Solid Rivets

In the construction of a metal air frame, permanent joints are made either with rivets or bolts. To securely attach structures together, rivets are cheaper to use, lighter and more rapidly fitted than nuts and bolts, but in the case of power operated machine riveting, more extensive equipment is usually required to make the permanent joints.

Solid rivets have the greatest strength and are therefore preferable to any other type of rivet, but they can only be used where there is access to both sides of the structure.

Rivets are always supplied to the operator with one head already formed and the shank plain to permit insertion into the hole, the opposite end being formed into a head by manual or mechanical means. The size of a rivet is expressed as the diameter and length of its shank; the exception is the countersunk rivet where the length is inclusive of the head

1. SNAP HEAD : for general purposes where strength is required but not a streamline finish.
2. MUSHROOM HEAD: for skin covering to give maximum strength.
3. FLAT HEAD: for internal work where heads are not easily accessible
4. COUNTERSUNK:  for flush finish (90°, 100°, 120° head) in aviation mostly used 100°
5. RAISED COUNTERSUNK : for more streamlined surfaces.
6. UNIVERSAL HEAD
7. 100° COUNTERSUNK TRUNCATED RADIUS HEAD:  

Strength of Riveted Joints

The factors that govern the strength of a joint are:

Plate specification             This will be of such a material and gauge as to  successfully withstand tensile and bearing loads.

Rivet Specification             This will be selected to withstand shear loads.  In cases where the

specification of the rivet is not given, use a rivet of the same material as the plate, with a diameter

of 2¹/₂ where T is the thickness of the plate.

Rivet Pitch    This is important as too great a pitch will result in insufficient rivets to take the shear loads and too small a pitch will result in lowering the resistance of the plate to tensile loads.

Types of Rivet Spacing

Single Chain            Used chiefly on attachment and lightly stressed joints.

Multiply Chain         Used on watertight joints and in places of high stress where thick gauge plate is used.

Staggered Riveting            Used as an alternative to multiple chain in watertight joints, circular patches etc.