Eaton Corporation

James Crammond

Donald N Oehlke

Hans R Rattmann

Ralph A MacRae

Disclosed is an improved fastening device (70, 72, 74, 76, 78) for securement of a threaded member such as a screw ('s') to an article such as a panel or the like. The device is of the type having a base member (12) having a frusto-conical projection (14) having a lower and higher helical edge (16, 16a) surrounding an opening (40, 42') therethrough which in conjunction with a pair of resilient finger portions (30, 32') having respective free-ends (34, 36) spaced-apart from each other along an axis ('y--y') defined therebetween of which one finger portion is displaced a distance ('x') further from the base member than the other finger portion to provide a means of engaging the threads of the threaded member. Edges (16, 16a) are separated from each other by means of a slot (38) which, by extending beneath the finger portion having the higher free-end in a direction substantially transverse to axis 'y--y', is able to prevent cocking and cross-threading of the threads of the threaded member which has been a problem in the past particularly when the threaded member has a blunt rather than a pointed end.

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Hamilton, Canada

James Crammond