Extraction apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10639774-B2
Application number	US-201715723275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2017
Priority date	Oct 3, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An extraction apparatus includes an arm and an extractor head mechanically connected to a first end of the arm. The extractor head includes a housing that defines a channel, a switch within the channel, a fork member within the channel, and an actuator device mounted to the housing. The switch is configured to detect reception of a fastener pin being received within the channel. The fork member is movable relative to the housing. The actuator device is mechanically connected to the fork member, and is operatively connected to the switch. Responsive to the switch detecting the reception of the fastener pin in the channel, the actuator device is configured to automatically move the fork member linearly within the channel from a start position towards a displaced position causing the fork member to remove the fastener pin from a work piece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An extraction apparatus comprising:
an elongate arm having a first end and second end; and
an extractor head mechanically connected to the second end of the arm, the extractor head comprising:
a housing that defines a channel;
a switch within the channel configured to detect reception of a fastener pin within the channel;
a fork member within the channel and movable relative to the housing, the fork member configured to engage the fastener pin that is within the channel; and
an actuator device mounted to the housing and mechanically connected to the fork member, the actuator device operatively connected to the switch, wherein, responsive to the switch detecting the reception of the fastener pin in the channel, the actuator device is configured to automatically move the fork member linearly within the channel from a start position towards a displaced position causing the fork member to remove the fastener pin from a work piece.

2. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extractor head is mechanically connected to the second end of the arm via a coupling assembly, the coupling assembly configured to one or more of pivot or rotate to adjust an orientation of the extractor head relative to the arm.

3. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator device is a pneumatic actuator device that is configured to move the fork member from the start position to the displaced position using pressurized air.

4. The extraction apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the arm includes a hollow barrel that is configured to deliver the pressurized air to the actuator device on the extractor head via a rotary union.

5. The extraction apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the arm includes two manual triggers spaced apart along the length of the arm between the first and second ends, being spaced apart a sufficient distance to prevent both manual triggers from being depressed with a single hand, wherein the manual triggers are configured to interrupt the supply of pressurized air when not depressed, such that the actuator device is disabled from moving the fork member unless both of the manual triggers are concurrently displaced by the operator.

6. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator device is an electric actuator device that is configured to move the fork member from the start position to the displaced position using electrical energy supplied by one or more of a battery mounted to the arm or a power cable plugged into an external electrical power source.

7. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm includes a handle at the first end of the arm configured to be held by an operator, the handle including a manual trigger, wherein the actuator device is disabled from moving the fork member unless the manual trigger is displaced by the operator.

8. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switch within the channel is a mechanical switch that is configured to detect the reception of the fastener pin within the channel responsive to the fastener pin engaging and displacing the mechanical switch.

9. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switch within the channel is a proximity sensor that is configured to detect the reception of the fastener pin within the channel responsive to detecting that the fastener pin is within a designated threshold range of the proximity sensor.

10. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fork member defines a slot that extends through the fork member between first and second sides of the fork member, the slot being open along a front end of the fork member that faces towards a front opening of the channel at a front side of the housing, the fork member configured to receive a shaft of the fastener pin within the slot as the fastener pin is received into the channel through the front opening.

11. The extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extractor head has a working end and a collection end opposite to the working end, the fork member moving towards the collection end from the start position towards the displaced position, wherein the channel is open at the collection end to allow the fastener pin that is removed from the work piece to exit the channel through the collection end.

12. A method of removing a fastener pin from a work piece comprising:
coupling an actuator device of an extraction apparatus to a power source, the extraction apparatus including an extractor head and an elongated arm that is mechanically coupled to the extractor head, the actuator device mounted on the extractor head, the extractor head defining a channel, the arm including a manual trigger configured to be engaged by an operator;
positioning the extraction apparatus such that a fastener pin attached to a work piece is received into the channel of the extractor head;
detecting reception of the fastener pin within the channel via a switch mounted within the channel, the switch operatively connected to the actuator device; and
responsive to the detection of the reception of the fastener pin within the channel occurring concurrently with displacement of the manual trigger, automatically actuating the actuator device to move a fork member of the extractor head within the channel such that the fork member engages and forces the fastener pin away from the work piece.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the actuator device is a pneumatic actuator device and the power source is a pressurized air storage tank, the pneumatic actuator device configured to move the fork member within the channel using pressurized air received from the pressurized air storage tank.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the actuator device is an electric actuator device and the power source is a battery, the electric actuator device configured to move the fork member within the channel using electrical energy received from the battery.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch within the channel is a mechanical switch and the reception of the fastener pin within the channel is detected responsive to the fastener pin engaging and displacing the mechanical switch.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fork member defines a slot that is open at a front end of the fork member that faces towards a front opening of the channel, wherein positioning the extraction apparatus includes aligning the fork member with the fastener pin such that a shaft of the fastener pin is received within the slot of the fork member as the fastener pin is received into the channel through the front opening.

17. An extraction apparatus comprising:
an extractor head defining a channel sized and shaped to receive a fastener pin therein, the extractor head including a pneumatically-actuated slide cylinder that is operatively coupled to a switch disposed within the channel of the extractor head, the switch configured to detect reception of the fastener pin within the channel, the slide cylinder mechanically coupled to a fork member disposed within the channel; and
an elongate barrel having a first end and a second end, the second end mechanically connected to the extractor head, the elongate barrel configured to deliver pressurized air to the slide cylinder on the extractor head, the elongate barrel including a manual trigger that controls delivery of the pressurized air to the slide cylinder,
wherein, responsive to displacement of the manual trigger occurring concurrently with detection of the reception of the fastener pin within the channel by the switch, the slide cylinder uses the pressurized air to move the fork member within the channel, forcing the fa

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bennett Don
• Edwards Cameron

Classifications

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• B25C11/00

  Nail, spike, and staple extractors (incorporated in hammers B25D1/00) · CPC title

• B25B27/04

  inserting or withdrawing keys · CPC title

• B25B28/00 Primary

  Portable power-driven joining or separation tools (B25B21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25B27/026

  fluid driven · CPC title