Manual rivet automatic placement tool

Abstract

This invention relates to a tool for the automatic placement of manual rivets, based on the rotation of a threaded shank that moves a deformable sleeve over the indeformable body of the rivet until the threaded inner shank breaks at a fracture groove. The tool utilizes a polygonal nut housing for manual rivets, secured with a combination of claws and a retractable pin, while the threaded shank is inserted into a rotating key with limited stroke and torque to engage the drive face, and then rotated multiple times on a preloaded rotating shaft to generate maximum torque for riveting. All of this is associated with a rotatable actuator located externally to the tool. The main advantage of this tool is that it allows for the automated use of manual rivets and can be connected to an automated system, whereas previously only manual tools were provided for insertion, thus avoiding the need for a dual inventory.

Description

[0001] As its title suggests, this specification relates to an automated placement tool for manual rivets used in industry, particularly in the aerospace manufacturing industry. It is based on the rotation of a threaded shank that moves a deformable sleeve across the rivet's indeformable body until the threaded inner shank breaks at a properly positioned fracture groove, thus installing the rivet in the desired position. The tool utilizes a polygonal nut housing for manual rivets, secured by a combination of claws and a retractable pin, while the threaded shank is inserted into a rotating key with limited stroke and limited torque to engage the drive face, and then subjected to multiple full rotations via a preloaded rotating shaft for full torque riveting. All of this is associated with an externally mounted, rotationally capable actuator.

[0002] Invention Field This invention relates to the field of automatic rivet placement tools, and more particularly to the field of manual rivets, for industrial use, primarily in the aerospace industry.

[0003] Technical Description Currently, rivets are a widely used and well-known connecting element in the industrial construction sector. In the aerospace industry, rivets are particularly used based on the rotation of a threaded shank, which allows a deformable sleeve to move on an indeformable rivet body until the threaded inner shank breaks at a properly positioned fracture groove, allowing the rivet to be installed in the desired position and leaving a remainder as excess material. They typically use a polygonal nut (usually hexagonal) from which the end of the threaded shank extends, having at least one longitudinal plane (usually two) that allows it to rotate relative to the polygonal nut to produce the rivet placement. Examples of these rivets can be found in the following documents: EP0244782 "Blind rivet with deformable drive nut and method of fastening a panel using the fastener", EP0775837 "Blind rivet with deformable drive", US5350264A "Blind rivet with reinforced receiving sleeve" and US6036418A "Self-expanding blind rivet with mechanical locking".

[0004] These types of rivets are designed for insertion and riveting using hand tools, as described in US4691552A "Head of tool for installing blind hole rivets". These rivets are always installed manually using hand tools provided by the rivet supplier. These supplier tools are manual and take into account the dexterity and sensitivity of the human arm to allow the rivet to be installed in the tool. This makes their use problematic in automated and robotic environments, where the dexterity of the human hand in installing the rivet is lost, and the requirements for precision and speed are higher than those that can be provided by manual tools. Furthermore, there is an additional drawback: each tool is designed only for rivets with a specific nut shape (typically hexagonal), while for other types of rivets with different nut shapes, different tools are required, or, if possible, a different insertion head is needed.

[0005] Some manufacturers have recognized this problem and have offered variants of these rivets suitable for automated assembly, as described in WO2019032633 "Blind Rivets with Slotted Expansion Bodies". These automated rivet heads differ in structure from manual rivet heads and require different tools or adapters because they utilize two smooth-surfaced cylindrical elements. One cylindrical element is integrally formed with a threaded shank, while the other can rotate relative to it. Therefore, the rivet is installed by rotating one cylindrical element onto the other. Rivet manufacturers typically provide specialized tools for automated insertion, as described in EP0195851 "Wedge Fastener Installation Tool". However, a major drawback of this approach is the need for differentiated inventory due to the different rivet models for manual and automated versions, which must be purchased separately. Furthermore, the more complex structure of automated rivets typically results in a significantly higher price than manual rivets, making their use more expensive and forcing the search for more economical alternatives. The high cost of automated variable rivets also necessitates the recycling of rivets left over after placement for reuse when manufacturing new rivets, which greatly increases the difficulty of waste management in the manufacturing process.

