Abstract: A fastener is provided for fastening together overlapping panels made from relatively soft materials, such as fiber reinforced composite materials, substantially without damage to the panels. The fastener comprises a generally tubular fastener body received within the openings of the panels. The fastener body has an enlarged body head for engaging the outer panel, an annular sidewall extending through the panel openings, and an endwall at the inner end of the fastener body. A plug having a tapered inner nose is positioned within the upper region of the fastener body in abutting contact with the body head and contiguous sidewall, and an annular sleeve is positioned within the lower region of the fastener body between the plug and endwall. During setting of the fastener, the sleeve deforms over the tapered nose and laterally expands the contiguous sidewall outwardly into a fully set condition in overlying contact with the outer surface of the inner panel.

Abstract: A blind fastener comprising:a nut with an axial bore therethrough, a bolt extending through the nut with a sleeve encircling the bolt between the head of the bolt and the nut body, and a stop ring provided on a screw threaded portion of the bolt, the bolt having a break groove therein, between the nut body and the bolt head. As the bolt is advanced upwardly during installation, the stop ring abuts the terminal end of the nut body. This sudden resistance to further travel causes the screw threaded portion to fracture at the break groove thus providing a clean break at the break groove substantially filling a cavity in the nut head thereby increasing the strength of the installed fastener and eliminating any need for shaving off the broken-off screw threaded portion.

Abstract: A blind fastener is provided for connecting two workpieces together, comprising an internally threaded fastener body and an externally threaded stem passing in threaded engagement therewith. A drive nut is mounted on the stem in contact with the fastener body for preventing rotation thereof upon turning of the stem to install the fastener. The outer end of the stem has a cap nut to enable turning of the stem. Both the drive nut and cap nut are engaged by wrench components of an installation tool to cause turning motion of the stem relative to the fastener body to deform a sleeve around the fastener body into contact with one surface of the two workpieces. Although the fastener may vary in size depending upon the nature of the two workpieces to be connected together, the outer dimensions of the drive nut and cap nut remain constant for all fasteners regardless of differing stem diameters of different size fasteners.

Abstract: A blind fastener is provided for connecting two workpieces together, comprising an internally threaded fastener body and an externally threaded stem passing in threaded engagement therewith. A drive nut is mounted on the stem in contact with the fastener body for preventing rotation thereof upon turning of the stem to install the fastener. The outer end of the stem has a cap nut to enable turning of the stem. Both the drive nut and cap nut are engaged by wrench components of an installation tool to cause turning motion of the stem relative to the fastener body to deform a sleeve around the fastener body into contact with one surface of the two workpieces. Although the fastener may vary in size depending upon the nature of the two workpieces to be connected together, the outer dimensions of the drive nut and cap nut remain constant for all fasteners regardless of differing stem diameters of different size fasteners.

Abstract: A flush break blind fastener is provided having as principle components a stem member, a drive-nut, and a deformable annular means. The stem member has an externally-threaded-portion on the accessible-side thereof, and may have a stem-head on the nonaccessible side thereof. The drive-nut is screwed onto the externally-threaded-portion of the stem member. The deformable annular means has as principle parts a head which is larger in diameter than the diameter of the boreholes of the workpieces, and an intermediate-part adjacent the head, and a deformable tail-part adjacent the intermediate-part and abutting the stem-head for securing the workpieces when the fastener is set. The outer-portion of the stem member contains a turning means for rotating the stem member relative to the drive-nut.

Abstract: A blind fastener for installation in aircrafts or the like and method for forming same comprised of a threaded nut threaded on a threaded screw or stem member having a stem head with a deformable sleeve mounted on the stem member between the stem head and the threaded nut. A torque lock is created between the threaded nut and the stem member to provide torque of the nut against the threads of the stem member without damaging the threads of the nut and the stem member.

Abstract: A wedge-type fastener which is economical to manufacture and can be installed using known installation tools, such as those used in Europe. The fastener comprises a main body portion having an exterior adapted to be grasped by a tool to hold the same and an insert mounted in its interior keyed to the interior of the main body portion for rotation therewith. A threaded stud having a head keyed to the interior of the insert is also mounted within the body portion having a threaded portion extending out of one end of the body portion. The body portion is closed off at one end by a snap-in cap which also aligns the threaded stud in the body portion and abuts against the insert. The threaded portion of the stud extends through the cap and terminates in a snap-on cap that keeps a threaded nut threaded on the threaded portion of the stud between the first cap and the second cap from running off the stud. The stud, at its other end, includes a pair of wire elements fixedly secured therein.

Abstract: A wedge-type low profile fastener is disclosed which is adapted to be inserted into aligned apertures in a pair of abutting surfaces. A hex head is provided on the fastener which is engageable by a tool to rotate the same. Such rotation moves a screw having a pair of spaced wires coupled thereto with a spreader between the wires. As the screw is moved, the wires move along the spreader wedging the spreader between the wires. This moves the wires outwardly against the non-accessible surfaces of the apertures thereby holding the fastener secure in the apertures until the wedging action is removed. The fastener presents a low profile so that the hex head does not stick out too far while retaining a predetermined grip range for the wires.

Abstract: In a blind fastener comprising a nut with an axial bore therethrough, a bolt extending through said nut and a sleeve on said bolt, the improvement comprising said sleeve having a thin wall section adjacent to the nut formed by a recess in said section and a collar between said nut and sleeve which has a tensile strength very much less than the tensile strength of said sleeve and the sleeve is adapted upon setting of the fastener to have the thin wall section buckle outwardly upon the contact with the parts being fastened to form a large bearing surface.

Abstract: A blind fastener, producing a large blind side bulb, and including a locking ring to hold the fastener in a secured position against stresses. A collapsible barrel segment is disposed on the blind side between the end of the body portion and the head of the pull stem to effect the expansion of the body portion on the blind side. The barrel resists collapsing under loads sufficient to expand and flare the body portion of the fastener to produce the desired large bulb but collapses upon satisfactory flaring having been accomplished. The collapsible barrel, being collapsible along an angle, makes the fastener particularly well-adapted for fastening non-parallel surfaces.

Abstract: A blind fastener particularly suited for mechanically joining composite structures such as graphite and fiber/epoxy matrix with a minimum of blind side damage. A first sleeve of highly ductile material is disposed as a liner about the portion of the nut which passes through the composite materials. The first sleeve extends longer than the thickness of the materials. A second sleeve of measurably less ductility is disposed between the first sleeve and the head of the threaded corebolt. The two sleeves have abutting surfaces which are non-sliding whereby as the nut and corebolt are threadily engaged and the two sleeves are brought into compression, the less ductile sleeve flairs the more ductile sleeve about the nut to create a protected area about the blind side of the materials.