AU725328B3

AU725328B3 - Fastener fixing device

Info

Publication number: AU725328B3
Application number: AU64503/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Bruce Mathieson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-14
Filing date: 1999-12-14
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2005-12-14

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT

ORIGINAL

Applicant: DAVID BRUCE MATHIESON Actual Inventor: DAVID BRUCE MATHIESON

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IP Australia cuments received on: 1 9 JUN 2000

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Address for Service: PATENT ATTORNEY SERMIG o 0 26 Ellingworth-Parade Box Hill Victoria 3128 Australia Title: FASTENER FIXING DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 1

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2 FASTENER FIXING DEVICE This invention relates to a device for assisting the installation of a fastener. This invention is particularly suitable for use with two piece fasteners such as a nut and bolt or threaded rod which are secured to a fixture by passing the fastener through a hole and attaching a securing device such as nut on the other side of the fixture.

When assembling or attaching fittings such as shelving, support beams and the like to a fixture such as a wall, there are often situations where a section of the fastener must be passed through a hole in the fixture and secured on the other side. In these circumstances, the section of the fastener which is passed through a fixture generally has a head at the end of a shank with a locking section such as a nut being secured to the other end of the shank on the other side of the fixture.

One of the problems associated with using this type of fastener for such an application, is that either the head containing section or the locking section of the fastener must be held in position while the locking section is being secured to the shank of the fastener which in many cases is provided with a thread. This problem is particularly apparent when a single person is attempting to attach such a fastener to a fixture and both ends of the fastener cannot readily be reached simultaneously by that person.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which attempts to overcome this problem.

Accordingly, the invention provides a device for retaining a fastener in position on a fixture in which the fastener is provided with a head portion, a shank and a locking section, the head portion and the locking section having a diameter greater than the diameter of the shank; the device including a housing able to selectively receive and enclose either the head -oi 2a section or locking section, the housing having an opening located in at least one of opposing top and bottom of the housing and sized to just receive the shank of the fastener; the housing further including a side opening and a cut away section on either the top or bottom of the housing extending from the side opening to the opening on the top or bottom of the housing enabling the head portion or locking section to be inserted into the position within the housing while allowing the shank of the fastener to extend through the top or bottom opening of the housing; the device in use being able to be fastened by fastening means to a fixture.

The device can have the housing as a single integral unit and shaped to receive and prevent rotation of the locking section or head of the fastener within the housing thereby allowing the fastener to be tightened as required from one side only.

The housing can have the housing including a first said opening located in at least one of the opposing top and bottom of the housing and a flange extending outwardly in the plane of the first said opening such that the flange of the housing can be fastened by said fastening means flush to the fixture while retaining the head section or locking section in the housing and allowing the shank to extend through the first said opening and a corresponding hole in the fixture; and wherein the housing includes a second opening sized to just receive the shank of the fastener and preferably opposing the first opening such that the device can be selectively used in a second manner with the head portion enclosed in the housing and the shank extending out the second opening while allowing the flange of the housing to be fastened by said fastening means flush to the fixture.

The invention is particularly useful with a nut and bolt fastener in which the head section of the bolt or the nut is placed within the housing and the housing

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secured to the fixture adjacent a hole in the fixture which allows the shank of the bolt to pass therethrough. Depending on whether the head of the bolt or the nut is retained within the housing, either the nut or the bolt is then rotated until sufficiently tight.

It is preferable that the housing is shaped to receive and prevent rotation of the locking section or head of the fastener within the housing thereby allowing the bolt or nut to be tightened to the required level from one side only.

In one preferred form of the invention, the side of the housing having the aperture is provided with a cut away portion extending across the side of the housing to the aperture. In this way, the head of a bolt can be slid into and snugly fit within the housing while the shank of the bolt is then located in the aperture.

The invention also provides a method of attaching a fastener having a head portion and a docking portion including the steps of fixing a device comprising a housing for receiving either the head section or docking section to a fixture such as a wall having a hole for the fastening device to pass therethrough, positioning either the head or securing portion of the fastener in the housing and passing the shank of the head portion of the fastener through a hole in the fixture to engage the securing portion of the fastener with the shank portion of the fastener.

Further features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a front view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the head of the bolt retained within the housing of the invention; and tL :i! D

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Figure 7 is a front view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with a nut retained within the housing.

In reference to the drawings, the invention is a device for retaining a fastener on a fixture such as wall while the fastener is being attached. The invention is useful for fasteners which consist of a head section, a shank and a locking section such as a nut and bolt. While the invention will be described with regard to its use with nuts and bolts, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is equally applicable to other types of fasteners in which one section of the fastener must be retained in position while the other section of the fastener is secured. The device 1 comprises a housing 2 for receiving either the head or locking sections of a fastener and a means by which the housing can be secured to a fixture such as a wall 3. The means by which the housing is secured to a fixture is shown as a flange 4 having an aperture through which a suitable device such as a screw or rivet can be applied to hold the housing against the fixture.

