US3675958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet metal panel fastener
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1970-06-17
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1990-06-17
Abstract
Abstract A unitary, spring metal fastener has inner and outer arms connected by a resilient, reversely bent bight. Both of the arms have through openings formed therein. The arms are normally disposed in divergent untensioned relationship to each other. The outer arm includes two sections connected by resilient webs having an inverted U-shaped configuration. The opening in the outer arm is at least partially defined by a pair of stud gripping tongues struck upwardly from the adjacent ends of the arm sections substantially between the connecting webs. The fastener is particularly adapted for clamping an apertured member to a support having a stud projecting from the surface thereof confronting the member and through the aperture in the member by compressing the arms toward a substantially parallel relationship with each other to bring the openings therein into registering alignment and forcing the arms downwardly over the stud so that the aforementioned tongues grippingly engage the stud and, upon removal of the compressing force, exert an axial pull on the stud thereby tensioning the apertured member against the support. The fastener also includes means which are easily operable to release the tongues from gripping engagement with the stud for removal of the fastener.
Inventors
- 👤 William B Duffy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:17
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16B; F16B2/00; F16B2/20; F16B2/22; F16B2/24; F16B2/241; F16B2/245; F16B2/246; F16B21/00; F16B21/10; F16B21/20; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/918
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
A fastener for releasably clamping together a first apertured member and a second member having a stud projecting from the surface thereof confronting the first member and through the aperture in the first member, said fastener being formed of springy material and having inner and outer arms normally disposed in divergent untensioned relation to each other, each of said arms having a stud receiving opening, said stud receiving openings being normally in nonregistering alignment, said outer arm including at least two sections connected by a resilient web having a generally inverted U-shaped configuration and extending outwardly of said outer arm in a direction away from said inner arm, the inboard opposed ends of said sections embodying stud gripping means disposed substantially adjacent said connecting web, said stud gripping means extending outwardly from said arm sections in the general direction of said connecting web and said means at least partially defining the stud receiving opening in said outer arm, said fastener being compressible for movement of said arms toward a substantially parallel relationship to bring the said stud receiving openings into registering alignment whereby both arms of said fastener may be passed over the stud and then released to permit said outer arm to spring away from said inner arm thereby causing said stud gripping means to engage said stud and exert an axial pull thereon and thereby tension said first apertured member against said second member, said fastener embodying means operable to disengage said stud gripping means from said stud to permit removal of said fastener from said stud, said penultimate mentioned means being compressible against the bias of said resilient connecting web in a direction which is generally normal to the axis of the engaged stud.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
A fastener for releasably clamping together a first apertured member and a second member having a stud projecting from the surface thereof confronting the first member and through the aperture in the first member, said fastener being formed of springy material and having inner and outer arms normally disposed in divergent untensioned relation to each other, each of said arms having a stud receiving opening, said stud receiving openings being normally in nonregistering alignment, said outer arm including at least two sections connected by a resilient web having a generally inverted U-shaped configuration and extending outwardly of said outer arm in a direction away from said inner arm, the inboard opposed ends of said sections embodying stud gripping means disposed substantially adjacent said connecting web, said stud gripping means extending outwardly from said arm sections in the general direction of said connecting web and said means at least partially defining the stud receiving opening in said outer arm, said fastener being compressible for movement of said arms toward a substantially parallel relationship to bring the said stud receiving openings into registering alignment whereby both arms of said fastener may be passed over the stud and then released to permit said outer arm to spring away from said inner arm thereby causing said stud gripping means to engage said stud and exert an axial pull thereon and thereby tension said first apertured member against said second member, said fastener embodying means operable to disengage said stud gripping means from said stud to permit removal of said fastener from said stud, said penultimate mentioned means being compressible against the bias of said resilient connecting web in a direction which is generally normal to the axis of the engaged stud.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fastener according to claim 1 wherein said outer arm sections are connected by a pair of spaced resilient webs having a generally inverted U-shaped configuration and said stud gripping means are disposed substantially between said connecting webs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
A fastener according to claim 2 wherein said arms are joined at one end thereof by a reversely bent, resilient bight, the length of said outer arm is less than the length of said inner arm, and said means operable to disengage the said stud gripping means includes an upwardly bent finger at the terminal end of each arm opposite said bight, said fingers being disposed in spaced, generally parallel relationship to each other when said arms are compressed over a stud whereby said fingers may be grasped and squeezed together against the bias of said connecting webs to further separate the said sections of said upper arm and release said stud gripping means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fastener according to claim 1 wherein said stud gripping means includes at least a pair of opposed tongues struck from the internal ends of said sections of said outer arm and extending outwardly from the surface of said outer arm remote from said inner arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fastener according to claim 4 wherein said tongues are generally in the form of segments of a frustum of a cone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fastener according to claim 1 wherein said inner arm has a plurality of longitudinal grooves impressed therein and providing arm stiffening ribs extending lengthwise thereof between the outboard lateral edges thereof and the stud receiving opening therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A fastener according to claim 1 wherein the said stud receiving opening in said inner arm is elongated to facilitate alignment of a stud end with the said opening in said outer arm during the initial stages of applying said fastener to a stud.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
A fastener according to claim 1 wherein said inner arm includes a plurality of barblike projections extending outwardly therefrom, said projections being adapted to bitingly engage the surface of a first apertured member To inhibit accidental shifting of an apertured member with respect to a stud carrying member when the said members are clamped together by the fastener.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |