Retention device

Claim 1

In an assembly wherein a stud shaft or the like receives parts over an end thereof in telescoping relation, a peripheral surface of said shaft adjacent said one end having groove means formed therein, a positively acting retainer clip having a hair pin-like configuration presenting legs which intermediate their ends are adapted to fit over the shaft and are received in said groove means and which at their free extremities are adapted to be brought together and to interlock with one another to enforce an interfitting relation of said legs intermediate their ends with said groove means, intermediate portions of said legs having a configuration complementary to the cross sectional shape of the shaft and engaging in said groove means to inhibit relative longitudinal movement of the clip transversely of the shaft axis in an interlocked position of said extremities, the clip having a cross sectional configuration substantially corresponding to that of said groove means and substantially filling said groove means, said retainer clip being made of spring material substantially uniform in cross section throughout its length, one of said legs being projected relatively to the other, the shorter leg having a portion bent out of the plane thereof toward which the longer leg may be deflected and interengaged with for a latch-like connection, the natural resilience of the legs being utilized yieldingly to maintain such connection, the bent out portion of the shorter leg being turned in plural senses to define a hook offset toward said longer leg and the longer leg having a portion offset for more facile engagement with and release from said hook.