the shell has been positioned around the mandrel with the end of the shell remote from the rivet head defining the blind end of the rivet shell. Lastly, the mandrel having a head formed at one end to abut against the blind end of the shell, and the stem extending from the head having a point of weakness part way along the length thereof disposed within the shell.

Abstract: A method of forming a radially expandable externally grooved tubular fastener from metal, comprising the steps of providing a suitable tubular blank (11) having a tubular wall (12) and squeezing the tubular wall between an internal member (17) with a surface which engages the internal tubular wall face (15) of the blank and a plurality of external members (18) provided with suitably shaped surfaces engaging the external tubular wall face (16) of the blank (11) thereby to form grooves (23) on the external tubular wall face (15) of the blank (11).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing of an expansion sleeve including providing a sleeve blank having axially extending material weaknesses (9), and forming the longitudinal slots (5) by tearing open the material weaknesses (9) by substantially radially expanding same.

Abstract: A simplified method for producing internally threaded blind fasteners includes cold forming of the thin deformable walls of the fastener into bowed out sections by reverse extrusion to form deep grooves, and subsequent further cold forming to increase the diameter of this thin walled portion of the fastener to form it into bowed out sections. Three or more or even five or more sections may be formed, to increase the “pull-out” resistance by increasing the “footprint” of the deformed sections of the blind fastener.

Abstract: A method of forming a tubular member with longitudinal slots along part of its wall, comprising the steps of: firstly, forming longitudinal zones of weakness along part of the wall of the tubular member, and secondly, expanding the said part of the tubular member radially to cause fracture of the wall of the member along the longitudinal zones, thereby to form longitudinal slots.

Abstract: The expansion rivet consists of an expansion peg and a drive-in pin, which in the preassembled state of the expansion rivet are captively joined together. In its midsection, the expansion peg has an insertion hole adapted to the form of the drive-in pin, two lateral engagement wings projecting in opposite directions and two opposing spreader legs projecting downward at right angles. The preassembled drive-in pin protrudes slightly out of the expansion peg but is in engagement with the two spreader legs. When the drive-in pin is driven into the expansion peg, the spreader legs are forced apart by the drive-in pin to form a riveted connection.

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 tubular body (74, 102) having a deformable internal annular skirt is made from a blank (10, 80) having a stopped bore (20) which terminates at an end wall (24). First, an aperture (40) is formed in the end wall (24) to provided a through bore, of which a main region is provided by the formerly stopped bore (20). The aperture (40) is made to taper towards the main region and to a diameter substantially smaller than that of the main region. Material peripherally of the aperture (40) is then swaged towards and into the main region, and radially outwardly in the main region, thereby forming the swaged material into a skirt. The tapering aperture (40) can be formed by use of a punch (30) and a die (32) having a die aperture (36) larger than the punch diameter. By making the aperture (40) not radially symmetrical, the resulting skirt (70, 98) can be made of unequal lengths on opposite radii.

Abstract: A rivet for joining two panels together including a solid member and a member having a tubular portion surrounding part of the solid member. In one form, the rivet has a solid shank and a tail with a tubular forward portion. The shank extends entirely through an aperture in the panels to provide good shear strength. The deformable tail retains the rivet within the aperture but does not damage the edges of the aperture, which may be composite material. The tail forward tubular portion surrounds the shank and is fastened thereto mechanically or by welding. A cavity is created between the head of the tail and the rear face of the shank so that under axial compression the tubular walls of the tail buckle outward. The tail is configured to provide grip range wherein the buckling will occur against the rear wall of the workpieces being joined within a given range of workpiece thickness.

Abstract: A method of forming blind hole rivets by displacing metal from a relatively thick base metal includes positioning a die against one side of the base metal having a cavity mating with the projection. A tool having a reduced diameter forward portion is pressed into the base metal from the side opposite the die to forward extrude metal into the die cavity during an initial portion of tool penetration. The end portion has a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the die cavity. Rearwardly of the end portion, the tool provides a cylindrical rearward portion having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the die cavity. After the forward portion penetrates into the base metal, the rearward portion penetrates the base metal and completes the displacement of material into the die cavity. The height of the rivet or projection can be at least about equal to the original thickness of the base metal without producing cracks or fractures.

Abstract: A blind rivet nut with a pulling mandrel, having a flanged rivet tube with an internal thread has the pulling mandrel in the form of a cap screw, the cap being used to engage a setting tool. The cap screw is preferably a thread-cutting screw.

Abstract: A blind rivet assembly comprising a flanged rivet body and a mandrel having a stem provided with extension means wherein wire fed to mandrel-forming means is first subjected to at least one operation to form a series of indentations on the surface of the feed wire. This may be carried out by a plurality of pairs of indenting rolls arranged symmetrically around the feed wire.