Method and apparatus for driving interference-fit fasteners

Claim 2

A process for driving an interference-fit fastener into a receiving aperture having a slightly smaller diameter than the fastener, comprising the steps of: a. electromagnetically generating a stress wave having a high particle velocity; b. conditioning the high velocity stress wave to control the intensity and length of the high velocity stress wave to provide an output stress wave which maintain a high stress level, the stress level of the conditioned stress wave being less than the yield stress of the interference-fit fastener to prevent plastic deformation thereof, the length of the stress wave being greater than the length of the interference-fit fastener; and c. applying the conditioned high velocity stress wave to one end of thee interference-fit fastener causing a tensile elongation in the direction of propagation and contraction at right angles to the direction of propagation, the conditioned high velocity stress wave reflecting from the remote free end of the interference-fit fastener to impart a high velocity to the remote free end of the interference-fit fastener so that frictional forces are overcome and the interference-fit fastener is drawn into the receiving aperture.

Claim 3

The process of driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of electromagnetically generating a stress wave is through electromagnetic repulsion established by the interaction of a first magnetic field produced by a coil energized by a capacitor bank and a second magnetic field within a driver of suitable conductive material adjacent to said coil.

Claim 4

The process of driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 2 wherein the magnetic field within the driver is induced by the magnetic field produced by the coil.

Claim 5

The process of driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 3 which further comprises the step of absorbing the recoil forces resulting from generating the stress wave.

Claim 6

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener into a receiving aperture having a slightly smaller diameter than the fastener, comprising: a. means for electromagnetically generating a stress wave having a high particle velocity; b. conditioning means for controlling the intensity and length of the high velocity stress wave to provide an output stress wave which maintains a high stress level for a substantial portion of the length of the stress wave, the stress level of the stress wave resulting from the conditioning means being less than the yield stress of the interference-fit fastener to prevent plastic deformation thereof, the length of the stress wave being greater than the length of the interference-fit fastener; and said interference-fit fastener including a first end for engagement with said conditioning means and a remote end for engagement with the receiving aperture, the conditioned stress wave causing a tensile elongation in the direction of propagation and contraction at right angles to the direction of propagation and reflecting from the remote free end of the interference-fit fastener to impart a high velocity to the remote free end of said interference-fit fastener so that the frictional forces are overcome and the interference fastener is drawn into the receiving aperture.

Claim 7

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener into a receiving aperture having a slightly smaller diameter than the fastener, comprising: a. means for electromagnetically generating a stress wave having a high particle velocity; b. conditioning means for controlling the intensity and length of the high velocity stress wave to provide an output stress wave which maintains a high stress level for a substantial portion of the length of the stress wave, the stress level of the stress wave resulting from the conditioning means being less than the yield stress of the interference-fit fastener to prevent plastic deformation thereof, the length of the stress wave being greater than the length of the interference-fit fastener; and said interference-fit fastener including a first end for engagement with said conditioning means and a remote end for engagement with the receiving aperture, the conditioned stress wave causing a tensile elongation in the direction of propagation and contraction at right angles to the direction of propagation and reflecting from the remote free end of the interference-fit fastener to impart a high velocity to the remote free end of said interference-fit fastener so that the frictional forces are overcome and the interference fastener is drawn into the receiving aperture.

Claim 8

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 5 wherein the means for electromagnetically generating a stress wave having a high particle velocity comprises: a. an electromagnetic coil; b. an energy storage means dischargeable through said coil providing a pulse of limited duration; c. a driver coupled to said coil; and d. means for establishing an electromagnetic field in said driver whereby a stress wave is generated by the electromagnetic repulsion between the coil and said driver.

Claim 9

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener in claim 6 wherein the means for establishing an electromagnetic field in the driver comprises electromagnetically coupling said driver to said coil.

Claim 10

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 7 wherein the conditioning means is an exponentially shaped mass coupled to said driver and the various components of the tool are related by the formula: ##EQU17## where: s = the stress delivered to the interference fastener at the small end of the conditioning means; s o = the stress developed at the large end of the conditioning means by the electromagnetic repulsion between the coil and the driver; C = the speed of sound in the conditioning means; t A = the time required for the particle velocity to reach a maximum; A o = the cross sectional area of the large end of the conditioning means; A = the cross sectional area at the smaller end of the conditioning means; n = the number appearing in the exponent of the equation which governs the shape of the conditioning means, i.e. A = A o e - nx .sbsp.0, where X o is the length of the focussing means.

Claim 11

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 7 wherein the conditioning means is a conically shaped mass coupled to said driver and the various components of the tool are related by the formula: ##EQU18## where: s = the stress delivered to the interference fastener at the small end of the conditioning means; s o = the stress developed at the large end of the conditioning means by the electromagnetic repulsion between the coil and the driver; R o = the radius of the large end of the focussing means; K = the tangent of the angle inscribed by the edge of the conically shaped mass and the base of the conically shaped mass; C = the speed of sound in the conditioning means; t A = the time required for the particle velocity to reach a maximum; A o = the cross sectional area of the large end of the conditioning means, i.e. the base of the conically shaped mass; A = the cross sectional area at the small end of the conditioning means; x o = the length of the conditioning means.

Claim 12

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 5 which further comprises a recoil means mechanically coupled to said conditioning means.

Claim 13

A tool for driving an interference-fit fastener as defined in claim 6 wherein: said energy storage means is a capacitor bank electrically dischargeable through said coil.