Patent ID: 7223045

Claim:
A device for detachably connecting two abutting structural parts, comprising: a tie member adapted to be at least partially inserted in a recess formed in a first of said structural parts, said tie member comprising: a body provided with a first, expandable, portion adapted to frictionally engage said recess, and a rod member slidably arranged in a through passage defined within the body of the tie member for axial displacement therein, said rod member comprising: a first end portion provided with an expander region operable to expand said first, expandable, portion of the body by cooperating with a corresponding engaging zone thereof upon displacement of the rod member relative to the body of the tie member, and a second end portion defining an engagement surface; a locking element operable to be disposed in a second of said structural parts and to cooperate with the engagement surface of said rod member to pull said rod member towards said second structural part, wherein said rod member is provided with a traction portion outwardly extending therefrom and adapted to cooperate with abutment means formed at the through passage defined within the body of the tie member at a predetermined axial distance from said engaging zone of the first, expandable, portion of said body; wherein said traction portion is spaced from said abutment means during a first part of the axial displacement of the rod member in which the expander region of the rod member expands said first, expandable, portion of the body; and wherein said traction portion is operatively engaged with said abutment means during a second part of the axial displacement of the rod member as to effect a substantially simultaneous displacement towards said second structural part of said first, expandable, portion of the body of the tie member and of the first structural part in frictional engagement therewith.