A fastener, such as a staple, includes a body having a bridge portion, a first leg, and a second leg. The body extends along an axial direction. Each of the first and second legs has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surfaces of the first and second legs are disposed in facing relation to define a distance therebetween. In one embodiment, the distance decreases along the axial direction in a direction towards the bridge portion.

A barbed staple for installing fencing wire onto a fence post. The staple has a crown section and a leg section. The crown section has an arcuate crown portion and a radiused portion, and the leg section has a pair of leg portions that extend in parallel from the radiused portion of the crown section. At least one barb protrudes from each of the leg portions, the barb having projecting points. The distance between the distal edge of the projecting points defines an outer leg width. The crown portion of the crown section has a greater width than the pair of leg portions in parallel. The outer crown width is greater than the outer leg width.

A barbed staple for installing fencing wire onto a fence post. The staple has a crown section and a leg section. The crown section has an arcuate crown portion and a radiused portion, and the leg section has a pair of leg portions that extend in parallel from the radiused portion of the crown section. At least one barb protrudes from each of the leg portions, the barb having projecting points. The distance between the distal edge of the projecting points defines an outer leg width. The crown portion of the crown section has a greater width than the pair of leg portions in parallel. The outer crown width is greater than the outer leg width.

An improved joint is provided for modular furniture. The joint includes a dowel and slot. The dowel is held in the slot tightly to provide stiffness to the joint. The dowel may include a flanged head which is bent elastically by the slot when the dowel is fully inserted into the slot. The head of the dowel may be maintained in a bent configuration when the joint is in assembled configuration.

A railroad crosstie (tie) may be fabricated from a composite material including a fiber reinforced polymer shell manufactured by pultrusion or other process, and filled by a suitable material, typically selected from expanded elastomeric polymer (such as polyurethane resin or other polymer), concrete, lightweight concrete formed by conventional aggregate, sand, cement, water, and an ultra light filler such as natural materials, sawdust, beads of expanded polymer such as expanded polystyrene, microspheres of glass or plastic, a recycled wooden tie in conjunction with any of the above, or the like. Fasteners may be driven such as spikes, threaded, such as screws, lag screws, spreading screws, rivets, or the like into apertures, pilot holes, or directly into fill absent apertures therein.

A method for making a plated spline nail includes plating an elongated wire with a corrosion resistant material, passing the wire through a forming machine having rollers configured with protrusions formed thereon and extending outwardly therefrom to form grooves in the wire. cutting the wire to a desired length and forming a head, and a point on the wire to form the nail. The nail may have ring shanks formed therein after the head and point are formed. A lubricant may be applied to the nail and/or the forming machine prior to forming the ring shanks and/or prior to passing the wire through the forming machine to form the grooves in the wire. A nail formed by pre-plating the wire, and a nail formed by the method are also disclosed.

A method for making a plated spline nail includes plating an elongated wire with a corrosion resistant material, passing the wire through a forming machine having rollers configured with protrusions formed thereon and extending outwardly therefrom to form grooves in the wire. cutting the wire to a desired length and forming a head, and a point on the wire to form the nail. The nail may have ring shanks formed therein after the head and point are formed. A lubricant may be applied to the nail and/or the forming machine prior to forming the ring shanks and/or prior to passing the wire through the forming machine to form the grooves in the wire. A nail formed by pre-plating the wire, and a nail formed by the method are also disclosed.

An improved fastener for securing a first building component to a second building component is provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a tip. The shank is connected to the head and extends along a longitudinal axis to the tip. The shank includes an upper shank portion, a lower shank portion, and a transition zone. The upper shank portion is located adjacent to the head. The lower shank portion is spaced from the upper shank portion and is located adjacent to the tip. The transition zone is positioned longitudinally between the upper shank portion and the lower shank portion. The transition zone is longitudinally spaced from the head by a pre-determined distance. The pre-determined distance is associated with a thickness of the first building component such that the transition zone is aligned with a joint between the first and second building components.

An improved fastener for securing a first building component to a second building component is provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a tip. The shank is connected to the head and extends along a longitudinal axis to the tip. The shank includes an upper shank portion, a lower shank portion, and a transition zone. The upper shank portion is located adjacent to the head. The lower shank portion is spaced from the upper shank portion and is located adjacent to the tip. The transition zone is positioned longitudinally between the upper shank portion and the lower shank portion. The transition zone is longitudinally spaced from the head by a pre-determined distance. The pre-determined distance is associated with a thickness of the first building component such that the transition zone is aligned with a joint between the first and second building components.

A compression indentation fastener device is described comprising a shank and a head. The head extends outwardly from an end of the shank in a transverse plane to define a head periphery. The head has an anterior side and a posterior side. The anterior side includes an exposed area extending between the shank and the head periphery. The anterior side includes a relief portion in the form of a depression. The relief portion is open at the anterior side of the head such that the relief portion receives a volume of substrate material when the exposed area of the head impacts the substrate material. The head may be integral with the shank or the head may be comprised of discrete head portions that mate with one another. Additionally, the head may be centered on the end of the shank or offset relative to the shank.