Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge

Abstract

The Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge is a tool designed to properly space rivets or other fasteners in an aircraft skin repair. The tool consists of a straight edge with measure markings, a row of teeth set at a forty-five degree angle, and a corner that has a half inch radius gauge built in. The tool uses the teeth, which are six times the diameter of the fastener in height and length, to evenly space the fasteners when laying out the aircraft skin repair. It is this spacing coupled with the forty-five degree angled teeth that allow for accurate and quick repair layouts and that differentiate the Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge from other fastener spacing tools.

Claims

1. The Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge is a tool designed to properly space rivets or other fasteners in an aircraft skin repair. The tool consists of a straight edge with measure markings, a row of teeth set at a forty-five degree angle, and a corner that has a half inch radius gauge built in. The tool uses the teeth, which are six times the diameter of the fastener in height and length, to evenly space the fasteners when laying out the aircraft skin repair. It is this spacing coupled with the forty-five degree angled teeth that allow for accurate and quick repair layouts and that differentiate the Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge from other fastener spacing tools.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF MANUFACTURE

[0004] The Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge is cut out of a sheet of Lexan by a computer controlled router. The blank tool is then screen printed on to add the measurements and identifying markings.

DESCRIPTION OF USE

[0005] In order to use the Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge one would draw a straight line between where the first and last fasteners, in that row of fasteners, on the repair area will be secured on the body of the aircraft. Then the tip of the first tooth of the pitch gauge will be placed on the location of the first fastener and rotated so that the location of the last fastener intersects with the slope on the appropriate tooth of the pitch gauge. At this point, a line can be drawn on each of the slopes of the pitch gauge, intersecting with the line drawn earlier (between the first and last fasteners). These intersections will accurately mark the desired, equidistant, location of all fasteners in the row of fasteners on this portion of the repair. This process will be repeated until the entire repair has been laid out and is ready to be secured.

[0006] The Rivet Pattern Pitch Gauge can be used with any type of fasteners that are required to be laid out at any set interval. In order to do this, the tool will need to be produced with the teeth in intervals equal to the desired interval of the fastener.