Patent ID: 6416268
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A mechanical fastening apparatus for fastening at least two mounting members together comprising:respective bores through the mounting members, said bores aligned along a longitudinal axis; one of the respective bores being a tapered bore having an inwardly converging tapered wall surface; said tapered bore starting at an outer end of one of the mounting members and extending from said outer end inwardly converging towards an opposite inner end of said one mounting member to define said inwardly converging tapered wall surface continuously from said outer end towards said opposite inner end at a shallow taper angle less than thirty degrees; a taper nut having a threaded interior and a tapered outer surface, the tapered outer surface matching the inwardly converging tapered wall surface of the tapered bore; the taper nut insertable into the tapered bore with the tapered outer surface of the taper nut in engageable contact with the inwardly converging tapered wall surface of the tapered bore; a threaded bolt insertable into the other of the respective bores and threadably engaging the taper nut, with continued threadable engagement urging the taper nut further within the shallow angle tapered bore to prevent undesired rotation of the taper nut during said continued threadable engagement to mechanically fasten the mounting members together; and said shallow taper angle enabling self-locking of the taper nut within the tapered bore upon said mechanical fastening of the mounting members to prevent the taper nut from falling out of the tapered bore when the threaded bolt is threadably disengaged from the taper nut.