Check pin insertion and removal apparatus and its method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548104-B2
Application number	US-202016736395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus is selectively controlled to insert a check pin into a fastener hole in a workpiece surface and remove the check pin from the fastener hole. The apparatus is a pneumatically actuated apparatus having a pair of press actuators that are selectively operated to press the check pin attached to a check pin holder of the apparatus into a fastener hole in a workpiece, and a pair of remove actuators that are selectively operated to push against the workpiece surface and move the apparatus away from the workpiece surface to remove the check pin attached to the check pin holder from the fastener hole in the workpiece.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A check pin insertion and removal apparatus comprising:
a press actuator, the press actuator having a press housing with a press rod extending from inside of the press housing to a distal end of the press rod outside the press housing;
a check pin holder operatively connected to the distal end of the press rod, the check pin holder being operable to removably attach a check pin on the check pin holder;
the press actuator being operable to selectively extend the press rod from the press housing and move a check pin held by the check pin holder into a hole in a work piece surface, and retract the press rod into the press housing;
a remove actuator, the remove actuator having a remove housing with a remove rod extending from inside the remove housing to a distal end of the remove rod outside the remove housing; and,
the remove actuator being operable to selectively extend the remove rod from the remove housing and move the distal end of the remove rod into operative engagement with the workpiece surface and push against the workpiece surface to move the remove housing away from the workpiece surface and remove the check pin held by the check pin holder from the hole in the workpiece surface, and retract the remove rod into the remove housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the press actuator being operable to selectively extend the press rod from the press housing and retract the press rod into the press housing along a press axis;
the remove actuator being operable to selectively extend the remove rod from the remove housing and retract the remove rod into the remove housing along a remove axis; and, the press axis and the remove axis being parallel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a base;
the press actuator being secured to the base; the remove actuator being secured to the base;
the press actuator being operable to extend the press rod from the press housing and relative to the base along the press axis;
the press actuator being operable to retract the press rod into the press housing and relative to the base along the press axis;
the remove actuator being operable to extend the remove rod from the remove housing and relative to the base along the remove axis; and,
the remove actuator being operable to retract the remove rod into the remove housing and relative to the base along the remove axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the press housing being a cylindrical housing;
a press piston inside the press housing;
the press rod having a proximal end connected to the press piston and the press rod extending from the proximal end of the press rod connected to the press piston to the distal end of the press rod outside the press housing;
the remove housing being a cylindrical housing; a remove piston inside the remove housing; and,
the remove rod having a proximal end connected to the remove piston and the remove rod extending from the proximal end of the remove rod connected to the remove piston to the distal end of the remove rod outside the remove housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a press control operatively communicating with the press actuator, the press control controlling operation of the press actuator to selectively extend the press rod from the press housing and retract the press rod into the press housing; and,
a remove control operatively communicating with the remove actuator, the remove control controlling operation of the remove actuator to selectively extend the remove rod from the remove housing and retract the remove rod into the remove housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
the press control being a manually operated control; and,
the remove control being a manually operated control.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
the press control being a pneumatic control; and,
the remove control being a pneumatic control.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the press actuator being a first press actuator, the first press actuator having a first press housing with a first press rod extending from inside the first press housing to a distal end of the first press rod outside the first press housing;
a second press actuator, the second press actuator having a second press housing with a second press rod extending from inside the second press housing to a distal end of the second press rod outside the second press housing;
the check pin holder being operatively connected to the distal end of the first press rod and to the distal end of the second press rod;
the remove actuator being a first remove actuator, the first remove actuator having a first remove housing with a first remove rod extending from inside the first remove housing to a distal end of the first remove rod outside the first remove housing; and,
a second remove actuator, the second remove actuator having a second remove housing with a second remove rod extending from inside the second remove housing to a distal end of the second remove rod outside the second remove housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a base;
the first press actuator being secured to the base;
the second press actuator being secured to the base;
the first remove actuator being secured to the base; and, the second remove actuator being secured to the base.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
the first press actuator, the second press actuator, the first remove actuator and the second remove actuator being secured to the base in parallel orientations.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
the first press actuator and the second press actuator being positioned in a press plane;
the first remove actuator and the second remove actuator being positioned in a remove plane; and,
the press plane and the remove plane intersect and are perpendicular.

12. A check pin insertion and removal apparatus comprising:
a first press actuator, the first press actuator having a first press housing with a first press rod extending from inside the first press housing to a distal end of the first press rod outside the first press housing, the first press rod being movable linearly between an extended position of the first press rod relative to the first press housing and a retracted position of the first press rod relative to the first press housing;
a second press actuator, the second press actuator having a second press housing with a second press rod extending from inside the second press housing to a distal end of the second press rod outside the second press housing, the second press rod being moveable linearly between an extended position of the second press rod relative to the second press housing and a retracted position of the second press rod relative to the second press housing;
a check pin holder operatively connected to the distal end of the first press rod and operatively connected to the distal end of the second press rod, the check pin holder being operable to removably hold a check pin on the check pin holder;
the first press actuator and the second press actuator being operable together to selectively move the first press rod to the extended position of the first press rod relative to the first press housing and move the second press rod to the extended position of the second press rod relative to the second press housing and move a check pin held by the check pin holder into a hole in a workpiece surface; and,
the first press actuator and the second press actuator being operable together to selectively move the first press rod to the retracted position of the first press rod relative to th

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Huesemann Nicholas Scott
• Hartnagel Trevor A

Classifications

• B25C1/04

  operated by fluid pressure {, e.g. by air pressure} · CPC title

• B25C11/00

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

• B23P19/027 Primary

  using hydraulic or pneumatic means (B23P19/033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01B5/0004

  Supports (G01B5/025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01B5/12

  internal diameters · CPC title