Self attaching coupling

Claim 2

A coupling for mounting on an apertured support member comprising, a nut body having a bore therethrough to receive a screw adapted to be disposed outwardly of one side of a support member, paired, spaced and opposed vise-like heads axially spaced from said nut body adapted to be disposed outwardly of the other side of a support member; said heads including internal surfaces spaced apart a distance to allow for spring torsion bending toward one another so as to locate said heads generally corresponding to the diameter of said bore when mounted; Pg,14 paired spaced and opposed support member aperture engaging middle necks lying intermediate of and spaced from both said nut body and said vise-like heads; said necks having opposite ends, paired spaced and opposed spring arms inclined outwardly from said nut body and extending toward said heads; paired outwardly extending support member engaging bosses extending generally radially outwardly on said ends of said necks and joining said spring arms; paired spaced and opposed and generally axially extending spring struts connected between said vise-like heads and said other ends of said necks, and paired outwardly extending support member engaging shoulders on said other ends of said necks at said spring struts; said shoulders being axially opposed to said bosses; the distance between said opposed necks, spring arms, and spring struts being substantially greater than the diameter of said bore; said necks, bosses, and shoulders being urged into support member gripping relationship by said spring arms with said nut body and said vise-like heads cantilevered outwardly on opposite sides of the support member; said spring struts urging said vise-like heads toward each other; said nut body and said vise-like heads being adapted to engage a screw adjacent its ends to bridge-span the screw through the aperture of the support member in spaced relationship to said spring arms, necks, and spring struts.

Claim 3

In a coupling as set forth in claim 1, a screw in said coupling; said coupling together with said screw being insertable in the aperture of a support member by the flexing of said spring arms and spring struts and the space between said necks and said screw allowing said bosses to move toward said screw to pass through the aperture.

Claim 4

In a coupling as set forth in claim (1,) 1, a cam surface on each said radial boss sloping radially inwardly to said neck and sloping axial toward said shoulder so as to diminish the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder radially inwardly to said neck (on each said jaw); said cam surfaces (on said jaws) in conjunction with radially outward movement (of said jaws) in gripping a wall engaging a face of a wall at the hole with inclined plane action and force to jam said bosses and said shoulders against opposite faces of a wall; said cam surfaces also providing for so engaging walls at various points along said cam surfaces to compensate for various thickness in walls.

Claim 5

In a coupling as set forth in claim (1,) 1, each said shoulder having a radially outer extremity; an axially projecting bead on said shoulder adjacent its radially outer extremity extending toward said boss diminishing the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder (on each said jaw); said beads engaging a wall in opposition to said bosses by reacting against said shoulders with said shoulders elastically compensating for various thickness in walls by resiliently supporting said beads.

Claim 6

In a device as set forth in claim (1,) 1, each said shoulder having a radially outer extremity; each said (pad) head having an axial outer extremity; a spring strip triangulating between said shoulder and said (pad) head at a point adjacent their outer extremities (on each said jaw); said spring strips as based on said shoulder urging said (pads) heads against a screw; said spring strips as based on said (pads) heads urging said shoulders against a wall; said spring strips being so integrated as to exert resilient force against both said shoulders and said (pads) heads.

Claim 7

In a device as set forth in claim (1,) 1, a rocker flange on said neck extending radially inwardly therefrom (on each said jaw); said rocker flanges providing proximate pivot points (on each said jaw) to effect maximum flexing of said spring arms at said bosses to straighten said bosses relative to said spring arms to reduce their outward radial projection to facilitate their entry into and passage through a hole In a wall(;).

