Abstract:
A toggle bolt for securing a threaded member relative to a mold wall, including a head portion having a central portion, a rounded end extending from one end of the central portion and at least one wing flexibly extending laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the central portion; and a thread protector portion including a threaded member having a slotted head, the thread protector being releaseably connected to the central portion.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to provisional application No. 60/457,764 filed Mar. 26, 2003 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a toggle bolt which can advantageously be used to secure a threaded insert on a mold wall before filling the mold with concrete. This is desired so as to locate the threaded insert in a particular location in the resulting precast article.  
           [0003]    Positioning of various articles into the material of a molded articles is frequently complicated and difficult, and involves various labor-intensive steps in connection with securing the article relative to the mold and, then, removing any extraneous articles after the molded article has at least partially solidified.  
           [0004]    It is the primary object of the present invention to resolve these problems and provide an apparatus whereby an article, especially a threaded insert, can easily be positioned for incorporation into a molded article.  
           [0005]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with the present invention, a toggle bolt is provided which has a threaded portion adapted for threadedly securing with a threaded insert or other threaded article to be incorporated into the molded article, and also having a head portion adapted to be secured to the wall of the mold. Advantageously, the head portion and threaded portion of the toggle bolt is adapted for easy breakaway of one component from the other such that, when the mold wall is removed from the article, the head portion breaks away leaving the threaded insert disposed within the molded article as desired, with the threaded portion of the toggle bolt disposed within the insert.  
           [0007]    In further accordance with the present invention, a toggle bolt is provided for securing a threaded member relative to a mold wall for a molded article, which toggle bolt comprises a head portion having a central portion, a rounded end extending from one end of the central portion and at least one wing flexibly extending laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the central portion; and a thread protector portion comprising a threaded member having a slotted head, the thread protector being releasably connected to the central portion.  
           [0008]    In further accordance with the invention, a method is provided for positioning a threaded member in a molded article, comprising the steps of providing a toggle bolt for securing a threaded member relative to a mold wall, comprising a head portion having a central portion, a rounded end extending from one end of the central portion and at least one wing flexibly extending laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the central portion; and a thread protector portion comprising a threaded member having a slotted head, the thread protector being releasably connected to the central portion; threading the threaded member onto the thread protector, inserting the head portion into a mold wall of a mold for the molded article, pouring material into the mold so as to form the molded article around the threaded member; and removing the molded article from the mold whereby the head portion breaks away from the thread protector, and the thread protector remains in the threaded member with the slotted head exposed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention follows, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a toggle bolt and threaded insert in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a toggle bolt and threaded insert in accordance with the present invention partially inserted through a hole in a mold wall;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a toggle bolt and threaded insert in accordance with the present invention which is tightened onto the wall of the mold;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 illustrates the threaded insert with a portion of the toggle bolt disposed within a molded article, with the mold wall removed from the article and the head portion of the toggle bolt broken away;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 illustrates an end view of the threaded insert with threaded portion of the toggle bolt as disposed within a molded article;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a toggle bolt in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a broken away threaded portion of the embodiment of FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    The apparatus in accordance with the present invention further provides for a breakaway portion which leaves a thread protector in the threaded insert after the precast article is removed from the mold. FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a preferred embodiment.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 1, a toggle bolt  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown partially threaded into an insert  12 .  
         [0019]    Toggle bolt  10  according to the invention includes a thread protector portion  14  and a head portion  16  which are releasably connected.  
         [0020]    Thread protector portion  14  is preferably a substantially cylindrical-shaped member having threads for matingly inserting into insert member  12 , and further preferably having a slotted face  18  which, when head portion  16  is removed, allows for removal and replacement using conventional tools such as a simple screw driver.  
         [0021]    Of course, although the illustration of the drawings shows a single slot in thread protector portion  14 , which of course would be useful with a conventional flat screw driver, other structure could be positioned on the surface of thread protector portion  14  which is to be exposed, for interacting with different types of tools or implements as well.  
         [0022]    Head portion  16  is preferably provided having a substantially rounded tip  20  and wing members  22  which are preferably biased to a partially open position as shown in FIG. 1 and which can be inwardly flexed to the position of FIG. 2 so as to allow head portion  16  to be inserted through an opening  24  in a mold wall  26 .  
