GB1562129A

GB1562129A - Screw strip

Info

Publication number: GB1562129A
Application number: GB5132477A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Karl M Reich Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Current assignee: Karl M Reich Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Priority date: 1976-12-14
Filing date: 1977-12-09
Publication date: 1980-03-05
Also published as: IT1115748B; AU3141077A; JPS5374658A; SE7714084L; CA1054982A; AU507551B2; FR2374225A1; DE2656445A1; ATA851177A; FR2374225B1; SE424611B; AT355879B

Description

(54) SCREW STRIP (71) We, KARL M. REICH MAS CHINENFABRIK G.m.b.H., a German limited liability company, of Postfach 267, 7440 Nurtingen, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a screw strip which is an improvement in that disclosed in our Patent No. 1526507 (Appln. No.

29711/76). According to that Patent there was provided a strip for retaining screws in a row, the strip having a plurality of spaced sleeves each at least partly surrounding the threads of a screw, and adjacent sleeves being interconnected by a land, wherein the sleeves are of a flexible material and have internal threads mating with the threads of the screws held therein.Also according to that Patent there was provided a screw strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely of the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves at least partially surrounding separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws, and having wall thicknesses less than the depths of the threads of the screws, the lands having wall thicknesses less than the outer diameters of the threads of the screws, and the lands lying in a plane which extends through the axes of the screws.

Due to the presence of the mating internal threads in the sleeves, the advantage was obtained that during screwing-in a screw is positively guided until it has penetrated at least partly into the workpiece and is then guided by the latter. When the head of the screw reaches a weakened wall area of the sleeve, the latter is forced apart or is split so that the screw can leave it easily. The empty strip can then leave the screw driving tool without broken remnants remaining to clog the tool or damage the surface of the workpiece. In addition, the prior strip gave the advantage of higher production speed at lower cost.

It is an object of the present invention to form a weakened sleeve wall area in such a way that the sleeve holds a screw securely, guides it reliably during a screwing-in operation, and ensures its ready release.

According to this invention there is provided a screw strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely to the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves supporting separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, and the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws and walls with an area of reduced strength, the wall area of reduced strength including one or more perforations.

The invention also includes a screw strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely of the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves surrounding separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws, and having wall thicknesses less than the depths of the threads of the screws, the lands having wall thicknesses less than the outer dimensions of the threads of the screws and the lands lying in a plane which extends through the axes of the screws, and wherein each sleeve has a perforation at one side of the strip defined by strap-like wall portions of the sleeve.

The advantages of the invention are retained even if, due to poor production conditions during extrusion of plastics material onto a row of screws, variations occur in the formation of the sleeves.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a screw strip; Figure 2 is a section on plane II - II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a section on plane III - III of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 shows part of a screw strip 1, the parallel screws of which each have a shank 3, a screw thread 4 and a head 5. To hold the screws 2 there is a holding strip 6 of elastic plastics material which extends perpendicularly to the axes of the screws. However, the strip can also be slightly inclined to the axes of the screws in a screw strip in which the screws are off-set from each other.

Each screw thread is encircled by a sleeve 7 in the strip 6 over part of its circumference, the rest of the circumference being secured by strap-like wall portions 8 which are connected integrally with the sleeve 7. The strip 6 therefore has a weakened wall area 9 on one side, in that the sleeve 7 has perforations 10 defined by the strap-like wall portions 8.

The mating thread 11 formed on the inside of each sleeve 7 mates with the screw thread 4. Further, the sleeves 7 are connected together by lands 12 which are integral with them, the lands 12 being arranged in the median plane of the strip 6. On one side of the strip each land 12 has a rib 13 and the ribs extend along the entire length of the strip 6.

The screw strips 1 shown in Figures 1 and 3 have a part at their right-hand outer end where the screw 2 has already been released from the sleeve 7. The portions 8 have been burst apart, but still remain connected to the rest of the sleeve 7 so that the empty strip 6 can leave the screw-driving tool through a suitable opening.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely to the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves supporting separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, and the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws and walls with an area of reduced strength, the wall area of reduced strength including one or more perforations.

2. A strip according to claim 1 wherein a perforation is defined by strap-like wall portions of each sleeve.

3. A strip according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each inter-connecting land is formed with a rib at least on one side, the rib extending along the land.

4. A screw strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely of the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves surrounding separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws, and having wall thicknesses less than the depths of the threads of the screws, the lands having wall thicknesses less than the outer diameters of the threads of the screws, and the lands lying in a plane which extends through the axes of the screws, and wherein each sleeve has a perforation at one side of the strip defined by strap-like wall portions of the sleeve.

5. A screw strip constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a screw strip; Figure 2 is a section on plane II - II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a section on plane III - III of Figure 1. Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 shows part of a screw strip 1, the parallel screws of which each have a shank 3, a screw thread 4 and a head 5. To hold the screws 2 there is a holding strip 6 of elastic plastics material which extends perpendicularly to the axes of the screws. However, the strip can also be slightly inclined to the axes of the screws in a screw strip in which the screws are off-set from each other. Each screw thread is encircled by a sleeve 7 in the strip 6 over part of its circumference, the rest of the circumference being secured by strap-like wall portions 8 which are connected integrally with the sleeve 7. The strip 6 therefore has a weakened wall area 9 on one side, in that the sleeve 7 has perforations 10 defined by the strap-like wall portions 8. The mating thread 11 formed on the inside of each sleeve 7 mates with the screw thread 4. Further, the sleeves 7 are connected together by lands 12 which are integral with them, the lands 12 being arranged in the median plane of the strip 6. On one side of the strip each land 12 has a rib 13 and the ribs extend along the entire length of the strip 6. The screw strips 1 shown in Figures 1 and 3 have a part at their right-hand outer end where the screw 2 has already been released from the sleeve 7. The portions 8 have been burst apart, but still remain connected to the rest of the sleeve 7 so that the empty strip 6 can leave the screw-driving tool through a suitable opening. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A strip comprising a row of a plurality of spaced apart parallel screws, and a strip of flexible material extending transversely to the axes of the screws, the strip having sleeves supporting separate screws and joined by interconnecting lands, and the sleeves having internal threads mating with the threads of the screws and walls with an area of reduced strength, the wall area of reduced strength including one or more perforations.