Blind rivet setting tool
A blind rivet setting tool including a channel along which the broken mandrels of set rivets can be moved and a biasing element for biasing a blocking member into the channel for blocking the movement of a broken mandrel along the channel whereby a broken mandrel must urge the blocking member out of the way against the bias in order to move past the blocking member.
1 . A blind rivet setting tool comprising:
grippers for pulling a mandrel of a blind rivet in use;
a drive assembly for causing the grippers to grip and pull the mandrel of the rivet to be set in use;
a nosepiece attachment for releasably retaining a nosepiece in place such that in use the blind rivet to be set can bear against the nosepiece while the mandrel thereof is pulled;
a collection chamber;
a spent mandrel channel extending between the nosepiece and the collection chamber along which a mandrel of the blind rivet being set can be moved in a direction from the nosepiece to the collection chamber after being separated from the blind rivet as a spent mandrel;
a guidance sleeve including a recess with a hole and a guidance sleeve channel in communication with the hole, the guidance sleeve channel defining a portion of the spent mandrel channel where the spent mandrel exits into the collection chamber, the guidance sleeve channel being aligned with the spent mandrel channel;
a blocker received in the recess;
a biasing member for urging the blocker into the guidance sleeve channel for blocking movement of the spent mandrel along the guidance sleeve channel, wherein movement of the spent mandrel in the direction towards the collection chamber urges the blocker out of the guidance sleeve channel against a bias of the biasing member to thereby move past the blocker for exit into the collection chamber; and
a nosepiece storage unit to hold a plurality of nosepieces, the nosepiece storage unit defining a mandrel receiving opening which aligns with the guidance sleeve channel such that the spent mandrel is moveable through the mandrel receiving opening for exit into the collection chamber.
2 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the spent mandrel channel is defined by an interior surface of a screw.
3 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the blocker has a ramped external surface portion against which the spent mandrel engages in order to urge the blocker out of the guidance sleeve channel against the bias of the biasing member, a curved external surface portion, or a flat external surface portion.
4 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the blocker is at least one ball.
5 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 4 , wherein the ball is made of plastic, rubber or other polymer.
6 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 4 , wherein the ball is a plastic ball or a metal ball.
7 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 4 , wherein the ball is spherical.
8 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 4 , wherein the biasing member is at least one elastic ring.
9 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 8 , wherein the at least one elastic ring is made of plastic, rubber or other type of polymer.
10 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 8 , wherein the at least one elastic ring is made of metal.
11 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is at least one spring.
12 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 11 , wherein the at least one spring is made of plastic, rubber, or another polymer.
13 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 11 , wherein the at least one spring is made of metal.
14 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the blocker and the biasing member are mounted on the guidance sleeve.
15 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein the guidance sleeve includes one or more projections which engage a tool housing to maintain the position of the guidance sleeve in the tool housing.
16 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , where a portion of the guidance sleeve projects into the collection chamber as a projected portion.
17 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 16 , wherein the biasing member surrounds the projected portion.
18 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein spent mandrels are disposed between a front workpiece holder and the blocker.
19 . The blind rivet setting tool of claim 1 , wherein spent mandrels are disposed in the guidance sleeve channel between a front workpiece holder and the blocker.
20 . A blind rivet setting tool comprising:
a tool housing;
a collection chamber;
a spent mandrel channel extending to the collection chamber along which a mandrel of a blind rivet being set can be moved in a direction towards the collection chamber after being separated from the blind rivet as a spent mandrel;
a guidance sleeve including a recess with a hole, a guidance sleeve channel in communication with the hole, and axially displaced circumferential projections that receive the tool housing therebetween for maintaining a position of the guidance sleeve;
a blocker received in the recess;
a bias member that applies a bias force that inwardly biases the blocker into the guidance sleeve channel, wherein movement of the spent mandrel through the guidance sleeve channel urges the blocker out of the guidance sleeve channel against the bias of the bias member to thereby move past the blocker for exit into the collection chamber; and
a nosepiece storage unit removably attached to the tool housing to hold a plurality of nosepieces, the nosepiece storage unit defining a mandrel receiving opening which aligns with the guidance sleeve channel such that the spent mandrel is moveable through the mandrel receiving opening for exit into the collection chamber.