Abstract: A fittable and releasable fastener includes a head which has a fitted and released portion and a fastening portion; and a fitting and releasing piece which has a fitting and releasing portion. Accordingly, when the fitting and releasing portion fits to the fitted and released portion, an external turning force is applied to the fitting and releasing piece or the head to make the fastening portion combine with at least one object. After the fastening portion is combined with the object, the fitting and releasing portion would release the fitted and released portion to limit the force or the force interval applied on the fastening portion for preventing excessively locking if the force is continuously applied.

Abstract: A bolt catcher and extractor for use with a separation nut and an attaching preloaded bolt that secure a payload to a launch vehicle or spacecraft. The bolt catcher extracts the attaching bolt from the separation nut, pulls it clear of the interface between the launch vehicle or spacecraft and the released payload, and captures it within the bolt catcher housing. The released bolt may have kinetic energy due to the strain energy stored by the pre-release bolt preload. The bolt catcher may have a magnetic eddy current damper that controls the bolt velocity during bolt extraction and dissipates the bolt kinetic energy as heat. The bolt may be magnetically non-impact captured within the bolt catcher. Bolt momentum at the end of the bolt extraction is less than 2% of that of bolt catchers of the prior art. Shock to the released payload or deployable equipment is near zero.

Abstract: Inexperienced users of conventional self-drilling drywall anchors may apply too much torque to its screw drive, even after the anchor has become fully bedded down in the drywall, under the mistaken impression that applying a greater torque will improve security of the anchor within the drywall. However, continuing to rotate the anchor after it has been fully inserted into the dry wall continues to rotate the anchor within the drywall and gouges out drywall material from around the anchor. Such gouging causes a cavity to form around the anchor, reducing its security within the wall. The present invention provides a self-drilling drywall anchor having a screw drive 16 that comprises a clutch configured to limit an amount of torque transmitted to the shank 5 by a tool engaged with the screw drive 16.

Abstract: A torque-limiting fastener assembly, comprising: a fastener body having an externally threaded shaft and a drivable head, said head being provided with elements adapted for frictional contact with a driver capable of delivering torque to said threaded shaft, wherein said elements comprise flexible flanges/toggles that deflect at a predetermined torque to prevent further frictional contact between said driver and said head elements that is sufficient to drive said fastener.

Abstract: A paint cup assembly for a paint sprayer is disclosed and can include a paint reservoir assembly. The paint reservoir assembly can include a paint reservoir and a cap configured to engage the paint reservoir. The paint reservoir assembly further includes a structural element for engaging a paint spray gun to form a tactile feedback mechanism. The tactile feedback mechanism can provide a tactile indication to a user as the paint reservoir assembly is engaged with the paint spray gun.

Abstract: A locking nut includes a nut top, a nut middle, and a slip section. The nut top includes an integrally-formed bushing. The nut middle includes a threaded central bore suitable for threaded engagement on a threaded installation bolt, as well as a plurality of ratchet gears on an outer surface where each gear has a respective first slip surface and a first drive surface. The slip section includes a plurality of cantilevered posts having a respective free end, wherein on each post are formed a respective second slip surface and a second drive surface. When the slip section is rotated in a tightening direction, the slip section and the nut middle rotate together until a torque threshold is reached, where the second slip surfaces override the first slip surfaces to limit the applied torque. The locking nut includes structure to produce sound when the torque threshold has been reached.

Abstract: A nut for securing first and second pipe end-pieces together includes a nut lock having a stop member secured to the nut body, and a second element which is rotatable inside the nut body and having a locking feature adapted to lock onto a corresponding locking structure of the second end-piece. The stop member and the second element include corresponding face teeth which are urged to intermesh by an axial compression spring. At or near the tightened condition of the assembly, the second element is locked onto the second end-piece so that rotation of the nut is possible only if the torque applied exceeds a given threshold, for which the face teeth jump over each other while the spring is alternately stressed. A compact design is obtained with the lock positioned at the rear of the nut thread. The clamping face is axially between the nut thread and the lock.

