Methods and apparatus for removing a slug from a frame of an automobile

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6625861
  • Patent Number
    6,625,861
  • Date Filed
    Monday, January 29, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 30, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A method is provided for removing a slug from a frame of an automobile. A mandrel configured for insertion into an aperture of the slug and a mandrel engaging plate configured to engage the mandrel. The method also includes a cammed jaw connected to the mandrel engaging plate and an actuator. The mandrel engaging plate is configured to engage the automobile frame and the actuator is configured to separate the cammed jaw from the mandrel engaging plate such that the mandrel is drawn through the aperture of the slug, thereby removing the slug from the automobile frame.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




The present invention relates generally to automobile slug removal, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for removing a slug from a frame of an automobile.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Automobiles are typically designed with portions of the suspension fixed in a predetermined position, such that the suspension is pre-aligned prior to installation into the automobile. This is particularly applicable to the front suspension and more particularly applicable to the upper control arm pocket frame of the front suspension. Unfortunately, suspensions become misaligned and adjustments are desirable after initial assembly of an automobile is complete. Therefore, the automobile industry has provided a mechanism for suspension realignments.




More specifically, the frame of the suspension is manufactured with multiple mounting apertures that have been completely or partially covered with preformed, perforated or plastically deformed material to facilitate removal. The re-alignment of the suspension is accomplished with the selection of a mounting aperture that positions the suspension in a realigned position, removing the material to open the selected mounting aperture, and re-mounting the frame at the selected mounting aperture. Thus, these preformed, perforated or plastically deformed mounting apertures provided a viable solution for the realignment of the suspension after initial assembly of the automobile.




Attempts have been made to provide efficient and consistent removal of the material that covers the mounting apertures, which is typically referred to as a slug. For example, in one prior art method, a hammer and punch was used to remove the slug. In a second prior art method, a grinder was used to remove the slug covering the mounting aperture, and in a third prior art method a manual threaded tool was used to force the slug out of the mounting aperture. However, these prior art methods have not generally provided time efficient and consistent results.




In view of the forgoing, it should be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for removing a slug from an automobile frame that are efficient and produce consistent results. Furthermore, additional desirable features will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and appended claims.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for removing a slug from an automobile frame. The apparatus includes a mandrel configured for insertion into an aperture of the slug and a mandrel engaging plate configured to engage the mandrel. The apparatus also includes a cammed jaw connected to the mandrel engaging plate and an actuator. The mandrel engaging plate is configured to engage the automobile frame and the actuator is configured to separate the cammed jaw from the mandrel engaging plate such that the mandrel is drawn through the aperture of the slug, thereby removing the slug from the automobile frame.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an apparatus for removing a slug from an automobile frame according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a top view of the slug puller assembly before the slug has been removed from the automobile frame;





FIG. 3

is a top view of the slug puller assembly after the slug has been removed from the automobile frame;





FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective of the mandrel and mandrel engaging plate.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT




The following detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is mainly exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or its application or uses.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, an apparatus


12


is illustrated for removing a slug from an automobile frame according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus


12


includes, but is not limited to, a slug puller assembly


14


and charging unit


16


. The slug puller assembly


14


and charging unit


16


are connected with a conduit


18


. In a preferred embodiment, the conduit


18


is a hydraulic fluids line that channels hydraulic fluids from the charging unit to hydraulically drive the slug puller assembly


14


. In a non-limiting embodiment, the conduit


18


can transfer fluids from a number of charging means (e.g. hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically or there like) to the slug puller assembly


14


.




Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, the slug puller assembly


14


of

FIG. 1

is shown in greater detail according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The slug puller assembly


14


is preferably configured to remove a slug


20


from a frame


22


, more preferably configured to remove a slug


20


from a frame


22


of an automobile suspension, and most preferably configured to remove a slug


20


from a frame


22


of an automobile front suspension. However, the present invention is configurable for removing a slug from any number of automobile support structures and components. The slug puller assembly


14


includes, but is not limited to a cammed jaw


24


, and a actuator assembly


26


, a mandrel engaging plate


28


and a mandrel


30


.




The mandrel


30


is configured for insertion into an aperture in the slug


20


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


is configured to engage the mandrel


30


. The cammed jaw


24


is connected to the mandrel engaging plate


28


and configured to engage the inner surface


36


of frame


22


causing the mandrel head


31


to contact the outer surface


37


of the frame


22


. The actuator assembly


26


is configured to move the cammed jaw


24


such that a distance


32


between a contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


. The increase in the distance


32


between the contact surface


34


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


results in the contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


contacting the inner surface


36


of the frame


22


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


engaging the mandrel


30


. These actions draw the mandrel


30


through the aperture of the slug


20


, thereby removing the slug


20


from the frame


22


. The removal of the slug


20


from the frame


22


can consist of a complete removal of the slug


20


from the frame


22


to open an aperture in the frame


22


, a partial removal of the slug


20


to open an aperture in the frame


22


, or an adjustment to the reposition of the slug


20


to open the aperture in the frame


22


.




