In a tightening method for a screw connection of a bolt and a nut by using a tensioning device, a rotary drive, and a process control unit with documentation module, the nut is tightened with the rotary drive by a tightening moment required for the nut to bear against a support. The screw connection is elongated by exerting axial tension on a threaded end of the bolt protruding from the nut. The nut is further tightened while maintaining elongation, and a rotation angle covered during further tightening is detected by a rotation angle sensor. Lengthening of the bolt is calculated from the rotation angle and thread geometry of the screw connection. A longitudinal force in the threaded bolt is calculated from lengthening of the bolt, bolt diameter and bolt length. The calculated longitudinal force and an identifier identifying the screw connection are stored in the documentation module.

A clinch-in fastener with a cylindrical body having a top, a bottom, sides and an axial internal bore. The fastener has a single shank at the bottom end of the body having a top surface orthogonal to the bore and a chamfer tapering to the bottom of the body. The top surface of the shank is adapted for receiving the cold flow of material surrounding a receiving hole of a workpiece. The shank may have a plurality of notches in its outermost edge that extend through both the top surface of the shank and the chamfer. The bore of the fastener extends completely through the fastener body from top to bottom and may be threaded. A fastener installation system having a tool with means for affixation to a rotary and vertically reciprocal element of an industrial machine. The tip of the tool has a distal end face with at least one arcuate displacer adapted for deforming a workpiece as the tool rotates and is pressed against the workpiece. A bore within the tip holds a fastener installed by the tool. The displacer is vertically and radially tapered along an arcuate ridge centered about the axial bore. The width of the displacer is also tapered to a point.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

A fastening system for fastening a fastener to a workpiece, includes a movable carriage on which the workpiece is placed, a coordinate detection unit configured to detect a position of the fastener temporarily tightened onto the workpiece as coordinates in a coordinate system of the movable carriage, a storage device configured to store the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection unit, and a retightening device configured to determine a position of the fastener based on the coordinates stored in the storage device and retighten the fastener that is at the determined position.

A torque wrench for multiple bolts or nuts comprises multiple drive spindles arranged annularly around a center and equipped or able to be equipped at the end with respective torque-applying tools, and a ratchet drive, associated with each drive spindle and driven by a hydraulic piston drive, for driving the drive spindles. The drive spindles are rotatably mounted and held in a drive block and have a drive portion at each end, which protrudes from the drive block. The drive sections of the drive spindles serve to bear the torque-applying tools on one side of the drive block, in which drive block the pistons of the piston drives are routed in cylinder housings, such that said pistons are translationally displaceable in both directions. The piston rods are kinematically connected to the ratchet lever for transferring a forward stroke movement and a return stroke movement to respective ratchet levers with pawls. The drive block has at least one fluid distribution cavity in its center area, into which open multiple fluid ducts located in the drive block, wherein a fluid connection between the fluid distribution cavity and a first fluid input of a cylinder housing is established by each fluid duct. A fluid distributor with an annular duct connected to a fluid supply duct is arranged on a flat side of the drive block as a fluid distribution cavity, into which multiple fluid ducts open, wherein a fluid connection between the fluid distribution cavity and a second fluid input of a cylinder housing is established by each fluid duct.

A bolt tensioning assembly has a bolt with a first end portion and a second end portion at an opposite side of the bolt. The first end portion has an enlarged diameter to form a counter-pressure surface facing the second end portion. The first end portion has external threads to receive a lock nut. A hydraulic bolt tensioning device is for tensioning of the bolt. The hydraulic bolt tensioning device is arranged for enclosing a portion of the bolt such that it abuts the counter pressure surface. A lock nut is arranged on the first end portion of the bolt. The hydraulic bolt tensioning device and lock nut are dimensioned such that upon tightening of the lock nut, the lock nut will tighten against a portion of the hydraulic bolt tensioning device.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

A fastening device is equipped with a stocker. The stocker has a circular arcuate shape which is curved in a horizontal plane, and accommodates fastening tools in a state of being aligned in a row. The fastening tool that is positioned at a most downstream side of the stocker is supplied to the receiving site by an unloading and supplying device. Furthermore, the fastening tool supplied to the receiving site is screw-rotated by a screw-rotating device that is displaced toward the fastening tool.