Secure screw from novel head

Problem: Back in December 2000, Eureka covered a wonderful innovation from the world of fastening and joining. The Uni-Screw was a bit of a revelation as it only needed one tool for the entire range of fasteners – from M2 to M12. However, like most fasteners, it has the drawback of not being totally secure. As with any mainstream fastener type, if you have the right tool you can undo the fasteners and walk off with whatever they are securing. This is where more complicated fastener profiles come in with even more complicated tools. They will, however, still exhibit the problem that those armed with the correct, easily obtainable hardware can still get past their convoluted security profiles. Solution: In answer to this question, and to bring the Uni-Screw concept into the security arena, Forward Industries has created the Securi-Screw. At first sight the new screw does not look all that different from its predecessor, however, closer examination of the socket recess within the fastener’s head will reveal a very clever and remarkably simple idea. Forward Industries has found a way of creating a near infinite variety of unique socket profiles without sacrificing the advantages of the original screw design. By using a variety of different polygonal shapes for the three steps within the head, offset at different angles to each other, the company is able to produce fasteners which require completely unique tooling for each fastener or batch of fasteners. The Securi-Screw still exhibits multiple faces on which the tool can drive against but, due to the ability to vary the angles between each of the three ‘steps’, the tool would have to be unique to a batch. Applications: The original UniScrew concept was simplicity itself. It offered so many advantages over traditional thread-based systems that it attracted some very serious attention from some major OEMs and military organisations. This new guise is sure to increase the application base even further by making a more secure product which does not detract from its simplicity of use. Forward Industries informed Eureka at the recent TEAM Show that it has received some very serious enquiries from the US armed forces.MF