Load indicating member, apparatus and method

• US 4,686,859 A
• Filed: 10/31/1986
• Issued: 08/18/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SPS Technologies LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SPS Technologies LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wallace, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciarlante, Anthony V.
• Application Number:
  US06/926,309
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 73/761, 73/862.21, 73/862.23
• US Class Current: 73/761
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/147 specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/025 with a gauge pin in a longitudinal bore in the body of the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/24 for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed

Abstract

A method of measuring the load in a member subjected to longitudinal stress, a load measuring device and a fastener tightening device using the method of measuring, a load indicating member and a load indicating fastener for use in conjunction with the method of measuring, a method of making the load indicating fastener, and a method of tightening the load indicating fastener. A preselected end of a pin is secured to a shank of a load indicating member, such as a load indicating fastener, in a manner such that the pin is unaffected by the elastic deformation of the shank in response to longitudinal stress. Coplanar first and second flat surfaces are formed, respectively, adjacent to the longitudinal ends of the pin and the shank furthest from the preselected end of the pin such as to provide reference surfaces for the measurement of the elongation of the shank in response to longitudinal stress.

Claims

1. A load indicating member comprising:

a shank, which, when stressed longitudinally, is subject to elastic deformation such that one portion thereof moves relative to another portion thereof;

a recess formed adjacent one longitudinal end of said shank;

a first flat surface formed in the base of said recess;

an indicator pin having one longitudinal end disposed adjacent said first flat surface and an other longitudinal end disposed remote therefrom, said other longitudinal end being secured to said shank at a location remote from said first flat surface, said pin being unaffected by said elastic deformation of said shank; and

a second flat surface formed at said one longitudinal end of said pin, said second flat surface being substantially parallel with said first flat surface when said shank is unstressed, said second flat surface providing a reference for measurement of the elongation of said shank.

2. The load indicating member of claim 1 further comprising:

a head formed integrally with said shank at said one longitudinal end thereof adjacent said first flat surface said recess being formed in said head;

fastening means formed integrally with said shaft at the other longitudinal end thereof remote from said first flat surface;

a first bore extending longitudinally of said shank and partially through said shank and having an open end disposed adjacent said first flat surface and a base end disposed remote therefrom, said indicator pin being disposed within said first bore; and

a second bore having a smaller diameter than said first bore, said second bore extending longitudinally of said shank partially through said shank from said base end of said first bore to a location remote therefrom said indicator pin being interconnected with said shank by having one end thereof secured in said second bore.

3. The load indicating member of claim 1 wherein said recess is formed at said first longitudinal end of said shank.

4. The load indicating member of claim 1 further comprising:

a load measuring device disposed within said recess, said load measuring device having portions respectively engaging said first flat surface and said second flat surface and being responsive to the elongation of said shank relative to said indicator pin such as to provide a measurement of the elongation of said shank.

5. The load indicating member of claim 1 further comprising:

engagement means formed at said one longitudinal end of said shank for removably positioning a load measuring device relative to said first and second flat surfaces such as to provide a measurement of the elongation of said shank.

6. The load indicating member of claim 5 wherein said engagement means comprises the surfaces of said recess formed in said shank.

7. The load indicating member of claim 5 further comprising:

cap means removably engagable with said engagement means to protect said load indicating member from debris and contaminants.

8. The load indicating member of claim 1 further comprising:

a head formed integrally with said shank at said one longitudinal end thereof, said recessed being formed in said head; and

engagement means formed on said head for positioning a load measuring device relative to said first and second flat surface such as to provide a measurement of the elongation of said shaft.

9. The load indicating member of claim 1 further comprising:

cap means removably engagable with said elongated shank to close said recess such as to protect said load indicating member from debris and contaminants.

10. A load measuring device for use in conjunction with a load indicating member having a shank, a first flat surface formed adjacent to one longitudinal end of said shank, first engagement means formed at said one longitudinal end of said shank, a pin secured to said shank at a location remote from said first flat surface, and a second flat surface formed on said pin and disposed parallel to said first flat surface, said load measuring device comprising:

adapter means selectively engagable with said first flat surface;

probe means movably interconnected with said adapter means, said probe means being selectively engagable with said second flat surface;

second engagement means selectively engagable with said first engagement means when said load measuring device is used in conjunction with said load indicating member such as to axially position said probe means relative to said pin; and

measurement means responsive to the displacement of said probe means relative to said adapter means such that said measurement means provides a measurement of the elongation of said shank relative to said pin when said shank is stressed longitudinally.

11. The load measuring device in claim 10 wherein said first flat surface is disposed adjacent one end of said shank and further wherein said pin is disposed in a partial bore passing through said first flat surface, said load measuring device further comprising:

recess means formed in said adapter means, said probe means being reciprocably disposed in said recess means such as to be reciprocable relative to said seat means toward and away from said second flat surface; and

feet means extending from said adapter means for engagement with said first flat surface, said feet means being disposed in an array about said recess means such as to position said adapter means on said first flat surface in a manner placing said probe means in axial alignment with said pin.

12. The load measuring device of claim 10, wherein said load indicating member comprises a fastener having a head formed at said one end of said shank, and said first engagement means comprises tool engagement means formed on said head;

and further wherein;

said second engagement means of said load measuring device further comprises tool means selectively engagable with said tool engagement means such that said fastener is selectively rotated by rotation of said tool means.

13. The load measuring device of claim 12 further comprising:

interconnection means for interconnecting said tool means with wrenching means such as selectively impart a rotational motion to said fastener to install and to remove said fastener while measuring the elongation thereof.

