Abstract:
A wedge-type fastener and tool for installing the same for preventing the separation of structural members during drilling or other operations. The fastener includes four spring biased pins which are adapted to be extended into aligned holes in the structural members providing four prongs of engagement increasing the bearing surface of the fastener without deformation of the structural members.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention:  
           [0002]    The invention relates to wedging-type fasteners and installing tools, and, more particularly, to an improved wedge-type fastener and tool for installing the same used to temporarily secure two abutting structural members together to hold the same in alignment while permanent fasteners are installed in the members.  
           [0003]    2. Related Art:  
           [0004]    Wedge-type fasteners are well known in the art for holding together temporarily two abutting structural members, such as aircraft panels, while permanent fasteners are installed to secure the panels together. One such fastener is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,533 to Pratt. In Pratt, the fastener has a screw member with a head at one end with a threaded portion mounted in a main body portion, and a pair of spaced wire elements or pin members extending out of the main body portion. The pin members are movable in and out of the main body portion and a spreader is disposed between the wire members adapted to force the same outwardly to wedge the wire members into aligned holes in the abutting panels. The wire members of Pratt only provide two prongs of engagement in the aligned holes. Thus the holes only get aligned in one direction. Further, this fastener is generally only installed one way; that is, using the provided power tool. There is no way to install such fasteners in tight or close areas.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,919 to Blankenship, et al. describes in detail how such fasteners are used to temporarily hold together two or more panels prior to installation of permanent fasteners.  
           [0006]    There is a need for a wedge-type fastener and tool for installing the same that can provide 360° support about the inside of the holes in the abutting panels in which it is installed to provide a high clamping load without marring or damaging the panels. Such a fastener should be able to be installed both by using power tools or manually using wrenches or the like when installation is required in areas with minimum access.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of this invention to provide an improved wedge-type fastener and tool for installing the same.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a wedge-type fastener having 360° support about the inside the holes and provide forced alignment in abutting panels in which the fastener is installed.  
           [0009]    It is another object of this invention to provide a fastener which can be installed or uninstalled in close or tight working areas using conventional wrenches or the like.  
           [0010]    These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a wedge-type fastener and power tool adapter into which the fastener is inserted for installing the same having 360° of support for preventing the separation of structural members during drilling or other operations. The fastener includes four spring biased pins which are adapted to be extended into holes in the structural members providing four prongs of engagement increasing the bearing surface of the fastener and providing added force to align the holes without deformation of the structural members. The fastener has a socket at one end and wrenching flats on the body for using conventional tools for gripping the same. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a wedge-type fastener and a power tool with a tool attachment thereon for installing the fastener in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of one type of power tool adapter in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of another type of power tool adapter in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a wedge-type fastener in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is an elevational assembled view of the fastener of FIG. 4; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 6 and 7 are views taken along lines  6 - 6 , and  7 - 7 , respectively, of FIG. 4.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of manually operated tools used to install the fastener of FIGS.  1  to  7 ; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another manually operated tool used to install the fastener of FIGS.  1  to  7 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a power tool and fastener combination  100  is shown. Fastener  10  is shown in detail in FIGS.  4  to  7 . As seen in FIG. 1, a conventional power tool  101  is shown having a handle grip  104 , a trigger  105  and terminating in a threaded section  102  and inner threaded gripping portion  103  for providing attachment of a tool adapter thereto. Thus, tool  101  is old and well known in the art and a suitable tool having a conventional drill motor (not shown) used for installing fasteners of the type to be disclosed further herein is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,274. Further description is thus deemed unnecessary.  
         [0020]    However, as particularly contemplated in the present invention, an installing tool portion or adapter  106  is provided having a main outer housing  107  (see also FIG. 2) threaded on its interior at threaded section  108  for threaded engagement to the threaded section  102  of tool  101 .  
         [0021]    Tool adapter  106  terminates at its other end in a drive socket  109  adapted to engage fastener  10  as will be discussed. Fastener  10 , as seen in FIG. 5, has a socket  300  in end  16 . Tool adapter  106  has a spindle  110  threaded on its exterior  301 , terminating in end  111  which is adapted to fit into and engage socket  300 . The other end  112  of spindle  110  is threaded at threaded portion  301  in the socket  113  of gripping portion  103  of tool  101 .  
