Blind fastener

• US 3,927,597 A
• Filed: 08/30/1974
• Issued: 12/23/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allan C. Stults, Edward D O'Brian, Raymond H. Powell
• Original Assignee: Allan C. Stults, Edward D O'Brian, Raymond H. Powell
• Inventors: O'Brian, Edward D., Stults, Allan C., Powell, Raymond H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Application Number:
  US05/502,149
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 85/3R,3K,3S,23 151/43
• US Class Current: 411/341
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/0808 by a toggle-mechanism

Abstract

A blind fastener capable of being mounted on a support member such as a sheet of wall board from one side of such a member can be constructed utilizing a first part having an elongated shank, a head located on one end of the shank and a holder located on the other end of the shank with a clamp serving as a second, physically separate part. The clamp is mounted on the holder through the use of co-acting mounting means on the clamp and on the holder in such a manner that it can be pivoted or moved from a position generally in alignment with the shank and the holder to a position transverse of the holder and so that it can be moved generally towards the shank when in such a transverse position. A screw is used with the fastener to secure one or more objects to the support member. When the screw is inserted from the head along the shank and generally in the direction of the holder it will deflect the clamp to such a generally transverse position if the clamp has not already moved to such position through the action of gravity. As the screw is further inserted it will engage an opening in the clamp and as the screw is turned the clamp will be drawn generally towards the shank.

Claims

1. A blind fastener capable of being mounted on a support member from one side of said member for use in mounting an elongated screw on said member which comprises:

an elongated shank, a head located on one end of said shank so as to extend outwardly therefrom, a holder located on the other end of said shank so as to extend outwardly from said shank generally in alignment with said shank, said holder comprising a single elongated arm, said arm having an enlarged head positioned on the extremity thereof remote from said shank, an elongated clamp associated with said holder, said clamp being provided with a centrally located opening capable of being engaged by said screw, said head, shank and holder being shaped so as to accommodate said screw being inserted relative to said fastener so as to extend from said head along said shank and said holder, co-acting mounting means on said clamp and said holder (1) for positioning said clamp in an insertion position in which said clamp is generally in alignment with said shank and extends from said holder outwardly away from said shank, (2) for supporting said clamp so that it can be rotated from said insertion position to a position in which it is transverse to said shank, (3) for limiting movement of said clamp on said holder away from said shank and (4) for preventing rotation of said clamp in a plane transverse to said shank and said holder, said co-acting mounting means comprising a hole formed in said clamp and the edges of said arm and the portions of said enlarged head adjacent to said arm, said clamp being positioned on said arm with said arm extending through said hole, said head being sufficiently large so as to prevent movement of said clamp off of said arm during the normal operation of said fastener, and deflecting means on one end of said clamp, said end of said clamp containing said deflecting means being adapted to be positioned adjacent to said shank when said clamp is in said insertion position, said deflecting means being capable of being engaged by said screw when said screw is inserted so as to extend from said head and said shank into said holder so as to cause said clamp to be rotated from said insertion position to a sufficient extent so that said screw is further inserted, the contact of said screw with said opening in said clamp during such further insertion serving to push said clamp away from said shank until further movement of said clamp is arrested by said holder when said screw will engage the interior of said opening, further rotation of said screw upOn such engagement serving to draw said clamp toward said shank.

2. A blind fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said shank and said head are provided with means for use in guiding said screw as said screw is being inserted relative to said fastener so that said screw extends along said arm, and said deflecting means comprises a sloping wall positioned so as to be engaged by said screw as said screw is so inserted in such a manner as to cause said clamp to be pivoted toward a position transverse to said holder if said clamp should be in a position generally in alignment with said holder.

3. A blind fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said clamp is held by said mounting means so that when said arm is horizontally disposed said clamp will automatically pivot to a position transverse to said holder through the action of gravity.

4. A blind fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said shank and said head are provided with means for use in guiding said screw as said screw is being inserted relative to said fastener so that said screw extends along said arm, and said deflecting means comprises a sloping wall positioned so as to be engaged by said screw as said screw is so inserted in such a manner as to cause said clamp to be pivoted toward a position transverse to said holder if said clamp should be in a position generally in alignment with said holder, said clamp is held by said mounting means so that when said arm is horizontally disposed said clamp will automatically pivot to a position transverse to said holder through the action of gravity.

5. A blind fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said head, said shank and said holder are formed of a single unitary flat piece of material, said clamp is a generally flat member and is held by said holder so that said fastener is capable of being inserted through a slot in said support member.

6. A blind fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said clamp, said holder and said shank are shaped so that said fastener can be driven through said support member.