An assembly for connecting a wooden sill plate to a concrete foundation slab. The assembly comprises a tapping drill bit and an anchor device. The tapping drill bit comprises a flute having a first flute section and a second flute section, the first flute section being longer and having a smaller diameter than the corresponding dimensions of the second flute section. The anchor device comprises a first anchor section and a second anchor section. The anchor device is structured such that the first anchor section is configured for embedment into the concrete foundation slab, and the second anchor section is configured for embedment in the wooden sill plate. The anchor device thereby delivers an advantageous distribution of shear forces that act on the wooden sill plate in relation to the concrete floor slab.

A method for rating a fastener arrangement that includes a mineral substrate having a hole and a screw which is disposed in the hole, includes unscrewing the screw out of the hole, following the unscrewing, optically inspecting the hole for presence or absence of grout in the hole, and rating the hole as satisfactory when grout has been optically detected in the hole and rating the hole as unsatisfactory when grout has not been optically detected in the hole.

A method for temporarily releasing a screw anchorage includes unscrewing and removing a primary screw having a thread that is tappingly engaged in a mating thread in an ungrouted hole in a mineral substrate from the ungrouted hole. Subsequently to the unscrewing and removing, a retrofitting screw is screwed into the hole to form an annular gap between the retrofitting screw and the mineral substrate. A hardenable grout is placed in the annular gap and the hardenable grout is hardened in the annular gap.

An assembly (100, 200) is disclosed. The assembly (100, 200) includes a mounting portion (112) and an implement-retaining portion (114, 214). The mounting portion (112) includes a body portion (112a) and a substrate-penetrating portion (112b). The body portion (112a) is defined by a substrate-engaging portion (1120 and an implement retainer interface portion (112a.sub.2). The implement-retaining portion (114, 214) is removably-connected to the implement retainer interface portion (112a.sub.2).

An assembly (100, 200) is disclosed. The assembly (100, 200) includes a mounting portion (112) and an implement-retaining portion (114, 214). The mounting portion (112) includes a body portion (112a) and a substrate-penetrating portion (112b). The body portion (112a) is defined by a substrate-engaging portion (112a.sub.1) and an implement retainer interface portion (112a.sub.2). The implement-retaining portion (114, 214) is removably-connected to the implement retainer interface portion (112a.sub.2).

Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.

A method for rating a screw which is disposed in a hole in a concrete or masonry substrate includes applying a screw torque to the screw, measuring motion data of the screw in response to the applied screw torque, and rating the screw as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory on a basis of the measured motion data.

The invention is directed to a toolless screw including a body portion which comprises a shaft portion and a screw portion which includes a shank portion and a tip portion. The shank portion includes at least two helical threads which extend off the shank either at different angles, different distances, or a combination thereof. The tip portion is positioned at an end of the shank portion and has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the shank portion and extends to a point. The body portion is integrated with a screw portion at the end of the shank portion which is opposite the end where the tip portion is positioned.

A wall magnet anchor system is used to install magnetic anchors in wall material that can be used to magnetically hold an object to the wall, thereby avoiding the need to a conventional hook that protrudes from the surface of the wall. The anchor can include a helical thread to hold the anchor in the wall. An installation tool includes a cutting features at one end for cutting a hole in a wall to receive an anchor, and an installation feature that engages the anchor and allows a user to drive the anchor, through rotation, into the hole cut by the cutting features.

A machine for rotary driving screw anchors into underlying ground and related. The machine has a mast with a rotary driver and a mandrel driver oriented on a common axis. The mandrel driver passes a mandrel through the rotary driver and the screw anchor to allow the mandrel to be actuated ahead of the screw anchor while the rotary driver drives the screw anchor into the ground. Alternatively, the mandrel driver may also drive a hammering drill through the screw anchor to clear a path ahead of it through subsurface rocks.