Abstract: A drain valve to be used with numerous drain applications, such as draining fluid from an engine, includes in an exemplary embodiment a valve body, an o-ring and a cap. In another exemplary embodiment, the drain valve includes a valve body, an o-ring, a cap retainer and a cap. The drain valve eliminates the need for a tool, such as a wrench, to drain the fluid from the engine, for example. The drain valve includes a push-pull or a twist-and-pull cap feature to manipulate the valve; however, the drain cap remains on the drain valve and therefore cannot be lost or misplaced. Moreover, the drain valve includes a drain cap that is rotatable to direct the fluid flow out the valve and also provides an easy grip for opening and closing the valve.

Abstract: The grommet assembly includes a grommet head and a pin. The pin includes longitudinal guide channels and an enlarged head which may include undercuts formed immediately underneath the enlarged head. The grommet head includes grommet segments secured radially by radial bands with a nose band forming the tip of the grommet head. An aperture is formed between the grommet segments, with guide ridges formed on the interior arcuate walls to engage said longitudinal guide channels. The aperture further includes inwardly ramped surfaces which are forced apart by the enlarged head of the pin during insertion. Thereafter, in the fully installed position, the inwardly ramped surfaces engage the undercuts formed beneath the enlarged head.

Abstract: An isolator fan fastener for securing a cooling fan housing to the interior chassis of a computer is described. The fastener is comprised of a pin made of a hard impact resistant plastic and an isolator grommet made of a soft resiliently flexible plastic. The pin is frictionally engageable with the isolator grommet. In operation the isolator grommet is preinstalled in the fan housing. Insertion of the pin through the chassis and into the isolator grommet completes the mounting. An isolator fan fastener in accordance with the invention yields enhanced acoustical properties when compared to prior art fasteners.

Abstract: The standoff for mounting a circuit board to a chassis includes two parts. The first part is a grounding clip which includes two legs for engaging a chassis and supporting an apertured platform. The second part is a spring arm detent attachment with two elastically opposed spring arms with enlarged detent elements at distal ends thereof. Flanges are provided laterally adjacent to the spring arms. The flanges are spaced from the spring arms by a distance substantially equal to the sum of the thickness of the apertured platform and the circuit board. The spring arms, when manually urged toward each other, pass through the aperture of the circuit board and the aperture of the apertured platform and subsequently extend away from each other to form a detent engagement.

Abstract: A grille fastener assembly for releasably securing a wooden grille to a window sash having a generally rectangular-shaped frame with a single pane structure fixed therein includes a spring-loaded plunger assembly. The spring-loaded plunger assembly consists of a base portion, a plunger member and a coil spring. The plunger member and the base portion are movably secured together so as to sandwich the coil spring therebetween. The spring-loaded plunger assembly is telescopingly received in longitudinally extending openings formed in the terminal end portions of the grille bars and includes an enlarged end which is biased outwardly thereof and into respective central openings formed in grille strikes for releasably securing the grille to the sash frame.

Abstract: An oil drain valve assembly is provided for draining oil from an engine crankcase such as in a small internal combustion engine. The drain valve assembly includes an adaptor, an outer sleeve assembly, and interlocking for permitting opening of the valve assembly by relatively limited counter-clockwise rotation and subsequent pulling of the outer sleeve assembly relative to the adaptor. The interlocking means is formed of a pair of diametrically opposed J-slots disposed on the upper end of the outer sleeve assembly and co-mating locking pins disposed on the exterior surface of the adaptor. The locking pins are engageable with detents formed on the J-shaped slots to define a closed or sealed position.

Abstract: A fastening arrangement for securing abutting components is particularly adaptable to secure contacting members of a window assembly, which arrangement utilizes a clip with deflectable arms positionable and securable within a first groove having an anchoring sidewall notch defined within one member of the window assembly and a second groove and notch defined within the abutting member for housing clip extending arms so as to secure the abutting member.

