STAR SHAPED FASTENER

Abstract: A star shaped fastener (10) having at least five spaced vertical cups (20) and edges about a central core (12) with the included angle being ninety degrees reducing the fabricated material by 50% and increasing the surface area by 15% compared to a common round nail of equal radius. The holding power is significantly enhanced by compression laterally and vertically into cups, shoulders or a taper of less than fourteen degrees.

Description: This invention relates to fastener improvements and particularly to fasteners usable as strip or coil fasteners for powered hammering tools. BACKGROUND ART There are many nails in use including the common and finishing smooth shank nails, the ring shank nail for increased holding power beyond that of a common round nail, the deformed shank nail including the twisted square, rectangular, spiral or screw type grooved shank nail, triangular shaped nails and the hardened masonry nails. The above-mentioned nails are designed for various purposes but none accomplishes a substantial reduction in fastener material while substantially inhibiting lateral movement between a pair of wooden members connected by the fastener in accord with this invention. Also, the holding power of the nails of the prior art are not as effective as is often needed and none measures up to the holding power of the fastener in accord with this invention. Many of the nails of the prior art are furthermore wasteful as being fabricated from an excess of steel, aluminum or other metals which is of increasingly important competitive consideration. A fastener representing the prior art part of claim 1 is known from DE-U-8 129 970. The fastener disclosed therein comprises an elongated shank having an elongated central core and opposite end portions and a longitudinal axis extending between the end portions. A head is provided on one end portion for driving the fastener with a hammer or the like into material and at the opposite end the fastener is formed into a point. The prior art nails are unsuitable in many wood constructions and when used often cause splitting of the wood along the grain. For example, a common round or square or rectangular nail when driven into wood tends to drive the grain apart or to split same creating a "fish-eye" condition of the grain around the nail shank. Thus, frictional contact between the common nail and the wood is less than complete and there is no tight fit about the shank thus reducing the holding power of the driven nail into the wood. The fastener in accord with this invention overcomes many of the aforementioned problems of one or more of the prior art nails mentioned above and substantially alleviates all of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art as will be readily understood by consideration of the entire specification, drawings and claims herein. The improved fastener in accord with several aspects of the invention are seen to include an elongated shank having opposite end portions and at least one longitudinal axis extending between the end portions, and an elongated central core with at least ten spaced elongated side walls forming with the core a cross-sectional shape of at least a five-pointed star. Each adjacent pair of side walls taper toward each other and form a radial fin. One side wall of each pair of adjacent fins forms a vertically extending V-shaped cup having its valley juxtaposed to the core. The fins include elongated edges extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and terminate outwardly generally equally from the longitudinal axis. The edges are rounded to inhibit breakage thereof during driving of the fastener into material. The sides forming the cups receive therein compressible mateial into which the fastener is drivingly disposed to compress material in the cups between the sides to enhance the holding power of the fastener in material. The material is compressed downwardly and laterally into the cups to increase the holding power of the fastener in material. The sides of the cups are substantially planar with the sides of adjacent fins being generally perpendicular. A valley having a curved surface integral with the core is formed between the adjacent side walls of adjacent pair of fins with the angle therebetween being substantially perpendicular. The edges of the fins have a radial dimension from the core at least equal to the diameter of the core. In an alternate form, the fastener includes another shank having another longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a bridging portion therebetween forming a head therefor to be driven as a staple. Preferably, the shank has a cross-sectional shape of at least a five-pointed star. The fastener may have one end portion tapered at an angle less than fourteen degrees to enhance the holding power of the fastener in material. A head is often provided on the other end portion for driving same with a hammer or the like into material and often a point is provided on the other one