Ring fastener

Abstract

A ring fastener comprising a discontinuous band having first and second axial faces on opposite sides, a first end with a first end face and a groove extending from the first end face and opening to the first axial face; a second end with a second end face and a tongue projecting from the second end face; wherein the groove is u-shaped and the second axial face defines the base of the groove, and the tongue is dimensioned to fit in the groove; such that, when the tongue is received in the groove, the first end is located relative to the second end and a continuous ring is formed. A method of assembling the ring fastener into a circumferential groove in a component comprises the steps of feeding the ring fastener into the groove so that the ends are adjacent to each other; distorting the second end axially out of the plane of the groove; bringing the ends towards each other until the tongue overlies the groove; and inserting the tongue into the groove so that the ends are within groove.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.