Preassembled fastener unit with elliptical threads

Claim 1

A PREASSEMBLED FASTENER UNIT COMPRISING A SCREW HAVING MEANS PRESENTING A CLAMPING SURFACE AND A SHANK PORTION EXTENDING AXIALLY FROM SAID CLAMPING SURFACE, AND AN ANNULAR WASHER TELESCOPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHANK PORTION AND DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SURFACE, SAID WASHER INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR INNER MARGIN HAVING A PREDETERMINED DIAMETER, SAID SHANK PORTION INCLUDING A SMOOTH UNTHREADED SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR SECTION ADJACENT SAID SURFACE HAVING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DIAMETER, AND SAID SHANK INCLUDING HELICAL THREAD CONVOLUTIONS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SHANK SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY TO AND ENTERING END OF SAID SHANK, ALL OF SAID HELICAL THREAD CONVOLUTIONS HAVING CRESTS WHICH ARE CONTINUOUS AND GENERALLY ELLIPTICAL IN CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION, ONE OF SAID THREAD CONVOLUTIONS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID SHANK SECTION HAVING A MAJOR CREST AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DIAMETER AND A MINOR CREST AXIS LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DIAMETER FOR PRESENTING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE PORTIONS THEREOF FOR ENGAGEMENT BENEATH SAID MARGIN OF THE WASHER FOR RETAINING THE WASHER ON SAID SHANK SECTION.