Abstract: A fastening assembly for use in fastening a thick insulating layer 8, typically between 130 and 300 mm, onto a roof decking 9 comprises a self drilling and self tapping screw-threaded fastener 1 having a driving head 11; a load distributing plate 2 for engaging the upper surface of the insulation material 8 to hold it and distribute the fastening load so that the fastening assembly does not pull through the insulation material; and, an extensible resilient member 3 having one end 6 coupled to the head of the screw-threaded fastener 1 and the other end coupled to the load distributing plate 2. At least one coupling permit the screw-threaded fastener 1 to rotate with respect to the load distributing plate 2 to allow the fastener 1 to be driven through and screwed into the roof decking 9 to fasten the insulation material 8. The provision of a resilient element 3 accommodates minor variations in the manufacture of the insulation material, and distortions and deformations of it that occur in use.

Abstract: A spring retainer 10 comprises a housing 12, a spring 14 and an actuator 16.The housing 12 is formed with a bore 20 and an opening 22 which extends transversely of and intersects the bore 20. The actuator 16 is snap engaged with the housing 12 to retain the spring 14 within the opening 22. At least a part of the actuator 16, such as arm 30, is movable inwardly and outwardly of the opening 22 to alter the extent to which the spring 14 obstructs the bore 20.The spring retainer 10 finds particular application in allowing removal or adjustment of head rests on vehicle seat backs. The arm 30 can be readily squeezed, even when shielded by padded upholstery on the vehicle seat back, to release the spring 14 from a spigot extending downwardly from the head rest.

Abstract: An adjustable control assembly comprises first abutment means such as a U-shaped foot for placement against a workpiece, the first abutment means being provided on first spacing means such as a rod which is movable with respect to second abutment means such as a nut-like member, the second abutment means being provided on second spacing means such as a hollow tube which is movable with respect to third abutment means such as a combined pinch bracket and locator tube for attachment to a worktool, the preset distance between the first and third abutment means being adjustable to correspond to the desired initial position of the worktool with respect to the workpiece, and the preset distance between the second and third abutment means being adjustable to correspond to the maximum permitted advance of the worktool with respect to the workpiece, the preferred application of the adjustable control assembly being in the use of a rotary power tool to secure, to roof decking, a fastening assembly including an extensib

Abstract: A one-piece plastics security seal, of the kind having a flexible strap securable within a passageway in a housing, may include a new locking arrangement and/or a new release arrangement.In the locking arrangement, the strap carries a series of teeth of non-rectangular outline, when viewed along the length of the strap, with at least a part of the passageway having an outline complementary to that of the strap and the teeth carried thereby, and the passageway being offset along its length in the region of a resiliently deformable stop for permitting movement of the teeth through the passageway in one direction, but not the other.In the release arrangement, the flexible strap and also a tab both extend generally transversely to the housing, with the strap being connected to the tab and the tab being frangibly connected to the housing.

Abstract: A threaded member has an external helical thread 18a presenting a crest 24 of spiral outline whose trailing end is in the form of an abutment 26 for resisting withdrawal from a resiliently deformable workpiece. In a preferred application, the threaded member is a die-cast grub screw S and locates within a hinged plastics furniture fastener F. Advancing the grub screw S by 1/2-turn from its initial position in the fastener F breaks a frangible locating web 28 and allows the abutment 26 to pass an abrupt shoulder 64. This gives a tangible warning to the user that a ridge 12b on the grub screw S is correctly located beneath a head H of an anchor A.

Abstract: A one-piece plastics moulding includes a pair of flaps 12a, 12b connected by a hinge 14. Both of the flaps 12a, 12b are slotted so that, when they are folded about the hinge 14 to their closed position, a pair of parallel bars 22, 24 is presented for use in adjustably securing a strap 20. Both of the flaps 12a, 12b have spikes 54, 56 for use in trapping a web-like workpiece 48. Any parts of the buckle 10 which touch, such as free ends of the spikes 56 located in complementary apertures 52, can be fixed together by ultrasonic welding, heat sealing or adhesive.

Abstract: Several cable clips are disclosed, all capable of use with an extensive range of numbers and/or sizes of cable, by virtue of providing a resilient arm of particular shape and stiffness, in conjunction with a finger which extends from one end of the arm, the other end of the finger being either free, or joined with the arm, or capable of latching engagement with either the arm or a base of the cable clip.

Abstract: A cable clamp 10 comprises a base 12 and a pressure plate 36 presenting respective opposed faces 18 and 38 for clamping a ribbon cable therebetween. A lever 28 has a bearing member 30 whose ends 42 and 44 engage sockets 24 and 34 to permit the lever 28 to pivot, and thereby move the pressure plate 36 across the base 12. In the absence of a cable, the pressure plate 36 would move with a toggle action passing through a position of reduced separation between the opposed faces 18 and 38. In the presence of a cable, however, resilient arm 20 is deflected to exert a clamping pressure on the cable. The cable clamp 10 is integrally formed of a plastics material apart from a layer of double-sided adhesive tape 16 for attaching the base 12 to a workpiece.

