Textron Corporation

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Elco Industries, Inc.

Elco Textron Inc.

Asia Fastening (us), Inc.

Elco Textron, In.

Michael Janusz

David Curtis Goss

Patrick M Monahan

George G Dewey

Jeffery R Easter

Michael A Caccia

Gregg E Melvin

An improved anchor device or fastening member which is particularly suited for use in the attachment of various fixtures and equipment to masonry, concrete, and other hard and/or friable substrates includes a head and a shank depending therefrom. The shank has a first threaded portion having a predetermined thread angle and a predetermined hardness, and a second threaded portion having a predetermined thread angle and a predetermined hardness. The first threaded portion is proximate to the head and the second threaded portion extends from the first threaded portion. The thread angle of the first threaded portion is different than the thread angle of the second threaded portion. In addition, the hardness of the first threaded portion is softer than the hardness of the second threaded portion. This provides for a more ductile anchorage when the fastening member is engaged with the substrate.

Masonry anchor device

The invention provides an installation tool for use with a battery operated drill or a corded electric drill for repetitive installation of caulk-in anchors. The installation tool utilizes the mechanical advantage of a threaded shaft to improve consistency of the holding reliability of the caulk-in anchor and controls the anchor setting process to insure proper installation while reducing installation time. The installation tool does not rely on bottom setting or a hammer strike to set the anchor, but can be set at a depth independent of hole depth. In one embodiment, the tool can be used with a through hole in the substrate and uses a combination of a threaded shaft and a controlled sensing spring to insure a more uniform installation of the anchor within the substrate across the entire length of the sleeve portion of the anchor, along with a visual check of proper setting of the anchor.

Installation tool for setting anchors

A drive tool which does not require any upper-body force from an operator to install a fastener. The drive tool includes a top portion which is engageable with a drive source and a lower portion which is engageable with a fastener. The drive tool includes springs which are configured to urge the lower portion and upper portion of the tool away from each other (i.e. relative movement) and provide that a generally axial force is applied to the fastener engaged with the lower portion of the tool. As a result, the operator does not need to apply any upper-body axial force to the drive tool to install the fastener. Preferably, the lower portion of the drive tool includes one or more foot pads on which an operator may stand, and the spring(s) become compressed when the operator stands on the foot pad(s). As a result of the spring(s) trying to expand, a generally axial force is applied to the fastener engaged with the lower portion of the tool, thereby reducing the amount of upper-body axial force an operator must apply to the drive tool to install the fastener. Hence, the operator can use his or her own body weight to apply an axial load during a drilling operation, and need not use any upper-body force.

Spring loaded drive gun

A drive tool having a top portion which is engageable with a drive source and a lower portion engageable with a fastener. The drive tool includes an axial load assist mechanism configured to urge the lower portion and upper portion of the tool away from each other (i.e. relative movement) such that a generally axial force is applied to the fastener engaged with the lower portion of the tool. As a result, the amount of upper body axial force an operator must apply to the drive tool to install the fastener is reduced.

Axially loaded drive tool

A novel process of forming a member, process of forming an extruded and axially twisted member, such as a drill, a fastener, a self-drilling/tapping fastener, and the member formed by the process is disclosed. The process includes the steps of: providing a blank; extruding a predetermined shape along at least a section of the blank, thereby forming at least two first portions and at least two portions on the extruded section; forming a head on the end of the blank to define a head and a shank; and axially twisting at least a section of the first and second portions a predetermined amount. As a result of the twisting step, each first portion forms a spiral along the length of the twisted section and each second portion forms a spiral along the length of the twisted section. The first portions alternate with the second portions and each second portion defines a spiral groove for transporting material along the length of the shank. The resulting member can be threaded along all or a portion of the shank.

Process of forming a twisted, spirally grooved member and the member formed thereby

A self-drilling/self-tapping fastener which is suitable for attaching a sprinkler system to a metal supporting structure has a driving head and an integral shank with a threaded portion. Process-hardening and threading of the shank harden the shank to a degree of hardness that retains sufficient ductility for resisting vibration loads. The drill tip at the end of the shank and the lead threads adjacent the drill tip are locally hardened to a relatively high degree of hardness for drilling and tapping the metal support members. A graduated transition zone separates the high-hardness zone from the lower-hardness zone, which allows for a single fastener to exhibit two distinctly different material properties in one fastener. The fastener through this dual process also exhibits two distinct load-carrying capabilities.

Self-drilling/self-tapping fastener

A self-drilling stud particularly suited for use in normal weight or lightweight composite deck system where the use of standard weld studs is inappropriate because of the relatively thin material cross-section of the steel support member. The stud is heat treated to a dual-hardness level so that a portion of the stud is capable of drilling the support member and the decking. The remaining portion of the stud remains relatively ductile so that it can withstand and transfer shear loads imposed by shifting of the concrete slab which overlies the decking to the main support members. The stud is a single piece fastener which includes specially formed annular flanges which enhance interlocking between the stud, the concrete slab and support members.

Self-drilling stud

A fastener assembly for anchoring masonry to a wall support stud includes a sealing member releasably seated in a retaining groove. The fastener threads into the support stud and is affixed to a hole in the masonry with a bonding agent. The retaining groove holds the sealing member in place during the installation of the fastener, and a break-off groove enables the fastener to be severed inside the masonry. After the fastener has been severed, the sealing member can be relocated inside the masonry to a pre-determined sealing position, thereby insuring the use of a controlled volume of bonding agent.

Anchor with adjustable seal

An improved fastener having a non-circular head with a concave recess providing a datum useful in centering the head relative to a non-circular socket of a driving member is disclosed. The recess may have a frusto-conical wall defining an upper, circular edge or substantially triangular walls defining an upper, non-circular edge. An improved tool useful to drive the improved fastener is also disclosed. In the improved tool, a driving member has a tubular extension with a non-circular socket, and a centering pin is axially movable toward and extended position, in which a convex end of the centering pin fits into the concave recess of the screw head when the socket of the tool extension is axially fitted over the fastener head. The centering pin is biased toward the extended position.

Growing community of inventors

Elgin, IL, United States of America

Michael Janusz