A fastener is provided to be pre-assembled to a substrate. The fastener comprises a shaft having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a thread portion adjacent to the second end; a head disposed on the first end; and a unidirectional retention member between the head and the thread portion. The unidirectional retention member is configured to pass through a mounting hole of the substrate in one direction such that the fastener is retained on the substrate once the unidirectional retention member has passed through the mounting hole.

A method of aligning a first body and a second body of a structure comprises orienting the first body so that first openings extend vertically and inserting indexing pins into the first openings. The method comprises orienting the second body so that the second openings extend vertically and aligning the second openings with the indexing pins. The method comprises moving the first body and the second body toward each other, while: allowing the first body and the second body to move relative to each other and applying a downward force to the indexing pins. The method comprises moving the first body and the second body toward each other until a first-body second surface contacts a second-body first surface, while applying the downward force to the indexing pins.

Fasteners are disclosed for reducing mass of the fastener, while being configured for use with standard torque delivery tools. The fasteners include non-torque bearing surfaces disposed between torque bearing surfaces.

A method of aligning a first body and a second body of a structure comprises orienting the second body so that second openings extend vertically and orienting the first body so that first openings extend vertically. The method comprises aligning the first openings with the second openings so that a circumferentially closed contour, formed by each one of the first openings and a corresponding one of the second openings is large enough to receive a threaded portion of any one of the indexing pins with a clearance fit. The method comprises moving the first body and the second body toward each other and inserting the indexing pins into the first openings. The method comprises applying a downward force on the indexing pins, while allowing the first body and the second body to move relative to each other.

An indexing pin (100) comprises a central axis (154). The indexing pin (100) further comprises a threaded portion (126), extending along the central axis (154). The indexing pin (100) also comprises a stem (148), extending along the central axis (154) opposite the threaded portion (126). The indexing pin (100) further comprises a cylindrical surface (104), extending along the central axis (154) between the threaded portion (126) and the stem (148). The indexing pin (100) further comprises a tapered surface (112), extending between the threaded portion (126) and the cylindrical surface (104). The indexing pin (100) further comprises a flange (136), located between the stem (148) and the cylindrical surface (104).

A method (1000) of aligning a first body (302) and a second body (304) of a structure (300) comprises: preparing indexing pins (100); orienting the first body (302) so that first openings (306) extend vertically; inserting the indexing pins (100) into the first openings (306); orienting the second body (304) so that the second openings (308) extend vertically; and aligning the second openings (308) with the indexing pins (100). The method (1000) also comprises: moving the first body (302) and the second body (304) toward each other, while: allowing the first body (302) and the second body (304) to move relative to each other and applying a downward force to the indexing pins (100). The method (1000) additionally comprises moving the first body (302) and the second body (304) toward each other until a first-body second surface (334) contacts a second-body first surface (332), while applying the downward force to the indexing pins (100).

A method (2000) of aligning a first body (302) and a second body (304) of a structure (300) comprises: preparing indexing pins (100); orienting the second body (304) so that second openings (308) extend vertically; orienting the first body (302) so that first openings (306) extend vertically; and aligning the first openings (306) with the second openings (308) so that a circumferentially closed contour (342), formed by each one of the first openings (306) and a corresponding one of the second openings (308) is large enough to receive a threaded portion (126) of any one of the indexing pins (100) with a clearance fit. The method (2000) further comprises: moving the first body (302) and the second body (304) toward each other; inserting the indexing pins (100) into the first openings (306); and applying a downward force on the indexing pins (100), while allowing the first body (302) and the second body (304) to move relative to each other.

Various embodiments provide a post-to-beam fastener including a head, a tip, and a threaded shank connected to the head at a first end and the tip and a second end. In various embodiments, threaded shank includes a longitudinal axis extending from the head to the tip, and the tip includes a recess operable to removably receive a drill bit to the fastener.

A torque enhancing device that includes a torque contact body having one or more torque driver and/or recessed recipient torque contact surface configurations, inclusive of those in a multi-tier arrangement. The body having a Z-axis depth or thickness, and each of the torque contact surface configurations includes a pair of X-axis extending torque contact side walls that are spaced apart by L1 along a Y-axis, and a pair of Y-axis extending torque contact side walls that are spaced apart by L2 along the X-axis, with at least one of the one or more torque contact surface configurations having four concave contoured surface portions positioned between respective adjacent most ends of the X-axis extending torque contact side walls and the Y-axis extending torque contact side walls, and a length ratio L2/L1 is less than 1 as to provide a torque enhancement contact surface configuration. A method of driving such as insertion or removal of the recessed recipient such as in fastener form is included.

A torque enhancement device having torque enhancement member(s) with each having an exterior (preferably bi-symmetric or essentially bi-symmetric) surface configuration with parallel, longer side walls extending in a Y-axis direction and shorter side walls extending in an X-axis direction and corner recesses positioned between ends of adjacent longer and shorter side walls, and with some embodiments of the invention featuring a torque enhancement device having a hole extending in a Z-axis direction. A fastener assembly is also provided that includes one or more torque enhancement devices as well as methods for utilization of the torque enhancement device or utilization or assemblage of an assembly including a torque enhancement device. The surface configuration includes arrangements where there is a torque differential in one direction or the other as well as arrangements that are adapted to handle both standard fastener configurations and torque enhancement configurations with a common torque enhancement device.