Claim 8

A coupling for mounting a screw in a hole in a wall, comprising; paired opposed jaws each having: a pad for engaging a screw at a point spaced from one face of a wall; a web leading from said pad toward a wall, a radial shoulder on said web for abutting one face of a wall, a neck on said shoulder for leading through a hole in a wall, a radial boss on said neck for abutting the other face of a wall, and a spring arm leading from said boss and terminating in an outer end at a point spaced from the other face of a wall; a nut body connected to said outer end of said spring arm of both said jaws; said nut body having a screw receiving aperture; said webs and said shoulders spacing said pads axially outwardly of one face of a wall when mounted; said spring arms and said bosses spacing said nut body axially outwardly of the other face of a wall when mounted; said spring arms when said coupling is not mounted angling outwardly from said nut body to space said jaws apart so that they are forced inwardly when mounted to torsionally-load said spring arms to urge said jaws radially outwardly into gripping relationship with the wall faces; a screw being bridge-spanned through a hole in a wall at points spaced from a wall between said nut body and said pads and said coupling being bridge-spanned through a hole in a wall on a screw at points spaced from a wall between said nut body and said pads; said pads when in engagement with a screw rocking back said web to forceably push said shoulders against the one face of a wall and to forceably pull said bosses via said necks against the other face of a wall to urge said jaws to grip a wall; a cam surface on said radial boss sloping radially inwardly to said neck and sloping axially toward said shoulder so as to diminish the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder radially inwardly to said neck on each said jaw; said cam surfaces on said jaws in conjunction with radially outward movement of said jaws in gripping a wall engaging a face of a wall at the hole with inclined plane action and force to jam the said bosses and said shoulders against opposite faces of a wall; said cam surfaces also providing for so engaging walls at various points along said cam surfaces to compensate for various thickness in walls; said shoulder having a radially outer extremity; an axially projecting head on said shoulder adjacent its radially outer extremity extending toward said boss diminishing the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder on each said jaw; said beads engaging a wall in opposition to said bosses by reacting against said shoulders with said shoulders elastically compensating for various thickness in walls by resiliently supporting said beads; said pad having an axial outer extremity, a spring strip triangulating between said shoulder and said pad at a point adjacent their outer extremities on each said jaw; said spring strips as based on said shoulders urging said pads against a screw; said spring strips as based on said pads urging said shoulders against a wall; said spring strips being so integrated as to exert resilient force against both said shoulders and said pads; and a rocker flange on said neck extending radially inwardly therefrom on each said jaw; said rocker flanges providing proximate pivot points on each said jaw to effect maximum flexing of said spring arms at said bosses to straighten said bosses relative to said spring arms to reduce their outward radial projection to facilitate their entry into and passage through a hole in a wall; said jaws being separate from one another with said jaws cantelevering at their said spring arms from said nut body; said webs of each said jaw lying radially inwardly of and spaced from said spring strips of each said jaw.

Claim 9

A coupling for mounting a screw in a hole in a wall, comprising; paired opposed jaws each having: a pad for engaging a screw at a point spaced from one face of a wall; a web leading from said pad toward a wall, a radial shoulder on said web for abutting one face of a wall, a neck on said shoulder for leading through a hole in a wall, a radial boss on said neck for abutting the other face of a wall, and a spring arm leading from said boss and terminating in an outer end at a point spaced from the other face of a wall; a nut body connected to said outer end of said spring arm of both said jaws; said nut body having a screw receiving aperture; said webs and said shoulders spacing said pads axially outwardly of one face of a wall when mounted; said spring arms and said bosses spacing said nut body axially outwardly of the other face of a wall when mounted; said spring arms when said coupling is not mounted angling outwardly from said nut body to space said jaws apart so that they are forced inwardly when mounted to torsionally-load said spring arms to urge said jaws radially outwardly into gripping relationship with the wall faces; a screw being bridge-spanned through a hole in a wall at points spaced from a wall between said nut body and said pads and said coupling being bridge-spanned through a hole in a wall on a screw at points spaced from a wall between said nut body and said pads; said pads when in engagement with a screw rocking back said web to forceably push said shoulders against the one face of a wall and to forceably pull said bosses via said necks against the other face of a wall to urge said jaws to grip a wall; a cam surface on said radial boss sloping radially inwardly to said neck and sloping axially toward said shoulder so as to diminish the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder radially inwardly to said neck on each said jaw; said cam surfaces on said jaws in conjunction with radially outward movement of said jaws in gripping a wall engaging a face of a wall at the hole with inclined plane action and force to jam the said bosses and said shoulders against opposite faces of a wall; said cam surfaces also providing for so engaging walls at various points along said cam surfaces to compensate for various thickness in walls; said shoulder having a radially outer extremity; an axially projecting head on said shoulder adjacent its radially outer extremity extending toward said boss diminishing the wall receiving space between said boss and said shoulder on each said jaw; said beads engaging a wall in opposition to said bosses by reacting against said shoulders with said shoulders elastically compensating for various thickness in walls by resiliently supporting said beads; said pad having an axial outer extremity, a spring strip triangulating between said shoulder and said pad at a point adjacent their outer extremities on each said jaw; said spring strips as based on said shoulders urging said pads against a screw; said spring strips as based on said pads urging said shoulders against a wall; said spring strips being so integrated as to exert resilient force against both said shoulders and said pads; and a rocker flange on said neck extending radially inwardly therefrom on each said jaw; said rocker flanges providing proximate pivot points on each said jaw to effect maximum flexing of said spring arms at said bosses to straighten said bosses relative to said spring arms to reduce their outward radial projection to facilitate their entry into and passage through a hole in a wall; said jaws being separate from one another with said jaws cantelevering at their said spring arms from said nut body; said webs of each said jaw lying radially inwardly of and spaced from said spring strips of each said jaw.