Abstract: A lockwireless, anti-rotation fitting for attachment to connectors, including a sleeve, nut, spring, and retaining washer. The sleeve is slidably inserted within the nut and the spring is inserted on the sleeve, grips it, and locks the sleeve with the nut. The nut includes a plurality of serrations which engage a tab extending from the spring. The spring, which is semi-anchored to the nut, can only rotate inwardly or in the clockwise direction. The tab of the spring may only ratchet over the serrations when a predetermined counter-clockwise or loosening torque is applied to the nut. The serrations allow for rotation in the clockwise direction, while preventing counterclockwise rotation until a predetermined torque is reached.

Abstract: A lockwireless, anti-rotation fitting for attachment to connectors, including a sleeve, nut, spring, and retaining washer. The sleeve is slidably inserted within the nut and the spring is inserted on the sleeve, grips it, and locks the sleeve with the nut. The nut includes a plurality of serrations which engage a tab extending from the spring. The spring, which is semi-anchored to the nut, can only rotate inwardly or in the clockwise direction. The tab of the spring may only ratchet over the serrations when a predetermined counter-clockwise or loosening torque is applied to the nut. The serrations allow for rotation in the clockwise direction, while preventing counterclockwise rotation until a predetermined torque is reached in order to prevent self-loosening. The spring prevents accidental loosening due to vibration of components of the system to which the fitting is attached.

Abstract: A new machine for and method of manufacturing fluted pin fasteners and the pins produces thereby are disclosed which utilize a circular grinding arrangement of a plurality of grinders which grind flutes into a threaded pin. An internally threaded collar threads onto the pin. When the collar engages a surface of a work piece, resistance to further threading increases. When sufficient resistance to threading occurs, the driver deforms the lobes of the collar radially inward toward the axis of the collar. Material of the collar positioned internally from the lobes responds to deformation of the lobes and flows radially inward into the flutes of the pin to lock the collar, pin, and work piece together. The driver then rotates freely, and a joint has been made with a predetermined axial load thereby locking the component parts together.

Abstract: An improved fastener comprising a head portion, a flange portion, a shank portion which extends through two aligned apertures formed in adjacent panels and a collar swaged on the shank portion. The shank portion includes a gripping portion having a plurality of gripping surfaces formed between a plurality of cone shaped grooves, the configuration of the gripping portion being spiral shaped. The collar is installed by first positioning it over the fastener shank portion, an installation tool then swaging the collar thereto, the collar being tightly held by the multiple gripping surfaces to prevent movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the fastener. A mating spiral shaped configuration is formed along the interior surface of the collar during the swaging process.

Abstract: A new machine for and method of manufacturing fluted pin fasteners and the pins produced thereby are disclosed which utilize a circular grinding arrangement of a plurality of grinders which grind flutes into a threaded pin. An internally threaded collar threads onto the pin. When the collar engages a surface of a work piece, resistance to further threading increases. When sufficient resistance to threading occurs, the driver deforms the lobes of the collar radially inward toward the axis of the collar. Material of the collar positioned internally from the lobes responds to deformation of the lobes and flows radially inward into the flutes of the pin to lock the collar, pin, and work piece together. The driver then rotates freely, and a joint has been made with a predetermined axial load thereby locking the component parts together.

Abstract: A new machine for and method of manufacturing fluted pin fasteners and the pins produced thereby are disclosed which utilize a circular grinding arrangement of a plurality of grinders which grind flutes into a threaded pin. An internally threaded collar threads onto the pin. When the collar engages a surface of a work piece, resistance to further threading increases. When sufficient resistance to threading occurs, the driver deforms the lobes of the collar radially inward toward the axis of the collar. Material of the collar positioned internally from the lobes responds to deformation of the lobes and flows radially inward into the flutes of the pin to lock the collar, pin, and work piece together. The driver then rotates freely, and a joint has been made with a predetermined axial load thereby locking the component parts together.

Abstract: An improved printed circuit board wedge assembly having a center segment with sloped surfaces at its opposite ends and two end wedge segments having surfaces that abut against opposite ends of the center wedge segment. A drive shaft has a first ratchet member at one end, the first ratchet member engaging a second ratchet member having an elongated hex shaped member extending therefrom. The hex member is adapted to slide in a hex socket formed in an adjacent sleeve member. The drive shaft, having a threaded portion, extends lengthwise through a channel in the center wedge segment and connects together the two end wedge segments. A retaining ring is provided for captivating the driver portion of the assembly to the wedge segments. When the drive shaft is rotated in one direction, the two end wedge segments, together with the shaft, move transversely to the center wedge segment to fasten the PCB in place. The hexagonal shaped member transmits torque from an external drive to the first ratchet member.

Abstract: A new machine for and method of manufacturing fluted pin fasteners and the pins produced thereby are disclosed which utilize a circular grinding arrangement of a plurality of grinders which grind flutes into a threaded pin. An internally threaded collar threads onto the pin. When the collar engages a surface of a work piece, resistance to further threading increases. When sufficient resistance to threading occurs, the driver deforms the lobes of the collar radially inward toward the axis of the collar. Material of the collar positioned internally from the lobes responds to deformation of the lobes and flows radially inward into the flutes of the pin to lock the collar, pin, and work piece together. The driver then rotates freely, and a joint has been made with a predetermined axial load thereby locking the component parts together.