The housing is provided with an aperture 6 in at least one side of the housing to enable the shank of the fastening device to pass therethrough and into and through an aperture in the wall 3. Accordingly, this side of the housing corresponds with the side which is placed against the fixture. A cut away section 7 may also be provided in that side of the -housing to enable the head of the bolt to be easily positioned and located within the aperture 6.

If a top side is provided to the housing then that top side 8 is also preferably provided with an aperture 9 to enable a bolt to pass therethrough if the device is being operated with a nut 10 fitted within the housing.

The device is preferably cut from a suitable sheet material such as 1mm galvanised steel plate although it is possible that the invention could be formed by one of many other forming process such as molding of a suitable polymeric material.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the invention may operate in three ways. In the operation mode of Figure 6, the head of the bolt 11 is retained within the housing 2 and the device secured to a wall 3 by securement means such as a screw 12 with the shank 13 of the bolt passing through a hole drilled in the wall. As the w"" _>i purpose of the invention is to hold the bolt head, the device is positioned so that the shank of a bolt passes through the hole and the securement device 12 is inserted.

With the head of the bolt securely retained within the housing, a nut 10 may be threaded onto the shank 13 and tightened. As the head of the bolt is-retained within the housing and prevented from rotation, the nut is able to be tightened to ensure that the fastener is securely attached to the wall, or by using two devices the bolt and nut can both be secured.

As the purpose for attaching a fastener to a wall is to enable fittings such as shelving brackets purlines and support members to be securely attached to the wall, appropriately sized fittings and supports may be slipped over the shank of the bolt prior to the nut being tightened thereby fastening these articles to the wall.

In another mode of operation shown in Figure 7, the nut 10 is retained within the housing 2 and the nut within the housing is then positioned over an aperture in the wall 3 so that the aperture in the wall is aligned with the centre hole in the nut.

The housing is then attached to the wall by a screw 12 in a similar fashion to that referred to in Figure 6. A bolt 11 may then be pushed through the wall from the other side of the wall to engage and thread the nut 10. If the shank on the bolt is sufficiently long, the aperture 9 in the top side 8 of the housing is sized to allow the shank of the bolt to pass therethrough. Alternatively, the housing can be formed without the top side thereby alleviating the necessity of providing an aperture in that side.

As with the other mode of operation to fit fixture or other support members to the wall, the bolt is passed through suitably sized in the fittings or support structures and then the bolt is then passed through the wall 3 to engage with the nut 10. In this way, those fittings and support structures can be secured to the wall.

The invention may be provided in a variety of styles and shapes to accommodate a number of different types and shapes of fasteners. The invention is particularly useful where one end of the fastener needs to be held in position while the other end secured for those difficult situations where a single person is not able to hold both ends of the fastener simultaneously.

-w 0"" 6 The device is seen to have a myriad of applications in the DIY field, building industry, automotive and manufacturing industry, in fact any application where vibration or loosening of fasteners is a problem.

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Claims

1. Device for retaining a fastener in position on a fixture in which the fastener is provided with a head portion, a shank and a locking section, the head portion and the locking section having a diameter greater than the diameter of the shank; the device including a housing able to selectively receive and enclose either the head section or locking. section, the housing having an opening located in at least one of opposing top and bottom of the housing and sized to just receive the shank of the fastener; the housing further including a side opening and a cut away section on either the top or bottom of the housing extending from the side opening to the opening on the top or bottom of the housing enabling the head portion or locking section to be inserted into the position within the housing while allowing the shank of the fastener to extend through the top or bottom opening of the housing; the device in use being able to be fastened by fastening means to a fixture.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the housing is a single integral unit and shaped to receive and prevent rotation of the locking section or head of the fastener within the housing thereby allowing the fastener to be tightened as required from one side only.

3. A device according to either claim 1 or 2 wherein the housing includes a first said opening located in at least one of the opposing top and bottom of the housing and a flange extending outwardly in the plane of the first said opening such that the flange of the housing can be fastened by said fastening means flush to the fixture while retaining the head section or locking section in the housing and allowing the shank to extend through the first said opening and a corresponding hole in the fixture; and wherein the housing includes a second opening sized to just receive the shank of the fastener and preferably opposing the first opening such that the device can be selectively used in a second manner with the head portion enclosed in the housing and the shank extending out the second opening while allowing the flange of the housing to be fastened by said fastening means flush to the fixture.