No tool toilet seat hardware

An apparatus for attaching a toilet seat to a commode, said commode defining at least one mounting hole, comprising:

• (a) a base hingedly carrying said seat for joining said seat to said commode, said base resting on said commode, the upper portion of said base having an integral hinge post for coupling said seat to said base, the lower portion of said base carrying a stem disposed within said mounting hole, said stem having longitudinal bore extending therethrough and defining a slit extending from the lower end thereof to a point intermediate the ends thereof to split the wall of said stem along the length of said slit;
• and
• (b) removable bolt means for outwardly flaring said stem against the periphery of said mounting hole to snugly engage said stem with said commode and thereby attach said base to said commode;
• said bolt means including a shaft free to rotate in the bore of said stem, said shaft having a head portion at one end engageable with the upper portion of said base;
• and a nut threadably joined to the other end of said shaft, said nut and said shaft when carried by the stem being free to pass through said mounting hole;
• said nut having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of said bore;
• a tapered end engageable with the lower end of said stem;
• and indexing means for mating with said slit and for preventing relative motion between said stem and said nut, said nut being drawn into engagement with said stem and said indexing means engaging said slit by rotation of said head portion in the tightening direction to flare said stem outwardly along said slit and snugly engaging said stem with said commode along the periphery of said mounting hole thereby attaching said base to said commode.