Riveting tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a riveting tool for setting blind rivet nuts and/or blind rivet screws, comprising a drive piston which is able to be hydraulically adjusted from an initial position toward an end position, a pull rod which is releasably and operatively connected to the drive piston and which is able to be adjusted by the drive piston from a rivet receiving position into a setting position and a coupling element fixing the pull rod and a drawing mandrel to one another in the longitudinal axial direction. In order to provide a riveting tool of the type mentioned above by which uniform setting processes of rivets may be carried out with a high degree of repeated accuracy, it is provided that the riveting tool for fixing the setting position has an adjusting unit with a stroke-limiting element which is axially adjustable relative to the coupling element in the longitudinal axial direction of the pull rod, said stroke-limiting element being in engagement with the coupling element via a stop surface in the setting position.

Claims

1. A riveting tool for setting blind rivet nuts and/or blind rivet screws, comprising a hydraulic drive piston adjustable from an initial position toward an end position in a longitudinal axial direction, a pull rod which is releasably and operatively connected to the hydraulic drive piston and which is adjustable from a rivet receiving position into a setting position by movement of the hydraulic drive piston from the initial position toward the end position, a coupling element fixing the pull rod and a drawing mandrel to one another in the longitudinal axial direction, and an adjusting unit for fixing the setting position, wherein the adjusting unit comprises a stroke-limiting element which is axially adjustable relative to the coupling element in the longitudinal axial direction of the pull rod, wherein when the hydraulic drive piston is in the end position, said stroke-limiting element is in engagement with the coupling element via a stop surface of the coupling element.

2. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the stroke-limiting element is configured as a stop sleeve having an external thread, said stop sleeve mounted fixedly in terms of rotation relative to the pull rod and adjustable in the longitudinal axial direction, said external thread engaged with an internal thread of an adjusting ring that is rotatably mounted on the riveting tool, such that rotation of the adjusting ring effects displacement of the stop sleeve.

3. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit is releasably connected to a drive unit of the riveting tool.

4. The riveting tool according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting ring has latching marks for engaging one or more latching bodies on the drive unit.

5. The riveting tool according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting ring has an opening for viewing the stroke limiting element such that the position of the stroke limiting element is visible from the outside of the riveting tool.

6. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the stroke-limiting element is displaceably mounted on at least one cylinder pin extending parallel to the pull rod in the longitudinal axial direction.

7. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit has a base unit and a head piece, wherein the head piece is coaxially arranged relative to the coupling element and is releasably connected to the base unit via a quick-release connector.

8. The riveting tool according to claim 7, wherein the quick-release connector has a sliding sleeve which is pretensioned toward a latching position and which in the latching position engages with a latching element in a latching mark on the base unit.

9. The riveting tool according to claim 7, wherein the head piece comprises a setting head which is releasably connected to the head piece, wherein the setting head is coaxial with the drawing mandrel.

10. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element has two half-shells coaxially arranged relative to the drawing mandrel and the pull rod, wherein a front face of said two half-shells faces the stop surface and is configured as a contact surface.

11. The riveting tool according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic drive piston is pretensioned toward the initial position.

12. The riveting tool according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting unit is screwed to the drive unit of the riveting tool.

13. The riveting tool according to claim 4, wherein the latching bodies are on an adapter ring which is able to be fixed to the drive unit.

14. The riveting tool according to claim 5, wherein an edge of the adjusting ring adjacent to the opening comprises a scale configured for positioning the stroke-limiting element.

15. The riveting tool according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cylinder pin comprises two cylinder pins.

16. The riveting tool according to claim 10, wherein the front face of said two half-shells has a lubricant coating.

17. The riveting tool according to claim 11, wherein the drive piston is spring pretensioned toward the initial position.

18. A riveting tool for setting blind rivet nuts and/or blind rivet screws, comprising a hydraulic drive piston adjustable from an initial position toward an end position in a longitudinal axial direction, a pull rod which is releasably and operatively connected to the hydraulic drive piston and which is adjustable from a rivet receiving position into a setting position by movement of the hydraulic drive piston from the initial position toward the end position, a coupling element fixing the pull rod and a drawing mandrel to one another in the longitudinal axial direction, an adjusting unit for fixing the setting position, wherein the adjusting unit comprises a stroke-limiting element which is axially adjustable relative to the coupling element in the longitudinal axial direction of the pull rod, wherein when the hydraulic drive piston is in the end position, said stroke-limiting element is in engagement with the coupling element via a stop surface of the coupling element, and wherein the stroke-limiting element is configured as a stop sleeve having an external thread, said stop sleeve mounted fixedly in terms of rotation relative to the pull rod and adjustable in the longitudinal axial direction, said external thread engaged with an internal thread of an adjusting ring that is rotatably mounted on the riveting tool, such that rotation of the adjusting ring effects displacement of the stop sleeve.

19. A riveting tool for setting blind rivet nuts and/or blind rivet screws, comprising a hydraulic drive piston adjustable from an initial position toward an end position in a longitudinal axial direction, a pull rod which is releasably and operatively connected to the hydraulic drive piston and which is adjustable from a rivet receiving position into a setting position by movement of the hydraulic drive piston from the initial position toward the end position, a coupling element fixing the pull rod and a drawing mandrel to one another in the longitudinal axial direction, an adjusting unit for fixing the setting position, wherein the adjusting unit comprises a stroke-limiting element which is axially adjustable relative to the coupling element in the longitudinal axial direction of the pull rod, wherein when the hydraulic drive piston is in the end position, said stroke-limiting element is in engagement with the coupling element via a stop surface of the coupling element, and wherein the stroke-limiting element is a stop sleeve having an external thread, said stop sleeve mounted fixedly in terms of rotation relative to the pull rod and adjustable in the longitudinal axial direction, said external thread engaged with an internal thread of an adjusting ring that is rotatably mounted on the riveting tool, such that rotation of the adjusting ring effects displacement of the stop sleeve, wherein the adjusting unit is releasably connected to a base housing of the drive unit by an adapter ring, said adapter ring having a thread at an end that is adapted to the base housing of the drive unit, and said adapter ring having a thread at another end that is adapted to the adjusting unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of a section of a riveting tool;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the riveting tool of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3a shows a side view of a drive unit of the riveting tool of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3b shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 3a with a pull rod to be inserted in the drive unit;

(6) FIG. 3c shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 1 with the inserted pull rod and a base unit of an adjusting unit to be arranged;

(7) FIG. 3d shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 1 with the inserted pull rod and base unit arranged and drawing mandrel to be arranged;

(8) FIG. 3e shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 1 with the inserted pull rod, the base unit arranged and the drawing mandrel arranged and half-shells of a coupling element to be arranged;

(9) FIG. 3f shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 1 with the inserted pull rod, the base unit arranged and the drawing mandrel and coupling element arranged and the head piece to be arranged;

(10) FIG. 3g shows a side view of the drive unit of FIG. 3a with the inserted pull rod, the base arranged and the drawing mandrel, coupling element and head piece arranged, and the setting head to be arranged and

(11) FIG. 3h shows a side view of the riveting tool of FIG. 1 in the mounted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) A riveting tool 1 shown in FIG. 1 in a sectional view and in FIG. 2 in a perspective view substantially has two sub-assemblies. In this case, firstly this is a drive unit 3 comprising a drive piston 4 and secondly this is an adjusting unit 2 connected to the drive unit 3, a setting stroke applied by the drive piston 4 to a pull rod 5 being able to be fixed in its stroke length by said adjusting unit.

(13) The drive unit 3 of the riveting tool 1 has a base body 24, the drive piston 4 being able to be displaced therein in its longitudinal axial direction. An adjustment of the drive piston 4 in this case takes place by means of a hydraulic pressure, hydraulic fluid being conducted through a pipe connector 32 via a joint 31 into the base body 24 for the production of said hydraulic pressure, so that the drive piston 4 is displaced counter to a pretensioning applied by a helical compression spring 25 from its initial position toward an end position. In this case, due to its support at one end on the drive piston 4 and at the other end on a housing cover 22 which is connected to the base body 24 via a threaded bushing 23, the helical compression spring 25 causes the drive piston 4 in the pressureless state to be held in its initial position.

(14) For transmitting the axial movement of the drive piston 4 to a drawing mandrel 6 connected to the pull rod 5, the drive piston 4 has a shoulder, the pull rod 5 bearing thereagainst with a corresponding shoulder. Via the shoulders, movements of the drive piston 4 which are oriented in the direction of the end position are transmitted directly to the pull rod 5.

(15) The base body 24 forming a base housing of the drive unit 3 has on its end opposing the housing cover 22 a housing bushing 26 which is connected to an adapter ring 13 of the adjusting unit 2 via an internal thread. The adjusting unit 2 serves for adjusting the setting stroke to be applied by the riveting tool 1, the adjusting unit 2 having to this end a stroke-limiting element configured as a stop sleeve 7. Said stroke-limiting element forms an adjustable mechanical stop for a coupling element 9, the pull rod 5 being connected thereby to the drawing mandrel 6.