[0006] Other rivet and tool kits are also known, such as those described in ES2620797 "Rivets for blind fastening, associated installation tools and methods for installing such rivets", ES2837534 "Tools and procedures for installing blind fastening", and EP0466609 "Tools for installing pin-type rivets", but these are dedicated rivets for these tools and cannot be used by hand, and the application of these types of rivets in aerospace technology is not flexible.

[0007] For the reasons mentioned above, there are no known tools, heads, or modules in the prior art that can automate the placement of manual rivets, which have always been considered non-automatable, especially those rivets that use polygonal nuts, the ends of which extend from their threaded shanks and have at least one longitudinal plane (usually two) to allow them to rotate relative to the polygonal nut to produce rivet placement. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the issue of requiring different rivet types for manual and automatic rivet insertion in current manufacturing processes, this invention designs a tool for automatically placing manually inserted rivets, comprising: A cylindrical housing for accommodating polygonal nuts for manual rivets, equipped with clamping and locking devices in both longitudinal and rotational directions. - A rotary key, adjacent to the cylindrical housing of a polygonal nut, capable of axially moving inward against the action of a spring. The rotary key has a housing with two planes whose cross-section and dimensions are compatible with the threaded rod of a hand rivet. It also includes means for aligning and connecting the rotary key to the protruding end of the threaded rod. - A device for pushing the threaded rod out of the housing of the rotary key. - A device for rotating the key via a preloaded rotating shaft, and - A device for connecting a preloaded rotating shaft to an external actuator capable of rotation, preferably a pneumatic or electric actuator. Except for the devices used for rotating the key and preloading the rotating shaft, all devices are pneumatically driven and work in conjunction with multiple position sensors for components and inserting manual rivets.

[0009] The device for clamping polygonal nuts includes: - As a longitudinal locking mechanism, multiple claws on the side of the cylindrical housing longitudinally clamp the polygonal nut in the closed position, holding it within the cylindrical housing, and - As a rotary locking mechanism, multiple retractable pins are circumferentially distributed within the main cylindrical housing. Each pin is equipped with a spring and a side housing, enabling a retracted position. When the polygonal nut is inserted into the cylindrical housing, the retractable pin pushed by the polygonal nut due to its overlapping position moves axially into the side housing independently of the other pins, thereby compressing the spring and enabling the retractable pin to extend. Each retractable pin, independently of the other pins, is held in the extended position closest to the opening of the cylindrical housing by the thrust of the spring at those points allowed by the position of the polygonal nut, preventing possible rotation of the polygonal nut.

[0010] A device for aligning and coupling a rotary key with two planes to the protruding end of a threaded rod of a manual rivet includes: - The rotary key housing inlet has a chamfer of up to 30°, which can directly absorb misalignment of less than 30° between the rotary key and the threaded rod, and - A spindle with a nut, which, when the spindle advances, mechanically couples the rotary key to rotate in a limited manner relative to its axis, aligning the plane of the rotary key housing with the plane of the protruding end of the manual rivet threaded rod, thus allowing it to be inserted into the housing, and is also provided with balls circulating along a closed helical path, which can subsequently actuate the toothed nut, allowing free rotation in one position, disengaging the nut from the spindle, and allowing the spindle to rotate freely.

[0011] Preloaded rotating shaft includes - A spring clutch coaxially mounted with the preload rotating shaft, the spring clutch having multiple stop positions selectable according to the preload torque required by the preload rotating shaft, and - A partially spiral groove, through which a lug integrated with the preloaded rotating shaft can move.

[0012] The device for pushing the threaded rod out of the housing of the rotary key includes a piston that can move longitudinally inside the spindle and the rotary key, the piston engaging with a retaining spring in a stationary position.

[0013] This automatic rivet placement tool produces a method for automatically placing manual rivets, which includes... - The stage of clamping manually supplied rivets into the cylindrical housing by an external feeder. - If, during the manual rivet clamping stage, the threaded shank of the manual rivet does not directly enter the rotary key housing and is not detected by the corresponding insertion sensor, then the stage of inserting the threaded shank of the manual rivet into the rotary key housing should proceed. - Riveting stage, - The stage of retracting the tool from the position where the manual rivet has been placed, using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor, and - The stage of discharging manual rivet residue into an external residue collection device.

[0014] The stage of clamping the manual rivets in the cylindrical housing includes - Insert the manual rivet provided by the external feeder into the cylindrical housing with the threaded rod facing inwards until the polygonal nut is fitted into the cylindrical housing, and - The steps for manually clamping rivets using a polygonal nut clamping device and locking mechanisms in the longitudinal and rotational directions include... - The closing steps of the claws on the polygonal nut, and - The release step of the telescopic pins allows those telescopic pins whose positions do not coincide with the polygonal nut to move axially toward the opening of the cylindrical housing at the point where the polygonal nut is positioned, by the thrust of the springs inserted in their side housings, thus preventing possible rotation of the polygonal nut. The remaining telescopic pins are blocked in their side housings and cannot move past the polygonal nut. These two steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0015] The stage of inserting the threaded rod of the manual rivet into the housing of the rotary key includes... - The spindle rotation step, by means of a nut, mechanically couples the rotary key relative to its axis by means of a recirculating ball along a closed helical path. This aligns the plane of the rotary key housing with the plane of the threaded protruding end of the manual rivet, allowing it to be inserted into the housing. - A toothed nut actuation step, which allows free rotation in a position to disengage the nut from the spindle and from this moment on allow the spindle to rotate freely, and thus allow the rotating key of the threaded rod, which has been inserted with a manual rivet, to rotate freely.

[0016] The riveting stage includes - Preloading step, in which the preloaded rotating shaft rotates within the allowable range of the spring clutch, and the torque is limited according to the preload torque selected based on the stop position. At this time, the lug circulating in part of the helical groove releases rotation and sends a signal through the spring preload sensor, causing the external actuator to stop and stop rotating, preventing accidental riveting. - The step of manually positioning the rivet at the rivet insertion point is performed by using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor and moving tool. - Steps for rotating the threaded rod: Activate the external actuator, and drive the threaded rod of the manual rivet to rotate at maximum torque through the coupling device of the preloaded rotating shaft via the spindle and rotating key, until the threaded rod of the manual rivet breaks at the predetermined fracture groove, which is detected by the torque sensor.

[0017] The stages for removing manual rivet residue include: - Open the claws on the polygonal nut to release them, then - The piston-driven step pushes the remaining threaded rod and polygonal nut out of the cylindrical housing, thereby ejecting the tool. Advantages of the present invention This tool for the automatic placement of manual rivets has several advantages over currently available systems. Most importantly, it allows for the automatic use of manual rivets and is easy to couple with automation systems or robots, whereas until now, manual rivets have only been used for insertion with manual tools.

[0018] We should also emphasize that, because the cylindrical housing is equipped with a device for clamping the nut and a locking mechanism for the longitudinal and rotational directions regardless of the number of faces of the nut, the tool can be used with rivets equipped with nuts other than hexagonal nuts (hexagonal nuts are the most widely used) without any adjustment or replacement of the opening.

[0019] Another important advantage is that it eliminates the need to maintain dual inventory to store manual and automatic versions of rivets (which was previously required), allowing them to be unified under a single reference.

[0020] Another advantage of this invention is that it allows for faster and more accurate placement of manual rivets compared to manual tools.

[0021] Another significant advantage worth emphasizing is the cost savings. Since it's not necessary to stock both manual and automatic models simultaneously, bulk purchasing of only the manual models is possible, optimizing procurement prices. Considering that automatic riveting typically costs 70% more, the cost savings can be substantial.

[0022] It is worth noting that the tool supports automatic rivet pickup and installation, making it exceptionally flexible and adaptable to other rivets on other gears and systems.

[0023] It is worth emphasizing that this tool can manage the generated waste in a unified manner because it consists of disposable, non-reusable parts. Traditional automatic riveting systems are costly and require the recycling of remaining parts for reuse, which complicates the waste management process. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To better understand the purpose of the invention, the accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred practical embodiment of a tool for automatically placing manual rivets.

[0025] In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the front and side views of the tool, with the parts shown in the other figures marked.

[0026] Figure 2 shows two perspective views of the tool.

[0027] Figure 3 shows a side sectional view of the tool.

[0028] Figure 4 shows another side cross-sectional view of the tool.

[0029] Figure 5 shows another side cross-sectional view of the tool.

[0030] Figure 6 shows another side cross-sectional view of the tool.

[0031] Figure 7 shows front and side views of an example of a manual rivet used with this tool.

[0032] Figure 8 shows a perspective detail of the spindle and its associated nut, used to drive the rotating key and recirculating ball along a closed helical path.

[0033] Figure 9 shows the details of the chamfer at the entrance of the rotating key housing in perspective.

[0034] Figure 10 shows a perspective rendering detail of the tool end corresponding to the housing of a manual rivet, where a manual rivet is inserted and secured.

[0035] Figure 11 shows a perspective detail of the tool end, which corresponds to the housing of a manual rivet. There is no manual rivet, but the claw is closed and the retractable pin is in the outermost position due to the action of the spring.

[0036] Figure 12 shows a perspective detail of the tool end, which corresponds to the housing of a manual rivet. There is no manual rivet, but the claws are open and the telescopic pins are in their innermost position, revealing their empty housings.

[0037] Preferred embodiments of the present invention The structure and features of the invention can be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0038] The currently developed tools can automatically insert rivets, whereas previously these rivets could only be inserted manually. As shown in Figure 7, these manual rivets (1) are based on the rotation of a threaded rod (8), which, through its end (3), drives the deformable sleeve (4) on the rivet's non-deformable body (5) to move until the internal threaded rod (1) breaks at a properly positioned fracture groove (2), allowing the rivet to be installed in the desired position, with the remaining portion serving as scrap. The manual rivets use a polygonal nut (6) from which the end of the threaded rod (8) extends. This end has at least one longitudinal plane (7), typically two, which allows the threaded rod to rotate relative to the polygonal nut (6), thereby creating the rivet placement.

[0039] Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate how this tool is constructed. - A size-compatible cylindrical housing (9) for accommodating a polygonal nut (6), the housing being equipped with means for clamping the polygonal nut (6) and having locking mechanisms in the longitudinal and rotational directions. - A rotary key (14) adjacent to the cylindrical housing (9) of the polygonal nut (6) is axially inwardly movable against the action of a spring (31). The rotary key has a housing (15) with two planes whose cross-section and dimensions are compatible with the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the hand rivet (1). It also has means for aligning and connecting the rotary key with the protruding end of the threaded rod (8). - A device for pushing the threaded rod (8) out of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14), - A device for rotating the key (14) via a preloaded rotating shaft (25), and - Connect the preloaded rotating shaft (25) to a coupling device (26) for an external actuator with rotational capability, preferably pneumatic or electric.

[0040] Apart from the rotation mechanism of the rotary key (14) and the preloaded rotary shaft (25), all other mechanisms are pneumatically driven in an automated manner via appropriate external connection devices (27) located in the tool body and multiple position sensors at the insertion positions of the components and manual rivets (1). These sensors include at least one insertion sensor (32) for detecting whether the rotary key (14) is engaged with the threaded rod (8); a spring preload sensor (33) for detecting the longitudinal movement of the tool when a preload force is applied; and a torque sensor associated with an external actuator having rotational capability.

[0041] like Figure 10 , 11 As shown in Figures 1 and 12, the device for clamping the polygonal nut (6) in the cylindrical housing (9) preferably comprises: - As a longitudinal locking mechanism, multiple pneumatically actuated claws (10) are arranged on the side of the cylindrical housing, having appropriate shape and size to longitudinally clamp the polygonal nut (6) in the closed position, and - As a rotary locking mechanism, a plurality of retractable pins (11), preferably cylindrical, are circumferentially distributed within a cylindrical main housing (9). Each pin is provided with a spring (12) and an axially arranged side housing (13). The shape and size of the side housing (13) are compatible with the retractable pin (11), thereby enabling the retractable pin to achieve a retracted position (outside the cylindrical housing (9)). When the polygonal nut (6) is inserted into the cylindrical housing (9), the retractable pin (11) pushed by the polygonal nut (6) due to the position overlap moves axially toward the interior of the side housing (13) independently of the other pins, compressing the spring (12). The retractable pin (11) is also able to achieve an extended position, wherein each retractable pin (11) is independent of each other and is extended at those points allowed by the position of the polygonal nut (6). It is held in the extended position closest to the opening of the cylindrical housing (9) by the thrust of the spring (12) inserted into its side housing (13), preventing possible rotation of the polygonal nut (6). It is configured such that when the claw (10) is in the open position, the polygonal nut (6) is released from the cylindrical housing (9), and the retractable pin (11) is also released from its position.