Abstract: An improved fastener comprising a head portion, a flange portion, a shank portion which extends through two aligned apertures formed in adjacent panels and a collar swaged on the shank portion. The shank portion includes a gripping portion having a plurality of gripping surfaces formed between a plurality of cone shaped grooves, the configuration of the gripping portion being spiral shaped. The collar is installed by first positioning it over the fastener shank portion, an installation tool then swaging the collar thereto, the collar being tightly held by the multiple gripping surfaces to prevent movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the fastener. A mating spiral shaped configuration is formed along the interior surface of the collar during the swaging process.

Abstract: A captive screw assembly for mounting in flat panels of widely varying thicknesses. The assembly includes an inverted hollow cup with an outwardly extending flange on its lower edge to engage a back surface of the panel and is temporarily held in place by outwardly-projecting spring tabs. A lower portion of the cup extends through the thickness of an aperture in the panel, while center and upper portions of the cup extend above a front surface of the panel. A cylindrical sleeve is seated over the cup, and a threaded screw extends through the sleeve and the cup. When the screw engages a threaded nut, positioned below the back surface of the panel, the head of the screw urges an upper edge of the sleeve downwardly and causes a lower edge of the sleeve to bear against a ring positioned around the exterior of the cup. When the screw is completely tightened, the panel is gripped between the lower cup flange and the ring.

Abstract: A fastener assembly for securing a first panel member to a second panel member in a spaced-apart relationship. The fastener comprises a tubular shank portion having first and second end portions, a cavity being formed in the shank portion. A first spring member is secured on the outside of the shank portion and has openings near the first end of the shank portion to enable steel ball members to protrude therefrom. Inside the shank portion cavity is a stepped pin member that is spring loaded and held in place by a combination of the shank portion spring ball retention feature and step angles formed on the pin member.

Abstract: Retainer apparatus that functions not only to retain a PC board into a channel in a housing, but also to simultaneously guide the board downwardly into a predetermined installation position in which an electrical connector carried by the board is properly coupled to a mating connector carried by the housing. The retaining apparatus includes a rod assembly mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, along one side edge of the PC board. The rod assembly's lower end engages a helical guide receptacle secured to the housing, to guide the rod assembly, and thus the PC board, downwardly into the desired installation position, in response to a controlled rotation of the rod assembly.

Abstract: A helically coiled wire-type screw thread insert, of the type used for tapped holes in workpieces in which a fastener component is threaded into, is provided. The two free end coils (12) each have a hook means recess (14) on the inner screw thread of each, and the terminal end (16) of each free end coil (12) has a reduced transverse cross-section or a diminishing cross-sectional area construction. Further the outer thread pitch diameter (P1) of the free end coils (12A, 12B) is preferably less than that of the remaining coils (13'). The invention provides improved insertion capability and provides a removal capability unknown in the screw thread inserts of the prior art.

Abstract: An insertion tool for a helically coiled wire insert of the type used for tapped holes in parent material that is generally softer than a fastener being screwed into the tapped hole, whereby a mandrel having a threaded lead portion and a pivotal pawl inserted in a groove below the threaded portion so that the pawl engages a recess of the insert, in order that the insert may be screwed into the tapped hole. The pivotal pawl also permits removal and reinsertion of the tool after the coil insert has been installed.

Abstract: A removal tool for a tangless helically coiled wire insert of the type used for tapped holes in parent material that is generally softer than a fastener being screwed into the tapped hole, whereby a mandrel having a threaded lead portion and a pivotable pawl inserted in a groove below the threaded portion so that the pawl engages a recess of the trailing end of the insert, in order that the insert may be extracted from the tapped hole. The pivotable pawl is automatically disengaged from the insert when the mandrel is pulled back, allowing the mandrel to free spin out of the tangless insert.

Abstract: A power-driven insertion tool for a helically coiled wire insert of the type used for tapped holes in parent material that is generally softer than a fastener being screwed into the tapped hole, whereby a mandrel having a threaded lead portion and a pivotal pawl inserted in a groove below the threaded portion so that the pawl engages a recess of the insert, in order that the insert may be screwed into the tapped hole. A sleeve, concentric to the threaded mandrel, maintains the insert's helix angle for a smooth transition into the tapped hole. An adjusting nut adjusts the depth to which an insert may be installed and whereby a free spinning bearing contacts the parent material and automatically reverses the torque of the tool.

Abstract: A hydraulic gun for installing inserts in which the hydraulic mechanism becomes inoperative after the mandrel of the gun travels a predetermined distance. The gun includes a means for adjusting the predetermined distance of mandrel movement.

Abstract: A fastener assembly for securing a first panel member to a second panel member in a spaced-apart relationship. The fastener comprises a tubular shank portion having first and second end portions, a cavity being formed in the shank portion. A first spring member is secured on the outside of the shank portion and has openings near the first end of the shank portion to enable steel ball members to protrude therefrom. Inside the shank portion cavity is a stepped pin member that is spring loaded and held in place by a combination of the shank portion spring ball retention feature and step angles formed on the pin member.