Abstract: A set of a bolt and a nut having a rotation prohibiting mechanism comprises a foldable part (30) at the tip of a bolt (20), that can be folded around an axis perpendicular to a bolt axis. A tip portion (30) can be folded to either sides with the direction extending along the bolt axis as a center. Grooves (18a-18g) for storing the foldable part (30) are formed on a tip surface (a surface from which the tip of the bolt projects out when the bolt and the nut are tightened) of the nut (12) or the knob (18). A number of the grooves is an odd number. The grooves are arranged radially with equal angular intervals with a center at a screw hole of the nut. For example, seven grooves are arranged radially with equal angular intervals. In this case, the angle between adjacent two grooves is about 51.4 degrees, and this angle is to be an expected angular resolution of the rotation prohibition. However, according to the above mentioned set of the bolt and the nut, the expected angular resolution can be halved (i.e. 25.

Abstract: A device for applying rotational torque to a fastener (such as a nut) on a fastening member (such as a threaded rod) to maintain the tight fastening. One specific embodiment of the device uses a recoil spring to apply such torque directly to the fastener; the device enables continued tightening of the fastener long after the initial fastening occurs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a screw which can be screwed into a component and which will resist further screwing into an internal thread within said component once a maximum torque has been reached. For this purpose, a screw body having an external thread is combined with a screw drive element which projects into a bore within said screw body and, within said bore, is connected to the screw body via static friction. At least part of this combination is made of a plastic material, with the static friction having the effect of a slipping clutch when a maximum torque acts on the screw drive element. The screw drive element is connected to the screw body via a ratchet in such a way that when the screw body is unscrewed from the internal thread within said component, turning said screw drive element will cause the ratchet to engage, thereby entraining the screw body.

Abstract: A torque-limited fastener turnable in fastening and loosening directions for one-time use includes a fastener head with a base, a set of lugs extending from the base, and an optional set of ramps extending from the base. The lugs include abutment surfaces facing a fastening tool slot recess that receives a fastening tool. When the fastening tool is turned in the fastening direction it bears against the lug surfaces. The lugs shear off or plastically deform into recesses when the fastening tool applies a limiting fastening torque. The ramps have abutment surfaces facing a loosening tool slot recess that receives a loosening tool. The ramps cam the fastening tool over the ramp abutment surfaces if the fastening tool is in the fastening tool recess and is turned in the fastening direction after the lugs have sheared off or have plastically deformed in response to application of the limiting torque.

Abstract: A torque-limiting nut assembly, in a preferred form, includes an inner nut engaged with a shaft. A resilient torque member and a rigid torque member are positioned between the inner nut and an outer nut, with each being rotatably fixed to one of the nuts. Rotating the outer nut relative to the inner nut compresses the resilient torque member with the rigid torque member, moving the nuts along the shaft in a first axial direction until the resilient torque member is compressed out of engagement with the rigid torque member. Rotating the outer nut in the opposite direction engages the resilient and rigid torque members thereby urging the nuts in the opposite direction. The torque-limiting nut assembly provides a convenient device to apply the correct amount of application-specific torque.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-locking nut (1) having an upper threaded collar (3) provided with longitudinal slots (7), being V or U shaped, also with sharp edge, defining in the collar a plurality of circular arc segments (9) compressed by an external helical spring (5), and in which the collar slots have such a width as not to allow the mutual contact of the circular arc segments (9) compressed by the spring. The spring of the self-locking nut is made of precipitation hardening stainless steel whereby it shows high constancy of braking torque features even for repeated screwing/unscrewing cycles. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the nut.

Abstract: The present application describes to a screw nut for limiting the torque or the clamping force that is produced by screwing a screw onto a component to be screwed into place, as well as to the use of such a screw nut in a retainer module. The screw nut comprises a clamping body which during screwing comes to rest against the component to be screwed into place. Furthermore, the screw nut comprises a screw body, by means of which the screw nut can be screwed onto the screw. The clamping body and the screw body are movably arranged between an unlocked position and a locked position so that when a defined clamping force is exceeded the unlocked position is taken up, with a restoring force continuously acting against this state transition.

Abstract: A fastener for fastening a heat sink to a printed circuit board via a back plate comprises a head and a shaft extending from the head. The shaft comprises a first and second engaging portions and a connecting portion therebetween. The first and second engaging portions have outer threads on exteriors thereof. Two cutouts are defined in the connecting portion. The back plate defines four thread holes machined with inner threads for engaging with the outer threads. In use of the fastener, an elastic force is produced to the fastener due to a deformation of the two cutouts during the threading. The elastic force helps the outer threads to have a secure engagement with the inner threads whereby the fastener can firmly engage with the back plate even when the fastener is subject to vibration or shock.

