Abstract:
A testing device for testing of rivets is provided. The testing device includes a first holding element and a second holding element that can be driven toward the first holding element to cooperatively define at least one hole on which at least one type of rivet can be installed. The second holding element also can be driven to separate from the first holding element to release the installed rivets for analyses.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to testing devices and, particularly, to a testing device for assisting the testing of rivets. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Rivets are widely used to fasten two or more metal plates together. Before practical applications, it is important to install a rivet on test plates to test whether or not a specific type of rivet is suitable for a specific application. To realize this, the test plates must be drilled or punched first, which is inconvenient. In addition, after the test plates have been drilled and riveted many times, the mechanical characteristics may change, which may affect the accuracy of the test. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a testing device, which can overcome the above-mentioned problems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, exploded, schematic view of a testing device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an isometric, schematic view of a first holding element of the testing device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an isometric, assembled, schematic view of the testing device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the testing device in another operating state. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the testing device in still another operating state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a test apparatus  11 , according to an embodiment, includes a base  10 , a holding device  20 , and an operating device  30 . 
         [0014]    The base  10  includes a supporting plate  100 , four bolts  101 , and four nuts  102  corresponding to the bolts  101 . 
         [0015]    The supporting plate  100  is generally rectangular and includes two opposite widthwise sides  110 ,  120 , a top surface  103 , and a bottom surface  104  opposite to the top surface  103 . The supporting plate  100  also defines four threaded holes  105  and an opening  130 . The four threaded holes  105  are located at four corners of the top surface  103 , respectively, and correspond to the bolts  101 . The opening  130  extends through the top surface  103  and the bottom surface  104 . The opening  130  is also rectangular and the lengthwise direction of the opening  130  is substantially parallel to that of the supporting plate  100 . The opening  130  is located at the middle of the top surface  103  along the widthwise direction of the supporting plate  100  and is adjacent to the widthwise side  110  along the lengthwise direction of the supporting plate  100 . 
         [0016]    Each of the bolts  101  includes a threaded bar  111  and a head  112  located at an end of the threaded bar  111 . 
         [0017]    The holding device  20  includes a pair of rails  21 , a first holding element  22 , a second holding element  23 , a third holding element  24 , and a pair of linkage bars  25 . 
         [0018]    Each rail  21  is an elongated rectangular bar and defines a sliding groove  210  along the elongated direction in one surface. 
         [0019]    Also referring to  FIG. 2 , the first holding element  22  is generally a hollow cuboid frame and includes a top plate  221 , a rear sidewall  222 , a left sidewall  223 , and a right sidewall  224 . All of the top plate  221 , the rear sidewall  222 , the left sidewall  223 , and the right sidewall  224  are substantially rectangular. The rear sidewall  222 , the left sidewall  223 , and the right sidewall  224  extend downward from three edges of the top plate  221 . The left sidewall  223  and the right sidewall  224  are substantially parallel with each other. The rear sidewall  222  perpendicularly connects the top plate  221 , the left sidewall  223 , and the right sidewall  224 . 
         [0020]    The top plate  221  includes a front surface  225  opposite to the rear sidewall  222 , an upper surface  2211 , and a lower surface  2212  opposite to the upper surface  2211 . The front surface  225  perpendicularly connects the upper surface  2211  and the lower surface  2212 . The lower surface  2212  is close to the rear sidewall  222 , the left sidewall  223 , and the right sidewall  224 , in relative to the upper surface  2211 . The top plate  221  defines a number of first semi-holes  226  in the front surface  225 , extending through the upper surface  2211  and the lower surface  2212 . Each first semi-hole  226  forms a first section  2213  adjacent to the upper surface  2211 , a second section  2215  adjacent to the lower surface  2212 , and a third section  2214  joining the first section  2213  with the second section  2215 . The first sections  2213 , the second sections  2214 , and the third sections  2215  are different from each other in diameter and depth. 
         [0021]    The second holding element  23  is a rectangular plate in shape and slides in the sliding grooves  210 . The second holding element  23  includes a first side surface  231  and a second side surface  232  opposite to the first side surface  231 . The second holding element  23  defines a number of second semi-holes  235  in the first side surface  231 , corresponding to the first semi-holes  226 , and a number of third semi-holes  234  in the second side surface  232 . The second holding element  23  also includes two pins  236  protruding upwards from a top surface of the second holding element  23 . The pins  236  are arranged in a line that is substantially parallel with the first side surface  231  and the second side surface  232 . 
         [0022]    The third holding element  24  is also a rectangular shaped plate and slides in the sliding grooves  210 . The third holding element  24  includes a third side surface  241  and a fourth side surface  242  opposite to the third side surface  241 . The third holding element  24  defines a number of fourth semi-holes  243  in the fourth side surface  242 , corresponding to the third semi-holes  232 , and two connecting holes  246  in the third side surface  241 . The third holding element  24  also defines two fastening holes  251  and two positioning holes  252  in a top surface of the third holding element  24 . The fastening holes  251  are arranged in a line that is substantially parallel with the third side surface  241  and the fourth side surface  242 . The positioning holes  252  are also arranged in a line that is substantially parallel with the third side surface  241  and the fourth side surface  242 . Each fastening hole  251  and the corresponding positioning hole  252  are arranged in a line that is substantially perpendicular to the third side surface  241  and the fourth side surface  242 , and correspond to the corresponding pin  236  in position. 
         [0023]    Each linkage bar  25  is an elongated rectangular bar and defines an elongated slot  257  at one end and two holes  255 ,  256  at an opposite end. Each elongated slot  257  extends along the elongated direction of the corresponding linkage bar  25  and receives the corresponding pin  236 . The holes  255 ,  256  in each linkage bar  25  is for aligning with the corresponding fastening hole  251  and the corresponding positioning hole  252 . Each linkage bar  25  also includes a fastening pin  253  and a positioning pin  254 . 
         [0024]    The operating device  30  includes a driving rod  31 , a fulcrum base  32 , and a handle  33 . 
         [0025]    The driving rod  31  includes a sleeve  311 , a threaded rod  312 , a mounting element  313 , and a fastening nut  317 . One end of the threaded rod  312  is for connecting to one end of the sleeve  311 , and another end of the threaded rod  312  forms a circular fixing plate  316 . The mounting element  313  includes a base plate  314  and two fixing bent plates  315 . The fixing bent plates  215  extend upwards from the base plate  314 , in parallel and bend towards each other, cooperatively defining a fixing space therebetween, which is capable of fittingly receiving the fixing plate  316 . The fastening nut  317  is threadedly sleeved over the threaded rod  312 . 
         [0026]    The fulcrum base  32  includes two guiding plates  321  and a socket  322 , which can be integrally formed. The guiding plates  321  are arranged in parallel and each defines a guide hole  323 . The guide holes  323  are aligned with each other. The sleeve  311  is fittingly received in the guide holes  323  but is slidable in the guide holes  323 . 
         [0027]    The handle  33  includes a handle portion  331 , a first crook arm  332 , and a second crook arm  333 . One end of the first crook arm  332  is fixedly connected to the handle portion  331  and the other end can be pivoted on the socket  322 . One end of the second crook arm  333  is rotatably connected to an end of the sleeve  311  and the other end of the second crook arm  333  is rotatably connected to the first crook arm  332  generally at the middle but slightly adjacent to the end of the first crook arm  332  which is pivoted on the socket  322 . The axes on which the first crook arm  332  rotates with respect to the socket  322 , the second crook arm  333  rotates with respect to the first crook arm  332  and the sleeve  311  are substantially parallel with each other but are substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the sleeve  311 . As such, the handle  33  drives the sleeve  311  to move within the guiding holes  323  by operating the handle portion  331 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the nuts  102  engage with the respective threaded bars  111  via an end opposite to the corresponding head  112 . The threaded bars  111  are inserted into the respective threaded holes  105  using the end opposite to the corresponding head  112  via the bottom surface  104  and are threaded and engaged with the respective threaded holes  105 . The lengths of the threaded bars  111  below the bottom surface  104  are adjusted until the top surface  103  is horizontally positioned. Then, the nuts  102  are screwed to abut the bottom surface  104 . As such, the base  10  is assembled. 
         [0029]    The rails  21  and the first holding element  22  are fixed to the top surface  103 . The rails  21  are located at two lengthwise sides, adjacent to the widthwise side  110 . The sliding grooves  210  face and align with each other. The first holding element  22  is located at the widthwise side  110  between the rails  21 . The top plate  221  is located away from the top surface  103  and the front surface  225  faces away from the widthwise side  110 . The second holding element  23  and the third holding element  24  slide into and are held by the sliding grooves  210 . The first side surface  231  faces the front surface  225 . The fourth side surface  242  faces the second side surface  232 . The linkage bars  25  link the second holding element  23  and the third holding element  24 . The pins  236  slidably extend through the respective sliding slots  257 . The positioning pins  254  extend through the respective holes  255  and the respective positioning holes  252 . The fastening pins  253  threadedly engage with the respective holes  256  and the respective holes  251 . 
         [0030]    The threaded rod  312  is connected to the sleeve  311 . The mounting element  313  is connected to the third side surface  241  by fastening fasteners (not labeled) into the respective connecting holes  246 . The fixing plate  316  is inserted into the fixing space defined between the fixing bent plates  315  and then the fastening nut  317  threadedly sliding towards the fixing bent plates  315  until tightly abutting against the fixing bent plates  315 . 
         [0031]    In operation, the handle portion  331  is operated to drive the second holding element  23  to abut the first holding element  22  and the third holding element  24  abuts the second holding element  23 . As such, the first semi-holes  226  and the respective second semi-holes  235  cooperatively define a number of holes (not labeled) on which different types of rivets can be installed, respectively. The third semi-holes  234  and the respective fourth semi-holes  243  cooperatively define a further number of holes on which other different types of rivets can be installed, respectively. The first sections  2213  of each hole receive the factory head of the rivets, the second sections  2215  of each hole receive the buck-tail of the rivets, and the third sections  2214  of each hole receive the shaft of the rivets. 
         [0032]    After the rivet(s) is/are installed, the handle portion  331  can be operated to separate the first holding element  22 , the second holding element  23 , and the third holding element  25 . Then the rivet(s) falls through the opening  130  and is gathered for analyses. 
         [0033]    In other embodiments, only three bolts  101  and three nuts  102  can be employed to position the top surface  103  horizontally. In addition, other suitable configurations of the base  10  can be employed. 
         [0034]    In other embodiments, the second holding element  23  can be omitted, and the third holding element  24  can abut the first holding element  22  by operating the handle portion  331 . The fourth semi-holes  243  and the first semi-holes  226  cooperatively define a number of holes on which different types of rivets can be installed. In addition, the number of the first semi-holes  226  and the fourth semi-holes  243  can be only one. 
         [0035]    In other embodiments, a part or all of the first semi-holes  226 , the second semi-holes  235 , the third semi-holes  234 , and the fourth semi-holes  243  can be the same in shape and size. 
         [0036]    The configuration of the linkage bars  25  is not limited to this embodiment. In other embodiments, only one linkage bar  25 , only one corresponding fastening pin  253 , fastening hole  251 , positioning pin  254 , positioning hole  252 , and pin  236  can be employed. 
         [0037]    The operation device  30  is not limited in this embodiment. Other suitable configurations can be employed instead in other embodiments. 
         [0038]    It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the possible scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.