Abstract: A raw parallelepiped metal piece is pressed into a closed mold to provide a nut blank that has a generally square pilot portion (14) for piercing a metal panel, the nut blank having a pair of flanges (16) that continue from opposite side walls (15) of the pilot portion. Then, the nut blank is coined to form ridges (20) extending along and integral with opposite upper edges of the side walls (15), before pressed within an open mold so that the ridges are swaged out sideways to form shoulders (21). A lateral groove (22) is defined between below each shoulder and in the side wall. A rough bore (23) will be formed axially through the pilot portion (14), before tapped to have a female thread (24) in the inner periphery of the bore.

Abstract: A screw-holding belt (20) has a belt body (2) made from a plastics and having cutouts (8) that are formed at a pitch ‘P’ in and along side edges of the belt body so as to intermittently drive it. Passage holes (5) are formed at the same pitch as the cutouts in order to eject the screws (15), and have a diameter larger than their heads or washers. Screw-holding cylinders (3) are formed each in and coaxial with the central region passage hole (5), so that each screw's threaded leg is inserted into and held in the cylinder. Four stays (21) continue from the rim of upper opening (4) of each cylinder and extend outwards to the inner periphery of passage hole (5) in radial directions each intersecting the center line of belt body (2), so that the belt body can smoothly advance to eject the screws, without suffering from any trouble even if their heads or washers are of a large diameter.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) has a punching station for automatic fixation of self-piercing fasteners (2) each having a stud (3), a flange-shaped head (4) and a cylindrical lug (5) at one end of the stud. With the fastener being struck to a metallic panel (1), the lug (5) pierces it and an open rim (6) of the lug is deformed by a caulking die (11) to firmly attach the fastener to the panel. The apparatus has a feeding section (28,29) for arranging the fasteners in a continuous horizontal row perpendicular to a pressing punch (12), with the lug (5) preceding the stud.

Abstract: A peel type blind rivet (1) has a rivet body (2) composed of a cylindrical part (3) and a flange-shaped head (4) formed integral with one end of the part, and a mandrel (5) composed of a body (6) for insertion in the part and an enlarged head (7) formed at one end of the body. Radial blades (9) are formed integral with a lower surface (8) of the mandrel head such that the other open end (14) of part (3) will be cut into radially protruding split feet (14a) when the mandrel body (4) is pulled back. The mandrel head (7) is of a maximum diameter (D) greater than an outer diameter (d) of the cylindrical part (3). The lower surface (8) increases its diameter gradually and upwards from the mandrel body (6) towards a rim (7a) of the mandrel head having the maximum diameter. Each blade (9) is of a V shape protruding downwards from the lower surface such that a cutting edge (10) of each blade extends upwards and obliquely from the mandrel body towards the rim.

Abstract: A screw with a recessed head (3) has a crossing recess (4) formed in a top of the head and consisting of a central region (5) and four grooves (6) extending radially from the central region. Each groove is tapered to reduce width towards an outer conical bottom (9), which defines the groove together with opposite side walls (7, 8) transmitting torque. The bottom connecting outer edges of the side walls has a width ‘A’ larger than width ‘a’ in the widely used standard recesses of the same length ‘M’. The side walls have a radial length ‘B’ smaller than ‘A’, and distance ‘C’ between the intersections of two side walls of different grooves is equal to or larger than the product of 1.5 and ‘A’. One side wall (7) lies in a flat plane in parallel with the screw's axis, and is located forward in a tightening direction of the screw. The conical bottom (9) slanted 5° relative to the axis provides a conical sticking surface.

Abstract: A screw-driving apparatus has a sprocket (21) causing the belt (70) to intermittently advance, and the sprocket is rotatably held on a transverse shaft (26) supported in a side wall of a slider (2) perpendicularly to a driver bit (7). The sprocket (21) is driven by a ratchet wheel (22) rotated by a pawl (24) swingably connected to a bell crank (23), the ratchet wheel (22) coaxial with the sprocket rotating only in one direction along with the sprocket. The bell crank (23) located near the sprocket is rockably held on the slider (2) and its one arm normally protrudes upwards to engage with a shoulder (35) formed in an upper wall of a casing (1), and the pawl (24) is pivoted to the bell crank's other arm.

Abstract: A spike (10) for attachment to baseball shoes has a spike body (11), a leg (14) protruding upright from the spike body and having a distal edge (14a) and an abrasion-resistant tip (20) made of a metal and having a base portion welded to the distal edge of the leg. The base portion (21) has a wedge-shaped ridge (22) pressed to an end face of the distal edge such that the base portion (21) is gripped by and between masses of a once molten and then resolidified material of the distal edge of the leg, so that the spike is abrasion resistant and durable. The distal edge (14a) may have at its middle region a cutout (16) to divide the end face into two parts to which the base portion (21) of the tip are adjoined concurrently and in the same manner.

Abstract: A belt (10) has cylinders (12) formed integral with a body (11) to hold a row of self-drilling reaming screws (20) each having a head (25), a threaded shank (21), a drill tip (22) and reaming blades (23) disposed on the tip and near the shank. The belt further has slits (13) extending radially from each cylinder, and lateral cutouts (15) intermittently drive the belt at the same pitch as the cylinders. Each cylinder is prismoidal between its wider inlet and narrower outlet so that a distance A between the cylinder's walls gradually decreases towards the outlet, but at the inlet this distance is substantially equal to the diameter d.sub.1 of an envelope circle of the blades. Inner edges (13a) of the slits (13) facing one another and disposed in and from the regions' inlet sides are spaced also the same distance B as the diameter d.sub.1 so that each screw can take a correct position on and perpendicular to the belt, thus enabling it to be loaded with the screws smoothly and efficiently.