Abstract: The locknut is adapted for axial engagement of a threaded shaft having an axis and an outer thread. The locknut has properties for limiting a tightening torque on the shaft to a predetermined torque value. In one aspect, a first member is adapted for engagement by a user and rotation about the shaft. A second member having inner threads is disposed in a rotatable, coaxial relationship with the first member. At least one deflection wall is included in the first member and is provided with properties for deflecting outwardly in response to a radial force. At least one deflecting element is included in the second member and is disposed to exert a radial force against the deflection wall. The deflecting element has a generally engaged relationship with the deflection wall at a torque level not greater than the predetermined torque to maintain the inner threads of the second member in an engaged relationship with the first member.

Abstract: A tensioning nut to secure a disk-shaped tool is threadable onto the threaded spindle of an electric tool, particularly an electric hand tool with run-out brake such as a right-angle grinder. The nut includes a nut body provided with a corresponding thread, with a coaxially-positioned pressure ring that may be tensioned with the disk-shaped tool. An axial bearing is positioned between the ring and the nut body. The nut further includes a disk member within the nut body for preventing rotation of the pressure ring. At least one engagement device is positioned between the disk member and the surrounding wall of the nut body. This blocking mechanism forms a uni-directional coupling, whereby a disengagement exists between the nut body in its tensioning direction and the disk member, and locking occurs between both of them in the opposing direction of the nut body relative to the disk member. Thus, loosening of the tensioning nut is prevented particularly during run-out of the rotating, disk-shaped tool.

Abstract: A coupling mechanism (1) has a threaded body (12) adapted to establish a threaded coupling when rotated, a housing (2) being rotatable by the application of torque thereto, a thrust member (6) coupling the threaded body (12) and the housing (2) for rotation together until a torque limit is attained, and the thrust member (6) decoupling from the threaded body (12) by displacement of the thrust member (6) against frictional resistance of peaked ridges (16) and a bias by a resilient spring (5).

Abstract: A fastener apparatus and system for fastening an article through an opening in a mounting plate (501) includes a retaining nut (101) with a head portion (103) having a face surface (105), and a barrel portion (107) emanating from the face surface (105). The barrel portion (107) has a radially threaded surface (109) disposed on an interior portion (111) thereof commencing at a first position (113) proximate the face surface (105) and terminating at a second position (115) apart from the face surface (105). At least one longitudinal aperture (117) is disposed through a wall (119) of the barrel portion (107) commencing at the second position (115) and terminating at a third position (121), apart from the first position (113). The at least one longitudinal aperture (117) has a geometry that that relieves stress caused by force radially-applied to the head portion (103) of the retaining nut (101) when it is tightened around a mating threaded post.

Abstract: A rotatable device, such as a screw, a bolt, etc., comprises a cylindrical clip (4) inserted into a bore (3) in the head of the rotatable device. The clip (4) is compressed to a certain extent when inserted into the bore in order to confer to the clip a springing effect on the wall of the bore. Further, the clip comprises a socket for the insertion of a suitable turning key. When turning the key, only a maximum torque is transferable to the rotatable device. If this value is exceeded, the clip starts sliding in the bore.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separably connecting a first surface to a second surface. The apparatus includes a connecting member provided with a threaded end. A rotatable body threadably engagable with the threaded end is rotatably supported against the first surface for rotation about the threaded end to separably connect the connecting member. The rotatably supported body and the connecting member are restrained from rotation. The connecting member and rotatably supported body further have a selected matching thread geometry such that a tensile load applied to the member when connected with the rotatably supported body is resolved as a torque applied to the rotatably supported body sufficient to urge the body to rotate. When the rotatably supported body is released and allowed to rotate, the threaded member translates and threadably disengages the rotatably supported body to separate the connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fastening element with a torque-limiting function, comprising on the one hand a fastening member (2, 2') with working threads (4), that is to say threads which are active for the fastening function of the element, and on the other hand a gripping member (3, 3') which is arranged so as to be capable of being turned with the aid of a spanner, wrench, screwdriver or other tool for attaching the fastening element (1, 1') and connected or connectable to the fastening member (2, 2') via a torque-transmitting threaded connection (5, 6/17, 18) with sufficient strength in order to be capable of transmitting to the fastening member torque of the size for which the fastening element is intended, and in which the gripping member is arranged to be unscrewed and turned relative to the fastening member, on attachment of the fastening element, only when the torque exceeds a given predetermined torque.

