Expandable screw anchoring devices

Claim 2

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein extending longitudinally up to a first end of the anchoring member, a circumferentially continuous flange at said first end of the anchoring member, an internal abutment defined within a second end portion of the tubular anchoring member, a portion having a bore hole at said second end of the tubular anchoring member, elongated tubular means inserted in said anchoring member and extending between said first end and said internal abutment, said tubular means comprising first and second tubular members of like diameter slidably snugly received in said tubular anchoring member and axially disposed in end-to-end relationship therein, one of said tubular members being less compressible in an axial direction than the other, said less compressible tubular member being adjacent said first end of the anchoring member at least one of said tubular members of said tubular means being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said slitted anchoring member, a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end thereof, through said tubular means and into said bore hole to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member toward said first end and thereby axially compress said tubular means and cause said elongated wall parts to bow outwardly under control of said tubular means.

Claim 3

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, in which one of said tubular members of said tubular means comprises an axially compressible plastic tube.

Claim 4

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, in which one of said tubular members of said tubular means comprises a semi-rigid tube the inner end of which is spaced from said internal abutment in an initial position of said device.

Claim 5

A screw anchoring device according to claim 3, in which said semi-rigid tube at its outer end has an annular flange engaging said flange at the first end of said anchoring member.

Claim 6

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, in which said first tubular member of said tubular means comprises a relatively rigid first tube extending in from said first end of said anchoring member with an inner end spaced from said internal abutment and said second tubular member of said tubular means comprises an axially compressible second tube disposed between the inner end of said first tube and said internal abutment.

Claim 7

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, in which said slits or slots extend in a helical manner.

Claim 8

A screw anchoring device according to claim 6, in which the pitch of the threads of said threaded screw rotates in the same direction as the pitch of said helical slits or slots.

Claim 9

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, in which said portion having a bore hole comprises a nut molded into said second end portion of said anchoring member and having an internally threaded bore.

Claim 10

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein extending longitudinally up to a first end of the anchoring member and terminating short of a second end of the anchoring member, a circumferentially continuous flange at said first end of the anchoring member, an internal abutment defined within said second end portion of the anchoring member, a portion having a bore hole at said second end of the anchoring member, elongated tubular means inserted in said anchoring member and extending between said first end of the anchoring member and said internal abutment, said tubular means being slidably snugly received in said slitted anchoring member and at least a substantial part of said tubular means being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said slitted anchoring member, a tubular expansion member positioned within said anchoring member between the abutment therein and said tubular means, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the tubular means and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said elongated tubular means, said expansion member having a tapered end adapted to be driven into the adjacent end portion of said tubular means for expanding the same radially when the anchoring device is compressed axially, and a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end thereof, through said tubular means and tubular expansion member and into said bore hole to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member toward said first end and thereby cause said expansion member to enter and radially expand said tubular means and to compress said tubular means axially to cause said elongated wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly under control of said tubular means.

Claim 11

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein extending longitudinally up to a first end of the anchoring member and terminating short of a second end of the anchoring member, a circumferentially continuous flange at said first end of the anchoring member, an internal abutment defined within said second end portion of the anchoring member, a portion having a bore hole at said second end of the anchoring member, elongated tubular means inserted in said anchoring member and extending between said first end of the anchoring member and said internal abutment, said tubular means being slidably snugly received in said slitted anchoring member and at least a substantial part of said tubular means being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said slitted anchoring member, a tubular expansion member positioned within said anchoring member between the abutment therein and said tubular means, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the tubular means and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said elongated tubular means, said expansion member having a tapered end adapted to be driven into the adjacent end portion of said tubular means for expanding the same radially when the anchoring device is compressed axially, and a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end thereof, through said tubular means and tubular expansion member and into said bore hole to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member toward said first end and thereby cause said expansion member to enter and radially expand said tubular means and to compress said tubular means axially to cause said elongated wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly under control of said tubular means.

Claim 12

A screw anchoring device according to claim 9, wherein said tubular means comprises a relatively rigid first tube extending from said first end of the anchoring member, and a relatively soft, axially compressible second tube disposed between the inner end of said first tube and said expansion member.

Claim 13

A screw anchoring device according to claim 9, in which said expansion member is tapered at both ends.

