Swaged fasteners
A swaged fastener ( 10 ) includes a coated collar ( 12 ) for location in use on a pin ( 14 ). In an unswaged condition, the coated collar ( 12 ) comprises a substrate material ( 16 ) having a substrate colour and an indicator material ( 20 ) having an indicator colour. The indicator material ( 20 ) is located on the substrate material ( 16 ). The indicator colour is visually different to the substrate colour. The coated collar ( 12 ) includes a swaging surface ( 18 ) to which, in use, a swaging force is applied to move the collar ( 12 ) from the unswaged condition to a swaged condition. The indicator material ( 20 ) comprises at least part of the swaging surface ( 18 ) and is arranged so that, in a correctly swaged condition, the indicator material ( 20 ) comprising the swaging surface ( 18 ) is substantially removed to expose the substrate colour and thereby provide a visual indication that the swaging process has been correctly carried out.
1. A fastener comprising:
a collar having a swaging surface made of a substrate material having a substrate colour; and
an indicator material having an indicator colour coated on at least part of the substrate material of the swaging surface, the indicator colour being visually different from the substrate colour,
wherein the coated collar is adapted to be swaged to move the collar from the unswaged condition to a swaged condition,
wherein the indicator material is adapted so that, in a correctly swaged condition when the swaging process has been correctly carried out, the indicator material is substantially removed to expose the substrate colour and thereby provide a visual indication that the swaging process has been correctly carried out.
2. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the coated collar includes a body and a flange, the flange being located at one end of the body, the body including a collar body lateral surface, which comprises the swaging surface, and the indicator material comprises at least part of the collar body lateral surface.
3. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the coated collar has a longitudinal axis, and the swaging surface is laterally outwardly directed relative to the longitudinal axis.
4. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material comprises a coloured dye or pigment.
5. The fastener according to claim 4 , in which the colour of the indicator material is red.
6. The fastener according to claim 4 , in which the indicator material comprises an eosin coloured dye or an iron oxide pigment.
7. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the substrate material has a self-colour, wherein the substrate material is a metal and the self-colour is grey.
8. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material is located on a portion of the swaging surface; the portion is a band which extends continuously around the swaging surface, or a patch or spot which does not extend continuously around the swaging surface.
9. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material is located on substantially the whole of the swaging surface.
10. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material is formed by a process in which a coating liquid is formed; the coating liquid comprising an ink, which comprises the coloured dye or pigment.
11. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the ink comprises a carrier liquid, which comprises an alcohol; the carrier liquid comprises a resin, which is non-polar.
12. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the ink is a marker pen ink.
13. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, which comprises an alcohol.
14. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, and the coating liquid comprises the ink and the diluent in a ratio of ink:diluent by volume of no less than 2:1, and no more than 4:1.
15. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, and the coating liquid comprises the ink and the diluent in a ratio of ink:diluent by volume of no less than 2:1 and no more than 3.5:1.
16. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, and the coating liquid comprises the ink and the diluent in a ratio of ink:diluent by volume of no less than 2.5:1 and no more than 4:1.
17. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, and the coating liquid comprises the ink and the diluent in a ratio of ink:diluent by volume of no less than 2.5:1 and no more than 3.5:1.
18. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the ink comprises a carrier liquid, which comprises an alcohol which comprises propan-1-ol.
19. The fastener according to claim 10 , in which the coating liquid comprises a diluent, which comprises an alcohol, which comprises propan-1-ol.
20. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material is formed by a process in which coating liquid is formed; the coating liquid comprising an ink, which comprises the coloured dye or pigment; and the indicator material is located on the substrate material by application of the coating liquid to the uncoated collar to form a wet coated collar; wherein following coating, the wet coated collar is heated for a heating time; the heating time is at least 60 minutes and no more than 90 minutes.
21. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the indicator material is formed by a process in which a coating liquid is formed; the coating liquid comprising an ink, which comprises a coloured dye or a pigment and the indicator material is located on the substrate material by application of the coating liquid to the uncoated collar to form a wet coated collar; wherein following coating, the wet coated collar is heated at a heating temperature; the heating temperature is at least 60° C. and is no more than 90° C.
22. The fastener according to claim 1 , in which the swaged fastener is a lockbolt fastener configured, in use, to be installed on a lockbolt.