Abstract: A reusable torque limiting bolt having no breakaway parts is provided which has a collar rigidly coupled to an upper bolt portion via four cylindrical pins which are seated in four detents internally formed on the collar and four detents externally formed on the bolt surface. At low torque the collar drives the bolt since the pins remained seated in the pairs of facing detents. When a predetermined substantial torque is reached, the pins roll out of the detents to decouple the bolt from the collar, thus limiting the applied torque.

Abstract: A quick locking fastener has a base defining an interior chamber and forward and rearward portions. Plural generally contiguous internally threaded insert nut segments are in the interior chamber of the base, having a tail remote from the forward portion of the base. The nut segments have a first bevel exterior surface adjacent the forward portion of the base, a cylindrical surface adjacent the first bevel surface, and a second exterior bevel disposed on the tail, spaced apart and coaxial with the first bevel surface. A rearward disposed end cap having a bevel and a circular compresssion spring circumferentially disposed about a third bevel surface engages and biases the nut segments towards the front of the base. A retainer ring having a band surrounding the end cap has inwardly directed tangs preventing rotation of the insert segments.

Abstract: A threaded fastener joint is proofed by a wrenching washer between the fasteners of the joint and the work. The wrenching washer has the clamp-up load applied by the fasteners to the work applied through it. After an attempt to make the joint, the wrenching washer is torqued to determine whether it turns on the work at an applied torque below some predetermined proofing torque. If it does not, the joint is satisfactory; if it does, the joint is unsatisfactory.

Abstract: A holder for an electric fuse has a first receiving body which has an internally threaded nut assembled thereto in a manner allowing relative rotation between them. The assembly of the nut to the body allows separation of the nut from the body when a predetermined axial separating force is imparted between the parts, without damage to them. A second fuse receiving body has an external thread which engages the thread of the first body. As the threaded connection is made the body sections are drawn together to enclose the fuse therein.

Abstract: A fastener apparatus for joining together a plurality of plates, including an internally-threaded pin adapted to be guided through aligned openings in the plates and a generally cup-shaped accommodating element that can be tightened with the pin via a threaded bolt mounted centrally therein. The accommodating element carries one or more springs for yieldably resisting entry of the pin and further carries two locking washers accommodated on the threaded bolt, for preventing an unintended loosening of the pin out of its tightened position. The locking washer that faces the pin is rotatably guided and axially displacable up to an external stop of the accommodating element, and the locking washer that faces away from the pin is rotation-fast but guided in displacable fashion within the accommodating element, axially against yielding bias of the spring.

Abstract: A screw assembly for attaching a handle and handle shaft to a rotatable drive shaft in a body of a fishing reel. The screw assembly includes a threaded screw for engaging a tapped bore in the drive shaft and an ornamental knob slidable along the screw between a first position wherein rotation of the knob causes rotation of the screw to fix the threaded portion of the screw in the tapped bore and a second position wherein the screw is rotatable with respect to the knob so that the screw may rotate with the drive shaft while the knob remains fixed.

Abstract: A torque limiting fastener in which a torque limiting coupling between telescoping head and driven elements includes a resilient spring carried by one element and a complementary recess formed in the other element, the engagement of the spring with the complementary recess resisting both axial and rotational displacement of the head element relative to the driven element when the head element is rotated in the tightening direction, and further includes a surface forming one end of the recess engageable by the spring to establish a positive connection between the elements when the head element is turned in the loosening or unscrewing direction.

Abstract: An actuator device used with an engine-idle control system of an automobile provided with an air-conditioner, and is adapted so as to operate an operating rod in association with a throttle valve opening lever of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A screw adapted to be driven by an ordinary straight-bladed screwdriver, the head of the screw having a cylindrical socket formed in the top surface of the head thereof coaxially with the screw shank adapted to receive the driver blade therein, the wall of the socket preventing lateral slippage of the driver blade from the socket and permitting turning of the blade, portions of the wall being offset resiliently inwardly to inhibit turning of the blade, and so configurated that a partial turn of the blade causes it to be gripped between portions of the offset wall to hold the screw releasably on the blade, so that the screw may be inserted in positions of difficult access, to resist rotation of the blade, more strongly after a further partial turn of the blade, whereby the screw may be driven by the blade with a suitable torque, and to yield completely on the application of a still greater torque, whereby to limit the maximum torque applicable to the screw by the screw driver.