A tool assembly for mounting a tailgate to a car body is provided. The tool assembly includes a bracket adapted to engage with an overhead structure and a frame movably coupled to the bracket and configured to move in a vertical direction relative to the bracket. The tool assembly also includes a linkage mechanism movably coupling the frame with the bracket and configured to maintain the frame parallel to the bracket during the vertical movement of the frame. Further, a pair of torque guns is coupled to the frame and is configured to hold a pair of fasteners. The pair of torque guns engages and tightens the pair of fasteners to the car body and a hinge attached to the tailgate.

Fasteners and instruments with fastener retention mechanisms are disclosed. The fastener retention mechanisms may be independent of fastener deployment forces, such as torque. The fastener retention mechanisms may include spring elements of the instruments, whose flexion is limited by other features of the instruments so that the springs function only in their elastic zones and are prevented from experiencing yielding, plastic deformation, bending, cracking, or breaking.

A method comprises the steps of providing a tool over a collar secured to a stud on a gas turbine engine system. The collet is driven to rotate and remove the collar from the stud. A tool for removing collars from studs has a driver with a housing receiving a piston. A spring drives the piston, and the housing also has a hydraulic fluid supply opening for selectively receiving a hydraulic fluid to move the piston in opposition to a force from the spring. Collet fingers are movable between a released position and a secured position when a supply of hydraulic fluid is supplied into the housing.

A spinal fixation system includes a rod and anchor devices that include a bone engaging fastener having a head defining a spherical socket. A ball insert is placed within the socket and rotated so that the ball insert is juxtaposed with the socket. The anchor device further includes a yoke defining a yoke channel for receiving the rod and a stem engaged to the ball insert captured within the socket. A sleeve disposed between the yoke channel and the fastener head supports the rod. A set screw is operable to clamp the rod against the sleeve and draw the insert into engagement within the socket. A releasable detent defined between the yoke and the fastener head is configured to releasably retain the yoke in at least one discrete position relative to the fastener. Portions of the releasable detent may also exert a frictional retention force against the fastener head.

Improved techniques for remotely monitoring and managing fasteners and fastener driver conditions, are provided. In some aspects of the invention, conditions of a fastener and/or structural material(s) held by the fastener and/or connector, are monitored by a control system including sensor(s) at least partially embedded in, on or throughout the fastener and/or structural material(s). When an adverse condition is sensed, a torque may be remotely applied to the fastener, in some embodiments. In some embodiments, other remedial actions may be taken by the control system. In some embodiments, such sensor(s) include a magnetizable array, which may include one or more charge-carrying and/or otherwise magnetic wires or particles on, about, or embedded within, the fastener and/or structural material. In some embodiments, such remote monitoring includes testing a magnetic signature of the fastener and/or structural material (e.g., via remote scanning and/or testing).

A fastener head adapter includes a drive portion that can be engaged by a suitable driver, and a mating portion that is configured to mate with a fastener head. The fastener head adapter is attached to a fastener head. The fastener head adapter preferably provides a different type of drive portion than exists on the fastener head. Once the fastener head adapter is attached to the fastener head, the screw may then be turned by using the driver to engage the drive portion of the fastener head adapter and to turn the fastener head adapter, which in turn, turns the screw.

Tools for rotating fasteners, methods of utilizing the tools, and methods of manufacturing the tools. The tools include a gripping region, a fastener receptacle, and an interlock structure. The gripping region is configured to be gripped by a user of the tool. The fastener receptacle is shaped to receive the fasteners and includes a fastener-receiving opening on a fastener-facing side of the tool. The fastener-facing side faces in a fastener-facing direction. The fastener-receiving opening is sized to permit the fastener to enter the fastener receptacle from the fastener-facing side of the tool. The interlock structure is configured to interlock with the fastener while the fastener is received within the fastener receptacle. The interlock structure also is configured to prevent motion of the tool away from the fastener in a fastener-opposed direction, which is opposed to the fastener-facing side of the tool, while the interlock region is interlocked with the fastener.

A slogging wrench (10) comprising: a ring socket (36) for receiving a nut or a bolt head (NBH, NBH); an elongate body (20) for receiving blows from a mass to transmit torque to the ring socket; and a tool-free locking mechanism (22,24,26,26,28,30) for retaining a nut or a bolt head in the ring socket. The locking mechanism comprises a slider (22) operable to engage a nut or a bolt head in the ring socket; a channel (24) for guiding movement of the slider towards and away from the ring socket; and an actuator (30,74) manually operable to move the slider with respect to the ring socket. The channel (24) opens into the ring socket (36) via an internal periphery (40) of the ring socket. The locking mechanism comprises a resilient member (34) biasing the slider (22) towards a nut or a bolt head (NBH, NBH) in the ring socket (36).

A bidirectional extraction socket may include a driven end configured to receive drive power from a driving tool, a drive end configured to interface with a fastener, and a body portion extending between the driven end and the drive end about an axis of the extraction socket. The drive end includes a fastener engagement recess extending into the body portion and coaxial with the body portion. The fastener engagement recess is configured to engage with the fastener such that the fastener is drivable in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction while avoiding contact with corner portions of the fastener.

A screw bit body allowing for torque force application onto a socket fastener. The screw bit body includes a plurality of laterally-bracing sidewalls, a plurality of intermittent sidewalls, a first base, and a second base. The laterally-bracing sidewalls and plurality of intermittent sidewalls are radially distributed about a rotation axis of the screw bit body with each further including a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a bracing surface, and an engagement cavity. The engagement cavity creates a gripping point to prevent slippage in between the screw bit body and the socket fastener. The engagement cavity traverses normal and into the concave surface and the convex surface. The engagement cavity includes an angled driving portion and a concave portion. The angled driving portion is positioned adjacent to the first lateral edge with the concave portion being positioned opposite to the first lateral edge, across the angled driving portion.