Self-contained ratchet-like fastener with centering sleeve and center component

• US 3,227,029 A
• Filed: 08/04/1961
• Issued: 01/04/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1961
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry Devine James, Yurcessen Devine Evelyn
• Original Assignee: Henry Devine James, Yurcessen Devine Evelyn
• Inventors: HENRY DEVINE JAMES, YURCESSEN DEVINE EVELYN
• Application Number:
  US04/129,402
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• US Class Current: 411/337
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/02 Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/999 with retainer, e.g. tether

Claims

1. A SELF-CONTAINED FASTENER FOR CLAMPING TOGETHER STRUCTURAL PANELS HAVING CONCENTRIC OPENINGS THERETHROUGH, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE OPENING IN THE INNERMOST PANEL, THE FASTENER BEING INSERTABLE AS A UNIT INTO SAID OPENINGS AND COMPRISING A SLEEVE COMPONENT ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SAID OPENINGS AND TO SEAT ON THE OUTERMOST PANEL;

A NUT COMPONENT HAVING A BODY PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN THE INNER END PORTION OF THE SLEEVE COMPONENT, AND HAVING A CLAMPING HEAD ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE INNERMOST PANEL WHEN THE FASTENER IS IN CLAMPING POSITION;

A CENTER COMPONENT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND SEAT UPON THE SLEEVE COMPONENT, AND HAVING A STEM PORTION ROTATABLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE NUT COMPONENT;

COOPERATIVE SCREW-ACTING MEANS ON SAID STEM PORTION AND SAID NUT COMPONENT FOR TORQUING THE NUT COMPONENT TO CLAMPING POSITION AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ROTATION OF THE CENTER COMPONENT;

AND COOPERATIVE STOP MEANS ON THE SLEEVE COMPONENT AND ON THE NUT AND CENTER COMPONENTS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR LIMITING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE NUT AND CENTER COMPONENTS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO THE SLEEVE COMPONENT, WHEREBY THE THREE ASSEMBLED COMPONENTS ARE HELD IN ASSEMBLED RELATION AS A SELF-CONTAINED UNIT;

SAID NUT COMPONENT COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE TUBULAR BODY PORTION AND AN ANNULAR FLANGE CONSTITUTING PART OF THE CLAMPING HEAD OF SAID COMPONENT, A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT CLAMPING FINGERS CARRIED BY SAID FLANGE AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF THE FASTENER IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO SAID TUBULAR BODY, THE SLEEVE COMPONENT HAVING AN INNER END PORTION ENGAGEABLE BY SAID FINGERS WHILE THE NUT COMPONENT IS BEING TORQUED TO CLAMPING POSITION, WHEREBY THE RESILIENT FINGERS ARE FLARED OUTWARDLY TO ENGAGE THE INNERMOST OF SAID PANELS AND CLAMP THE PANELS TOGETHER.