Abstract: There is described in the specification an adjustable mounting (1), described in detail in conjunction with a vehicle door handle assembly. The mounting includes a main part (5) and a foot (6), the foot being a planar component provided with snap-engaging means to secure it on one side of an apertured panel (37), the side of the foot remote from the panel being formed with a series of teeth (19). The main part of the mounting includes abutment surfaces (8,12) to engage the side of the panel remote from the foot in areas (40,41) adjacent to the aperture, the abutment surfaces being so positioned and configured as to allow sliding motion of the main part in one direction relative to the panel. The main part further includes a series of teeth (20) complementary to the teeth of the foot, the two complementary series of teeth interlocking when the abutment surfaces of the main part engage the panel to prevent relative motion between the main part and the foot.

Abstract: There is described a tamper-proof fastener for use in security applications, the fastener comprising inner and outer members interconnected by flexible straps. The inner and outer members each comprise a leading end, a shank, and a trailing end, the shank of the outer member consisting of two substantially parallel legs defining between them an open-sided passage which contracts towards the leading end, and the leading end of the outer member consisting of two limbs which define between them an open-sided space and converge to a tip where they are interconnected, each limb being connected to a respective leg and presenting an external shoulder facing away from the tip and an internal shoulder facing towards the tip, the trailing end of the outer member including outwardly extending portions presenting an external shoulder facing the leading of the outer member.

Abstract: There is described a substantially cylindrical screw grommet capable of accepting a threaded fastener driven obliquely with respect to the axis of the grommet, the exterior surface of the grommet being formed with axial rows of spaced barbs, the rows being separated by flutes, and the grommet being further formed with a bore which has a first cylindrical portion intermediate the length of the grommet, a first tapered portion connecting the first cylindrical portion to a second cylindrical portion of smaller diameter, and a second tapered portion of the bore diverging from the second cylindrical portion and terminating at one end of the grommet.

Abstract: A fastener is described in which a substantially rigid pillar formed at one of its ends with a radially enlarged head is provided with a number of radially projecting and longitudinally extending substantially rigid webs, the fastener being further formed with a number of thin plates arranged between adjacent webs in a plane or planes transverse or oblique to the axis of the pillar, the or each plate being attached at one of its edges to one of the webs, and the radial extent of the webs being less than the maximum radial extent of the plate or plates. The plates can be arranged in planes to which the axis of the pillar is perpendicular, or the plates may be inclined in either the circumferential or the radial direction with respect to the pilar. The head of the fastener may be a simple dished skirt, or may be provided with a formation adapted to retain a second component.

Abstract: A tamperproof shackle seal, of the kind including a plug, at one end of a strap, which is self-locking within a socket at the other end of the strap, is capable of use immediately after being integrally moulded in a plastics material, without the need for subsequent manufacturing operations, by virtue of forming a recess set in the wall of the socket into which a barb projecting laterally outwards from the plug is snapped, during use, the plug being formed throughout its length to be of substantially similar transverse cross-section to the socket, and there preferably being a tortuous path presented by ribs/grooves on the plug interengaging with grooves/ribs of complementary shape on the socket, thereby hampering any attempts to release the seal without causing visible damage.

Abstract: A valve for regulating the flow of fluid in a motor vehicle heater system, the valve having a housing with coaxial inlet and outlet ports and a quadrantal closure member pivotally mounted in the housing for movement between open and closed positions, the closure member having an aperture coinciding with the outlet port when the closure member is in the open position and a thin flexible portion covering the outlet port when the valve member is in the closed position.

Abstract: A thin-walled cup including wall portions having internal and external surfaces so shaped that, when the cup is nested with an identical cup in an upright attitude, the said external surfaces of the upper cup cooperate with the said internal surfaces of the lower cup, so as to resist separation of the cups, provide a seal between the cups, and provide for cushioned relative movement of the cups towards each other, with a limit to such movement.

Abstract: The invention concerns a child-proof door catch device which requires a sequence of unconnected manipulations to operate the mechanism opening a door. The mechanism includes a housing and operating and latching elements, the operating and latching elements being normally held apart by a biasing means. When the correct sequence of manipulations is performed on the operating element, the latching element is caused to disengage from a striker plate to allow the door to be opened.

Abstract: The invention concerns a furniture connector assembly including a plug, a fastener, and a grommet, the plug being a substantially cylindrical component and having at least one flat side face, a spigot extending radially and obliquely from the side face and being penetrated by a bore, and the grommet comprising a substantially cylindrical shank having a locating surface at one of its ends, and being further formed with a bore extending through the shank, the bore being inclined to the axis of the shank, the fastener passing, in use, through the bore in the plug and extending into the bore in the grommet.

Abstract: The invention concerns corner posts for use with card blanks to form stacking trays, especially suited to transporting garden produce. Corner posts of the invention are elongated elements of substantially right triangular cross-sectional shape having a widest face and two narrower faces, said widest face being formed with two longitudinally extending slots, said slots each having two parallel sides and a base and opening onto said widest face, said sides of one of said slots extending in planes perpendicular to said sides of the other of said slots, and each of said slots having an abutment surface extending in a plane at right angles to said sides and said base and constituting an end to said respective slot, each slot further including an undercut adjacent its said opening to provide a shoulder facing said base of said slot, said slot having a width substantially twice that of said opening of said slot at points between said shoulder and said base.