         [0022]    Tool adapter  106  has a passageway  114  (FIG. 2) between socket  109  and the spindle  110 . Spindle  110  has a shoulder  116  between end  111  and the main body portion  117  of spindle  110 . An annular groove  118  is provided in main body portion  117  and a pair of washers  119 ,  120  encircle body portion  117  separated by a C-clip  121  snap fitting into groove  118 . A coil spring  122  surrounds spindle  110  biased between washer  120  and gripping portion  103 . A shoulder  123  is provided on body portion  117  between washer  120  and the threaded portion  103  of tool  101 .  
         [0023]    Another tool adapter  302  for an alternate installation of fastener  10  is shown in FIG. 3. Like numerals in FIG. 3 refer to like parts of FIG. 2. Thus, in FIG. 3, instead of spindle  110 , a spindle  303  terminates at its forward end in a socket  305 . Socket  305  thus has a shaped configuration on its interior  306 . The socket  305  is adapted to abut against shoulder  307 .  
         [0024]    In both FIGS. 2 and 3, the tool adapters  106  and  302  are adapted to be quickly and easily threaded to the power tool  101  of FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawing, fastener  10 , shown in exploded view, includes a main body portion  11  having an integral portion  12 . Fastener  10  further includes a spindle  13  terminating at one end in a spacer portion  14  and at the middle thereof in a threaded portion  15 . Spindle  13  also includes a terminal end  16  separated from threaded portion  15  by an annular stop member  17 . End  16  may be any suitable irregularly shaped configuration such as a 12-point configuration (i.e., the number of flats—e.g., 12, determine the configuration).  
         [0026]    Main body portion  11  has a throughbore  18  having a reduced diameter opening  19  at one end with an abutment shoulder  20  and an enlarged opening  21  at the other end.  
         [0027]    Fastener  10  further includes a prong member  100 ′ having plurality of prongs (at one end), such as prongs  22  (see also FIG. 5), each having an arcuate elongated portion  26  and each being integral with an enlarged head portion  27  through  30 , respectively (see also FIG. 6). Prong member  100 ′ has a threaded portion  41  (FIG. 4) on the interior adapted to mate with threaded portion  15  of spindle  13 .  
         [0028]    A washer spring  31  (FIG. 4) is provided on the outer surface of spindle  13  between spindle  13  and the interior of housing  11 . A washer  32  abuts against spring washer  31 . As seen in FIG. 5, portion  16  of spindle  13  extends out of housing  11 .. A washer  33  encircles the same and abuts against stop  601  of housing  11 . Housing  11  may be swaged at opening  21  to retain the spindle  13  in housing  11 . Cap  34  (FIG. 4) has an opening  35  therein receiving prongs  22  and the spacer portion  14  of spindle  13  therethrough. A nut  310  may be provided between washer  33  and the terminal end of portion  16 .  
         [0029]    The assembly of wedge-type fastener  10  will now be described. Prongs  22  of prong member  100 ′ are inserted inside housing  11  until enlarged heads  27  through  30  abut against abutment shoulder  20 , FIG. 4, prongs  22  extending out of opening  19  as seen in FIG. 5.  
         [0030]    Spring washer  31  and washer  32  are placed on spindle  13  and spindle  13  is now inserted into opening  18  on housing  11 , then through opening  500  in fastener  100 ′ (FIG. 4) and rests between prongs  22  as seen in FIG. 5.  
         [0031]    Washer  33  is now placed over spindle end  16  against shoulder  601  and the opening  21  is swaged to trap spindle  13  in housing  11 .  
         [0032]    The use of such fasteners in temporarily holding together two or more abutting structural members is shown in FIG. 1 in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,919 so further description is deemed unnecessary.  
         [0033]    Prongs  22  are thus inserted into the aligned panel holes, shoulders  40  (FIG. 4) on each prong engaging and abutting against the blind side of the panels into which the fastener  10  is inserted (FIG. 1). Rotation of end  16  of spindle  13  compresses spring washer  31  and, due to the engagement of threaded portion  15  and threads  41 , moves spacer portion  14  between the prongs  22  thus expanding the same outwardly within the aligned holes in which the fastener  10  is inserted and draws shoulder  40  against the blind side of the panel. This provides  4  prongs of engagement about the mounting hole giving a high clamping load to the fastener  10 . As seen in FIG. 5, this increased bearing surface provides substantially 360° clamp-up without deformation of the panels. Better alignment of the panels is provided since the prongs  22  are expanded and the expansion aligns the holes.  
