Quick action panel fastener assembly including a cup enclosed retainer receiving a bolt therein

In a fastener assembly for joining a panel to a sub-panel comprising a receptacle assembly having a threaded stud secured to the undersurface of the sub-panel, a bolt having an enlarged head at one end and a nose at the other end, said nose being adapted to extend through a countersunk opening in said panel coaxially aligned with an opening in said sub-panel with the stud of said receptacle assembly coaxially aligned with both of said openings, said bolt being internally threaded for threaded engagement to said stud, a flat retainer having indexing means extending inwardly toward the center thereof, said bolt having guide means extending longitudinally along the outer surface thereof receiving therein said indexing means for guiding said retainer along the body of said bolt, a plate secured to the underside of said panel trapping said retainer between the panel and said plate, and restraining means associated with said bolt comprising two discrete elements on said bolt separated by a relatively smooth outer surface portion of said bolt guide means, one of said elements positively arresting the downward movement of said retainer indexing means along said guide means and the other of said elements disposed in the path of movement of said retainer indexing means and yieldably engagable thereby for impeding the upward movement of said retainer along said guide means upon positive engagement between said retainer and said other of said elements thereby retaining said bolt of said panel in an up or extracted position when said bolt is disengaged from said stud, the improvement which comprises:

• said retainer being a split ring having two ends with a split therebetween and enclosed in a cup member, said cup member being one integral piece having a peripheral wall surrounding said retainer and inwardly extending spaced upper and lower flanges integral with said wall encompassing said retainer with said retainer spaced between said upper and lower flanges, said plate abutting against said cup member, said split ring having an engagement means at each end for engagement by a tool to enable the removal of the split ring and cup member together from the bolt.