US3704507A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fabricating and attaching pierce nuts to a panel
Assignee: MacLean Fogg Lock Nut Co
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Filing: 1970-03-23
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Granted: 1972-12-05
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Expires: 1990-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A strip containing a series of flanged pierce nuts connected by flexible and severable sections for use in automatically applying flanged pierce nuts to a panel. The method of forming the strip is also disclosed and comprises providing a blank strip formed with opposed laterally extending flanges, perforating the strip between the flanges, and then slotting the strip between adjacent perforations to form the nut body, after which the sides of the strips are straightened, the holes are threaded and the strip coiled into predetermined lengths. Further, there is disclosed the method of applying pierce nuts from such strip to a panel.
Inventors
- 👤 William L Grube
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:36
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16B; F16B27/00; B; B21; B21D; B21D53/00; B21D53/24; B21K; B21K1/00; B21K1/64; B21K1/66; B21K1/70; B21K1/702; B21K25/00; B23; B23P; B23P19/00; B23P19/04; B23P19/06; B23P19/062; C; C01; C01B; C01B17/00; C01B17/42; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/955; Y10S411/965; Y10S411/967; Y10S411/968; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49789; Y10T29/49798; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49833; Y10T29/49835; Y10T29/49837; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49915
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
The method of fabricating and attaching pierce nuts to a panel comprising the steps of providing a relatively inflexible continuous metal blank for forming a plurality of spaced nut bodies, said blank having a thickness of substantially that of the finished pierce nuts, forming a rigid abutment extending laterally of the blank and of a lesser thickness than the nut body, punching material out of the thicker portion of the blank to form a relatively flexible metallic connector between spaced nut bodies of less cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the abutment, piercing and tapping the nut bodies to form a strip of substantially completely shaped spaced pierce nuts joined together by said relatively flexible metallic connectors, feeding an end nut of said strip under a plunger, severing said end nut of said strip from said strip with said plunger, piercing a panel with said nut body, pushing said nut body through the pierced panel until the abutment is adjacent to said panel, and clinching the nut body to the panel on the side thereof opposite the abutment.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
179 words
The method of fabricating and attaching pierce nuts to a panel comprising the steps of providing a relatively inflexible continuous metal blank for forming a plurality of spaced nut bodies, said blank having a thickness of substantially that of the finished pierce nuts, forming a rigid abutment extending laterally of the blank and of a lesser thickness than the nut body, punching material out of the thicker portion of the blank to form a relatively flexible metallic connector between spaced nut bodies of less cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the abutment, piercing and tapping the nut bodies to form a strip of substantially completely shaped spaced pierce nuts joined together by said relatively flexible metallic connectors, feeding an end nut of said strip under a plunger, severing said end nut of said strip from said strip with said plunger, piercing a panel with said nut body, pushing said nut body through the pierced panel until the abutment is adjacent to said panel, and clinching the nut body to the panel on the side thereof opposite the abutment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, said severing, piercing, pushing and clinching steps being performed with a single stroke of a plunger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method accoRding to claim 1, comprising the further steps of forming the abutment as a laterally extending first flange on said nut body, forming a second laterally extending flange on the opposite side of the nut body from said first flange, said nut bodies and flanges forming a single metallic strip.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of attaching pierce nuts to a panel as defined in claim 1, and wherein the securement of the nut in its mounted position on the panel is effected by a die and comprises the deformation of the panel adjacent the mounted nut.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of attaching pierce nuts to a panel as defined in claim 1, and wherein the securement of the nut in its mounted position on the panel is effected by a die and comprises the deformation of segments of the nut into clamping engagement with the panel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-06-05 | 1976-12-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-05 | 1980-06-05 | 1980-12-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-05 | 1984-06-05 | 1984-12-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |