Textron Fastening Systems Limited

Sean Peter McGain-Harding

Keith Denham

Jonathan Lee Brewer

An insert for installation in a relatively thin or weak workpiece to provide an anchor for a self-tapping screw, which insert is in the form of an integral metal structure which comprises: a body portion; a head portion located at or near one end of the body portion and extending radially therefrom; a receptacle portion located at the other end of the body portion remote from the head portion; and a through bore extending throughout the head, body and receptacle portions; the interior bore of the receptacle portion being substantially unthreaded for the reception of a self-tapping screw; in which the exterior cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the receptacle portion, and the interior cross sectional shape and dimensions of the body portion are respectively such that the body portion is deformable, when the receptacle portion is drawn towards the head portion, to secure the insert in a suitable hole in a workpiece through which the receptacle and body portions have been inserted so that the head portion is adjacent the workpiece and a substantial length of the body portion protrudes beyond the workpiece; and in which any transverse dimension of the exterior of the receptacle portion is no greater than the corresponding transverse dimension of the interior of the body portion in the same transverse plane; the exterior cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the body portion being such that, when the receptacle portion is drawn towards the head portion, the part of the body portion nearer the receptacle portion enters inside the part of the body portion nearer the head thereby to enhance the engagement of the deformed body portion with the workpiece.

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Beds, United Kingdom

Sean Peter McGain-Harding