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

Claim 0:
1. A spindle nut retainer for constraining a spindle nut on an axle shaft, 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:
a flat 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 perpendicularly 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, when said retainer is retaining said spindle nut, each said flat portion is in biased contact with a flat surface on said spindle nut and said hook portion of each said fingers located beyond said flat surface on said spindle nut;
a plurality of equally spaced tangs extending into said central aperture from said inner edge of said annulus portion, each said tangs having a thread-facing surface that extends to a catch wall portion, said catch wall portion obliquely 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, 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.