end portion. The shank is contemplated to be substantially uniformly tapered from the smaller dimension at one end portion to the other end portion at an angle less than fourteen degrees to enhance the holding power of the fastener in material such as a roof or concrete. In yet another alternate form, the fastener includes shoulder means in the cups spaced along the shank to further enhance the holding power thereof. When the fastener includes a tapered portion the shoulder means in the cups may be spaced along only the tapered portion of the shank or the entire shank. The shoulder means are provided in at least three of the cups but may be provided in all of the vertical cups. The shoulder means extend or protrude outwardly away from the longitudinal axis. The shoulder means preferably are located at the core and the facing side walls and merge flush with the core and the facing side walls of the fins. In yet other alternative aspects the shank may include six, seven or more fins; the respective cross-sectional shape being a commensurate pointed star. The fastener shank and fins therefrom in accord with the invention provide an increased outer surface area over that of a common round nail of a radius equal to the distance of the fastener from the longitudinal axis to one of the edges. It also provides easier drivability and superior holding power over other known hammerable fasteners. Each cup extends throughout substantially the length of the shank to form an elongated cupping means into which fibers of a pair of wooden members will be compressed downwardly and laterally during driving of the fastener into a pair of wooden members. This configuration substantially inhibits lateral movement between a pair of wooden members into which the fastener connects and enhances the holding power thereof. The improved fastener end portions and at least one longitudinal axis extending between includes at least five equally spaced narrow fins extending radilaly outwarding from the core of a predetermined cross-section and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core. The fins include elongated edges extending in the same direction as the longitudinal axis with each adjacent pair of fins forming a vertically extending in-shaped cup having its valley juxtaposed to the core. The side walls compress compressible material downwardly and laterally into the V-shaped cups to increase the holding power of the fastener in material beyond that of prior art fasteners while substantially reducing the amount of material forming the fastener. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a isometric view of the fastener in the form of a nail in accord with the invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the fastener driven into the wood. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view of the fastener taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing the sheared wood fibers in a compressed state in a fastener vertical cup. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and depicting a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and depicting a third embodiment of the invention and showing locking serrations in the cups. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the fastener in accord with a fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the fastener in accord with a fifth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial plan view of the fastener of FIG. 8 showing serrations in the cups. FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the fastener in form of a staple in accord with a sixth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the fastener in the form of a roofing nail in accord with a seventh embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 is a partial side elevational view of the fastener in accord with an eighth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the fastener taken along a plane through the shank thereof equidistant of a pair of edges. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1-3 the improved fastener 10 in accord with this invention includes an elongated shank 11 having a central cylindrical core 12 and at least five spaced tapering fins 14 extending radially outwardly therefrom and terminating in smooth and rounded outer edges 15 forming a five-pointed star in cross-section for the shank 11. At the upper end of shank 11 is a rounded head 16 which normally would extend outwardly at least to cover all of the edges 15, i.e., the radius of 16 would at least be the distance between longitudinal axis, indicated by point and numbered 17 in FIG. 2, and the edges 15. However, it is to be understood that the head 16 may be in the form of a finishing nail head. At the opposite end of shank 11 is preferably a point 18 as is normally provided on nails, particularly nails to be used in wood materials. When a common nail (round, square or rectangular) is driven into wood, the nail tends often to drive the grain apart or to split same to create a "fish-eye" condition about the common nail shank. If the "fish-eye" is created, frictional contact between the wood and nail diminishes and materially effects the holding power of the driven nail into the wood. Rather than merely driving a common nail into the wood material, in accord with this invention, the nail 10, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 causes the fibers to be compressed laterally into the cup 20 (FIG. 2) formed between adjacent fins 14, as well as downwardly as illustrated in FIG. 3 to provide a dual wedging action. This causes substantially increased holding power while not having any of the two edges 15 aligned with the grain. This condition would often be the case with a prior art rectangular nail, for example, which often increases the probability of creating a "fish-eye" or uneven holding power on various sides of such prior art nail. It is seen in FIG. 2 that between each pair of adjacent fins 14, facing side walls 22 form a vertical extending valley or cup 20 which has a base 21 defined by a smooth curved and merging surface from the core 12 to the edges 15 of the adjacent fins 14. With at least five such vertical cups 20 it is very probable that at least one vertical cup 20 having side walls 22 will be substantially completely in alignment with the wood grain and accordingly will have greater cam locking action or wedging action and holding power than the other partially aligned vertical cups 20. In practice the edges 15 should be smoothly rounded to inhibit breakage during driving thereof into material. As seen in FIG. 2, the cups 20 have the contour of a right angle. Therefore, the surface area of the nail of this invention includes about fifteen percent (15%) increase in surface area over a common round nail of a radius equal to the distance of the improved nail from the longitudinal axis 17 to the edge 15 of the fins 14. This also enhances the resistive holding power. Thus, it is seen that the surface area contact compared between the improved fastener 10 and the common round nail has to be no less than equal in resistive holding power, but is markedly increased by approximately sixty percent (60%) because of the dual wedging action in the vertical cups 20 and 21 with the compression of the fibers both laterally and downwardly. Also, the five sided star fastener 10 with substantially ninety degree cups 20 create a central or core cross-sectional area 12 for frictional forces of the severed and compressed wood grain which also forces the grain to bend downwardly for cam locking action between the material and the fastener 10, unlike a prior art cross shaped or plus shaped (+) nail. The fastener in accord with another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 4 and comprises a seven-pointed shank 11' or a six-pointed shank 11" as shown in FIG. 5. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, shoulder means in the form of depressions 26 somewhat similar to the concepts of the ring shank nail can be made in the shank 11 of the fastener 10 to take advantage thereof and even further enhance the holding power of the fastener 10 in accord with this invention. These shoulder means 26 provide a shoulder 26' against which the wood fibers engage to inhibit removal of the fastener 10 and the depressions may span the base 21 of the cup 20 from about a quarter of the length of the fins 14, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, to about one-half the length thereof, as shown in FIG. 4, and preferably extend inwardly into the central core 12. While a ring shank nail has some increased holding power it is readily apparent that when the shank of the greatest diameter enters the wood and each rib thereafter follows, the ring shank causes an effect similar to a rasp in an opening and creates uneven holding power throughout the length of the shank. The improved nail herein provides less rasping effect and more uniform holding power throughout its length. Of course, with the cups 20 and outer edge 15, the improved fastener 10 inhibits rotative relative movement between the fastener and the wood to which it is driven as well as lateral movement as between a pair of wood materials joined by the improved fastener. Such attributes are not features of a ring shank nail. Another important feature of the improved fasteners according to the invention is provided by the use of a substantial reduction of fifty percent (50%) of the steel or the like to fabricate the shank 11 than the common nail without materially reducing the beam of the nail and increasing its holding power and providing lateral movement resistance. Furthermore, it is easier to drive in the improved fastener 10 due to its smaller cross-sectional area and such small area even provides less wood splitting and/or "fish-eyes". There is also less bending of the improved fastener 10 as compared to a common round nail of equal radius from axis 17 to edge 15. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the embodiments of the improved fasteners 38 and 39 are seen to include a lower end portion 40 which is tapered from the shank 41 to its extremity 42 by an angle of less than fourteen degrees so that the locking effect produced thereby further enhances the holding power of the fasteners 38 and 39. In FIG. 7 the tapered end portion 40 extends about one-quarter the length of shank 41 while the taper depicted in FIG. 8 is about one-half the length of shank 43. To even greater enhance the holding power, the shoulder means 44, substantially identical to shoulder means 26, described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6, may be employed, as illustrated in FIG. 9, spaced along the vertical cups 45 and 46 in tapered end portions 40 of respective shanks 41 and 43. Likewise such shoulder means 44 may extend throughout the length of the shanks 41 and 43 of respective nails 38 and 39, if found to be desirable. It is understood that the fastener in accord with this invention may be in the form of staple 50 (FIG. 10) having a pair of substantially parallel shanks 51 and a bridging head portion 52. Each shank 51 has a cross-section of at least a five-pointed star, as previously described in connection with FIG. 1, and may include the shoulder means 26 of FIGS: 5 and 6, and/or the taper as described in FIGS. 7 and 8, or fully tapered as illustrated in FIG. 11. Whether head portion 52 is round or flat or includes the elongated cups 45 and 46 or shoulder means 44 may be determined as needed without departing from the spirit or scope of the improved fastener herein described. In FIG. 11 another embodiment of the fastener in the form of a roofing fastener 55 is depicted as having a cross-section of at least a five-pointed star and showing a substantially full tapered shank 56 with a slightly blunted end 57. Similarly, shoulder means like those illustrated at 26 in FIGS. 5 and 6 or shoulder means 44 in FIG. 9, could be employed in the fastener 55 of FIG. 11. The fastener 55 may also be hardened as by heat treatment to provide a concrete fastener. Several of the fasteners described herein are suitable for use with drywall applications, paneling and the like materials as well. Since it is intended to work or form the fasteners herein described, they will have a greater shear and tensile strength with greater bending resistance. In some applications previously requiring heat treated nails, the fasteners according to this invention may be usable in lieu of such other nails. It is contemplated that the shoulder means, may be protrusions or a building out form as illustrated by shoulders 60, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, spaced along the shank 61 from core 62 tapering radially to the edges 63 and 64 of the adjacent facing sides 65 and 66 of the cup 67 formed therebetween and tapering downwardly to merge with core 62 at valley 68. Since shoulders 60 extend outwardly more in the nature of a ring shank nail, this embodiment of the invention would tend to produce more rasping effect than the embodiment of the invention depicted and described in connection with FIGS. 4 and 6. However, it is to be understood that since the fastener herein is intended to be formed, the protrusions 60 are quire different than the ring shank nail in which a cutting action is used to cut the rings thereinto from a common round nail. This cutting action causes substantial weakening of the ring shank nail, i.e., pointed ring breaking or cut creating increased fracture points or lines causing the shank to bend more easily or break during driving thereof and/or removal. Also, the shoulder means, protrusions 60, may be added or deleted from the shanks as determined to provide maximum holding power or withdrawal resistance according to different woods (hard, medium, soft) or into materials having a uniform or uneven grain or a mateial having no grain effect like drywall made of gypsum or the like. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the cup angle and radius of the core may be adjusted to increase or decrease the cross-sectional area and/or modify the resistive contact between the fastener and the material with corresponding changes in the compression and cam locking effects and with addition or selective placement of shoulder means and/or tapering ends to obtain the maximum holding power, if desired, and maximum tensile and shear. In other words, the shape and other features of the improved fastener may be adjusted to become equal to or the same strength as the material in which the fastener is being used, if found desirable for particular applications. The fasteners of this invention are made from standard drawn wire. The wire is roll formed using five rollers to form the shank. A small area used to head the fastener is not rolled. The resulting fastener has a uniform tensile strength throughout its longtudinal length. The wire employed can be 1040 cold drawn or with lower carbon content to 1006 wire. Alternate substances such as brass, aluminum and stainless steel also can be used for the wire stock.