Referring momentarily to

FIG. 4

, the mandrel engaging plate


28


is provided with a first end


38


having a channel


40


for engaging a mating neck


42


of the mandrel


30


and a second end


44


for attachment to a slug puller housing


46


, which is also attached to the cammed jaw


24


(FIG.


2


and


3


). Continuing with reference to

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the cammed jaw


24


is preferably attached to the slug puller housing


46


with a pivot pin


48


. The attachment of the cammed jaw


24


to the slug puller housing


46


with the pivot pin


48


provides a pivot action of the cammed jaw


24


about the pivot pin


48


as a protruding drive rod


50


of the actuator assembly


26


traverses an elongated groove


52


of the cammed jaw


24


, which is preferably a concave groove and more preferably a concave groove towards the mandrel engaging plate. The movement of the protruding drive rod


50


in a first direction pivots the cammed jaw


24


about the pivot pin


48


to increase the distance


32


between the contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


. Conversely, movement of the protruding drive rod


50


in a second direction, which is substantially opposite to the first direction, pivots the cammed jaw


24


to decrease the distance


32


between the contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


and mandrel engaging plate


28


.




The movement of the protruding drive rod


50


in the first and second direction to pivot the cammed jaw


40


about the pivot pin


48


is provided by the actuator assembly


26


, which includes, but is not limited to a piston


54


and a cylinder


56


. The protruding drive rod


50


is connected to the piston


54


and the piston


54


is contained within the cylinder


56


. The cylinder


56


also contains a fluid that is increased in volume through the transfer of fluid from the charging unit


16


(

FIG. 1

) to the cylinder


56


. Therefore, as the fluid volume is increased in the cylinder


56


, the piston


54


vacates the cylinder


56


and moves the protruding drive rod


50


in the first direction. Conversely, as the fluid volume is decreased in the cylinder


56


, the piston


54


enters the cylinder


56


and moves the protruding drive rod


50


in the second direction. As previously discussed in this detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment, the movement in the first direction pivots the cammed jaw about the pivot pin


48


to increase the distance


32


between the contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


and mandrel engaging plate


28


. The increase in the distance


32


between the contact surface


34


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


results in the contact surface


34


of the cammed jaw


24


contacting the inner surface


36


of the frame


22


and the mandrel engaging plate


28


engaging the mandrel


30


, thereby drawing the mandrel


30


through the aperture in the slug


20


and removing the slug


20


from the frame


22


.




From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that methods and apparatus are provided for removing a slug from an automobile frame that are efficient and produce consistent results. In addition, while the foregoing detailed description provides a preferred exemplary embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the ensuing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing a preferred embodiment of the invention. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A method for removing a slug from an automobile frame, comprising:inserting a mandrel into an aperture of the slug; engaging said mandrel with a mandrel engaging plate; separating a cammed jaw from said mandrel engaging plate such that said mandrel is drawn through said aperture of the slug and removes the slug from the automobile frame; wherein said engaging said mandrel with said mandrel plate comprises engaging a mating neck of said mandrel with a channel of said mandrel engaging plate and wherein separating said cammed jaw from said mandrel engaging plate comprises pivoting said cammed jaw about a pivot pin of a slug puller housing as a protruding drive rod of an actuator assembly traverses an elongated groove of said cammed jaw.
  • 2. The method of claim 1, wherein pivoting said cammed jaw about said pivot pin further comprises moving said protruding drive rod in a first direction such that said cammed jaw pivots about said pivot pin and a distance between a contact surface of said cammed jaw and said mandrel engaging plate is increased.
  • 3. The method of claim 2, wherein pivoting said cammed jaw about said pivot pin further comprises moving said protruding drive rod in a second direction such that said cammed jaw pivots about said pivot pin and said distance between said contact surface of said cammed jaw and said mandrel engaging plate is decreased.
  • 4. The method of claim 2, wherein moving said protruding drive rod in said first direction comprises increasing the volume of a fluid contained in a cylinder with said piston.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
4514890 Stewart May 1985 A
5068953 Semotiuk Dec 1991 A
5339506 Nusz Aug 1994 A
5701650 LaFleur et al. Dec 1997 A
6226847 Breton May 2001 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
0555584 Aug 1993 EP