Insulation retainer and attachment method therefor

Claim 1

In combination, a retainer holding a sheet of relatively soft material such as insulation against a plate of a relatively rigid material such as metal, comprising: a linearly extending member of a hard but deformable material having flange means extending outwardly adjacent a first end thereof bearing against a first side of said relatively rigid plate with the remainder of said member extending through a hole in said plate and a bore extending longitudinally in said member from said first end towards a second end thereof, said second end being upset to define an enlarged portion bearing against a second side of said relatively rigid plate, said bore terminating at a chamber of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said chamber terminating short of said second end of said member; a rod fitting within and extending outwardly from said bore and having at a first end thereof a head of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said head fitting within said chamber said rod initially having a weak portion positioned outside said bore with an extension of said rod being frangibly connected thereto by said weak portion, said extension being broken off after upset of said second end of said member; a stud extending at least about twice the thickness of said plate to project from said second side of said plate having a tapered end, said tapered end piercing said sheet of soft material which is pushed against it, said stud projecting longitudinally from said retainer after said rod means on said stud retaining said sheet of soft material thereon is broken at said weak portion thereof; and

Claim 5

A method of seating a sheet of a relatively soft material such as insulation against a plate of a relatively rigid material such as metal, comprising: inserting in a plurality of holes passing through a plate of a relatively rigid material, a plurality of linearly extending members, said members fitting snugly within said holes and having first flange means adjacent a first end thereof extending outwardly therefrom sufficiently to prevent passage of said members through said holes and fitting against a first side of said plate, said members including a bore extending longitudinally therein from said first end towards a second end thereof, said bore terminating at a chamber of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said chamber terminating short of said second end of said member, each of said members having a rod fitting within and extending outwardly from said bore and having at a first end thereof a head of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said head fitting within said chamber; holding said first flange means against said first side of said plate; pulling said head against said bore adjacent said second end of each of said members via a generally longitudinal force exerted on said rods to spread said members into second flange means against a second side of said plate; pushing a sheet of relatively soft material over a plurality of studs which pierce it, one stud projecting longitudinally from each of said members generally away from said plate; and attaching means to the free ends of said studs for retaining said sheet of releatively soft material thereon.

Claim 6

A method of seating a sheet of a relatively soft material such as insulation against a plate of a relatively rigid material such as metal, comprising: inserting in a plurality of holes passing through a plate of a relatively rigid material, a plurality of linearly extending members, said members fitting snugly within said holes and having first flange means adjacent a first end thereof extending outwardly therefrom sufficiently to prevent passage of said members through said holes and fitting against a first side of said plate, said members including a bore extending longitudinally therein from said first end towards a second end thereof, said bore terminating at a chamber of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said chamber terminating short of said second end of said member, each of said members having a rod fitting within and extending outwardly from said bore and having at a first end thereof a head of larger orthogonal dimension than said bore, said head fitting within said chamber; holding said first flange means against said first side of said plate; pulling said head against said bore adjacent said second end of each of said members via a generally longitudinal force exerted on said rods to spread said members into second flange means against a second side of said plate; pushing a sheet of relatively soft material over a plurality of studs which pierce it, one stud projecting longitudinally from each of said members generally away from said plate; and attaching means to the free ends of said studs for retaining said sheet of releatively soft material thereon.