US3711931A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of forming fastener strip
Assignee: Multifastener Corp
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Filing: 1971-04-01
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Granted: 1973-01-23
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Expires: 1991-04-01
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure relates to a preoriented fastener system which is particularly suitable for piercing fasteners and the like which require high speed feeding systems and which must be oriented prior to securement. The method disclosed herein includes forming, as by rolling, a continuous metal strip having a cross section conforming to the cross section of the desired fastener. The strip is then chopped into separate fasteners and a threaded aperture is formed in each fastener. The fasteners are then reassembled into a strip form by orienting the fasteners into serial alignment corresponding to the continuous metal strip and joined by readily frangible connector means, such as a pair of wires. The strip may then be coiled and delivered to the installation station. The disclosed fastener includes a pair of parallel retainer grooves adapted to receive a pair of retaining rods or wires which secure the fasteners in the preoriented strip form. The disclosed embodiment of the fastener is a pierce nut, which includes a generally rectangular body portion having a piercing face and a pair of flanges at the opposite face; one flange extending from each end of the nut. The rod retaining grooves are generally perpendicular to the opposite sides of the nut and located between the flanges and the axis of the threaded aperture. In the disclosed embodiment, the rods are inserted in the retaining grooves and the fastener adjacent the grooves is deformed to retain the rods in the grooves.
Inventors
- 👤 H Ladouceur
- 👤 J Matthews
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:43
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23P; B23P13/00; F; F16; F16B; F16B27/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/955; Y10S411/965; Y10S411/966; Y10S411/968; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49789; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49833; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49915
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
In a method of forming a strip of nuts preoriented for installation in a panel or the like, the steps of: a. forming a continuous strip of metal having a cross section conforming to the cross section of the nuts to be formed, b. chopping said continuous strip into separate nuts, c. forming a threaded aperture in each of said separate nuts, d. orienting said separate nuts into serial alignment corresponding to said continuous strip, and e. joining said nuts in said oriented serial alignment by readily frangible connector means connecting adjacent nuts to one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a method of forming a strip of nuts preoriented for installation in a panel or the like, the steps of: a. forming a continuous strip of metal having a cross section conforming to the cross section of the nuts to be formed, b. chopping said continuous strip into separate nuts, c. forming a threaded aperture in each of said separate nuts, d. orienting said separate nuts into serial alignment corresponding to said continuous strip, and e. joining said nuts in said oriented serial alignment by readily frangible connector means connecting adjacent nuts to one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein said continuous metal strip is formed by rolling.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of forming a strip of fasteners, comprising, the steps of: a. forming a plurality of individual fasteners, b. forming at least one retainer groove in an exposed surface of each of the fasteners, said groove having an open side, c. preassembling said plurality of fasteners in a contiguous row, in which (1) the fasteners are substantially abutting and (2) the grooves are coaxially aligned, d. inserting a retaining rod in the coaxially aligned grooves of the fasteners to bridge adjacent fasteners, and e. knurling the fastener at the open side of the coaxially aligned grooves, (1) to deform the fastener adjacent the groove opening to provide a plurality of retainer portions overlying the retaining rods and, (2) substantially uniformly spacing adjacent fasteners.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of forming a strip of fasteners, comprising, the steps of: a. forming a plurality of individual fasteners, b. forming at least one retainer groove in an exposed surface of each of the fasteners, said groove having an open side, c. preassembling said plurality of fasteners in a contiguous row, in which (1) the fasteners are substantially abutting and (2) the grooves are coaxially aligned, d. inserting a retaining rod in the coaxially aligned grooves of the fasteners to bridge adjacent fasteners, and e. knurling the fastener at the open side of the coaxially aligned grooves, (1) to deform the fastener adjacent the groove opening to provide a plurality of retainer portions overlying the retaining rods and, (2) substantially uniformly spacing adjacent fasteners.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 3, characterized in that said retainer groove and retaining rod are generally circular in cross section, wherein the knurling deforms the retaining rod to be generally oval in cross section, having a major diameter perpendicular to the axis of the rod, aiding the retention of the fasteners on the retaining rods.