And Specified Cutting Edge, Face, Rake, Relief Surface, Or Flute Angle (e.g., Axially Facing Facets) Patents (Class 411/387.8)
  • Patent number: 10767681
    Abstract: A fastener may include an elongated shank, a head at a distal end of the shank, and a drill point at a terminal end of the shank, which is opposite to the distal end. The fastener may include a primary thread starting at the drill point and extending along the shank towards the head. The fastener may include a secondary thread starting at the drill point, extending along the shank towards the head, and stopping in an axial direction before the primary thread ends. The secondary thread may be radially located 180 degrees from the primary thread. The drill point may include a plurality of radially extending cutting edges and one or more relieved flute portion extending along the surface of the drill point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: THE HILLMAN GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Joe A. Hargis
  • Patent number: 10371192
    Abstract: A building structure including a first building member and a second building member may be connected by a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having a head, a threaded portion having a through hardness of between HRB 70 and HRC 40, a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness enabling the fastener to form threads in at least the second steel building member, and a fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness with a nominal diameter between 70 and 95% of major diameter, such that the fastener is capable of providing a ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 when the second steel building member having a thickness of 0.25 inch and the fluted lead portion having at least one diameter within nominal diameter between 80 and 98% of major diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Nucor Corporation, Asia Fastening (US), Inc.
    Inventors: Lionel E. Dayton, Richard W. Lukes
  • Patent number: 9322422
    Abstract: A fastener includes a shank having a pilot section and a threaded section. The pilot section includes a cutting tip and a drill section; the threaded section includes a first thread region having the same twist as the drill section and a reverse thread region. A helical ridge may be provided in the reverse thread region. A head at the second end includes a top portion such as a disk and an undercut region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: SIMPSON STRONG-TIE COMPANY, INC.
    Inventor: Jeremy Scott Park
  • Patent number: 9168077
    Abstract: A self-drilling, self-tapping bone screw includes a body having a head at one end and a cutting end at an opposite end, the cutting end having a generally flat cutting surface supporting two symmetrical cutting edges which extend from the longitudinal centerline to diametrically opposed thread start points. A recess is formed in the head for receiving an end of an insertion tool. A dual lead thread extends outwardly from the body in a spiral path from the cutting end towards the head. The dual lead thread pitch is tapered towards the cutting end, and transitions to a straight or slightly tapered thread towards the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Surgical Screw Concepts, LLC.
    Inventor: Robin C. Whitmore
  • Patent number: 9103364
    Abstract: A screw includes a shank and at least one end cutting groove. The shank includes a lower section disposed near an insertion end thereof and an upper section disposed near a head end thereof. The lower section has triangular transverse cross sections, and the upper section has circular transverse cross sections. A first thread is disposed on the lower section of the shank, and a second thread is disposed on the upper section of the shank. A non-threaded section is disposed between the lower section and the upper section of the shank. An outer diameter of the non-threaded section is larger than an outer diameter of the upper section. The end cutting groove is formed in the lower section of the shank, and an included angle between 3 and 9 degrees is formed between an extending direction of the end cutting groove and a longitudinal axis of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Fushang Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jung-Nan Lin
  • Publication number: 20150147137
    Abstract: There is provided a screw for fastening a wooden member which includes: a shank that extends along a datum line; a head that is disposed at an end of the shank and has a plate portion having a cross-section that narrows as it goes to the shank such that the boundary of the cross-section and the datum line make a plate angle; and a tapered blade that protrudes from the outer side of the plate portion, has a bottom perpendicular to the datum line and a side making an obtuse angle with the bottom, and has a taper angle that is made by the side and the datum line and is 2.50° to 12.5° smaller than the plate angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Young-Kuuk BAN
  • Patent number: 9011505
    Abstract: The invention relates to a self-tapping and self-boring osteosynthesis screw for compressive orthopaedic surgery, characterised in that, in the bone engagement regions, at both the distal portion (A1a) and at the proximal portion (A2a), the sum of the angles defining the outer taper of the shank (f) and the taper of the crest line of the screw thread pitch (P) is higher than 45°, and in that the leading portion (i.e. the most distal one) of each thread includes a plurality of cutting edges (AR) obtained by stock removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Memometal Technologies
    Inventors: Bernard Prandi, Jean Lariviere, Mohammed R'Taimate
  • Patent number: 8747043
    Abstract: A fastener including a chisel point that pre-bores a hole in a work piece to prevent damage to the work piece as the fastener advances. The fastener can include a head, a shaft and a chisel brake point formed at an end of the shaft. The chisel brake point can include first and second opposing inclined surfaces disposed at an angle of about 80° to about 150° relative to one another. A thread can begin adjacent the chisel brake point and form an extension of an inclined surface and/or a chisel edge. The chisel brake point can scrape material from a work piece while pre-boring a hole. The material can be transferred to the thread, and subsequently fed up the thread, out of the pre-bored hole. The chisel brake point can also selectively retard advancement of the fastener into the work piece. Methods of installing the fastener also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: National Nail Corp.
