Abstract: A fastener member having a head and a body portion with a plurality of arm members flexibly provided to compress a first member against a second member against the force of the fastener head to fasten the first and second members. The fastener member can secure articles or panels of different thicknesses as well as those of non-uniform thickness to other members or articles. A receiving socket is also provided to be used in conjunction with the fastener member.

Abstract: A structural connector for connecting together wooden members. The structural connector is provided with at least one protrusion arm having a hole locking mechanism. Also, a method of making a structural joint.

Abstract: An expansion plug fastening assembly (15, 115) for fastening a hardware element (13, 113), in particular a runner for drawers, to a hole (11, 111), comprises an expansion plug casing (10, 110) which fits into the hole. The casing (10, 110) comprises an axial housing (16, 17, 116, 117) axially rotatably housing the shank (24, 25, 124, 125) of a pin (22, 122) for fastening the hardware element. At least one first segment of the shank (25, 125) has an axis (23) eccentric with respect to the head (18, 118) to permit adjustment of the position of the hardware element in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the pin on rotation of the pin. The shank advantageously also comprises a second segment (24, 124) coaxial to the head and the housing comprising a first (17, 117) and a second portion (16, 116) receiving the first (25, 125) and the second segment (24, 124) respectively.

Abstract: An operating device (1) with a top part (2) having an actuating arrangement (5) and a bottom part (3) carrying the top part (2). The top part (2) and bottom part (3) are releasably joined to one another and the actuating arrangement (5) drives a control member (6). In an operating device of this kind it is desirable for the top part (2) to be easily mounted on the bottom part (3) and to be easily detachable therefrom. For that purpose the top part (2) and the bottom part (3) are joined to one another by a bayonet joint (16,18).

Abstract: A device used to fasten and retain two or more conducting elements with sufficient normal force to insure a reliable electrical contact. The device consists of three individual parts: a bolt, a nut, and a spring washer. The bolt of this invention differs from conventional bolts in that it has no threads and has a keying feature. The nut is distinguishable from a standard nut in that it also has no typical thread, but has a keying feature and internal ramps. The spring washer provides a linear increase in force proportional to deflection. Like the bolt and nut, the spring washer also has a keying feature.

Abstract: An engaging structure of two decorative articles including a female seat formed at a center with a circular opening having two opposite grooves and provided at one side with an arch-like member located over the circular opening and having two legs, and a male seat formed at one side with a cylindrical pin having two opposite protrusions extending radially outwardly from an upper end thereof, the protrusions being adapted to go through the grooves of the female seat, whereby the two decorative articles can be conveniently engaged or disengaged.

Abstract: A grate attachment fixture is disclosed which rotationally engages a locking bar with the opposed sidewalls of a drainage channel and which thereafter secures a grate to the drainage channel. The grate attachment fixture includes a rotatable connector adapted to adjustably interconnect the locking bar and the grate. The grate attachment fixture also includes a grate securing member affixed to the locking bar. The grate securing member includes a pair of adjustment surfaces including a positive engagement surface for engaging a portion of the connector such that upon rotation of the connector in a first angular direction, the locking bar initially rotates within the trench in the first angular direction until the first locking bar engages the opposed sidewalls. Thereafter, the positive engagement surface cooperates with the connector to apply a tensile force between the grate and the locking bar upon further rotation of the connector.

Abstract: A removable fastener (10, 110) for a part (25, 28, 122) such as a furniture accessory with a hole in a surface (24, 120) comprises a dowel anchor (11, 11', 111) with ribbing thereon (23, 112) for lateral engagement in the surface hole. The dowel anchor comprises a seat (13, 113) in which is received the end of an element (12, 12', 114) in turn constrained to the part and there being between the element and the seat a form of separable mutual constraint. The element is provided in the form of a dowel or pin (12, 12', 114) constrained to the part to be axially insertable in the seat (13, 113) in the dowel anchor and the constraint comprises elastically yielding elements (14, 15, 40, 41, 117) projecting toward the axis of the seat (13, 113) to engage the side wall of the dowel (12, 12', 114) upon its insertion in the seat.

Abstract: A device and method for locking an electrical component, having a body and a flange portion, with a panel through a panel opening, in which the flange abuts a first face of the panel, which includes moving an actuator on the body of the component to displace a cam follower on the body from a first to a second position in which the cam follower projects beyond the contour of the body enough to abut another panel face.

Abstract: A locking device is provided for securing a protective bedliner to the interior of a pick-up truck cargo bed wherein the cargo bed has side walls with inwardly extending horizontal flanges and vertically, downwardly extending flanges spaced from the side walls of the truck. The side walls of the bedliner are provided with a plurality of circular apertures overlapping the bottom edges of the vertical flanges and a locking device is associated with each aperture. Each locking device includes a base plate engageable with the wall of the bedliner around an aperture and a flat planar locking tongue extending perpendicular to the base plate through the aperture. The locking tongue includes a shank portion having first and second substantially parallel edges disposed substantially perpendicular to the base plate and a retainer portion extending laterally from the shank portion substantially parallel to the base plate.