(16) For positioning the stop sleeve 7 and thus for adjusting the setting stroke, the adjusting unit 2 has an adjusting ring 11 which is fixed in the axial direction relative to the base body 24 of the drive unit 3 but is rotatable relative to the adapter ring 13. The stop sleeve 7 is mounted fixedly in terms of rotation via two cylinder pins, not shown here and fixed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pull rod 5 inside the adjusting ring 11, wherein the cylinder pins engage in corresponding openings on the stop sleeve 7. A rotation of the adjusting ring 11 thus effects an axial displacement of the stop sleeve 7 inside the adjusting ring 11 in the longitudinal axial direction of the pull rod 5. A transmission of the rotational movement of the adjusting ring 11 to the stop sleeve 7 arranged coaxially to the pull rod 5 in this case takes place via an internal thread 12 of the adjusting ring onto an external thread 10 on the stop sleeve 7. Said stop sleeve is thus freely positionable inside the adjusting ring 11 on the pull rod 5 and with its stop surface 8 provides a path-limiting device for the coupling element 9. In the maximum setting position, the coupling element 9 bears with its front face 20 against the stop surface 8 of the stop sleeve 7. The maximum adjustable stroke in this case is determined by the position in which the stop sleeve 7 bears against a stop ring 27 inside the adjusting ring 11.

(17) In order to permit the drawing mandrel 6 to be changed in a simple manner, the adjusting unit 2 also has a head piece 16 which may be removed via a quick-release connector 17 from the adjusting unit 2. In the removed position, the coupling element 9 is freely accessible so that the drawing mandrel 6 may be replaced in a simple manner. The quick-release connector 17 with a sliding sleeve 18 serves for rapid removal of the head piece 16, said sliding sleeve being pretensioned by a helical compression spring 28 into the latching position shown in FIG. 1, in which latching elements, not shown here, engage in latching marks, also not shown here, on a connecting bushing 30, wherein the connecting bushing 30 is inserted into the end of the adjusting ring 11 opposing the drive unit 3. The end of the head piece 16 opposing the drive unit 2 is formed by a replaceable setting head 19, a rivet, not shown here, being supported thereon during the setting process, so that the deformation of the rivet required for the setting may take place when the drawing mandrel 6 is displaced during the setting process from the position shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of the drive unit 3.

(18) For the operation of the riveting tool 1 it is necessary for the pull rod 5 and the drawing mandrel 6 to be fixed to one another both in the axial direction and in the peripheral direction. For fixing in the axial direction the pull rod 5 and the drawing mandrel 6 comprise projections 33 which are configured so as to correspond to recesses 35 arranged inside the coupling element 9, whereby in the mounted state a positive connection is achieved in the longitudinal axial direction. For the connection which is fixed in terms of rotation, the front faces bearing against one another of the pull rod 5 and the drawing mandrel 6 have a corresponding toothing, wherein a centering pin 29 ensures the relative position of the pull rod 5 and the drawing mandrel 6. Following the setting process, due to the connection which is fixed in terms of rotation of the pull rod 5 and the drawing mandrel 6, the drawing mandrel 6 may be screwed from the blind rivet nut and/or blind rivet screw via a handle 21 arranged at the end opposing the drawing mandrel 6.

(19) An assembly of the riveting tool 1 is shown in a stepwise manner in FIGS. 3a to 3h. The pull rod 5 is initially inserted into the drive unit 3, shown in FIG. 3a, and fixed to the base body 24 via a housing cover 22. In the mounted state of the pull rod 5 (see FIG. 3c) said pull rod protrudes from the base body 24 on the side opposing the handle 21. The base unit 15 of the adjusting unit 2 is then pushed onto this free end of the pull rod 5, and screwed to the housing bushing 26, wherein to this end the base unit 15 comprises an adapter ring 13 which is adapted to a housing bushing 26 on the drive unit. After the connection of the base unit 15, as shown in FIG. 3d, the drawing mandrel 6 is positioned fixedly in terms of rotation by means of the centring pin 29 at the free end of the push rod 5. For the positive connection in the longitudinal axial direction, the coupling element 9 which consists of two coupling half-shells 34, is positioned onto the portions of the pull rod 5 and drawing mandrel 6 provided with projections 33 (see FIG. 3e). The positioning of the sliding sleeve 18 of the head piece 16 (see FIG. 3e) takes place after the arrangement of the coupling element 9. Subsequently thereto, the setting head 19 adapted to the rivet to be set is then positioned on the head piece 16, so that the riveting tool 1 is subsequently in the fully mounted position shown in FIG. 3h.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(20) 1 Riveting tool 2 Adjusting unit 3 Drive unit 4 Drive piston 5 Pull rod 6 Drawing mandrel 7 Stroke-limiting element (stop sleeve) 8 Stop surface 9 Coupling element 10 External thread (stop sleeve) 11 Adjusting ring 12 Internal thread (adjusting ring) 13 Adapter ring 14 Opening (adjusting ring) 15 Base unit (adjusting unit) 16 Head piece 17 Quick-release connector 18 Sliding sleeve 19 Setting head 20 Front face 21 Handle 22 Housing cover 23 Threaded bushing 24 Base body 25 Helical compression spring 26 Housing bushing 27 Stop ring 28 Helical compression spring 29 Centering pin 30 Connecting bushing 31 Joint 32 Connector pipe 33 Projections 34 Half-shells 35 Recess

(21) It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.