Various embodiments relate to a rivet element supply unit for providing rivet elements, wherein the rivet element supply unit comprises a rivet element provision unit and a handling unit, wherein the rivet element provision unit for conveying the rivet elements comprises a spiral conveyor having a longitudinal axis and a spiral, which extends around the longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is inclined to the direction of gravity, wherein the rivet element provision unit has a pick-up region to which the spiral conveyor supplies rivet elements and from which the handling unit picks up the rivet elements for transporting to a rivet element receptacle.

A die changing apparatus comprises a first die support for supporting a plurality of dies, the die support having first and second die supporting portions which are spaced from one another. The die support is movable so that either the first die supporting portion or the second die supporting portion are locatable at a first transfer position. There is also provided a transfer arrangement comprising a first grip portion configured to grip a die from one of the first and second die supporting portions when said one of the first and second die supporting portions is located at the first transfer position, and thereby remove said gripped die from the first die support. The transfer arrangement is movable, independently of the die support, between a first configuration in which the first grip portion can grip said die from said one of the first and second die supporting portions when said one of the first and second die supporting portions is located at the first transfer position, and a second configuration in which the first grip portion can release said die and pass it to a second die support of a rivet setter located at a second transfer position.

A rivet supply system supplies rivets to a rivet setting tool comprising a punch, an extendable nose arrangement and a die, and comprises at least one rivet delivery track for delivering the rivets to the nose arrangement, at least one rivet transfer device for holding or releasing the rivets received at the rivet-receiving zone, and at least one refillable magazine for storing the rivets in proximity of the setting tool. The magazine comprises a magazine portion of the rivet delivery track, wherein the rivets can be stored within the magazine, or can transit through the magazine to be delivered to the setting tool. The magazine also comprises at least one docking interface for refilling the magazine from for example a bulk feeder. The magazine is in rivet-supply relation with the nose arrangement so that it can supply rivets to the setting tool, and is moveable together with the nose arrangement.

A hollow punch rivet is described having a flange and a rivet section. Furthermore, a method for the attachment of individual components to one another using a punch rivet is described, with at least one of the components being formed by a material of the composite material. The method includes the following steps: a) arrangement of the die button against one of the two components to be secured to one another, which are placed on one another, wherein the die button has a bore which is dimensioned to receive the rivet section, b) carrying out a relative movement of the punch rivet with the free end of the rivet section to the fore towards the components arranged on one another and in the direction of the die button, c) piercing of the components with the free end of the rivet section and introduction of the rivet section into the bore of the die button until the component contact surface comes into contact and the component adjacent to the flange, d) using a plunger in order to dilate the punch rivet at least locally and e) forming a rivet bead by reshaping the free end region of the rivet section.

A power tool for joining a deformable element having a threaded shaft to a workpiece. The joining tool comprising a threaded dowel adapted to receive the threaded shaft and rotatably within the housing. A nose is arranged around the threaded dowel, and the dowel is slidably movable relative to the nose. A motor drives a drive train to rotate the threaded dowel. A hydraulic system drives another drive train to move the threaded shaft and compress the deformable element. The joining tool includes a sliding unit. The nose is attachable to the sliding unit, and in an attached position the nose is slidably connected to the housing so that the hydraulic system may move the nose axially to compress the deformable element.

Fastener delivery apparatus for automatically selecting and delivering fasteners such as rivets to a setting tool. The fasteners are pre-loaded in a package and dispense via at least one fastener delivery tube that interconnects the setting tool to a fastener feeder device. The fastener feeder device releases selected fasteners from the package into the delivery tube. The fasteners are transportable individually or in groups in the tube from the feeder device to the tool. A transfer station attached to the tool or the delivery tube transfers a fastener from the delivery apparatus into the tool, transfer station is adjacent to the tool so that a delivered fastener may be inserted by the transfer station into the tool and a second position in which it is clear of the tool so as to permit the tool or a portion thereof to move towards a workpiece to insert a smooth, rapid and reliable delivery of fasteners of various sizes and types to the nose of a setting tool in any particular order and provides all the fastener types for any particular work cycle.

A method for crimping and a crimping tool, such as an automaton, to crimp a ring on an attachment rod extending along an axis of the attachment rod from a panel. The tool involves moving a movement clip of the automaton to grip the ring so that the attachment rod is introduced into the ring and moving a crimping nose of the automaton so as to prevent the removal of the ring from the attachment rod. Once crimped, the ring is released and the crimping nose is moved so as to ready the crimping tool for subsequent crimping of rings on attachment rods.

A die for use with a cold-formed joint tool such as a clinching tool or clinch punch or self-piercing rivet punch. A split die made of a plurality of partial cup-shaped segments is disposed within a collar that defines a recess. The recess includes a forming area in which the cold-formed joint is formed and a relieved area in which the partial cup-shaped segments are shifted radially outwardly after forming to permit removal of the cold-formed joint tool from the cold-formed joint.

A system and method for rivet setting comprising an anvil having an anvil face and a plunger having a sensor coupled to a control system that measures the distance between the anvil face and the work surface during the rivet setting process and stops the rivet driver when the driven rivet head achieves a desired head height above the work surface. In preferred embodiments, the control system also communicates the stage of the rivet driving cycle to the operators to expedite the rivet driving process.

A power tool for joining a deformable element having a threaded shaft to a workpiece. The joining tool comprising a threaded dowel adapted to receive the threaded shaft and rotatably within the housing. A nose is arranged around the threaded dowel, and the dowel is slidably movable relative to the nose. A motor drives a drive train to rotate the threaded dowel. A hydraulic system drives another drive train to move the threaded shaft and compress the deformable element. The joining tool includes a sliding unit. The nose is attachable to the sliding unit, and in an attached position the nose is slidably connected to the housing so that the hydraulic system may move the nose axially to compress the deformable element.