[0042] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the device for aligning and connecting the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the rotary key (14) having two planes to the manual rivet (1) preferably includes: - A chamfer (16) is provided at the entrance of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14), with a maximum angle of 30°, which can directly absorb misalignment of less than 30° between the rotary key (14) and the threaded rod (8), and - A spindle (17) with a nut (18) that, when the spindle (17) moves forward, causes a rotary key (14) to rotate in a limited manner relative to its axis via mechanical coupling (22), aligning the plane of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) with the plane of the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1), thereby allowing it to be inserted into the housing (15), and also provides a ball (19) that circulates along a spiral closed path (20), which then actuates the toothed nut (21), allowing it to rotate freely in a certain position, disengaging the nut (18) from the spindle (17), and allowing the spindle (17) integrated with the drive surface to rotate freely.

[0043] The preloaded rotating shaft (25) preferably includes - A spring clutch (28), coaxially arranged with the preload rotating shaft (25), and provided with multiple stop positions (29) selectable according to the preload torque required by the preload rotating shaft (25), and - A partially spiral groove (30) and a lug (31) integral with the preloaded rotating shaft (25) move through the groove (30).

[0044] The device for pushing the threaded rod (8) out of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) preferably includes a pneumatic piston (23) that causes the threaded rod (8) to move longitudinally within the spindle (17) and the rotary key (14) and cooperates with a coaxially arranged spring (24) to push the threaded rod (8) into a non-moving position.

[0045] The tool for automatically placing manual rivets (1) produces a method for automatically placing manual rivets (1), comprising: The stage in which the manual rivet (1) provided by the external feeder is clamped in the cylindrical housing (9) - If, during the clamping phase of the manual rivet (1), the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) does not directly enter the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) and is not detected by the corresponding insertion sensor (32), then the phase of inserting the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) into the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) will be executed. - Riveting stage, - The stage of moving the tool using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor, and withdrawing the tool from the position where the manual rivet (1) was placed; and - The stage of discharging the residue of the manual rivet (1) to an external residue collection device.

[0046] The stage of clamping the manual rivet (1) in the cylindrical housing (9) includes - The step of inserting a manual rivet (1) provided by an external feeder into the cylindrical housing (9), with the threaded rod (8) facing inward, until the polygonal nut (6) is inserted into the cylindrical housing (9), and - The steps of securing the manual rivet (1) using the clamping device of the polygonal nut (6) and the locking mechanism in the longitudinal and rotational directions include - Close the claw (10) onto the polygonal nut (6), and - The release step of the telescopic pin (11) allows the telescopic pin (11), which is in a position not coinciding with the polygonal nut (6), to move axially toward the opening of the cylindrical housing (9) at a point permitted by the position of the polygonal nut (6) under the thrust of the spring (12) inserted into its side housing (13), preventing possible rotation of the polygonal nut. The remaining telescopic pins (11) are blocked in their side housings (13) and cannot move past the polygonal nut (6). These two steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0047] The stage of inserting the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) into the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) includes: - The step of rotating the spindle (17) involves rotating the spindle via a nut (18) in a manner restricted by balls (19) circulating along a closed helical path (20), thereby rotating the rotary key (14) relative to its axis via mechanical coupling (22). This causes the plane of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) to align with the plane of the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the hand rivet (1), thus enabling its insertion into the housing (15). - The step of driving the toothed nut (21) to rotate freely in one position, so that the nut (18) is disengaged from the spindle (17). From this moment, the spindle (17) can rotate freely, so the rotating key (14) of the threaded rod (8) into which the manual rivet (1) has been inserted can rotate freely.