    Inventor: Roger A. Vandenberg
  • Patent number: 8613579
    Abstract: A self-drilling screw (10) has a first cutting edge (21) provided exclusively in a radially inner region of the drilling tip (12), extending at a first acute angle (?1) to the longitudinal axis (L), and a second cutting edge (22) provided in radially outer region of the drilling tip (12) and extending at a second acute angle (?2) to the longitudinal axis (L), with a first enveloping conical circumferential surface (A1) which is defined by the first cutting edge (21) corresponding, with a maximum deviation of +/?10%, to a second enveloping conical circumferential surface (A2) defined by the second cutting edge (22), and with the first acute angle (?1) corresponding, with a maximum deviation of +/?5°, to the second acute angle (?2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Albert Loichinger, Michael Baumgartner, Sven Matthiesen
  • Patent number: 8511958
    Abstract: A screw with double notches includes a head portion, a shank portion extended outward from the head portion, a threaded section spirally surrounded on the shank portion. Wherein, a raw section on the shank portion is provided with a cambered surface formed integral with the shank portion in cross-section, and a notched section relative to the raw section has two cutting notches separately depressed into the shank portion and disposed near an end of the shank portion, thereby forming a protrudent part between the two cutting notches. By means of the cooperation of the cutting notches and the raw section, the cutting capability and the removal of debris are increased so that a fastened object is prevented from split. Thereby, the drilling speed is promoted, and the effort to rotate the screw is lessened. While the supporting strength of the screw is improved, the screw does not break easily while screwing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Essence Method Refine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8480343
    Abstract: A fastener including a chisel point that pre-bores a hole in a work piece to prevent damage to the work piece as the fastener advances. The fastener can include a head, a shaft and a chisel brake point formed at an end of the shaft. The chisel brake point can include first and second opposing inclined surfaces disposed at an angle of about 80° to about 150° relative to one another. A thread can begin adjacent the chisel brake point and form an extension of an inclined surface and/or a chisel edge. The chisel brake point can scrape material from a work piece while pre-boring a hole. The material can be transferred to the thread, and subsequently fed up the thread, out of the pre-bored hole. The chisel brake point can also selectively retard advancement of the fastener into the work piece. Methods of installing the fastener also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: National Nail Corp.
    Inventor: Roger A. Vandenberg
  • Patent number: 8449235
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a threaded insert having an internal and external thread which have different thread pitches or the same thread pitch, wherein the threaded insert is wound from a profile strip which, on the one side thereof, is pre-shaped with the profile of the external thread, and on the other side thereof, is pre-shaped with the profile of the internal thread, and to a threaded insert which is generated by means of said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Ludwig Hettich & Co.
