Electrically insulative staple

• US 4,697,045 A
• Filed: 04/03/1986
• Issued: 09/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lindsey Manufacturing Co.
• Original Assignee: Marguerite R. Beatty
• Inventors: Beatty, Marguerite R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Askin, Laramie E.
• Application Number:
  US06/846,731
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 174/159, 174/164, 248/71, 248/216.1, 248/217.3, 411/451, 411/456, 411/457, 411/471, 411/472, 411/487, 411/490, 411/492, 411/493, 411/499, 411/920, 411/446-450, D 8/390, D 8/393, 135/118, 238/295, 238/366, 182/90
• US Class Current: 174/159
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/0015 Staples
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/06 with barbs, e.g. for metal parts; Drive screws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/92 Staple

Abstract

A staple for installation in a wood support having a U-shaped body defined by a pair of rod-like legs in fixed parallel spaced-apart relationship terminating at one end with the opposite ends of an arcuate member and each leg terminating its respective other end in a chamfered, cut-away point. Each leg is further provided with a notched barb outwardly extending beyond the surface of each leg defining a rounded ramp on its side nearest the point and a step on its other side. A sleeve of insulative material is disposed on the inside of the staple adjacent to the arcuate member.

Claims

1. In an electrically insulative staple intended to be impacted into a wood support structure and having a pair of parallel spaced apart prongs joined together at common ends by a semi-circular cross member and pointed at their opposite ends, the improvement which comprises:

a single barb carried on each one of said pair of prongs outwardly projecting from the external side thereof laterally extending beyond the outer dimension of said respective prongs;

said barb carried on each one of said prongs having a rounded portion outwardly disposed beyond the outer dimension of said respective prongs facing said pointed end of each one of said respective prongs opposite to their ends joined with said cross member;

said barb carried on each of said prongs further having a flat surface normal to the longitudinal axis of said each one of said prongs having an outer surface portion exposed beyond the outer dimension of said respective prong and facing said common end of each one of said prongs joined with said cross member and an inner surface portion disposed within the outer dimension of said respective prong;

an internal pocket provided in each one of said prongs immediately adjacent to said barb inner flat surface portion to be occupied by material of a wood support structure to prevent withdrawal of said staple after installation;

an insulative sleeve disposed on the inside surface of said semi-circular cross member and extending partly along the opposing inner length of each of said prongs, said insulative sleeve having a U-shape in front elevational view with an arcuate groove provided in its outer surface occupied by said cross member; and

said pointed ends of said prongs having terminating points which include angled flat surfaces lying on different planes facing the terminating points of said pointed ends for cooperating to spread said prongs during impacting installation procedure.

2. A non-removable electrically insulative staple for installation into a wood support structure comprising the combination of:

a U-shaped element having a pair of parallel spaced apart prongs joined by an arcuate cross member on one end and carrying spaced apart pointed ends on the other end of each prong of said pair of prongs;

each prong of said pair of spaced apart prongs being provided with a single outwardly projecting barb laterally extending beyond the outer dimension of said respective prongs substantially closer to said pointed end of each one of said respective prongs than to said arcuate cross member;

said barb of each of said spaced apart prongs having a rounded portion facing said pointed end of each of said spaced apart prongs to permit penetration of said prongs into a wood support structure and further having a flat surface on its side opposite from said rounded portion facing said arcuate cross member normal to the longitudinal axis of each of said pair of prongs for interfering with removal of said prongs;

said pointed ends of said pair of prongs characterized as havig non-parallel flat surfaces disposed at an angular relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of each of said pair of prongs to promote spreading of said prongs during impacting installation into a wood support structure;

an insulative solid member having a groove receiving the inside surface of said arcuate cross member and extending along said prongs to terminate at the surface of a wood structure;

a notched pocket in each of said prongs immediately adjacent to said barb flat surface to be occupied by a portion of a wood support structure when installed; and

said notched pocket having a flat laterally facing surface angularly disposed with respect to said barb flat surface to retain said prongs in a wood structure.