Abstract: A bolt-and-nut joint wherein the nut can be quickly relocated to an operative position on the bolt without deteriorating the locking function of the nut. In one aspect of the invention, a nut is provided with an axial slot extending through a wall of the nut. The width of the slot is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the bolt and the nut is produced of an elastic material that allows the nut to be snapped on and off the bolt via the slot at variable positions along the length of the bolt. The nut is tapered near one end for cooperation with a corresponding conical recess in a washer. The taper of the nut and the recess in the washer are chosen so that when the nut is tightened, the tapered part of the nut is wedged into the recess, urging the side walls of the nut to tighten around the bolt.

Abstract: A fastener has a screw with an anchor located thereon, the anchor being spaced apart from the head. The anchor has a cut-away portion with a leading edge and a trailing edge of the cut-away portion angling downward. The leading edge angles downward a further distance than the trailing edge. The anchor is spaced apart from the head by a distance corresponding to a thickness of a layer of material to be affixed to a support by an adjustable distance. The layer of material has a small opening therein to accommodate the screw. When the screw is inserted through the opening and into the support, the anchor turns through the opening, even though the opening is smaller than the anchor so that the material is located between the anchor and the head. The screw can then be turned further into the support or further out of the support to adjust the distance between the material and the support in order to align the material as desired.

Abstract: A nut has a nut member having a thread for engaging a bolt, a stud and the like and a plurality of screw members extending through the nut member and provided at its one ends with gears to be simultaneously engaged by an additional member and simultaneously turned, so as to simultaneously turn the screw members adapted to abut against an object, and to tighten or to loosen the nut. A tightening device includes the inventive nut and an element which simultaneously engages the gears of the screw members and turns them to tighten the nut.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a trailer ball to a mounting platform. The apparatus includes a trailer ball having a threaded stem, a flat washer, and a nut having a plastic collar. The plastic collar includes a ring which is disposed between the nut and flat washer. The ring is formed of a plastic material which is extruded when the nut is tightened sufficiently to provide a positive indication that sufficient tension has been placed on the joint. The method also includes lubricating the stem before threading the nut onto the stem and removing the extruded ring after tightening.

Abstract: A screw, particularly a wood screw present a combination of a threaded cylindric stem (10) merging, over an inversely frustoconical part (16) with an enlarged diameter cylindric portion (20) which is integral with an underside of a large diameter washer section (23) which, in turn is integral with a shallowly convex head portion (25). The invention is intended for wood screws usually in the range of about 6 mm and provides a reduced chance of injury by providing a smooth merging with the flat surface on which the screw head is located. Also, the screw has an improved torque characteristics making it suitable for use with power screw driving tools.

Abstract: A mechanical sensor for use with bolts, nuts, eye bolts and other fasteners is provided to sense fastener tension and to mechanically indicate that tension and changes therein by mechanically measuring deformation of the substrate being clamped by the fastener relative to the distortion or lack thereof in the substrate immediately adjacent the deformed substrate. The differential substrate deformation produces measurable and often clearly visible movement of a portion of the sensor. Such movement may be interrogated through utilization of visual, optical, electro-optical means as desired.

Abstract: A prevailing torque type lock nut for assembly onto a threaded bolt that affords a substantially 360 degree break loose torque engagement resistance against the standard bolt threads and is comprised of a compressively controlled height reduction as compared to a standard nut of like size.

Abstract: A washer has an extension integrally attached to the washer. The extension is scored tangential the washer and extends across the width of the extension. Notches are formed in the extension so the extension tapers inward. The extension is detached from the washer by bending the extension back and forth lateral of washer, and until detached from the washer.

Abstract: An anchor for securing a threaded fastener component in a hole in a supporting panel structure, the anchor being formed of a flat sheet metal disc portion of a greater diameter than the hole and having strips attached at one end to the disc portion and extending radially inward and outward to position a tip inclined edge across the hole perimeter. The strips are cammed to be deflected inwardly as the anchor is forced into the hole with the disc portion against the front side of the supporting structure. The anchor is captured by the perimeter of the hole between the disc outer perimeter and the strip tips. The tips are captured in slotted tabs extending from the rear side of the disc portion.

Abstract: A ratcheted nut assembly is provided to enable a nut to be tightened onto a bolt in a limited area. The ratcheted nut assembly includes an internally threaded nut that has radially extending teeth on its outer surface. The nut is held rotatably captive within an elongated housing that has a generally "Y" shaped ratchet member pivoted so that the ratchet member may have pawls that are formed on it engaged with the teeth of the nut to rotate the nut. The operator positions the ratchet member into engagement with the radially extending teeth on the nut depending upon which direction the operator desires to turn the nut. The ratchet mechanism remains with the nut after the nut is tightened.

Abstract: A truss plate includes a generally planar backing member that includes a plurality of elongate apertures defined by a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges and a plurality of teeth, each of which extends in a first direction from one side of the backing member. At least some of the teeth comprise a shank and a tip portion. The shank extends from a position adjacent an end edge of one of the apertures and comprises a major shank portion, a minor shank portion, and an arcuate base portion. The major shank portion is generally arcuate in cross-section. The major and minor shank portions are separated by a crease extending in the first direction from the backing member, with one end of the crease being substantially centered between the side edges of the aperture. The shank is twisted about an axis parallel to the first direction so that the major shank portion is substantially larger than the minor shank portion.

Abstract: An expandable anchor assembly is provided for anchoring the threaded end portion of an elongated roof bolt in a borehole. The anchoring assembly includes a hollow outer sleeve in the form of a plurality of symmetrically arranged, longitudinal segmented wall portions with exterior gripping teeth and an inner expander sleeve in the form of a corresponding plurality of longitudinal wall portions symmetrically arranged about a central axis to define an inner threaded cylindrical section. The inner sleeve is captured within and moveable axially relative to the outer sleeve. As the threaded end portion of the elongated bolt is inserted into the inner threaded cylindrical section of the inner sleeve from the trailing end to the leading end thereof, the inner sleeve expands over and clamps around the threaded end portion of the elongated bolt.

