A Note

The Creation

of the Flexible Thread Concept

The Gestation of the Flexible Thread Concept
‍My name is Robert Fullerton, I am the inventor of the Zip Nut®. While watching the Indy 500 race, in 1981, it became apparent that the replacement of wheels was the biggest user of time. By the end of the race, I had the initial concept of the flexible thread concept in hand.

The first use was a single nut knock off for the wheels of my Walker Evans Dodge dessert race truck, but this quickly was set aside as the fastener came to the attention of NASA.
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After prototyping a series of smaller “lug nuts” in 1981 that were shown to Kurt Meyer of Porsche I was contacted by Thomas Grubbs of Lockheed Aircraft concerning a problem NASA was having with a tool that was to be used on Space Flight STS 29.

After a brief conversation of what was required and agreed upon, I flew to Houston Texas. When arriving at JSC. I was associated with NASA engineer Charles Alton and the team that he had assembled, to spend three days developing the SHARE Tool . In competition with Lockheed and ILC. The Zip Nut® tool won, to be used without back up.

This would be the beginning of a long association with NASA using the Zip Nut® concept, in various combinations in the repair of the HUBBLE Camera as well as the Space Station requiring my filing several patents that were granted.

Later, while the concept growing in usage, the concept would begin being used in the public sector prior to final design for manufacturing repeatability. I was, at that point, no longer associated with the process.
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On May 29, 1983, I filed the United States Patent number 4,378,187 for a "Quick Acting Fastener "(nut).  I would later file the following United States Patents cumulating with the United States Patent number 5,733,084.These patents covered various concepts of a "quick applying nut" That I coined "Zip Nut®."  I would then go on to trade mark the name "Zip Nut®" on May 18, 1993. I no longer have any interest or ownership in any Patents of the copyright trademark; any inference otherwise is incorrect and in error.
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All the patents mentioned above are now expired and in the public domain. The copyright/trademark is, currently (the last listed owner) GEORGE A Sturtevant, I.N.C.DBA F.A.S.T.O.R.Q. Corporation Texas 18914 East Industrial Parkway, New Caney, Texas 77357.
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Any reference to Zip Nut® in this document, or otherwise, is purely historical and not meant to convey any ownership or commercial interest.
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After leaving ZipNuts®, I have been approached several times to give advice on various Zip Nut® failures.

The Creation

of Zip Lok®

‍During recent “unofficial” primary discussions with folks at Edwards AFB concerning the use of my new Zip Lok® series of fasteners on the X59 aircraft, primarily for panel fasteners. JSC came into the conversation with respect to assisting in taking Zip Lok® from “proof of concept “into final prototype testing due to the actual need right now as well as the potential saving of lives. With respect to the couplers, with the coming use of Hydrogen, it is just a matter of time until there is a major catastrophic event due to the Hydrogen leaking along the “helical leak path “of a threaded coupler, especially when applied robotically. This is eliminated with my threaded “Push On” Zip Lok® Coupler.

Technical Drawings

I first became involved with the new “locking concept” due to a pilot from Vandenberg AFB, some years ago asking me if I could come up with a locking fastener when he became aware of my working with NASA on my Zip Nut® project (a concept that I am no longer involved with) due to his concern of the possibility of inspection panels coming loose due to the friction heat of the air due to the speed of the new series of aircraft.

Later, when I was approached with the same request from folks at L3 AMI Oklahoma, concerning the problems with the Mark IV Structural Panel Fastener by ALCOA, I then prototyped, what I call a Replaceable Nut Element System (RNE) (see attached) that seemed to take care of the problems.

While in the prototype sequence, I came up with a way to make the fastener/ coupler mechanically lock and this is what the folks at Edwards AFB seem to be most interested in.

Due to my small company (two employees) I know that for progress to continue, I must step away from “self-financed” efforts now that I can see that the concept is well into the “Proof of Concept” stage and ready for prototype testing as well as demonstrating “repeatability in manufacturing” not the handmade examples of the original Zip Nut®. leading me to demonstrate my new series of fasteners that I have named Zip Lok® due to its ability to push on and then mechanically lock with tool disengagement.

The Zip Nut®, while I was involved, performed both in space as well as robotic usage and, I believe, that the Zip Lok® series of fasteners will do even better due to what I learned from manufacturing, mainly due to manufacturing repeatability (the Zip Nut® was then, in most cases handmade).

What I am looking for now is to demonstrate my new series of mechanically locking fasteners (Zip Lok®) to a small informal group of folks, (engineers and planers) to make sure that what I have created would be of interest. My concern is that there is interest but, without initial input, the interest would be of another size or configuration that would result in wasted time and expense.

If you are interested in learning more about Zip Lok®, reach out here.