    Inventors: Ulrich Hettich, Stefan Hettich
  • Patent number: 8444360
    Abstract: A self-drilling screw (10) has a thread-carrying shaft (11), a head (15) provided at one of its ends, and a drilling tip (12) provided at another of its ends, opposite the one end thereof, with the drilling tip (12) having first and second cutting edges (21, 22) and first and second chip channels (24, 25) associated with the first and second cutting edges (21, 22), respectively, beginning at first and second start points (26, 27) at the free end (14) of the drilling tip (12), and located on opposite first and second sides of the drilling tip (12), with the first and second start points (26, 27) being spaced from the center (Z) of the drilling tip (12) by a mean distance (X) corresponding to from 0.01 to 0.15 of the drilling tip diameter (D), and being spaced from each other by a maximum distance (Y) corresponding to from 0 to 0.8 of the mean distance (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Baumgartner, Albert Loichinger
  • Publication number: 20130089390
    Abstract: A self-drilling screw includes a head having a circumferential surface around which a helical thread is formed and a body mounted to the head. The body has an end forming a cylindrical chisel tip section, which forms a conic surface facing outward. Two chip discharging channels are formed in the chisel tip section, and each chip discharging channels forms an external cutting edge at a connection thereof with the conic surface. The conic surface and the external cutting edges have a connection interface therebetween in which an inverted V-shaped notch is formed. The notch has two sides each forming an internal cutting edge. The notch forms two sharp points with respect to the external cutting edges, whereby the two sharp points are each associated with the respective external cutting edge and the respective internal cutting edge. Each of the sharp points forms an included angle, which ranges between 15°-135°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventor: HUANG-JIA SU
  • Patent number: 8408856
    Abstract: A fastener mountable to a rigid substrate such as a fiber cement panel and also mountable to the panel and an underlying support, such as a metal or wooden stud. The fastener may include a drilling portion having a reaming portion for reaming out the material within the panel, a fastening portion for engaging the panel and, if encountered, the underlying support, and a tapered portion between the drilling and fastening portions. The drilling portion may have a length generally equal to, or slightly longer than, a length of the panel so that reaming out of the panel may be completed before engagement of the fastener threads with the interior of the panel begins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Ernst, Mark E. Gonciarz, Donald J. Broomfield
  • Patent number: 8353655
    Abstract: The invention relates to a floor anchor (10) made of steel pipe. The floor anchor comprises a hollow shaft segment (14) having an external thread (16) at least in segments, and a head segment adjacent to the shaft segment (14) and facing downward in the anchored state in the floor. The head segment (12) is designed as a drill head and comprises elements for removing earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Krinner Innovation GmbH
    Inventor: Stephan Rainer
  • Patent number: 8348573
    Abstract: A versatile fastener including at least two flat areas formed on a cutting part, and an accommodating area disposed between any two of the flat areas. At least two cutting faces are convergent to form the accommodating area, and first and second cutting edges are respectively formed at a connection between each cutting face and flat area. In operation, the flat areas facilitate the first and the second cutting edges to promote a stable balance with the object, thereby allowing the debris to be swiftly guided out of the accommodating areas. Consequently, it is difficult to crack the object while imparting forces thereon, so as to lower the screwing resistance and the fastening torque as well as increase the combining efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Essence Method Refine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8322959
    Abstract: A self-boring screw (2) having a boring section (6) attached to the free end of the screw shaft (4), two vanes (12) radially protruding from the boring section, the edges of the vanes facing toward the boring tip (8) of the boring section (6) being configured as boring blades (13). The boring section (6) includes a chip discharge zone (14) that is configured such that the edges of the vanes (12) facing toward the boring tip (8) forms a cutting point (S) with a boring radius (16), the cutting point having a distance (A) to the screw shaft (4) that is at least ? of the cutting edge length of the bore tip (8). The chip discharge zone (14) makes it possible that the chips produced by the boring blade (10) at the boring tip (8) can be discharged freely and without buildup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: SFS intec Holding AG
    Inventor: Roland Mair
  • Patent number: 7862280
    Abstract: A saw tooth screw provides a screw thread divided into a first and a second thread sections. A plurality of slots, inclined with respect to a shank axial line, are disposed on each thread of the first thread section for dividing the thread into a plurality of thread segments, wherein each of the thread segment has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface on two ends thereof; the first inclined surface is parallel to the second inclined surface. The thread of the second thread section is formed of a saw-tooth-shape by having recesses extending from a shank to an outer edge of the thread for debris of object to exit through the slots, thereby reducing the screwing torsion and increasing the screwing rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Shan Yin International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Tai Su
  • Patent number: 7780388
    Abstract: It is possible to prevent a screwing torque from becoming excessively high even when a screw is threadedly engaged into a deep guide hole. In a tapping screw 100 comprising a parallel screw 22, a taper thread 23 provided closer to a tip end of the tapping screw than the parallel screw 22, and a plurality of projections 30 which partially project along an apex and flanks on both sides of a screw thread and which form an internal thread on a surface of a guide hole formed in a to-be fastened member, the plurality of projections 30 are provided from a region where the taper thread 23 is provided to a portion of a region where the parallel screw 22 is provided, and a diameter of a virtual cylinder which comes into contact with tip ends of some of the projections 30 including a projection provided in a region where the parallel screw 22 is provided is larger than an outer diameter of a external thread of the parallel screw 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Topura Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Yamaki
  • Publication number: 20100119327
    Abstract: A self-drilling screw with multi-drilling portions mainly comprises a shank, a head and a drilling portion separately disposed on both ends of the shank, and a thread section spiraled on the shank. Wherein, at least one sub-drilling portion formed amid the drilling portion and the thread section further defines a sequence of indentations and prominent areas, and each indentation generates a cutting surface outwardly extended from one side thereof so as to converge the cutting surface with the adjacent prominent area at a cutting ridge. Accordingly, the application of the cutting ridges and the indentations facilitates the drilling portion with the chipping capability and renders an appropriate guidance to redundant debris, thereby efficiently achieving a swift screwing and the lowered screwing resistance to promote the screwing efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: CHAN LIANG ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: KUO-CHANG LIN
  • Publication number: 20090269163
    Abstract: A self-tapping screw comprises a self-tapping screw having a screw rod; one end of the screw rod being a head and another end thereof being a drilling head; the drilling head having two extending surfaces which are symmetrical; each extending surface being formed with a cutting teeth set; each cutting teeth set having a plurality of cutting teeth; each extending surface extending from a tip of the drilling head and having an approximate sector area; a notch being formed between each two adjacent radial edges of the two extending surfaces. Each cutting tooth is protruded from the extending surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventor: Shu-Chung Huang
  • Publication number: 20090232619
    Abstract: A self-drilling screw (10) has a thread-carrying shaft (11), a head (15) provided at one of its ends, and a drilling tip (12) provided at another of its ends, opposite the one end thereof, with the drilling tip (12) having first and second cutting edges (21, 22) and first and second chip channels (24, 25) associated with the first and second cutting edges (21, 22), respectively, beginning at first and second start points (26, 27) at the free end (14) of the drilling tip (12), and located on opposite first and second sides of the drilling tip (12), with the first and second start points (26, 27) being spaced from the center (Z) of the drilling tip (12) by a mean distance (X) corresponding to from 0.01 to 0.15 of the drilling tip diameter (D), and being spaced from each other by a maximum distance (Y) corresponding to from 0 to 0.8 of the mean distance (X).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Baumgartner, Albert Loichinger
  • Publication number: 20090028665
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a screw notably comprising a shank with a plurality of flat surfaces; wherein, a lip is defined by the junction of any of two adjacent flat surfaces, and a rib located between two threads is protruded from the lip. While in operation, by means of the configuration of the ribs, the screw facilitates to increase the cutting capability for achieving a higher screwing speed and preserve a good resistance of extraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: ESSENCE METHOD REFINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHING-HSIANG CHANG
  • Publication number: 20080124188
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a concrete screw comprising a threaded portion with threads spirally disposed thereon and a helical conveying portion. In particular, the outer diameter of the threads is greater than the diameter of the helical conveying portion, in which two angled surfaces formed on the end thereof; two flutes are respectively defined between the angled surfaces, a cutting edge is formed on the intersection of one side of each of angled surfaces and two flutes. While screwing, the screw can directly and facilely be firmly screwed into the wall, thus greatly saving the screwing time and increasing the screw efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Chen-Chih CHANG, Li-Hsun Yang, Ping-Hung Yang
  • Patent number: 7377019
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for fastening a first relatively soft structural component such as a wood panel to a second relatively hard structural component such as a steel angle iron using fasteners each having a forward self-drilling portion, a rearward, self-tapping portion, and an outwardly projecting head. The fasteners are driven by a pneumatic rotary impact driver and the method comprises rotatively driving each fastener so as to cause its self-drilling portion to drill a first hole through the wood panel and thereafter rotatively driving and impacting that fastener so as to cause its self-drilling portion to drill a second hole in the angle iron and its self-tapping portion to form a screw connection with the angle iron around the second hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Inventor: Harry M. Haytayan
