Expanded – threaded – driven – headed – tool-deformed – or locked-thr – Headed fastener element – Having resilient securing structure on shank
Patent
1999-04-26
2000-09-26
Barrett, Suzanne Dino
Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr
Headed fastener element
Having resilient securing structure on shank
411339, F16B 1900
Patent
active
061234923
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to fastening devices and to uses therefor.
Many types of fastening devices are well known, including, for example, bolts with cooperating nuts, and rivets. Bolts and nuts are time consuming to screw together and tools are required. Fastening rivets also requires the use of tools and rivets cannot generally be subsequently removed without destroying the rivet, for example by drilling the rivet out of the hole into which it has been placed.
We have developed a fastening device which can be rapidly used without tools, and one embodiment of the device can be rapidly removed for re-use.
The invention provides a fastening device to be inserted in a hole in an article to be fastened, the fastening device comprising a first member having a shank and an enlarged head, a second member also having a shank and an enlarged head, the shanks being respectively insertable into the hole in the article from opposite ends of the hole, the shanks being arranged to interengage with one another, such that the shanks are restrained against moving in the reverse direction, so that the article is held between the enlarged heads.
The inter-engagement may comprise a ratchet arrangement.
Preferably there are teeth on the shanks which inter-engage with one another.
The teeth may be annular.
There may be a male shank and a female shank such that the male shanks slides within the female shank.
The male shank may be compressible radially inwardly to facilitate the sliding of the teeth of the male shank over the teeth of the female shank.
According to one embodiment, the male shank may be shaped such that it is readily compressible radially inwardly after the device has been fastened, to enable the two members to be separated again.
For example the male shank may have a conical nose so that pressure can be applied to the conical surface of the nose, for example by pushing a tube into the hole, the pressure on the conical surface bringing about a component of force which is directed radially inwards, thus compressing the male shank.
The male shank may be rendered radially inwardly compressible by forming the shank as a sleeve, the sleeve having at least one axially extending slot therein.
Preferably at least one of the heads is resiliently deformable in the axial direction so that the two members can be moved towards one another to reach a position in which compressive load is applied to the article by the fastening device.
For example, the head may be shaped such that at least the outer rim of the head can be flexed away from the article in the axial direction.
The article may comprise at least two components, each having a hole therethrough, which are to be secured together.
According to one embodiment, the article comprises a pallet.
The pallet may comprise a plurality of elongate slats secured together using fastening devices according to the invention.
The pallet may have upper and lower faces, spaced apart by separators, for example to enable the forks of a forklift truck to pass between the upper and lower faces.
The upper and lower faces may be secured to each other and to separators by fastening devices according to the invention of one size, the slats being secured to each other using fastening devices according to the invention having a smaller size.
The fastening devices may be made of plastics material.
The slats and separators of the pallet may also be made of plastics material.
By way of example, specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view through a male member of an embodiment of fastening device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the component shown in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but showing a female member of the fastening device;
FIG. 5 is a detail of FIG. 3 to an enlarged scale;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a pallet according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the pallet shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional vi
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Barrett Suzanne Dino
Plastic Cores Limited
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