Allied Moulded Products, Inc.

Robert W Arps

Walter P Troder

Robert E Ruihley

Frank E Perkins

A fastening device for use with conventional threaded, knurled, serrated, or smooth cylindrical studs comprising a cylindrical bore, the bore having a counter sink at one end thereof and a counter bore at the other end thereof, and a tubular fastener formed of relatively thin spring steel positioned within the bore. The fastener is slotted from end to end to be resiliently compressible, and thereby useable within bores of different diameters. At one end, the fastener has a rigid collar larger than the member which fits within the counter sink of the bore. The fastener adjacent the other end has a plurality of fingers, which are positioned in the counter bore. The fingers are folded so as to extend radially outwardly of the member at a position remote from the distal ends thereof to form an enlarged portion which substantially fills the counter bore, and are folded adjacent the distal ends so as to position the distal ends radially inwardly of the fastener. The fingers adjacent the distal ends have camming surfaces thereon which cooperate with the countersink to facilitate the insertion of the fastener within the bore and wedging surfaces remote from the distal ends which cooperate with the counterbore and the aforementioned collar and countersink to prevent the removal of the fastener from the bore. The distal ends of each of the fingers engage the stud positioned within the fastener. The stud can be positioned within the fastener by forcing the stud in an axial direction from the countersink to the counterbore. The stud so positioned within the fastener cannot be removed from the fastening device by forces in the opposite axial direction without damage to the stud, the fastener, or the bore.

Growing community of inventors

Defiance, OH, United States of America

Robert W Arps