Abstract: A fastening assembly (10) that is weatherproof and that does not detract from the appearance of the object (16) into which it is driven is disclosed. The fastening assembly includes a fastening device (12) such as a nail that includes an elongated shank (18) and a head (20) on one end of the shank, and a cover (14) formed of water-tight material that can be positioned over the head of the fastening device for sealing the head from water, air, sunlight, and contaminates. This prevents the head of the fastening device from rusting when the fastening device is driven into an object. The cover can be colored the same color as the object that it is driven into so that it blends in with the object and does not detract the appearance of the object.

Abstract: A self starting finishing screw with a cylindrical shaft with a taper on one end and a tool engaging recess on the other end. The shaft is threaded along the entire length.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a fastener which is welded by arc welding by one end face to a component and which is in the form of a radially resilient sleeve with a longitudinal slit and designed to permit resilient compression of the fastener, to a welding assembly apparatus for welding on elongate fateners, with a feed channel and an axially displaceable holder for the fasteners, and to an arrangement for securing an assembly part on a fastener which has been welded by arc welding on to a component.

Abstract: The invention features an improved flush installation multi-part interlocking nail fastening system which eliminates loosening of flooring members, rubbing, or relative movement, thereby eliminating squeaks and noises. A master nail with modified head and shank portions accepts insertion of two smaller nails of soft composition which, when driven into a pair of internal longitudinal bores, these small nails exit the master nail to form opposing arcs, pulling abutting floor members into tight abutting engagement.

Abstract: An expansion anchor installable in a pre-drilled hole formed in a base material. The expansion anchor includes a bolt having a shaft with a head portion, an opposing end portion, and a threaded portion. A shoulder is disposed on the shaft intermediate the head portion and the end portion thereof, and an expandable sleeve is disposed about the shaft between the shoulder and the end portion of the shaft. The expandable sleeve has an expandable upper sleeve portion and an expandable lower sleeve portion wherein the expandable lower sleeve portion is expandable outwardly before the expandable upper sleeve portion is expandable outwardly. A nut having a substantially conical surface is fixed rotationally in the pre-drilled hole and is engagable with the threaded portion of the shaft. The substantially conical surface of the nut is engageable with the expandable lower sleeve portion so as to expand the lower sleeve portion until the nut is axially fixed in the pre-drilled hole.

Abstract: A stud clip adapted for mounting upon an upstanding threaded bolt or stud comprises a pair of oppositely disposed latch members having a plurality of claw or detent portions defined thereon for engaging the threaded shank portion of the stud or bolt. The latch members may have a predetermined thickness, or may be tapered, in order to provide the stud clip with a relatively low or small insertion force, however, in order to concomitantly provide the stud clip with a relatively high or large retention, removal, or withdrawal force, spring members are provided adjacent to the latch members so as to bias the latch members into forceful engagement with the threaded shank portion of the stud or bolt once the stud clip is mounted upon the stud or bolt, or alternatively, once the stud or bolt is inserted into the interior cavity of the stud clip.

Abstract: A screw for fastening that includes a male or female screw formed on its inner core area and including threads located about its outer circumference. A flange ring is located generally at one edge of the screw member in a manner so to be free to turn relative to the screw member, with the outside surface of the flange ring being configured to contact an object to be attached. An operating ring is located at the other edge of the screw member with freedom to turn relative to the screw. A screw feed ring is also provided having threads engaged with threads on the outer circumference of the screw member. A holding ring portion is operatively associated with the operating ring and includes an inner surface that is eccentric to its outer surface.

Abstract: A vehicle lug nut cover for covering, protecting and providing an ornamental decoration to a wheel lug nut of a vehicle. The nut cover has a shell with a closed portion and a plurality of sidewalls extending downwardly from the closed portion. The sidewalls define a generally hollow cavity and terminate in an outward extending flange rim adapted for adjoining a flat surface of a wheel rim when the lug nut cover is installed over a bolt and lug nut for mounting the wheel rim on a vehicle. The lug nut cover further comprises three leaf-springs for inserting into the hollow cavity of the shell. Each leaf-spring is adapted for engaging a side face of the wheel lug nut over which the lug nut cover is installed. The lug nut cover further comprises retaining members for retaining the three leaf-springs in its hollow cavity.

Abstract: A blind fastener has an assembly including an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve and a pin member and is adapted to be located in workpiece openings with the pin member having an expansion portion adapted to be pulled through the inner sleeve radially expanding both the inner and outer sleeves to provide an interference fit with the workpiece openings.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for the releasable, positive fastening of the back wall of the housing of an airbag module to a supporting component of a motor vehicle body, wherein at least two fastening points are formed. For each fastening point, on the housing back wall or on the supporting component, a pin is provided and on the other of the supporting component or the housing back wall, an opening is provided. A resiliently biased catch mechanism is disposed in the area of the opening. The pin has on its shaft a detent and has a cone-shaped or wedge-shaped front portion. The catch mechanism is biased transversely of its longitudinal axis from a closed position to an open position from which it springs back into a catching position when the pin has reached the given fastening position in the opening.

Abstract: An anchor for a bolt formed of a single strip of sheet metal includes a pair of opposed shell portions having helically aligned connecting strips. The shell portions extend from a bottom end of the anchor having a threaded sleeve for accepting the bolt. The free ends of the shell portions have tabs extending outwardly for engagement into the plate in which the member is being installed. The anchor is formed by first stamping a strip of metal and then bending the ends of the strip to form a cylindrical shell. Axially aligned tabs on the free ends extend into complimentary recesses to join the two shell halves together.

