The present invention is an electrical box cover system and method of installation that covers and protects existing electrical boxes and their electrical components. This invention prevents corrosion and the resulting damage to the mechanical and electrical components of the electrical box while ensuring the electrical box is safe to open and allowing access to the inside of the electrical box. The electrical box cover system includes a cover, fasteners, and a gasket. Generally, to install the cover, the fasteners are drilled through the cover and onto the sides of the damaged electrical box with the gasket, which is placed in the cover.

A method for operating an electrically-operated portable riveting machine includes providing an electrically-operated portable riveting machine and informing the user when it is necessary to empty the collecting vessel. The electrically-operated portable riveting machine includes a housing, a rivet setting mechanism arranged in the housing which sets rivet elements into workpieces to be connected, a collecting vessel, a delivery duct that delivers spent rivet mandrels created during a setting of the rivet elements into the collecting vessel, a spent rivet mandrel determination device which determines a number of the spent rivet mandrels in the collecting vessel, and a user information device which informs a user when it is necessary to empty the collecting vessel.

A method for setting blind rivet elements in which the setting of the respective blind rivet element introduced into a pre-hole of the work piece and/or the formation of a rivet collar takes place in a setting stroke (SH) through the permanent deformation of a section of the blind rivet element by subjecting an end of the blind rivet element to a traction force by a traction element of a setting tool while simultaneously supporting another end of the blind rivet element on a support part of the setting tool counter to the traction force.

A rivet for blind fastening may include a screw with a handling element, a break groove, a head separated from the handling element by the break groove, and a threaded part. The rivet may also include a sleeve with a collar and a tubular shank having an internal thread intended to come into engagement with the threaded part of the screw. The handling element includes a first handling portion able to guide introduction of the rivet in a setting tool, and a second handling portion able to transmit a torque, the two handling portions being separated by a blocking portion able to limit an axial movement of the rivet in a setting tool. A setting nose may be used for installing such a rivet, and the rivet, setting nose and a setting method can be used in the assembly of aircraft structures.

A two-piece, one-sided-installation fastener system may have an internally-threaded sleeve having a shank and a sleeve head. The fastener system may include an externally-threaded core bolt having a frangible driving provision and a core bolt head.

An assembly for a vehicle and a method of making an assembly including more than three panels stacked together and joined by self-piercing rivets or by clinch joints. A first panel and a second panel are joined together at a first attachment point. A third panel and the first panel are joined together at a second attachment point. A fourth panel and the third panel are joined together at a third attachment point. The first, second and third attachment points are spaced apart to avoid interference between the self-piercing rivets or the clinch joints.

A method of forming a fastener may include inserting a blank precursor into a bore of a forming die having an enlarged bore portion. The method may further include applying a first axial compression force to the blank precursor, and forming a cold-worked head section and an enlarged shank portion on the blank precursor corresponding to the enlarged bore portion. The enlarged shank portion may have a nominal shank portion extending therefrom. The method may additionally include inserting the nominal shank portion into a bore of a final reduction die, applying a second axial compression force to the enlarged shank portion, and urging the enlarged shank portion into the bore of the final reduction die. The method may also include reducing a cross-sectional area of the enlarged shank portion by approximately 2 to 5 percent to form a cold-worked shank section.

One or more ductile metal inserts may be selectively incorporated into articles of limited ductility, including metal castings and molded polymers. The inserts are positioned at joint locations for joining of the article to other articles using self-piercing riveting (SPR). The inserts are of suitable ductility, thickness and strength to receive and retain self-piercing rivets and enable a strong riveted joint between the article and a second article. In an embodiment the articles are magnesium alloy castings formed by any of sand casting, die casting and semi-solid metal casting. The chemical composition of the insert may be informed by the anticipated corrosive environment of the joint and the casting temperature of the magnesium alloy. For magnesium alloy castings which may be exposed to corrosive environments, aluminum alloy inserts are preferred.

A tab is provided, which includes a body having first and second opposing ends, a nose portion disposed at or about the first end of the body, a lift portion disposed at or about the second end of the body of the tab, and a rivet receiving portion disposed proximate the nose portion. The rivet receiving portion includes a generally planar portion, a rivet hole having a perimeter, and an upturned portion extending upwardly from the generally planar portion about the perimeter of the rivet hole. The upturned portion reinforces the rivet hole and has an arcuate cross section profile. An integral rivet extends through the rivet hole and is staked to affix the tab to a can end. The upturned portion is devoid of any corners or edges both before and after the integral rivet is staked.

Provided is an expanding rivet connection for the connection of at least two components to be joined comprising an expanding rivet, comprising an expanding rivet body, which is shaped so that it can be inserted through openings into the first component to be joined, and a threaded part, which is shaped so that it protrudes, at least in part, after insertion from the first component to be joined, an expanding rivet mandrel, which is constructed so that it can be pushed through an opening in the expanding rivet into the expanding rivet body in order to protrude through the first component to be joined, and a clamping element, which is constructed to be screwed to the threaded part of the expanding rivet in order to connect at least a third component to be joined to the first component to be joined.