Patents by Inventor Thomas W. McSherry

Thomas W. McSherry has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4294156
    Abstract: An improved anchor assembly for retaining an elongated fastener member within an opening defined by a wall portion having at least one concealed side. Such devices typically comprise at least two elongated leg members, means for connecting a pair of adjacent end portions of the leg members, an apertured anchor member coupled to the legs at opposite end portions and a collar member secured to the legs for sandwiching the wall portion between the collar and the anchor member. The improvement comprises providing each of the legs with respective coupling studs aligned along their major transverse dimensions for engaging substantially longitudinal flanges from anchor member on either side thereof or attaching the legs across the minor dimension of the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: Mechanical Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. McSherry, Nathaniel H. Garfield
  • Patent number: 4221154
    Abstract: A fastening arrangement and fastening element for fastening together two or more members, at least one of which is concave with respect to the others. Fastened within an aperture in at least one of the members is a channeled fastening element with a longitudinally extending anti-jacking member and one or more additional members are attached to the fastening element by an elongated retaining element extending into the fastening element channel and locking therewithin. The anti-jacking member is proportioned to substantially extend between the concave member and the surface of the adjacent member to prevent jacking of the fastening element from the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: Mechanical Plastics Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas W. McSherry
  • Patent number: 4181061
    Abstract: An integrally molded plastic fastening element comprises a head portion, a longitudinally extending body portion having a pair of longitudinally extending pillar-like parts, and a pair of substantially rigid locking arms pivotally connected to each other at their adjacent ends. The rigid arms are pivotally connected to the body portion at the ends of respective pillar-like parts at positions radially adjacent the cross section of the body so that the rigid arms bear the bulk of the load applied to the fastener. The advantages of this structure include enhanced load bearing capability and ease in fabrication. In a preferred embodiment, the body is provided with a central passageway, and the pillar-like parts are curved radially inwardly in order to spring bias the walls of the passageway against an elongated retaining member inserted therein and to spring bias the arms in an over-center locking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Mechanical Plastics Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas W. McSherry
  • Patent number: 4174910
    Abstract: An improved sheet binding device for fastening together a plurality of sheets having pre-punched, spaced-apart openings, comprises an elongated backing member extending between such spaced-apart openings; and, attached to the backing member at spaced-apart positions corresponding to the spacing between such openings, a plurality of fastening elements, each comprising a connecting portion for insertion into such openings, and at the end of said connecting portion remote from said backing member, locking means movable between (1) a collapsed position in which the fastening element is insertable into such opening, and (2) an expanded position in which the locking means is effective to preclude removal of such sheets from said fastening element. This structure can be integrally molded from plastic material. In a preferred embodiment, the structure is substantially self-locking. Single-hole embodiments suitable as replacements for conventional brass head fasteners are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1979
    Assignee: Mechanical Plastics Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas W. McSherry, Nathaniel H. Garfield
  • Patent number: 4075924
    Abstract: An anchor assembly for retaining an elongated fastener member within an opening defined by a wall portion of finite thickness and having at least one concealed side. The assembly has at least two elongated leg members of flexible material positioned in parallel relation to each other, with means connecting a pair of adjacent end portions of the leg members together. A generally elongated anchor member is positioned transversely of the leg members and attached to the opposite end portions thereof, the anchor member defining an opening generally medial of the leg members and capable of receiving an elongated fastener member for attachment therewith when the fastener member is positioned between the leg members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1978
    Assignee: Mechanical Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. McSherry, Allan Thaw