Claim 14

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having longitudinally extending elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein extending longitudinally up to a first end of the anchoring member and terminating short of a second end of the anchoring member, a circumferentially continuous flange at said first end of the anchoring member, an internal abutment defined within said second end portion of the anchoring member, a portion having a bore hole at said second end of the anchoring member, an elongated semi-rigid deformable tubular plastic member inserted in said anchoring member and extending inwardly from said first end thereof, said tubular member being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member and being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said anchoring member, a tubular expansion member positioned within said anchoring member between said abutment therein and said tubular member, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of said tubular plastic member and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said tubular plastic member, said expansion member having a tapered end adapted to be driven into the adjacent end portion of said tubular plastic member for expanding the same radially, and a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end thereof, through said tubular member and said expansion member and into said bore hole to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member towards said first end and thereby force the expansion member into the adjacent end portion of the tubular member to expand the same and to compress said tubular means axially to cause said elongated wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly under control of said tubular member.

Claim 15

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having longitudinally extending elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein extending longitudinally up to a first end of the anchoring member and terminating short of a second end of the anchoring member, a circumferentially continuous flange at said first end of the anchoring member, an internal abutment defined within said second end portion of the anchoring member, a portion having a bore hole at said second end of the anchoring member, an elongated semi-rigid deformable tubular plastic member inserted in said anchoring member and extending inwardly from said first end thereof, said tubular member being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member and being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said anchoring member, a tubular expansion member positioned within said anchoring member between said abutment therein and said tubular member, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of said tubular plastic member and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said tubular plastic member, said expansion member having a tapered end adapted to be driven into the adjacent end portion of said tubular plastic member for expanding the same radially, and a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end thereof, through said tubular member and said expansion member and into said bore hole to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member towards said first end and thereby force the expansion member into the adjacent end portion of the tubular member to expand the same and to compress said tubular means axially to cause said elongated wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly under control of said tubular member.

Claim 16

A screw anchoring device according to claim 12 in which said expansion member is tapered at both ends.

Claim 17

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein, said anchoring member having a circumferentially continuous flanged first end portion and a circumferentially continuous second end portion, engageable means having a bore hole at said second end portion of said anchoring member, an abutment means at said second end portion of said anchoring member, elongated tubular means in said anchoring member extending inwardly from said first end portion of said anchoring member, said tubular means being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member and at least a substantial part of said tubular means being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said anchoring member, a tubular expansion member in said anchoring member between said abutment means and said elongated tubular means, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as said tubular means and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said tubular means, a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end portion thereof through said tubular means and said expansion member and into said bore hole of said engageable means to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member toward said first end and thereby cause said wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly, said tubular expansion member having a portion which is insertable radially between said threaded screw and said tubular means to expand the tubular means radially when the anchoring device is compressed axially.

Claim 18

A screw anchoring device of the expandable type comprising: a deformable elongated tubular anchoring member molded of plastic material and having elongated wall parts defined by slits or slots therein, said anchoring member having a circumferentially continuous flanged first end portion and a circumferentially continuous second end portion, engageable means having a bore hole at said second end portion of said anchoring member, an abutment means at said second end portion of said anchoring member, elongated tubular means in said anchoring member extending inwardly from said first end portion of said anchoring member, said tubular means being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member and at least a substantial part of said tubular means being substantially less compressible in an axial direction than said anchoring member, a tubular expansion member in said anchoring member between said abutment means and said elongated tubular means, said expansion member having an outer diameter substantially the same as said tubular means and being slidably snugly received in said anchoring member in axially disposed end-to-end relationship with said tubular means, a threaded screw extending into said anchoring member from said first end portion thereof through said tubular means and said expansion member and into said bore hole of said engageable means to threadedly engage the latter to draw said second end of said anchoring member toward said first end and thereby cause said wall parts of said anchoring member to bow outwardly, said tubular expansion member having a portion which is insertable radially between said threaded screw and said tubular means to expand the tubular means radially when the anchoring device is compressed axially.

Claim 19

A screw anchoring device according to claim 14, wherein said tubular means comprises a single tubular element extending inwardly from said first end of said anchor member to engage said expansion member.

Claim 20

A screw anchoring device according to claim 15, wherein said tubular means comprises a first tube element extending from said first end portion of said anchor member and a second tube element disposed between the inner end of said first tube element and said expansion member, said first tube element being more rigid than said second tube element in that the first tube element remains substantially intact and substantially axially uncompressed while said second tube element is axially compressed to cause the walls thereof to bow radially outwardly as said second end of said anchoring member is drawn to said first end of said anchoring member.

Claim 21

A screw anchoring device according to claim 1, wherein said abutment means and said portion having a bore hole are integrally formed as a nut, said second end portion of said anchoring member being molded around said nut.