Abstract: A fastening device comprises a hollow box-shaped container-guide (12) inside which a shaft-like fastening member is rotatably received. The fastening member is provided with at least one projecting, eccentric tongue (24), which is inclined with respect to the axis (a) of the shaft, or is preferably shaped according to a section of a helicoid. The fastening member is rotatable between a position in which the locking tongue (24) is contained inside the hollow container (12) and a position in which it projects from it to grip into the walls of a hole which receives the container, or against the wall of a panel. A head (22) of the fastening member (14) can be maneuvered from the outside and has two abutments which collaborate with abutments integral with a head (18) of the container in order to define the completely retracted position of the tongue or tongues and the completely extracted position of the same. The container can be realized in various forms.

Abstract: An improved refrigerator door-locking device is provided for locking a refrigerator door to a refrigerator body which may preferably be manufactured substantially of molded plastic parts. The locking device has an elongated first mountable casing which has an elongated opening, and a plunger member which has a projecting rod end and slotted outer rod end slidably fits within the opening. A bayonet connector is located at the projecting rod end of the plunger and a spring biases the plunger toward the projecting rod end. A bayonet receiver is located in a second mountable casing and interacts with the projecting rod end bayonet connector. The locking device provides a visual indication of when it is locked or unlocked.

Abstract: A portable, hand-held data collection terminal is housed in an elongate, protective housing. A frontal surface of the housing includes a display screen and a keyboard. A battery compartment of the data collection terminal has an access opening which is covered and sealed by a lid. The resiliency of a peripheral seal of the lid also absorbes impact forces directed against the terminal. The battery compartment is closed by placing an upper end of the lid under a ledge of the housing and locking an opposite end to the housing with a detented quarter-turn lock button. Detented positions of the lock button indicate the fully locked and fully unlocked positions of the lid. A hand strap on the rear of the housing is attached to the housing and to the lid to support an operator's handgrip on the terminal and to tether the lid to the terminal when the battery compartment is opened. Two types of protectors for indicia on keyboard keys are also disclosed.

Abstract: An inexpensive light weight system for attaching, supporting and suspending an item on or from a host surface without the need for tools to secure said item. The system comprises: (1) a base member attached to a host surface, the base member having a means for receiving a removable spacer member; (2) the spacer member having a first end for manually securing to the base and a second end opposite the first end which is provided with a means for receiving a coupling means, the spacer member being capable of damping vibrational energy originating with the host surface; and (3) the coupling means for manually attaching the item to the second end of the spacer member.

Abstract: A single piece fastener and a method of using this fastener to secure connectors to a printed circuit board comprised of a longitudinal member with a top section which rests on top of the connector and a bottom section with an inclined surface is described. The fastener is inserted through the connector and through the circuit board. When turned, the inclined surface interacts with the bottom of the circuit board, wedging the connector to the circuit board.

Abstract: A bumper assembly is provided employing a fastener device which is received in a slotted opening formed in a sheet or plate. The fastener device is constructed such that an elongated flange is inserted through the slotted opening, and the fastener may be rotated through one quarter turn at which point it reaches a stop position and is locked in position. Upon reversal of rotation of the fastener through one quarter turn the rotation reaches a stop position at which point the fastener is easily removed from the slotted opening.

Abstract: A fastener snaps through aligned apertures in two work pieces. The shape of the aperture in the first work piece is such that the fastener cannot be withdrawn from it. However, the aperture in the second work piece is so shaped that the fastener can be rotated for removal of the fastener from the second work piece. The work pieces thereby can be separated, but the fastener remains in substantially permanent association with the first work piece for reuse of the work piece and the fastener.

Abstract: A chain guard fastener for secure fitting of the down tube and the seat tube of a bicycle comprises a fastening means and bolt having a key projecting in front thereof to permit engagement with a counterpart keyway provided on the chain guard. The fastening means is made of molded plastic, and includes a median split and a cylindrical form projecting out of a pair of symmetrically disposed faces, two suitably formed bolting ports traversing the pair of faces on either side thereof so as to permit passage of a bolt therethrough. One end of the bolt is stopped, while the other end of the bolt goes to a continuously toothed groove, in close proximity of the teeth.

Abstract: The fastener is in a single piece and adapted to achieve the blind assembly and fixing of sumperimposed elements (A, B) provided with openings (C, D) which have a substantially square-shaped common part in which the fastener is engaged so as to fix together the element (A, B) after rotation of the fastener. For this purpose, it comprises a head (1) so shaped as to pass through the common part and connected to a rectangular-sided stem (3) so as to define two shoulders (4). This stem (3) is enlarged at one end in the form of a foot adapted to cooperate with the shoulders (4) by means of wings (6) of the foot to trap therebetween the elements (A, B).

Abstract: An integral quarter turn plastic fastener is provided for insertion beneath the floor of an automobile. Retainers are provided on the fastener for receipt and retention of fluid lines, such as fuel lines and brake lines, of different sizes. The fastener can be installed in only one position to insure proper orientation of the retainers.