Claims: A fastener (10) comprising at least one elongated shank (11; 51) having opposite end portions (16 and 18) and a longitudinal axis (17) extending between the end portions (16 and 18), a head (16) on one end portion for driving the fastener with a hammer or the like into material, and a point (18) on the other end portion, the shank (11) having an elongated central core, and fins (14) extending outwardly from the core (12) and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (17) substantially throughout the shank (11) perpendicularly from a lower wall of the head (16) to the other end portion (18) the fins (14) having elongated edges (15) extending in the same direction as the longitudinal axis (17), each adjacent pair of fins (14) forming a vertically extending, substantially L-shaped or V-shaped cup (20) having its valley (21) juxtaposed to the core (12) characterized in that at least five said fins (14) are provided which gives the shank (11) a cross-sectional shape of at least a five-pointed star the edges (15) of the fins being rounded to inhibit breakage thereof during driving of the fastener (10) into material each adjacent pair of fins (14) including facing side walls (22) forming the cup (20) into which material receiving the fastener (10) drivingly therein is compressed both downwardly and laterally into engagement with the side walls (22) to enhance the holding power of the fastener (10), the facing side walls (22) of each pair of adjacent fins converging toward each other and forming a tightly curved smooth surface (21) integral with the core (12). A fastener as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said fins are narrow, elongated, tapered and equally spaced and extend from a cylindrical core (20) towards an elongated edge (15), said edges being generally equally spaced from the longitudinal axis (17) the valley (21) formed between adjacent pairs of fins (14) being defined by a tightly curved surface adjacent said core to substantially planar facing side walls (22) of the adjacent pair of fins (14) each fin having a radial dimension from the longitudinal axis (17) greater than the diameter of the core (12), the cup capturing and directing downwardly and laterally inwardly fibers of wood material into which the fastener (10) is to be driven whereby a dual wedging action is provided therebetween and substantially increasing the holding power thereof above the holding power of a common round nail of a radius equal to the distance of the fastener (10) from the longitudunal axis (17) to the edge (15) of the fin (15). A fastener as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said fins are formed by at least five pairs of elongated side walls (22) extending from the core (12), each pair of side walls (22) forming a tapered fin (14), the fins having elongated edges (15) extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (17) and terminating outwardly generally equally from said longitudinal axis (17) the walls (22) of said cups (20) being substantially planar and being substantially perpendicular to each other, the side walls (22) of each cup (20) receiving therein compressible material into which the fastener (10) is drivingly disposed to compress material downwardly and laterally in the cups (20) between the side walls (22) to enhance the holding power of the fastener (10) in the material, each adjacent pair of side walls (22) defining the cups (20) forming a slightly inwardly curved surface defining the valley (21) with respect to and integrally connected with the core, the fins (14) having a radial dimension from the core (12) equal to or greater than the diameter of the core (12) to maximize the surface area of the fasterner (10) and to minimize the fabricating material of the fastener (10) without materially affecting the bending strength of the fastener. The fastener as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the fastener (10) having another shank (51) substantially identical to the shank (11) and having another longitudinal axis substantially identical to the longitudinal axis (17), and a bridging portion (52) between the shank (11) and the other shank (51) forming the head therefor to be driven, the shanks (51) and head (52) being in the form of a U-shaped staple (50). The fastener as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by having shoulders (60) in the cups (20) spaced along the shank (11) to further enhance the holding power hereof. The fastener as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the shank (56) being substantially uniformly tapered from the end (57) to the head (16) at an angle less than fourteen degrees to enhance the holding power of the fastener (10) in material into which it is driven. The fastener as claimed in claim 6, characterized by shoulders (60) in the cups (20) spaced along the tapered portion of the shank (56) to further enhance the holding power thereof. The fastener as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized by protruding shoulders (60) in three of adjacent cups (20) spaced along the side walls (22) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (17) to enhance the holding power of the fastener in material into which it is driven. The fastener as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the shoulders (60) terminating no more than medially between the valleys (21) and the elongated edges (15). The fastener as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the shoulder (60) extending outwardly from the core (12) and the side walls (22) to provide more displacement of the material into which the fastener is driven thereby enhancing the holding power thereof. The fastener as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the shoulder (60) tapering towards and merging flush at the elongated edges (15) of the cups (20). The fastener as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the shoulder (60) tapering outwardly to merge with the side wall (22) and tapering in the vertical direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (17) to merge with the core (12).

Inventors: POTUCEK, FRANK R., YEAGER, ARTHUR G.
Applicants: STAR FASTENERS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16B15
IPC codes: F16B15