Tool and method of installing a bulkhead within a structure

• US 9,994,299 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Aske, James Alan, Ponton, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Lee D
• Application Number:
  US14/678,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/10 Bulkheads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/00 Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A tool for use in installing a bulkhead within a structure is provided. The tool includes a base member configured to couple to the structure, and a positioning member configured to couple to the bulkhead. The base member includes a primary fastener hole sized to receive at least a portion of a fastener therethrough, and sized such that the fastener is configured to bias against the base member to retract the positioning member towards the base member when the fastener is engaged with the positioning member.

Claims

1. A tool for use in installing a bulkhead within a structure, said tool comprising:

a base member comprising;

a stationary portion configured to couple to the structure; and

a moveable portion coupled to said stationary portion; and

a positioning member configured to couple to the bulkhead, wherein said base member comprises a primary fastener hole sized to receive at least a portion of a fastener therethrough, and sized such that said fastener is configured to bias against said base member to retract said positioning member towards said base member when the fastener is engaged with said positioning member, and wherein said primary fastener hole extends through both said stationary portion and said moveable portion.

2. The tool in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said moveable portion is selectively translateable relative to said stationary portion along an interface defined therebetween.

3. The tool in accordance with claim 2, wherein said moveable portion is coupled to said stationary portion at the interface having an angled orientation relative to a surface of the structure.

4. The tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stationary portion comprises a fastener slot sized to receive at least one secondary fastener therethrough, said fastener slot having an elongated shape such that said at least one secondary fastener is selectively translatable therein.

5. The tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fastener is configured to threadably engage a screw hole defined in said positioning member, such that a distance that said positioning member retracts towards said base member is based on a distance that said fastener is inserted within said screw hole.

6. The tool in accordance with claim 5, wherein said positioning member comprises:

a lateral portion configured to couple to the bulkhead; and

an elongated portion extending from said lateral portion, wherein said screw hole is defined in said elongated portion such that said elongated portion and said fastener are substantially coaxially aligned when said fastener is threadably engaged with said screw hole.

7. The tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base member comprises a flange portion extending in a substantially normal direction from a surface of the structure, said primary fastener hole defined in said flange portion.

8. The tool in accordance with claim 7, wherein said fastener comprises a threaded portion and a head portion coupled to said threaded portion, said threaded portion sized to extend through said primary fastener hole from a first side to a second side of said flange portion, and said head portion sized such that said head portion is configured to bias against the first side of said flange portion.

9. The tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base member comprises a stopper portion oriented to extend towards the bulkhead when said base member is coupled to the structure.

20. The tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fastener is directly coupled to and extends between said base member and said positioning member.

10. A system for use in installing a bulkhead within a barrel section of an aircraft, said system comprising:

a plurality of tools positioned circumferentially about the barrel section of the aircraft, wherein each tool comprises;

a base member comprising;

a stationary portion coupled to the barrel section of the aircraft; and

a moveable portion coupled to said stationary portion;

a positioning member coupled to the bulkhead; and

a fastener extending through both said stationary portion and said moveable portion to selectively engage said positioning member, wherein said fastener is configured to bias against said base member to retract said positioning member towards said base member.

11. The system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said

moveable portion is coupled to said stationary portion with at least one secondary fastener, wherein said moveable portion is selectively translatable relative to said stationary portion along an interface defined therebetween.

12. The system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said base member comprises a flange portion extending in a substantially normal direction from a surface of the structure, wherein a primary fastener hole defined in said flange portion receives at least a portion of said fastener therethrough.

13. The system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said fastener threadably engages a screw hole defined in said positioning member, such that a distance that said positioning member retracts towards said base member is based on a distance that said fastener is inserted within said screw hole.

14. A method of installing a bulkhead within a structure, said method comprising:

positioning the bulkhead in a first installation position within the structure;

coupling a base member of a tool to the structure, wherein the base member includes a stationary portion coupled to the structure and a moveable portion coupled to the stationary portion;

coupling a positioning member of the tool to the bulkhead;

extending a fastener through both the stationary portion and the moveable portion to engage the positioning member, wherein the fastener biases against the base member; and

retracting the positioning member towards the base member such that the bulkhead is in a second installation position within the structure.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein retracting the positioning member comprises biasing the fastener against the base member to retract the positioning member towards the base member.

16. The method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising forming a pair of fastener holes in the bulkhead and in the structure when the bulkhead is in the second installation position.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising threadably engaging the fastener with a screw hole defined in the positioning member, wherein a distance that the positioning member retracts towards the base member is based on a distance that the fastener is inserted within the screw hole.

18. The method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising:

uncoupling the positioning member from the bulkhead when the bulkhead is in the second installation position; and

retracting the positioning member towards the base member such that the positioning member is disengaged from the bulkhead.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising translating a moveable portion of the base member relative to a stationary portion of the base member along an interface defined therebetween when the positioning member is disengaged from the bulkhead, wherein the interface is angled relative to a surface of the barrel section.