Method of attaching a ball lock pin

• US 7,854,053 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schmier, Mark A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart; Jermie E
• Application Number:
  US12/787,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 294/411, 295/20, 295/21, 295/25, 295/250.1, 411/344, 411/348, 244/137.4, 244/137.1, 292/252
• US Class Current: 29/441.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/02 Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/109 Temporary rivets, e.g. with a spring-loaded pin special clamping devices for workpieces to be riveted together, e.g. operating through the rivet holes B21J15/42; hand tools for temporarily connecting sheets before or during assembly operations B25B31/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/125 radially resilient or with a snap-action member, e.g. elastic tooth, pawl with spring, resilient coil or wire
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/122 Threaded inserts, e.g. "rampa bolts"
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49853 of sphere, i.e., ball, in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49934 by axially applying force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49945 by driven force fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4995 Nonthreaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/14 Ball

Abstract

A method of attaching a ball lock pin. A bushing assembly is inserted in a first object such that an outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object. A plurality of locking balls disposed on a shaft of the ball lock pin is inserted into the bushing assembly. The plurality of locking balls is outwardly urged to engage a first engagement portion of an inner surface of the bushing assembly.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a ball lock pin, the method comprising:

inserting a bushing assembly in a first object such that an outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object;

inserting, into the bushing assembly, a plurality of locking balls disposed on a shaft of the ball lock pin;

outwardly urging the plurality of locking balls to engage a first engagement portion of an inner surface of the bushing assembly; and

the ball lock pin passing through an open end of the bushing assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning the first object with a second object such that the shaft of the ball lock pin is receivable in the second object;

inserting, into the second object, the plurality of locking balls; and

outwardly urging the plurality of locking balls to engage a second engagement portion of an inner surface of the second object.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to the plurality of locking balls engaging the second engagement portion of the inner surface of the second object, withdrawing the ball lock pin until the plurality of locking balls engage the first engagement portion, wherein the ball lock pin is secured to the first object when the ball lock pin engages only the inner surface of the bushing assembly.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein engaging the plurality of locking balls with the second engagement portion secures the first object to the second object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the bushing assembly in the first object comprises:

inserting the bushing assembly in the first object to attachably engage the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the bushing assembly defines the first engagement portion in which the first engagement portion includes a concave groove shaped to at least partially receive the plurality of locking balls, and wherein the outer surface of the bushing assembly is shaped to be received within an opening in the first object and supports a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the concave groove is a first radial groove and further comprising:

inserting a lock pin in a second radial groove of the bushing assembly after inserting the plurality of locking balls into the bushing assembly to prevent the plurality of locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the bushing assembly in the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object comprises:

inserting the bushing assembly in the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is press fit into the first object to be received within the first object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the bushing assembly further comprises a body having a first length in which the first length of the body of the bushing assembly is configured to be shorter than a second length of the shaft of the ball lock pin, wherein the shaft of the ball lock pin is configured to extend through the body of the bushing assembly and beyond the body of the bushing assembly at one or more of the opposing ends of the bushing assembly.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

securing the outer surface of the bushing assembly to the first object.

11. A method of attaching a ball lock pin, the method comprising:

inserting a bushing assembly in a first object such that an outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object;

inserting, into the bushing assembly, a plurality of locking balls disposed on a shaft of the ball lock pin;

outwardly urging the plurality of locking balls to engage a first engagement portion of an inner surface of the bushing assembly;

aligning the first object with a second object such that the shaft of the ball lock pin is receivable in the second object;

inserting, into the second object, the plurality of locking balls; and

outwardly urging the plurality of locking balls to engage a second engagement portion of an inner surface of the second object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of inserting the bushing assembly in the first object comprises:

inserting the bushing assembly in the first object to attachably engage the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the bushing assembly comprises opposing ends in which each of the opposing ends is open and sized for the ball lock pin to pass through the bushing assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inner surface of the bushing assembly defines the first engagement portion in which the first engagement portion includes a concave groove shaped to at least partially receive the plurality of locking balls, and wherein the outer surface of the bushing assembly is shaped to be received within an opening in the first object and supports a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the concave groove is a first radial groove and further comprising:

inserting a lock pin in a second radial groove of the bushing assembly after inserting the plurality of locking balls into the bushing assembly to prevent the plurality of locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the bushing assembly further comprises a body having a first length in which the first length of the body of the bushing assembly is configured to be shorter than a second length of the shaft of the ball lock pin, wherein the shaft of the ball lock pin is configured to extend through the body of the bushing assembly and beyond the body of the bushing assembly at one or more of the opposing ends of the bushing assembly.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of inserting the bushing assembly in the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is received within the first object comprises:

inserting the bushing assembly in the first object such that the outer surface of the bushing assembly is press fit into the first object to be received within the first object.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

responsive to the plurality of locking balls engaging the second engagement portion of the inner surface of the second object, withdrawing the ball lock pin until the plurality of locking balls engage the first engagement portion, wherein the ball lock pin is secured to the first object when the ball lock pin engages only the inner surface of the bushing assembly.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein engaging the plurality of locking balls with the second engagement portion secures the first object to the second object.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

securing the outer surface of the bushing assembly to the first object.