14. The load measuring device of claim 13 wherein said measurement means provides an output signal indicative of the elongation of said shank and further wherein said load measuring device further comprises:

commutator means for communicating said output signal to said wrenching means.

15. The load measuring device of claim 10 wherein said first engagement means comprises a recess formed in said shank and said second engagement means comprises a portion of said load measurement device engagable with said recess, said first flat surface being disposed at the base of said recess.

27. The installation tool of claim 26 the load measuring device of claim 13 wherein said measurement means provides an output signal indicative of the elongation of said shank and further wherein said load measuring device further comprises:

commutator means for communicating said output signal to said wrenching means.

16. A method of tightening a load indicating fastener of the type having a shank subject to elastic deformation when stressed longitudinally, a head formed at one longitudinal end of said load indicating fastner, a first flat surface formed adjacent said head, tool engagement means formed on said head adjacent said first flat surface, an indicator pin having one longitudinal end disposed adjacent said first flat surface and an other longitudinal end secured to said shank at a location remote from said head, and a second flat surface formed at said one longitudinal end of said pin, said method comprising the steps of:

simultaneously engaging a tightening tool with said tool engagement means, engaging adapter means with said first flat surface, and engaging probe means with said second flat surface said adapter means being fixedly interconnected with said tightening tool and said probe means being reciprocally interconnected with said adapter means;

operating said tightening tool to tighten said load indicating fastener; and

measuring the displacement of said probe means relative to said adapter means such as to provide a continuous measurement of the elongation of said shank during the operation of said tightening tool.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of operating said tightening tool further comprises rotating said tightening tool until the occurence of a condition measured by said tightening tool indicative of a proper joint, said method further comprising the step of:

verifying the existence of a proper joint using the measurement of the displacement of said probe means relative to said adapter means.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

ceasing operation of said tightening tool when said measuring step indicates that a predetermined amount of shank elongation has occurred.

19. A method of measuring the load indicating fastener of the type having a shank subject to elastic deformation when stressed longitudinally, a head formed at one longitudinal end of said load indicating fastener, a first flat surface formed adjacent said head, tool engagement means formed on said head adjacent said first flat surface, an indicator pin having one longitudinal end disposed adjacent said first flat surface and an other longitudinal end secured to said shank at a location remote from said head, and a second flat surface formed at said one longitudinal end of said pin, said method comprising the steps of:

engaging socket means with said tool engagement means, said socket means further comprising leg means engagable with said first flat surface and probe means reciprocably interconnected with said leg means and engagable with said second flat surface; and

measuring the position of said probe means relative to said leg means.

20. An adapter for a load measuring device for use in conjunction with a load indicating member having a shank, a first flat surface formed adjacent one longitudinal end of said shank, a pin secured to said shank at a location remote from said first flat surface, and a second flat surface formed on said pin and disposed parallel to said first flat surface, said adapter means comprising:

a main body;

a bore extending through said main body, said bore being adapted to reciprocally receive probe means therein;

interconnection means adapted to interconnect said main body with measurement means responsive to displacement of said probe means relative to said mainbody; and

feet means extending from said main body for engagement with said first flat surface, said feet means being disposed in an array about said recess means such as to position said adapter means on said first flat surface in a manner placing said bore in axial alignment with said pin; and

further such that, upon interconnection of said measurement means with said main body, and engagement of said probe means with said first flat surface, said measurement means provides a measurement of the elongation of said shank relative to said pin when said shank is stressed longitudinally.

21. The adapter of claim 20 wherein said load indicating member further comprises first engagement means formed at one end of said shank, said adapter further comprising:

second engagement means selectively engagable with said first engagement means when said adapter is used in conjunction with said load indicating member such as to axially position said probe means relative to said pin.

22. The adapter of claim 20 wherein said load indicating member comprises a fastener having a head formed at said one end of said shank, and said first engagement means comprises tool engagement means formed on said head;

and further wherein;

said second engagement means of said load measuring device further comprises tool means selectively engagable with said tool engagement means such that said fastener is selectively rotated by rotation of said tool means.

23. The adapter of claim 22 further comprising:

interconnection means for interconnecting said tool means with wrenching means such as selectively impart a rotational motion to said fastener to install and to remove said fastener while measuring the elongation thereof.

24. The adapter of claim 23 wherein said measurement means provides an output signal indicative of the elongation of said shank and further wherein said load measuring device further comprises:

commutator means for communicating said output signal to said wrenching means.

26. The installation tool of claim 24 wherein said fastener is installed by rotation of the fastener relative to said workpiece, said tool means imparting rotational motion to said tool engagement means for installation of said fasteners.

25. An installation tool for installing a load indicating fastener of the type having a shank, a first flat surface formed adjacent to one longitudinal end of said shank, tool engagement means formed at said shank, a pin secured to said shank at a location remote from said first flat surface, and a second flat surface formed on said pin and disposed parallel to said first flat surface, said installation tool comprising:

adapter means selectively engagable with said first flat surface;

probe means movably interconnected with said adapter means, said probe means being selectively engagable with said second flat surface;

second engagement means selectively engagable with said first engagement means when said load measuring device is used in conjunction with said load indicating member such as to axially position said probe means relative to said pin; and

measurement means responsive to the displacement of said probe means relative to said adapter means such that said measurement means provides a measurement of the elongation of said shank relative to said pin when said shank is stressed longitudinally,

tool means selectively engagable with said tool engagement means such that said fastener is selectively installed in a workpiece by engagement of said tool means with said tool engagement means and operation. of said tool means.