The grip range on a rivet is a crucial dimension that indicates the thickness of the material(s) the rivet is designed to fasten. According to the information provided, you measure or determine the grip range of a rivet by examining its trade size.
Understanding Rivet Trade Sizes and Grip Range
Rivet trade sizes are standardized codes that encode key dimensions of the rivet, including its diameter and grip length.
- Diameter: The first number in the trade size indicates the rivet's diameter. This number represents the diameter in 32nds of an inch. For example, the number
4signifies a diameter of 4/32", which simplifies to 1/8". - Grip Range (Maximum Grip Length): The second number(s) refers to the maximum grip length in 16ths of an inch. This value tells you the thickest stack of materials the rivet can effectively join.
Therefore, to determine the grip range (specifically the maximum grip length) indicated for a rivet, you look at the second part of its trade size and interpret it in 16ths of an inch.
Example: Trade Size 45 Rivet
Let's apply this rule using the example given in the reference:
- Trade Size: 45
- First Number (4): Represents the diameter as 4/32 inches (or 1/8 inch).
- Second Number (5): Refers to the maximum grip length in 16ths of an inch.
So, a trade size 45 rivet has a maximum grip range of 5/16 inches. This means it is suitable for joining materials with a combined thickness up to 5/16 of an inch.
Practical Application
When selecting a rivet for a specific application, you measure the total thickness of the materials you need to fasten together. This total thickness must fall within the specified grip range of the chosen rivet. The maximum grip length from the trade size is the upper limit for this material thickness.
Knowing how to interpret the trade size allows you to easily identify the intended grip range of a rivet without needing to physically measure its components (like the body length) and calculate it manually, as the trade size directly provides the maximum grip length.