         [0034]    When it is desired to withdraw prongs  22 , end  16  is rotated withdrawing spacer portion  14  from between the prongs allowing the prongs to be withdrawn from the aligned apertures into which they were extended.  
         [0035]    Misaligned holes are thus quickly and easily aligned due to the use of 4 prongs. More surface area contact within the aligned holes into which the fastener extends takes place. The use of 4 prongs prevents marring or damaging of the panels, such as aluminum structural aircraft panels.  
         [0036]    Since the fastener  10  is spring loaded, it is always ready for installation. The bias of spring washer  31  keeps the locking prongs forward in extended position and spacer portion  14  withdrawn.  
         [0037]    The configuration of the main body portion  11  on the exterior thereof may vary depending on the installation.  
         [0038]    Housing  11  may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, brass, etc. The fastener is installed by insertion of the wire prongs into aligned apertures in an aircraft skin or the like. A tool, such as a gun, power tool, or manually operable tool, is used to hold the housing portion  11  while simultaneously engaging end  16 .  
         [0039]    Of course, the various components may take differing configurations. For example, housing  11  can be any suitable shape engageable by a tool.  
         [0040]    Each prong  22  terminates in a tip, each having a shoulder adapted to abut against housing  11  when prongs  22  are retracted into the housing  11 . The tips  27  to  30 , as seen in FIG. 7, form a circle of about 360°.  
         [0041]    Thus, referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the tool portion or adapter  106  is threaded onto the preexisting or prior art power tool  101 . Fastener  10  is then inserted into socket  109  against the bias of spring  304  with end  111  of spindle  110  entering the socket  300  (FIG. 5) of fastener  10 . The socket  109  is configured to mimic the configuration of portion  12  of fastener  10  and thus forms a firm, positive lock of the fastener within the tool adapter  106 . Actuation of power tool  101  by pressing trigger  105  holds body portion  12  while rotating end  16  thus moving the spacer  14  between prongs  22  when the prongs  22  are inserted into aligned holes in panels  400 ,  401 , as seen in FIG. 1. This draws the prongs  22  into an abutting position (shoulders  40  engaging panel  400 ) thus holding panels  400 ,  401  until permanent fasteners can be installed and the temporary fasteners  10  can be removed.  
         [0042]    Reversing the actuation of the power tool  101 , as is known in the art, reverses the end  16  to withdraw spacer  14 .  
         [0043]    Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 3, socket  306  may engage the exterior surface of end  16  with body portion  12  entering socket  109 . Actuation of power tool  101  thus rotates end  16  in one direction, e.g., clockwise, to move spacer  14  between prongs  22 , as heretofore discussed. Reversal of power tool  101 , again as heretofore discussed, serves to withdraw spacer  14  from between prongs  22 .  
         [0044]    The invention herein has particular application in tight or close quarters where it may be difficult to use power tools. For example, as seen in FIG. 8, wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIGS.  1  to  7 , a conventional wrench  500 ′ having an open end  501  may be used to grasp and hold body portion  12 .  
         [0045]    A conventional socket wrench  502 , having a socket  503 , receives end  16  of fastener  10  therein. Thus, holding wrench  500 ′ holds the body portion  12  of fastener  10  allowing socket wrench  502  to rotate end  16  moving spacer  14  between prongs  22  as heretofore discussed.  
         [0046]    A similar arrangement is shown in FIG. 9 wherein the same wrench  500 ′ holds body portion  12  while a conventional allen wrench  504  is inserted into socket  300  of end  16  and rotated while holding body portion  12 . Thus, the fastener  10  can be installed two different ways using power tool adapter  106  and  302 , or two ways using non-power tools as set forth in FIGS. 8 and 9. Of course, fastener  10  can also be installed manually by physically grasping and holding body portion  12  while grasping and manually rotating end  16 .  
         [0047]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan, the scope of the invention should only be dependent on the scope of the appended claims.