Patent ID: 11959506
Assignee: DEXTER AXLE COMPANY LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 13:
14. A spindle nut retainer for constraining a spindle nut on an axle shaft having a central axis, said axle shaft having a threaded end, said threaded end having threads with an outside diameter to threadably receive said spindle nut, said threads having a notch portion interrupting said threads, said retainer comprising:
an annulus portion surrounding a central aperture, said annulus portion having an outer periphery and an oppositely located inner edge;
a plurality of hex retaining fingers extending from said outer periphery of said annulus portion, each said hex retaining fingers having a flat portion extending to a hook portion located at a terminal end, said hex retaining fingers grouped in three pairs, said pairs equally spaced around said outer periphery, each said pairs having a first said retaining finger and a second said retaining finger, said flat portion of said first retaining finger angled with respect to said flat portion of said second retaining finger, and wherein the plurality of hex retaining fingers are configured for contacting said spindle nut to prevent rotation of said nut with respect to said retainer;
a plurality of tangs extending into said central aperture from said inner edge of said annulus portion, each said tangs having a thread-facing surface extending to a catch wall portion, said catch wall portion angled with respect to said annulus portion, said catch wall portions of said tangs forming a spindle-retaining diameter, each said tangs movable between a resting position and a displaced position, said resting position defines said spindle-retaining diameter; and
when said retainer is installed on said spindle nut and said axle shaft and said spindle nut retainer is retaining said spindle nut, one of said tangs is a locking tang located adjacent to a thread edge located where said notch portion meets and interrupts said threads, a portion of said tangs are moved from said resting position towards said displaced position when said thread-facing surface is in biased contact with said threads.