         [0023]    In use, toggle bolt  10  is threaded into a threaded insert  12  as shown in FIG. 1, and is then pushed, for example by hand, through opening  24  in mold wall  26  as shown in FIG. 2. When the wing members  22  of head portion  16  snap open behind mold wall  26 , for example as shown in FIG. 3, the insert member  12  is then preferably hand tightened against mold wall  26  and the assembly is now properly installed on mold wall  26  such that concrete can be poured into the mold to form a precast article around threaded insert  12  as shown in FIG. 4. When the product is stripped from the mold or form, or vice versa, head portion  16  breaks away from thread protector  14  leaving insert  12  mounted within precast article  28  as desired and as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 further illustrates the final product, with thread protector  14  mounted in threaded insert  12  with slotted face  18  exposed for use in removing thread protector  14  as desired.  
         [0024]    Toggle bolt  10  in accordance with the present invention is preferably provided of any suitable material, for example any of a number of suitable plastic materials, which provide for the desired flexibility of wing members  22  relative to head portion  16  along with the desired breakability in the connection between head portion  16  and thread protector  14 .  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS. 1-5 together, it is preferred that head portion  16  be provided having a central body portion  30  with a substantially solid base portion  32  and with wing members  22  extending rearwardly, towards base portion  32 , from rounded tip  20 . Central body portion  30  advantageously serves to fill opening  24  in mold wall  26  so as to provide stability of mounting of the device, and further to provide improved seal so as to prevent escape of concrete during filling of the mold.  
         [0026]    This represents a substantial improvement over conventional methods for securing threaded inserts to walls of concrete molds or forms.  
         [0027]    Turning now to FIGS. 6 and 7, an alternative embodiment is illustrated.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 shows a toggle bolt  10  similar to that of FIGS. 1-5 having elements as referenced above. In this embodiment, however, a plurality of ridges  50  are advantageously positioned on an outer surface of wings  22  and advantageously serve to assist in holding head portion  16  within an opening in a mold wall as desired. Ridges  50  can be positioned along an outer surface of either or both of wings  22  as desired.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 further illustrates an embodiment in accordance with the present invention wherein wings  22  do not extend rearwardly from head  20 , but rather wherein wings  22  are flexibly mounted to body portion  30  at hinged connection points  52  which are shown in the drawings. Connection points  52  are advantageously positioned sufficiently close to head  20  that the trailing edges of wings  22  are sufficiently flexible to allow deflection as the toggle bolt  10  is being positioned into a hole into a mold wall. This connection also further advantageously allows inward flexing of the leading portions  54  of wings  22  to assist in initial entry of this portion of the toggle bolt into an opening in the mold wall as well. Thus, due to connection point  52 , wing portions  22  can first flex inwardly at the lead portions  54  during initial entry into the opening, and then trailing edges of wings  22  can deflect inwardly as the toggle bolt is positioned further into the opening.  
         [0030]    In further accordance with the invention, a slot  56  can advantageously be provided in head portion  16  of toggle bolt  10 , and this slot  56  advantageously serves to conserve material and further provide additional flexibility of wings  22  as desired.  
         [0031]    Still referring to the embodiment of FIG. 6, thread protector  14  is as described above, and can further advantageously be provided having a cut-out  58  in the body portion thereof, which can extend longitudinally along a substantial portion of the length of thread protector  14  as shown. The cut-out  58  should not extend all the way to slot  18 , since this would allow concrete into the threaded insert during molding, which is not desired. Cut-out  58  advantageously serves to conserve material from which toggle bolt  10  is made, and also provides a sharp edge along a portion of the threads of thread protector  14 , which can advantageously scrape any debris or any other material from the inside surface of the threaded insert, whereby positioning thread protector  14  into and out of the threaded member can advantageously clean the threads of same.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 further illustrates the structure discussed above in connection with thread protector  14 , and further shows slotted head  18 , cut-outs  58  and the threads of thread protector  14  which are used to threadly engage the insert member as desired.  
         [0033]    It should of course be appreciated that the embodiment shown and described herein is a description of one embodiment of the present invention, and modification as to various shapes and sizes of particular elements of the device can of course be made by a person of ordinary skill in the art well within the scope of the present invention.