  • Patent number: 7338243
    Abstract: A thread-cutting screw (1) serves for being screwed into the bore-hole wall (1a) of a bore-hole (1b). It comprises a substantially cylindrical core (2) of metal which has a central longitudinal axis (4), a thread (5) forming one piece with the core (2), and at least one cutting element (6, 7), disposed within the thread (5), for cutting engagement with the bore-hole wall. The core (2) consists of a metal of a carbon content between 0 and 0.5 percent by weight. The at least one cutting element (6, 7) is fixedly connected with the core (2), constituting a welded structure of a metal with a carbon content greater than 0.8 percent by weight. Being safely connected to the core (2), the cutting elements (6, 7) offer efficient cutting operation, with any risk of brittle fracture of the screw (1) being precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Inventor: Anton Gerhard
  • Patent number: 7290972
    Abstract: A screw anchor includes a roughly cylindrical body (1) with a drilling portion (3) provided, at its free end, with drilling teeth (14-16), at the other end of the body, a bearing flange (5) and an external screw thread (7). The drilling portion (3) is configured as a portion of a drill bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Societe de Prospection et d'Inventions Techniques Spit
    Inventor: Alain Gauthier
  • Patent number: 7140825
    Abstract: A self tapping bolt which fastens a mounting member and a receiving member while the bolt cuts internal threads on an inner surface of a tap drill hole prepared in the receiving member. The bolt includes at least one groove formed near an end of a threaded portion of the bolt and a blade for cutting the internal threads. The bolt includes the feature of the blade being formed only on a rear end surface of the groove relative to a rotational direction of the bolt which is screwed into the tap drill hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Meira Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Takahashi, Hideaki Miyashita, Manabu Naoi, Takemi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7063491
    Abstract: The reverse barb system for screws and nails includes fasteners that are barbed to prevent backing out once driven into a workpiece or construction material, such as wood. A screw with barbed threads has several barbed thread sections. Each barbed thread section is a section of thread having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge defining a barb to increase the screw's resistance to backing out once driven into place. A nail with a barbed point is a nail having one or more barbs formed in the nail's point. Each barb is defined by a leading edge and a trailing edge. The barb's trailing edge forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the nail. The barbs extend from the nail shank to prevent the nail from backing out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Inventor: Douglas R. French
  • Publication number: 20040096293
    Abstract: A screw is disclosed which has a shank having a screw thread. A drill section is formed on the shank and extends from the tip of the shank to an intermediate position. The screw thread extends all of the way to the tip. The drill section includes a flute forming a flute edge which intersects the screw thread to form at least one thread tapping edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: MiTek Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: John Tadich
  • Patent number: 6428259
    Abstract: A flat headed screw structure includes a screw body having an axle face formed with an axially extended thread, and having a tail end provided with at least one cut groove. The cut groove has a top defining a cut groove opening. The cut groove opening further defines a scrap draining chute toward a center of the screw body. The scrap draining chute extends into the inner portion of the screw body and exceeds the central line of the screw body through a predetermined angle, thereby preventing scraps from blocking the cut groove opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Inventors: Chao-Hsin Yu, Chin-Sun Chen
  • Publication number: 20020090278
    Abstract: A self-tapping screw structure includes a threaded rod having one end provided with a cap head, and the other end of the threaded rod is formed with two blades respectively located at two sides of the central point of the threaded rod. Each of the two blades has an extended scrap escaping groove. One of the two blades is provided with a slow cutting portion located adjacent to the central point of the threaded rod and lower than the surface of the second blade, thereby greatly increasing the tapping velocity of self-tapping screw structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: Hsiao Kang Shan Screw Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsung-Cheng Lai
  • Patent number: 6176664
    Abstract: A fastening screw having an elongate shank (1), and a drilling tip (2) and a head (3) provided at respective opposite ends of the shank (1). The drilling tip (2) has a cutting edge (5) for cutting through metal and a flute (6) extending longitudinally of the shank (1). A thread (8) is formed on the shank (1) and extends over a portion of the section of the shank (1) in which the flute (6) is formed. A method of forming a fastening screw from a screw preform (9), includes deforming the preform (9) to create a drilling tip (2) which has at least one cutting edge (5) and a flute (6), and applying a thread (8) to the shank (1) in the region in which the flute (6) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: W A Deutsher Pty Ltd
    Inventor: David James Alexander Roberts