Abstract: An adjustable roller assembly for sliding doors including a housing adapted to be snap-fit into a recess provided in the upper or lower surface of a door frame, the housing defining a cavity which is open at the lower end. A roller carrier is mounted in the housing cavity and is vertically adjustable with respect to the housing. The lower end of the roller carrier defines circular flanges in which is rotatably mounted a roller having an integral hub. A camming arrangement associated with the roller carrier is accessible for adjustment from the side of the door frame and is operable to adjust the vertical position of the roller carrier and roller to adjust the slack between the door and the track upon which the roller is adapted to ride.

Abstract: An anchor for secure reception of a fastener such as a screw shank can be frictionally welded, by high-speed rotation of the anchor, to the structure upon which the fastener is mounted. The anchor is molded from frictionally meltable material, for example a typical engineering thermoplastic such as ABS resin. The anchor has a generally cylindrical body with an end face at one end defining a surface for frictional welding to the compatible structure. The end face has an aperture which receives the screw shank or the like. The cylindrical body has a cup-like configuration having a cavity formed therein extending from the end face to an open end at the opposite end of the cylindrical body. A cylindrical boss is formed within the cavity and extends from the aperture at an entrance end for receiving the fastener. The boss has a frangible cap covering the end of its bore opposite the entrance end.

Abstract: A two-position electrical switch assembly is disclosed for mounting in an aperture of a metal panel. The housing for the switch assembly is constructed of an electrically non-conducting body having a head portion and a shank portion. The head portion is integrally formed with the shank portion such that the shank portion extends transversely away from a panel contacting surface of the head portion. A central opening is formed through the head portion and extends coaxially with an axial opening formed longitudinally through the shank portion. The shank portion includes means for resiliently mounting the switch assembly housing in the apertured middle panel where the resilient mounting means includes a first electrical conducting member, a pair of spring-biased electrical conducting fingers, and a second electrical conducting member. The pair of spring-biased electrical conducting fingers are disposed longitudinally in the axial bore with their free ends normally biased together.

Abstract: A two-position rotary switch assembly is constructed of a mounting member and a switching member. The mounting member has an electrically non-conducting body in the form of a head portion with a central opening and a shank portion with a throughbore in axial alignment with the central opening. The switching member includes an electrically non-conducting rotary part having a shaft portion rotatably disposed in the throughbore of the mounting member and a knob portion which includes a flange integrally formed in normal relation to the shaft portion and slidingly engaging the head portion of the mounting member. Stop means is provided for limiting the rotational motion of the switching member between two arcuate positions. An electrical contact member is mounted on the shaft portion and includes an arm portion that is disposed along a chordal flat formed inwardly of the circumferential surface of the shaft portion.

Abstract: A tension indicating device which includes at least one indicating arm and reference means carried by a stamped generally frustoconical spring washer. A relieved area in the bearing surface of the washer prevents work surface irregularities from producing erroneous tension indications. The arm and reference means may mechanically engage one another and the arm may be made separately and attached to the washer. Indications made by the arm are designed to be visually discernable from a distance.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic fastener for supporting secondary members relative to a thin panel in a shouldered, non-circular aperture. The fastener provides a wide distribution of stress loading by a large hook-like prong which is rotated into contact with the backside of the panel by telescoping it through the aperture until the head covers the aperture. A resilient non-loadbearing arm extends from the prong in a curved or angular relationship for engagement with two adjacent edges of the non-circular aperture to permanently prevent unintentional retrograde motion of the fastener. The fastener is non-removeable due to the locking of the notch in the arm with the side edge of the non-circular aperture.

Abstract: A combined gravity operated light socket and switch including a base, fastening means extending from one side thereof and a dielectric housing extending from the other side, the housing being divided into two adjacent chambers. The first chamber is open-ended forming a light socket and the second chamber houses a switching mechanism. The switch includes a headed co-axial shaft extending between the chambers with the head acting as a contact in the base of the socket and the opposite end carrying a flat centrally flanged teeter-totter element supporting a rolling ball and arranged for predetermined angular movement upon angular shifting of the housing. The angular movement of the flat element is limited by stop means, one of which is a contact, thereby producing an on-off status depending on the angular placement of the unit.