Abstract: A spreading anchor including an anchor rod having a stem (2) provided at its front end with a cone (3) which widens toward its free end, and a sleeve (5) which surrounds the stem (2), is axially displaceable along the anchor rod, and has a plurality of cutting tabs (6) separated from each other by axially extending slots (70, extending from a hinge point (9) in a direction of the cone (3), and having cutters (10), in regions of their free front ends, with the cutting tabs expanding radially upon the sleeve (5) being pushed onto the cone (3), with the sleeve (5) having at its free end in a region of the cutting tabs (6), and axially extending folded-over section (8) having an axial length (1) corresponding approximately to the length of the axial slots, and with the hinge (9) being located in the transition region between the folded-over section (8) and the sleeve outer surface.

Abstract: A pre-assembled workpiece fastenable to a mounting surface of a second workpiece, and in one application a pre-assembled plastic component fastenable to a metal automotive engine component. The pre-assembled workpiece includes an opening extending therethrough between an outer surface and a mounting surface thereof. A sleeve member is retainably disposed in the opening through the pre-assembled workpiece, and a fastener having a threaded shank portion and a head is retainably disposed through the sleeve member. The fastener is axially and laterally positionable relative to the pre-assembled workpiece, whereby the pre-assembled workpiece is mountable and alignable on the mounting surface of the second workpiece without interference from the fastener.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for securing a tie rod to a shroud support structure are described. One embodiment of the apparatus is a toggle bolt assembly including a toggle bolt body having an upper threaded portion and a lower toggle engaging portion. A toggle is rotatably secured to the toggle bolt body at the lower toggle engaging portion. A crimp nut including a threaded nut portion and a crimp collar is threadedly secured to the upper threaded portion of the toggle bolt body. Such toggle bolt assembly also includes a sleeve sized to have at least a portion of the toggle bolt body and the toggle located therein. The sleeve has a toggle opening so that the toggle can rotate from a first position in which the toggle is substantially located within the sleeve to a second position in which surface engaging portions of the toggle extend beyond the sleeve. A lower portion of the sleeve has a toggle rotation surface to facilitate rotation of the toggle.

Abstract: An apparatus for repairing a shroud in which one or more seam welds are cracked. The repair involves the attachment of a splice bracket to the shroud so that the bracket bridges the cracked weld seam and is applicable to both vertical and horizontal weld seams. The bracket is intended to structurally replace the shroud seam weld which is cracked. Multiple splice brackets can be placed along the length of a crack. Each splice bracket is attached to the shroud by a plurality of tapered fastener assemblies.

Abstract: An improved anchor assembly for a multiple drawer locking system having a "C" shaped lock bar with an access slot, the anchor assembly including an anchor having an anchor element for slidably mounting in the lock bar and a mounting device; a multi-faceted locking pin for engaging the mounting device and an indexing plate between the anchor element and the pin and including at least one anti-rotational element extending through the slot into the lock bar to prevent the anchor element from rotating and aligning with the slot; the indexing plate may also include a first indexing device and the locking pin may include a second indexing device for constraining the pin to lock with one of the facets in a predetermined position; the indexing plate may also include at least one gripping edge for gripping the lock bar to prevent sliding of the assembly.

Abstract: A swiveling roofing washer for use with a roofing fastener has a plate. The plate defines a centrally positioned fastener opening. The plate further has a bottom surface for engagement to a roofing membrane, and an oppositely positioned top surface. The top surface has a swivel surface portion defining a convex surface adjacent and coaxial with the fastener opening. The swivel surface further defines a fastener head receiving channel adjacent the convex portion and coaxial with the fastener opening for engagement with the head portion of a roofing fastener.

Abstract: A locking system for a vehicle wheel has a threaded member having a threaded part which has an axis and is screwable in a corresponding counter part, and a plurality of rings which are freely rotatable relative to the threaded part and having different eccentricities, and a key having an axis and a part engageable with the threaded member and is provided with a plurality of formations which engage the rings of the threaded member and have eccentricities similar to the eccentricities of the rings.

Abstract: The present invention provides fasteners that have surprising benefits, such as the ability to be set into a fixing hole by gentle pressure, for example thumb pressure, and remain in place without holding until hammered fully home, and the ability to maintain the proper alignment upon hammering. Also provided are methods of attaching one object to another object, using the instant fasteners.

Abstract: The bolt, in the one-way nut and bolt combination, includes a head, a stem, and bolt thread on said stern. A longitudinal channel is defined on the stem by a plurality of aligned notches extending through the crests of the threads. Each notch is defined by a radially aligned surface and an angularly displaced surface. The nut has a threaded bore that is complimentary to the bolt thread and includes at least one longitudinal cut-out. The nut further includes a compressible tine extending into the cut-out. The compressible tine has a body portion and a substantially radially aligned distal end portion. The distal end portion of the tine and the cut-out defines a narrow mouth leading to a wider throat deeper in the cut-out. The nut thread and the bolt thread cooperatively permit a user to translate the nut along the bolt threads by means of one-way rotation. The tine is alternately flexed inboard into the cut-out, by the bolt threads, and then released when the tine is disposed in the longitudinal channel.