Patent ID: 11898357
Assignee: NATIONAL NAIL CORP.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E  F | IPC E  F

Claim 0:
1. A fastener unit adapted to secure at least one board to a support, the fastener unit comprising:
a spacer block defining a first fastener hole receiving a fastener having a longitudinal axis therein, the spacer block including a front surface, an opposing rear surface, a lower surface, a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, the spacer block having a thickness extending from the front surface to the rear surface, the thickness corresponding to a preselected gap between a first board and a second adjacent board, the first fastener hole in the form of a bore defined by the spacer block;
a grip element extending from the spacer block, the grip element configured to fit in a first groove defined by the first board, the grip element including a grip element length, the grip element length being greater than the thickness of the spacer block, the lower surface of the spacer block being directly under the grip element, the bore extending below the grip element to the lower surface of the spacer block, the bore being centered on the longitudinal axis between the first side surface and the second side surface; and
a first resilient compression element and a second resilient compression element extending away from the spacer block in the same direction and adapted to fit within the first groove and to thereby secure the spacer block adjacent the first groove and establish the preselected gap between the first board and the second adjacent board,
wherein at least one of the first resilient compression element and the second resilient compression element includes a wing that forcibly engages the first groove,
wherein the wing moves toward a reference plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis when forcibly engaging the first groove,
wherein the spacer block is in the form of a monolithic plastic block that extends directly downward under the grip element and includes a lower portion that extends to the lower surface,
wherein the first fastener hole is defined through the lower portion of the monolithic plastic block.