[0048] The riveting stage includes - Preloading step, wherein the preload rotating shaft (25) rotates until the spring clutch (28) allows, its torque being limited according to the preload torque selected by the stop position (29), at which point the lug (31) circulating in the partial helical groove (30) releases the rotation and sends a signal through the spring preload sensor (33) to stop the external actuator and stop the rotation, preventing accidental riveting. - The step of positioning the manual rivet (1) in the insertion position is achieved by using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor to move the tool, and - By activating an external actuator, the threaded rod (8) is rotated, driven by the coupling device (26) of the preloaded rotating shaft (25) via the spindle (17) and the rotary key (14), to rotate the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) with full torque until the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) breaks at the provided fracture groove (2), which is detected by the torque sensor.

[0049] The manual rivet residue removal stage (1) includes - Open the claw (10) on the polygonal nut (6) and release it, and - The step of actuating the piston (23) inside the spindle (17) and rotating key (14) pushes the remaining threaded rod (8) and polygonal nut (6) out of the cylindrical housing (9), thereby ejecting the tool.

[0050] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that, provided it is technically feasible, features of different embodiments can be combined with features of other possible embodiments.

[0051] All information relating to examples or embodiments forms part of this specification.

Claims

1. A tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1), the tool being based on rotation of a threaded rod (8) having at least one longitudinal plane (7) relative to a polygonal nut (6), characterized in that, The tool includes - A size-compatible cylindrical housing (9) for accommodating a polygonal nut (6), equipped with means for clamping the polygonal nut (6), and having locking mechanisms in the longitudinal and rotational directions. - A rotating key (14), adjacent to the cylindrical housing (9) of a polygonal nut (6), capable of axially moving inward against the action of a spring (31), the rotating key having a housing (15) whose cross-section and dimensions are compatible with the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of a manual rivet (1), and having a device for aligning and connecting the rotating key with the protruding end of the threaded rod (8). - A device for pushing the threaded rod (8) out of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14), - A device for rotating the key (14) via a preloaded rotating shaft (25), and - Connect the preloaded rotating shaft (25) to the coupling device (26) of the external actuator with rotational capability. The clamping device of the polygonal nut (6), the locking mechanism in the longitudinal and rotational directions, and the discharge device of the threaded rod (8) can be automatically actuated by an external connection (27) provided on the tool body and multiple position sensors for inserting components and manual rivets (1).

2. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The clamping device for the polygonal nut (6) in the cylindrical shell (9) includes - As a longitudinal locking mechanism, multiple pneumatically actuated claws (10) are arranged on the side of the cylindrical housing, having appropriate shape and size to longitudinally clamp the polygonal nut (6) in the closed position, and - As a rotary locking mechanism, multiple retractable pins (11) are circumferentially distributed inside the main cylindrical housing (9). Each retractable pin (11) is provided with a spring (12) and an axially arranged side housing (13) whose shape and size are compatible with the retractable pin (11), so that each retractable pin (11) can achieve a retracted position and an extended position as the position of the polygonal nut (6) allows.

3. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, With the claw (10) in the open position, the polygonal nut (6) is released from the cylindrical housing (9), and the retractable pin (11) is released from its position.

4. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The device for aligning and coupling the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the rotary key (14) with the hand rivet (1) includes - A chamfer (16) is provided at the entrance of the housing (15) of the rotating key (14), with a maximum angle of 30°, and - A spindle (17) with a nut (18) is connected to a rotary key (14) via a mechanical coupling (22) with limited rotation, which allows the plane of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) to be aligned with the plane of the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1), thereby allowing it to be inserted into the housing (15), and is also provided with balls (19) circulating along a closed helical path (20), which can then actuate the nut (21) to release the nut (18) from the spindle (17), thereby allowing the spindle (17) integrated with the drive surface to rotate freely.

5. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The preloaded rotating shaft (25) includes - A spring clutch (28), coaxially arranged with the preload rotating shaft (25), and provided with multiple stop positions (29) selectable according to the preload torque required by the preload rotating shaft (25), and - A partially spiral groove (30) and a lug (31) integral with the preloaded rotating shaft (25) move through the groove (30).

6. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The device for pushing the threaded rod (8) out of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) includes a pneumatically driven piston (23) that moves longitudinally within the spindle (17) and the rotary key (14) and cooperates with a coaxially arranged spring (24) to push the piston to a non-moving position.

7. The tool for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The external actuator with rotational capability associated with the preloaded rotating shaft (25) via the coupling device (26) is an actuator selected from the group consisting of pneumatic actuators or electric actuators.

8. A method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) using a tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The method includes - The stage of clamping the manual rivet (1) supplied by the external feeder in the cylindrical housing (9), - If, during the clamping phase of the manual rivet (1), the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) does not directly enter the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) and is not detected by the corresponding insertion sensor (32), then the phase of inserting the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) into the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) will be executed. - Riveting stage, - The stage of moving the tool using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor, and withdrawing the tool from the position where the manual rivet (1) was placed; and - The stage of discharging the manual rivet (1) residue to an external residue collection device.

9. The method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The stage of clamping the manual rivet (1) in the cylindrical housing (9) includes - The step of inserting a manual rivet (1) provided by an external feeder into the cylindrical housing (9), with the threaded rod (8) facing inward, until the polygonal nut (6) is inserted into the cylindrical housing (9), and - The manual rivet (1) clamping step is achieved by means of a polygonal nut clamping device (6) and a locking mechanism in the longitudinal and rotational directions.

10. The method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The steps for clamping the manual rivet (1) include - Close the claw (10) onto the polygonal nut (6), and - The release step of the telescopic pin (11) allows the telescopic pin (11) which is not in a position that coincides with the polygonal nut (6) to move axially toward the opening of the cylindrical housing (9) at a point where the position of the polygonal nut (6) is allowed, under the thrust of the spring (12) inserted into its side housing (13), preventing possible rotation of the polygonal nut, while the remaining telescopic pins (11) are blocked in their side housing (13) and cannot move past the polygonal nut (6). These two steps can be performed simultaneously.

11. The method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of claims 8, 9 and 10, characterized in that, The stage of inserting the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) into the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) includes - The step of rotating the spindle (17) involves the spindle (17) being mechanically coupled (22) by means of a nut (18) in a manner restricted by balls (19) circulating along a closed helical path (20) to rotate the rotary key (14) relative to its axis, thereby aligning the plane of the housing (15) of the rotary key (14) with the plane of the protruding end of the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1), thus enabling its insertion into the housing (15), and - The step of actuating the nut (21), which has teeth that allow free rotation in one position, disengages the nut (18) from the spindle (17), allowing the spindle (17) to rotate freely from this moment, thus allowing the rotating key (14) of the threaded rod (8) with the manual rivet (1) inserted to rotate freely.

12. The method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of claims 8, 9, 10 and 11, characterized in that, The riveting stage includes - Preloading step, in which the preload rotating shaft (25) rotates until the spring clutch (28) allows it, the torque of which is limited according to the preload torque selected by the stop position (29), at which point the lug (31) circulating in the partial helical groove (30) releases the rotation and sends a signal through the spring preload sensor (33) so that the external actuator stops and no longer rotates, preventing accidental riveting. - The step of positioning the manual rivet (1) in the insertion position is achieved by using an external actuator in conjunction with a suitable positioning sensor to move the tool, and - The threaded rod (8) is rotated by activating an external actuator, and the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) is rotated at full torque by means of a spindle (17) and a rotating key (14), driven by a coupling device (26) of a preloaded rotating shaft (25), until the threaded rod (8) of the manual rivet (1) breaks at the provided fracture groove (2), which is detected by a torque sensor.

13. The method for automatically placing a manual rivet (1) according to any one of claims 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, characterized in that, The stage of removing excess material from manual rivets (1) includes - Open the claw (10) on the polygonal nut (6) to release it, and - The step of actuating the piston (23) inside the spindle (17) and rotating key (14) pushes the remaining threaded rod (8) and polygonal nut (6) out of the cylindrical housing (9) and thus pushes out the tool.

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