Self-locking, self-retaining fastener

Claim 1

A self-locking, self-retaining fastener adapted for frontal insertion into a bore in a base for receiving and retaining a longitudinally non-rotationally inserted screw which resists non-rotational removal of the screw after insertion and lockingly engages the inserted screw upon rotation of the screw, said fastener having a resilient one piece body including a fastener receiving portion having a fastener receiving aperture therethrough, a longitudinal retaining portion attached to one side of said fastener receiving portion and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fastener, a guiding portion attached to said fastener receiving portion opposite said longitudinal retaining portion and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said fastener, said longitudinal retaining portion, fastener receiving portion and guiding portion defining a generally U-shaped cross-section on a plane passing through said retaining portion, guiding portion and longitudinal axis, and a cantilevered bottom fastener retaining portion attached to the end of said guiding portion opposite said fastener receiving portion, said bottom fastener retaining portion lying in a plane which intersects the longitudinal axis at an acute angle and having therein a fastener engaging aperture substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis, said fastener engaging aperture having opposed edges which will engage and retain the major diameter of the threads of said screw, said longitudinal retaining portion having at least one projection near the free end thereof, said projection extending away from the longitudinal axis of said fastener and being adapted to engage a portion of said base when said fastener is inserted into said base, rotational tightening of a received screw effective to cause the free end of said bottom fastener retaining portion to engage the free end of said longitudinal retaining portion to resist movement of said projection towards said longitudinal axis thereby locking said fastener in said base and preventing further movement of the bottom fastener retaining portion relative to said longitudinal retaining portion thereby allowing a significant friction engagement to be developed between the received fastener and the fastener engaging aperture.