Attachment for a rivet setting tool

An attachment for a rivet setting tool with a first plurality of jaws configured to clamp and pull a mandrel of a rivet comprises a flexible sheath and a flexible cable arranged within the flexible sheath. The flexible cable includes a first end configured to be clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws and a second end opposite the first end. A second plurality of jaws between which the mandrel is receivable is coupled to the second end of the flexible cable. The second plurality of jaws is configured to clamp and pull the mandrel in response to the first end of the flexible cable being clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to rivet setting tools, and more particularly to attachments for rivet setting tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rivet setting tools use jaws to clamp and pull a mandrel of a rivet during a rivet setting process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, in one aspect, an attachment for a rivet setting tool. The rivet setting tool has a first plurality of jaws configured to clamp and pull a mandrel of a rivet. The attachment comprises a flexible sheath and a flexible cable arranged within the flexible sheath. The flexible cable includes a first end configured to be clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws and a second end opposite the first end. A second plurality of jaws between which the mandrel is receivable is coupled to the second end of the flexible cable. The second plurality of jaws is configured to clamp and pull the mandrel in response to the first end of the flexible cable being clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws.

The present invention provides, in another aspect, a rivet setting tool assembly comprising a housing, a pulling mechanism within the housing, a plurality of jaws between which a mandrel of a rivet is receivable, and a flexible cable interconnecting the pulling mechanism and the jaws. The jaws are configured to clamp and pull the mandrel in response to the flexible cable being pulled by the pulling mechanism.

The present invention provides, in yet another aspect, a rivet setting tool assembly comprising a rivet setting tool including a housing, a motor, and a pulling mechanism configured to be driven by the motor. The pulling mechanism includes a first plurality of jaws configured to clamp and pull a mandrel of a rivet in response to the motor driving the pulling mechanism. The rivet setting tool assembly further includes an attachment that is selectively attachable to the rivet setting tool. The attachment includes a flexible sheath, a flexible cable arranged within the flexible sheath, the flexible cable including a first end configured to be clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws and a second end opposite the first end, and a second plurality of jaws between which the mandrel is receivable and coupled to the second end of the flexible cable. The second plurality of jaws is configured to clamp and pull the mandrel in response to the first end of the flexible cable being clamped and pulled by the first plurality of jaws.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, a rivet setting tool10, such as a blind rivet setting tool, includes an electric motor12and a transmission14(e.g., a multi-stage planetary transmission) that receives torque from the motor12. The tool10also includes a pulling mechanism18that is actuated in response to activation of the motor12to initiate a rivet setting process. The rivet setting tool10may include an on-board power source (e.g., a battery, not shown) or an electrical cord (also not shown) for connection to a remote power source (e.g., an alternating current source).

With reference toFIG. 2, the tool10includes a housing22in which the pulling mechanism18is positioned and arranged along a longitudinal axis26along which a mandrel of a rivet is pulled. The pulling mechanism18includes a pulling head30biased opposite a pulling direction34of the mandrel by a head spring38. The pulling mechanism18further includes a jaw pusher42within the pulling head30and biased opposite the pulling direction34by a pusher spring46set within the pulling head30. A jaw sleeve50has a tapered interior surface52and is coupled to the pulling head30for movement therewith in the pulling direction34.

The pulling mechanism18also includes a first plurality of jaws54set at least partially within the jaw sleeve50and biased opposite the pulling direction34by the jaw spring46and jaw pusher42. A spent-mandrel tube58extends along the longitudinal axis26through the jaw pusher42, the pusher spring46, the pulling head30, and the head spring38, terminating in a mandrel container62to collect broken mandrels after a rivet-setting operation has been completed. A nose66is provided at an end of the housing22opposite the mandrel container62. The nose66includes an opening70that is coaxial with the spent-mandrel tube58and permits an operator to insert a mandrel of the rivet through the nose66and between the jaws54in a position where the mandrel can be clamped. The nose66may be one of a plurality of different noses66, which may be interchangeably used with the rivet setting tool10, having different size openings70to accommodate different size rivets.

In operation, an operator inserts a mandrel through the opening70of the nose66and between the jaws54. An operator then activates the motor12by pulling a trigger74on the tool10, which causes the transmission14to retract the pulling head30, moving it against the biasing force of the head spring38along the longitudinal axis26and away from the nose66. The jaw sleeve50is also drawn in the pulling direction34in unison with the pulling head30. Because the interior surface52of the jaw sleeve50is tapered inward, in response to movement of the jaw sleeve50in the pulling direction34, the jaws54and are displaced toward the axis26as they slide along the tapered interior surface52, clamping onto the mandrel of the rivet. As the pulling head30and jaw sleeve50continue to move in the pulling direction34, the rivet is eventually set and the mandrel is severed. The broken mandrel is now free to slide through the spent-mandrel tube58for collection in the mandrel container62.

In some instances, the operator is prevented from setting a rivet in a hard-to-reach spot because the shape of the tool10prevents the operator from inserting the mandrel of the rivet into the nose66. In these instances, an operator may use a flexible attachment78(FIG. 4) to facilitate setting rivets in locations that are otherwise inaccessible by the rivet-setting tool10.

As shown inFIG. 4, the attachment78includes a flexible sheath82and a flexible cable80arranged within the flexible sheath82. The sheath82may be formed of an elastic material to permit the sheath82to bend, but also to provide sufficient strength such that repeated bending of the sheath82does not cause rupture. The flexible cable80within the sheath82may be formed from intertwined strands only capable of carrying tension, or a single strand having a sufficient thickness capable of carrying a nominal compressive force without buckling, yet being sufficiently pliable to conform with the sheath82as it is bent.

The attachment78has an attachment end86configured to attach to the nose66and/or housing22of the rivet-setting tool10and a setting end90configured to grasp the mandrel of a rivet. The attachment78is flexible, so as to permit an operator to orient the setting end90of the attachment in a variety of awkward, otherwise inaccessible positions. Extending from the attachment end86, a first end88of the flexible cable80has a size and shape that are similar to that of a mandrel. Because of this similarity, the first end88of the flexible cable80is receivable in the opening70through the nose66and may be clamped by the jaws54. At the setting end90, a second end92of the flexible cable80is configured to pull a second plurality of jaws94within the setting end90, which are configured to clamp and pull the mandrel of the rivet in a manner similar to the jaws54. Like the rivet-setting tool10, the attachment78includes a nose96, which has an opening98through which the mandrel is receivable, at the setting end90adjacent the jaws94. The nose96may be one of a plurality of different noses96, which may be interchangeably used with the attachment78, having different size openings98to accommodate different size rivets.

For example, in the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, the setting end90includes a pulling mechanism100that is similar to the pulling mechanism18. The pulling mechanism100includes a pulling head102biased opposite a second pulling direction106of the mandrel by a head spring108. The pulling mechanism100further includes a jaw pusher110within the pulling head102and biased opposite the second pulling direction106by a pusher spring114set within the pulling head102. A jaw sleeve118with a tapered inner edge122is coupled to the pulling head102for movement therewith in the second pulling direction106. In the illustrated embodiment, the second end92of the flexible cable80is coupled to the pulling head102.

To secure the attachment78to the rivet setting tool10, an operator feeds the first end88of the cable80through the opening70in the nose66and attaches the attachment end86to the nose66of the rivet setting tool10, at which time the first end88of the flexible cable80is properly positioned between the jaws54. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, the attachment end86is attached to the nose66but the attachment end86could alternatively be attached to the housing22. The operator then bends the sheath82in a manner necessary to access the rivet and positions the setting end90of the attachment78over the mandrel of the rivet, making sure the mandrel is positioned between the second plurality of jaws94within the setting end90.

An operator then activates the motor12by depressing the trigger74. Instead of clamping and pulling the mandrel of a rivet, the jaws54clamp and pull the first end88of the flexible cable80. This creates tension in the flexible cable80, causing it to slide within the sheath82and causing the second end92of the flexible cable80to pull the pulling head102in the second pulling direction106. Once the pulling head102is pulled in the second pulling direction106by the second end92, the jaws94in the setting end90clamp onto and pull the mandrel of the rivet until it sets and the mandrel is severed in the same manner as described above with the pulling mechanism18and jaws54.

In an alternative embodiment shown inFIG. 5, the attachment78may be permanently incorporated with the rivet setting tool10, with the jaw pusher42, pusher spring46, jaw sleeve50, jaws54, spent mandrel tube58, and nose66omitted, and with the first end88of the flexible cable80directly attached to the output of the pulling mechanism18(e.g., the pulling head30).