Abstract: A new overload protection device has been invented of the type in which components are fixed mutually by means of a safety member adapted to be cut or broken when the components are subjected to an overload, wherein the safety member is a thread spiral or spirals adapted to be cut loose from a member, rod or sleeve when the thread spiral (or spirals) is subjected to an overload.

Abstract: A tearable and disposable retainer for temporarily holding and positioning an apertured element such as a washer in place along the length of an elongated, generally cylindrical part. The retainer of the present invention includes a singular, generally planar member made from a manually tearable material. The retainer member defines a generally centralized hole or opening with a series of cuts or slits radially extending therefrom. A series of angularly shaped segments are defined between the slits, with each angularly shaped segment having a formed arcuate edge at a distal end thereof for frictionally engaging the outer cylindrical surface of the part over which the washer is loosely fitted.

Abstract: The present invention is a fastener assembly including a row of fasteners maintained in position by a carrier. The carrier includes a plurality of adjacent sleeves, each of which includes an upper breakable portion, a middle wall portion, and a lower breakable portion. When a fastener is driven into a work piece, the upper and middle portions of the fastener sleeve break away and the lower portion breaks into fragments, so that no residual sleeve parts remain with the fastener. This is accomplished by forming the carrier from a mixture of a stiff polyolefin material and a particulate filler to impart the necessary brittleness to the carrier sleeves. Also, the lower portion of the sleeve includes fragmentable tabs joined at wall junctions which are structurally weaker than the tabs, to facilitate fragmentation between the tabs.

Abstract: To make it easy to manufacture a stud 1 provided with a spherical surface bearing, a race (3) is composed of a first member (3a) and a second member (3b) so that a ball receiving portion (301) is separated. Coupling surfaces (5) and (6) that couple with each other are formed in the first and second members (3a) and (3b). Screw portions are formed on the coupling surfaces (5) and (6), respectively. When the stud (1) provided with the spherical surface bearing is manufactured, a ball (2a) is held by the first and second members formed indivisually, and the first and second members (3a) and (3b) are threadably engaged with each other at the screw portions. In this case, by adjusting an amount of a engagement at the screw portion, the positional relationship between the first and second members (3a) and (3b) is set as desired, to thereby suitably adjust a gap between the ball receiving portion (301) of the race (3) and the ball (2a).

Abstract: A resin flush-mounted plug (11) for insertion into an internally threaded hole (1) with a countersink (2) formed in a pallet of a machine tool has a head (12) for filling the countersink (2) of the threaded hole (1) and a pair of legs (13) formed integrally with the head (12) for fitting into an internally threaded portion (3) of the threaded hole (1). The head (12) has a tapered under surface (12a) for filling the countersink (2) of the threaded hole (1). Also provided in the head (12) is a slot (12b), a hexagonal hole, or some other recess for accommodating a screwdriver blade, a wrench, or some other appropriate tool used to remove the flush-mounted plug (11). The legs (13) project outward radially from the underside of the head (12). The outer peripheral surfaces of the fixed ends of the legs (13) to the head (12) are arranged on a circumference whose diameter is smaller than the inner diameter C of the internally threaded portion (3) (A<C with A the diameter of the circumference).

Abstract: A prevailing torque clip (100) is provided that has a head portion (4) having a frusto-conical projection (10) having an aperture (6) therethrough that is provided preferably with diametrical opposed helical thread forms (8) and (8') that are operative to threadingly engage threads of a threaded member rotationally advanced therethrough. Head portion 4 includes a pair of ressilient arms (12) and (12') that end in respective free-ends (9) and (9') that are operative to engage the threads of the threaded member and cooperate with thread forms (8) and (8') to prevent loosening thereof. Clip (100) is adapted to prevent rattle when used to secure an object to thin wall panel by being provided with at least one pair of tabs (16) and (16') that are operative to elevate clip (100) from a panel to which it is being secured sufficiently to ensure that the portion of arms (12) and (12') that are in close proximity to projection (10) are positioned within the panel opening into which arms (12) and (12') are received.

Abstract: A retaining apparatus disposable within an axial bore for maintaining a fastener having an extending shank within a bore provided on a structural member. In the preferred embodiment, the retainer comprises a convoluted, polymeric, thin-walled annular body constructed of a resilient material with an aperture extending therethrough. The unitary body is defined by longitudinally extending radially outwardly projecting ear portions and radially inwardly projecting ribs which circumferentially alternate in a symmetrical pattern. A method for pre-attaching fasteners to structural members includes disposing the retainer within a bore contained on a structural member and subsequently inserting the fastener through the retainer's aperture. The fastener is thereby flexibly maintained along the central axis of the bore. The structural member may then be transported with fasteners pre-attached for subsequent attachment to another structural member.

Abstract: A fastener used to secure an object on a channel including a channel nut which may be entered into a slot in the channel and then turned about an axis of rotation to extend in a generally crosswise position relative to the slot for engagement of portions of the nut at locations generally adjacent opposite ends of the nut with edges of the channel. A retainer for the nut has a body and a flange integral with the body which may engage the channel at opposite sides of the channel slot for preventing the retainer from being pushed inwardly completely through the slot when the nut is turned to a crosswise position in the channel and when an object is being fastened to the channel. Resiliently deformable spring elements on the body of the retainer are so sized and arranged as to be engageable with the channel for holding the nut in its crosswise position against slippage lengthwise of the channel slot.