Improved Relief Screw Technical Field;

The instant invention relates generally to threaded fasteners and more specifically it relates to an improved relief screw.

Description of the Prior Art:

Numerous threaded fasteners have been provided in prior art that are adapted to attach various articles together, namely U.S. patent number 2,199,809 to Pigott, U.S. patent number 3,056,234 to Nelsson et al., U.S. patent number 3,177,755 to Kahn, U.S. patent number 3,903,784 to Dekker, U.S. patent number 4,653,244 to Farrell. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

Disclosure of the Invention:

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved relief screw for installing a wallboard panel to a stud that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide an improved relief screw that includes a wide flat flange as part of

its flat head, that will not damage the outer surface of the wallboard panel, wile adding more support thereto.

An additional object is to provide an improved relief screw that is structured to allow particles of the wallboard panel to exit the flat head after the screw is driven therein, so that the flat head will sit flush with the outer surface of the wallboard panel. A further object is to provide an improved relief screw that is simple and easy to use.

A still further object is to provide an improved relief screw that is economical in cost to manufacture.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the prior art being a standard flat head screw attaching a piece of wallboard panel to a stud.

FIGURE 2 is a side cross sectional view with parts broken away of the piece of wallboard panel with the prior art therethrough. FIGURE 3 is a front view of the instant invention installed in a piece of wallboard panel. FIGURE 4 is a rear perspective view of the instant invention per se, with a portion of the cylinder portion of the flat head broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view with parts broken away, of the instant invention attaching the piece of wallboard panel to a stud.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged elevational view of the flat head portion of the instant invention.

FIGURES 7A through 7J are both top and elevational views of the flat head portion, showing various rotational positions thereof.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments:

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, Figures 1 and 2 show the prior art, as previously discussed, being a standard flat head screw 10 threaded into a piece of wallboard panel 12 and stud 14, whereby the flat head screw 10 damages the wallboard panel 12 at 16. The wallboard panel 12 can be a wonder board or a glass mesh mortar unit.

The invention shown in Figures 3 through 7 is an improved relief screw 18 for installing the wallboard panel 12 to the stud 14. The screw 18 consists of a flat head 20, being made up of an inverted rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22 and a straight thin cylindrical portion 24, integrally attached thereto. The straight thin cylindrical portion 24 has a diameter "E" greater than a diameter "D" of a widest part of the

rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22, therefore creating an annular flange 26 thereabout. An elongated shank 28 has a conical point 30 integrally formed at a first end, while a second end of the shank 28 is integrally formed with a narrow part of the rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22. Threads 32 spiral the shank 28 from the narrow part of the rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22 to the conical point 30. The straight thin cylindrical portion 24 of the flat head 28, has a recess 34 to accommodate a driving tool element (not shown) for imparting rotary motion thereto, so as to drive the shank 28 with the threads 32 past the wallboard panel 12 and into the stud 14. A structure 36 is in the flat head 20, for relieving particles of the wallboard panel 12 therefrom after the flat head 20 is driven into the wallboard panel 12. The top of the straight thin cylindrical portion 24 will be flush with the outer surface of the wallboard panel 12 and not damage the outer surface of the wallboard panel 12, while the annular flange 26 will add more gripping support thereto. The recess 34 is a Phillips type recess, to receive the driving tool element which is a Phillips head screwdriver.

The particles relieving structure 36 includes a pair of auger threads 38, 40 oppositely spiraling on the rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22 from the second end of the shank 28, to a short distance

below the straight thin cylindrical portion 24. The straight thin cylindrical portion 24 has a pair of oppositely positioned slotted curved teardrop shaped apertures 42, 44, extending through directly above the diameter "D" of the widest part of the rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22. The rectilinear slant height frustrum portion 22 has a pair of feathered recesses 46, 48, each extending between an end of one auger thread 38, 40 and one slotted curved teardrop shaped aperture 42, 44, for carrying the particles of the wallboard panel 12 out therefrom.

42, 44, foTheaPhyliigpfeheypartfficies dlYfchatwaiiϊboaedcross slot 50, being longer than another cross slot 52. The longer cross slot 50 can extend across to engage with the slotted curved teardrop shaped apertures 42, 44 at their widest points, to help guide the particles of the wallboard panel 12 out therefrom.

Operation of the Invention:

To install the wallboard panel 12 to the stud 14, the following steps should be taken:

1. Introduce into the wallboard panel 12 the improved relief screw 18.

2. Insert the driving tool element into the recess in the straight thin cylindrical portion of the flat head.

3.Rotate the driving tool element, so that the conical point proceeds through the wallboard panel and into the stud, until the top of the straight thin cylindrical portion is flush with the outer surface of the wallboard panel.

Typical Dimensions in Inches for the Improved Relief Screw 18:

A 1/32

B 1/16

C 2/16

D 4/16

E 7/16

F 3/16

G 4/16

H 2/16

The table is representative of typical dimensions, but is not restricted to these dimensions.