Abstract:
A fastener comprising a threaded stud and a rectangular nut having raised flanges is disclosed. Raised flanges enable passing the fasteners in a curvilinear dispensing track. The rectangular nut resides in a channel in a threshold device and is restrained against rotational movement. The threaded stud includes a flat head adjustable in a plurality of positions which, in turn, enables positioning of the threshold.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention is in the field of fasteners used in connection with door thresholds and in particular with the adjustment of the height of door thresholds.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,173 to Headrick et al. discloses a threshold having a threaded pedestal 32 and support pad 33 as well as a correspondingly threaded lug 34 adapted to receive the threaded pedestal 32. See, FIGS. 2 and 6 of the &#39;173 patent. Also see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,588,266 and 5,426,894 to Headrick. Each of the foregoing patents discloses a lug 34 captured in a slot which cooperates with a threaded pedestal to vertically raise and lower a threshold.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,477 to Keppler et al. discloses a series of screws 64 and nuts 66. According to the &#39;477 specification: “Nuts 66 fit within the channel below web 68 between the adjacent sides. Nuts 66 are sufficiently large so that they are prohibited from turning and may transmit an axial load along the screw axis to web 68.” Rotation of the screws 64 adjust the height of the threshold.  
         [0004]     Each of the following United States Patents disclose an adjustable threshold: U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,535; U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,464; U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,391; U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,788; U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,804; U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,653; U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,680; U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,814; U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,828; U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,412; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,258. These disclosures are indicative of the state of the art.  
         [0005]     A particular problem in the dispensation of adjustable threshold fasteners is the fact that they tend to jam in the curvilinear track which feeds the insertion mechanism. See,  FIG. 2  in this application for patent which illustrates jamming of the fasteners in the feed track. Referring to  FIG. 2 , adjacent fasteners are illustrated in a shingling fashion such that the higher fastener wedges underneath the adjacent lower fastener. Shingling can also occur such that the higher fastener rides up above the adjacent lower fastener.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view  200  of the interior of a section of a curvilinear track  223  with several prior art fasteners  100  located therein.  FIG. 2  illustrates a head-guide  221 , a nut-guide  222 , and a rimmed edge  220 . Typically, the track  223  is gravity fed with fasteners. The weight, momentum and inertia of a plurality of fasteners apply pressure to the fasteners when they abruptly stop in the track due to a stoppage in the demand for the fasteners. Additionally, variance in the dimensions of the fasteners is a contributing cause to the shingling and jamming of the fasteners.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2A  is an end view  200 A of the track of  FIG. 2  illustrating a prior art fastener therein. The insertion mechanism press-fits a threaded stud into and through a wall of the threshold. The stud is then rotatably adjustable with respect to the wall. The materials of the threshold may be plastic, wood or metal and the material of the threaded stud is plated steel. A reciprocally threaded nut is also carried with the stud and when the stud is inserted into the threshold, one surface of the nut engages the threshold. The threaded stud has two ends and may be rotated from either end thereof. When the stud is rotated it has the effect of extending the support surface away from the threshold enabling the threshold to be adjusted vertically.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a prior art adjustable fastener  100  illustrating a bolt head or support surface  101 , a neck  115 , a rectangularly shaped nut  102 , threaded shaft  103  and an adjustment  104  adapted to receive a screw driver. Although the adjustment  104  is oriented at the bottom of  FIG. 1 , when the adjustable fastener is press-fit into a threshold, the orientation of the fastener is reversed. In other words the fastener is oriented 180 degrees from that shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 1A  is a top view  100 A of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1  illustrating adjustment  105  which is adapted to receive a screw driver.  FIG. 1B  is a perspective view  100 B of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view  100 C of the prior art fastener taken along lines  1 C- 1 C of  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 1D  is an end view  100 D of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1E  is a bottom view  100 E of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]     Given the foregoing prior art, it is desirable to have an adjustable threshold fastener which is capable for delivery by a feed track without jamming the feed track.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     An adjustable fastener comprising a threaded stud and a rectangularly shaped nut having first and second ends is disclosed. The first and second ends each have raised flanges and the threaded stud interengages the rectangularly-shaped nut. The rectangularly-shaped nut includes a raised crown having interior threads therein. The raised flanges extend upwardly partially enveloping the threaded stud. The threaded stud includes first and second adjustment receptacles for rotatably adjusting the stud and a support surface integral with the stud away from a threshold to raise the threshold  
         [0012]     Walls in the threshold form a channel therein. One of the walls of the channel includes a bore therein which receives the threaded stud of the fastener which is press-fit in the bore of the channel. Preferably the nut is a rectangularly-shaped nut and has flanges extending from two ends of the nut. The nut has a first surface residing in contact with a wall of the channel such that it is restrained against rotation by the channel and is maintained in contact therewith. The threaded stud includes a flat head or support surface adjustable in a plurality of positions. Each end of the stud includes a screw driver receptacle for rotation of the stud relative to the nut and the bore in the wall of the channel.  
         [0013]     A curvilinear delivery track for delivering a plurality of fasteners includes a head guide and a flange guide. Each of the fasteners comprises a U-shaped, in cross-section, nut adapted to receive a threaded stud. Each of the U-shaped nuts includes a forward and a rearward flange. The head guides of the delivery track engage the heads of the fasteners preventing excessive rotation or vertical displacement of the fasteners. The heads of the fasteners in combination with the head guide prevent shingling and/or jamming of the delivery track.  
         [0014]     The flanges are preferably oriented perpendicular to the support surface of the nut but other non-perpendicular orientations are specifically contemplated herein.  
         [0015]     It is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable threshold fastener with flanges to prevent shingling and/or jamming in a delivery track.  
         [0016]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable threshold fastener with flanges which are shaped so as to prevent shingling and/or jamming.  
         [0017]     A better understanding of the invention and an understanding of these and other objects will be had when reference is made to the Brief Description Of The Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and the Claims which follow hereinbelow. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a prior art fastener.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1A  is a top view of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1B .  
         [0021]      FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view of the prior art fastener taken along lines  1 C- 1 C of  FIG. 1A .  
         [0022]      FIG. 1D  is an end view of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 1E  is a bottom view of the prior art fastener of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the interior of a section of a curvilinear track with several prior art fasteners located therein.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2A  is an end view of the track of  FIG. 2  illustrating a prior art fastener therein.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the fastener of the instant invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of the fastener of the instant invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the instant invention taken along the lines  3 B- 3 B of  FIG. 3A .  
         [0029]      FIG. 3C  is a side view of the threaded stud of the instant invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 3D  is a side view of the U-shaped nut of the instant invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 3E  is an end view of the fastener of the instant invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the interior of a section of a curvilinear track with several fasteners of the instant invention located therein.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4A  is an end view of the track of  FIG. 4  illustrating a fastener of the instant invention therein.  
         [0034]      FIG. 4B  is an enlargement of a portion of  FIG. 4  illustrating the interaction between the flanges of neighboring fasteners.  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of a threshold with the fastener of the instant invention press-fit therein.  
         [0036]      FIG. 5A  is cross-sectional view taken along the lines  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 5  illustrating the attachment of the fastener of the instant invention in a threshold.  
         [0037]      FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5A  illustrating the adjustment of the threaded stud and its flat head enabling positioning of the threshold. 
     
    
       [0038]     A better understanding of the invention will be had when reference is made to the Description of the Invention and Claims which follow hereinbelow.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the adjustable threshold fastener  300  of the instant invention. Receptacles  301 ,  307  provide for rotational adjustment of the threaded stud  320 . Nut  321  is generally rectangularly shaped and includes a frontward flange  305 A and a rearward flange  305 B. The flanges are preferably oriented perpendicular to the support surface of the nut but other non-perpendicular orientations are specifically contemplated herein. The head or support surface  302  of the threaded stud  320  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Receptacle  301  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  for engagement with a screw driver to rotate the threaded stud. Nut  321  includes inner surface  308 A and engagement surface  308 B illustrated in  FIG. 3B . Nut  321  further includes threads therein and the threads extend into crown  306 .  
         [0040]     It will be noted from  FIGS. 3, 3B  and  3 C, that stud  320  includes a shoulder  311  which acts as a stop limiting the inward engagement of the stud  320  with respect to the nut  321 . Reference numeral  304  signifies the threads on the stud  320 . Head or support surface  302  is flat and has a diameter which exceeds the width of the nut  321 . Reference numeral  310  signifies the circumference of the head  302 . Head  302  may engage a reference surface for positioning the threshold illustrated in  FIGS. 5, 5A  and SB.  
         [0041]      FIG. 3A  is a top view  300 A of the fastener of the instant invention and  FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view  300 B of the instant invention taken along the lines  3 B- 3 B of  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 3C  is a side view  300 C of the threaded stud of the instant invention and  FIG. 3D  best illustrates the side view  300 D of the U-shaped nut  321  of the instant invention.  FIG. 3E  is an end view  300 E of the fastener of the instant invention.  
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a side interior view  400  of a section of a curvilinear track  423  with several fasteners  300  of the instant invention located therein. Track  423  includes a nut guide  422 , a support guide (head guide)  421  and a rimmed portion or edge  420 . The flanges  305 A and  305 B of a fastener routinely collide with the adjacent neighboring fasteners and their flanges. Due to the respective height of the flanges, their rotation is limited as is their vertical displacement. Flanges  305 A and  305 B each have respective top portions  309 A and  309 B which engage  450  the rimmed edge  420  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Further, the flanges  305 A,  305 B, are vertically high enough as illustrated in  FIG. 3D  to prevent shingling and jamming. Thus the angle  451  formed between the respective flanges  305 B and  305 A as illustrated in  FIG. 4  is acute and limited.  FIG. 4B  is an enlargement  400 B of a portion of  FIG. 4  illustrating the interaction between the flanges  305 A,  305 B of neighboring fasteners.  
         [0043]      FIG. 4A  is an end view  400 A of the track of  FIG. 4  illustrating a fastener of the instant invention therein.  
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of a threshold  500  with the fastener  300  of the instant invention press-fit therein. Walls  501 ,  502  and  503  form a channel in which fastener  300  partially resides. Walls  502  and  503  prevent excessive rotation of the rectangular nut  321 . Reference numeral  570  indicates rotation of the nut as the receptacle is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in  FIG. 5 . FIG. SA is a cross-sectional view  500 A taken along the lines  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 5  illustrating the press-fit attachment of the fastener  300  of the instant invention in a threshold. When the threaded stud  320  is press fit into the threshold the threads  304  of the stud grip the wall  501  of the threshold. The threads  304  are rotated thereafter as necessary to install and plumb the threshold and surface  302  of the stud is extracted from the threshold. This extraction causes the formation of a helical pattern as represented by reference numeral  550  to be formed in the wall  501  which has a thickness as represented by reference numeral  551 . When threaded stud  320  is rotated, surface  308 B of nut  321  remains in contact with wall  501  of the threshold. Nut  321  provides support to the threshold when the threaded stud is extended out of the nut as illustrated in  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view  500 B similar to  FIG. 5A  illustrating the adjustment of the threaded stud  320  and its flat head  302  enabling positioning of the threshold relative to a reference surface (not shown).  
         [0045]     Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention as set forth herein has been set forth by way of example only and that changes may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims set forth below.