Patent attributes
A compound screw is a two-piece assembly where the head of the screw can rotate in the tightening direction to a designed tightening torque to drive the screw while being able to positively counter-rotate in the loosening direction. The screw assembly comprises a screw and a cap surrounding the head of the screw. The screw has a head at the top and a threaded shank downwardly extending from a base of the screw head. The screw is turned by turning the cap about a central axis of the screw. The cap is rotatably affixed to the screw head by a loose riveting of the cap to the top most end of the screw head by flaring a thin-walled upwardly extending portion thereof. The cap includes a plurality of axially extending peripheral resilient arms which engage peripheral cam surfaces around the outside of the screw head.