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 3, including the step of forming a threaded aperture in each of the fasteners and locating the retainer grooves so as not to deform the threaded aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 5, including the steps of forming two retainer grooves in one wall of each of the fastener members on opposite sides of said threaded aperture, aligning said fasteners with the retainer grooves coaxially aligned, inserting a retaining rod in each of the coaxially aligned retainer grooves and rolling a generally cylindrical knurling tool over each of the retainer grooves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 3, including the step of; f. rolling the strip of fasteners into a coil, wherein the retaining rods are disposed on the inside of the coil, toward the axis of the coil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a method of forming a strip of fasteners each fastener having a generally rectangular body portion and a pair of oppositely disposed essentially planar flange portions adjacent the bottom of the fastener, one flange portion extending from each end of the fastener, and a threaded aperture having an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the flange portions, the steps of; a. forming two parallel retainer grooves on opposite sides of the axis of the threaded aperture on the bottom wall of said fasteners and inwardly of said flanges, b. aligning said fasteners with the retainer grooves coaxially aligned with the adjacent fasteners, c. bridging adjacent fasteners by inserting a retaining rod in the coaxially aligned grooves of said adjacent fasteners, and d. deforming the fasteners adjacent the groove openings to secure the retaining rods.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a method of forming a strip of fasteners each fastener having a generally rectangular body portion and a pair of oppositely disposed essentially planar flange portions adjacent the bottom of the fastener, one flange portion extending from each end of the fastener, and a threaded aperture having an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the flange portions, the steps of; a. forming two parallel retainer grooves on opposite sides of the axis of the threaded aperture on the bottom wall of said fasteners and inwardly of said flanges, b. aligning said fasteners with the retainer grooves coaxially aligned with the adjacent fasteners, c. bridging adjacent fasteners by inserting a retaining rod in the coaxially aligned grooves of said adjacent fasteners, and d. deforming the fasteners adjacent the groove openings to secure the retaining rods.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 8, wherein said retainer grooves are rolled into the bottom wall of said fastener members, between the projection of said body portion and the axis of the thread cylinder, adjacent the projection of the body portion so as not to deform the thread cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 8, wherein said retainer grooves are rolled in the bottom wall of said fasteners, substantially in the thread cylinder of said threaded aperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 8, including the step of rolling the strip of fasteners into a coil, with the retaining rod located at the inner eNd of the fasteners in the coil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of forming a strip of fasteners defined in claim 8, wherein said fasteners are aligned in substantially abutting, side to side relation, and said fasteners are deformed by a knurling tool adapted to substantially uniformly space the fasteners in the strip.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of forming a coil of fasteners, comprising the steps of; a. forming a plurality of individual fasteners each having a generally rectangular top portion and a pair of flanges adjacent the bottom of the fastener, one flange extending from opposite ends of the fastener, b. forming a threaded aperture in each of the fasteners, c. forming a pair of retainer grooves in the bottom wall of each of the fastener members, said grooves located between the flange portions and the axis of the threaded aperture, such that the thread cylinder is not deformed and the flange portions are not substantially weakened, d. aligning the fastener members in side to side relation with the retainer grooves coaxially aligned, e. inserting a retaining rod in each of the coaxially aligned retainer grooves, f. deforming the bottom wall of the fasteners adjacent the grooves to provide a retainer portion overlying the open side of the retainer grooves and securely retain the fasteners on the retaining rods in a strip, and g. rolling the strip of fasteners into a coil, with the bottom wall of the fasteners disposed toward the axis of the coil, arcuately deforming said retaining rods within their elastic limit.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of forming a coil of fasteners, comprising the steps of; a. forming a plurality of individual fasteners each having a generally rectangular top portion and a pair of flanges adjacent the bottom of the fastener, one flange extending from opposite ends of the fastener, b. forming a threaded aperture in each of the fasteners, c. forming a pair of retainer grooves in the bottom wall of each of the fastener members, said grooves located between the flange portions and the axis of the threaded aperture, such that the thread cylinder is not deformed and the flange portions are not substantially weakened, d. aligning the fastener members in side to side relation with the retainer grooves coaxially aligned, e. inserting a retaining rod in each of the coaxially aligned retainer grooves, f. deforming the bottom wall of the fasteners adjacent the grooves to provide a retainer portion overlying the open side of the retainer grooves and securely retain the fasteners on the retaining rods in a strip, and g. rolling the strip of fasteners into a coil, with the bottom wall of the fasteners disposed toward the axis of the coil, arcuately deforming said retaining rods within their elastic limit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-23 | 1976-07-24 | 1977-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-23 | 1980-07-24 | 1981-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-23 | 1984-07-24 | 1985-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |