Improvements in Nut-locks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1899-Accepted, 17th-June, 1899
Improvements in Nut-locks.
I, FRED WILLIS MCFARLAND, Mechanic, Commercial Building, St. Louis,
State of Missouri, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in nut-locks, and it consists in the
novel combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described
and claimed.
In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a side elevation of an ordinary rail and fish-plate,
having a portion of my invention applied thereto, with the nut removed, Fig. 2,
is a plan view of the rear surface of the nut, Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the
fish plate, and Fig. 4, is a vertical transverse section of the fish plate, washer
and nut in a locked position.
The object of my invention, is to construct a simple, durable and practical
nut-lock in such a manner, that when the nut is screwed upon the bolt in the
usual manner, the parts will be automatically locked under the rough usage to
which the same is necessarily subjected, and further, is of such a nature that
moisture or foreign accumulations can not gain access to the operative parts of
the device.
A further object of my invention, is to construct the locking washer in such
a manner, that should it be desired to remove the nut from the bolt for any
reason, the washer alone will be destroyed, which is simple and inexpensive,
the remaining parts being adapted to be again used by the employment of a new
washer.
Referring to the drawings, 1, represents an ordinary rail, and 2, the usual
fish plate commonly employed in connection with the former for connecting the
meeting ends of the rails. The fish plate is provided with the ordinary open-
ing 3, for the passage of the securing bolt, and surrounding the same and
located on the outer surface of the fish plate, is a rectangular shaped depression 4,
which is adapted to snugly receive the correspondingly shaped locking washer 5,
with its outer surface substantially flush with the outer surface of said fish plate.
The washer 5 is preferably constructed of sheet steel, by a die and punch or
other former designed for the purpose, and is provided with a series of yeilding
ratchet teeth 6, which project in an inclined direction from one side of the same,
said teeth being arranged in a circle and concentric with the opening 7, formed
therein, through which the bolt also passes. In forming the teeth from the
plate of which they form a part, the metal is sheared or cut to form yeilding
tongues, which are adapted to yeildingly co-operate with the correspondingly
shaped depressions 8, formed on the rear flat engaging surface 9, of the nut 10,
it being observed however, that the number of yeilding teeth or tongues, are far
in excess to the number of depressions formed on the nut, whereby the nut will
be automatically locked, in the slightest adjustment, which renders the device
practical for all purposes.
It will thus be observed, that from the construction of the nut-lock as above
described, the nut or rear surface thereof, will come in direct contact with the

page_text: fish plate, and consequently, the operative parts will not be observed or injured,
and further, no moisture or accumulations can possibly gain access to the washer
or parts co-operating therewith.
I do not limit myself to the application of my invention exclusively to rail
road purposes, as it is evident that it may be used for locking a nut against
rotation in the opposite direction for all applications.
In order to remove the nut from the bolt after the parts have been once
assembled, a wrench or other tool is applied to the said nut, and turned in a
direction to remove the nut from the bolt, in which operation, the yielding teeth
or tongues will be turned or bent in the reverse direction shown, and conse-
quently, destroy the same for all practical purposes, in which operation, the nut
will be free to be turned off the bolt.
By the employment of the rectangular shaped depressions 4, formed in the
fish plate 2, the locking washer 5, is securely held in position, and is therefore
prevented from being turned in either direction when the nut is screwed upon or
removed from the bolt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A nut-lock, comprising a locking washer, yielding tongues formed from
the same and inclined in the same direction, and a nut, the rear surface of
which is provided with radially arranged depressions, adapted to co-operate with
said tongues, as and for the purpose described.
2. In combination with a fish plate having an opening formed therein, of a
depression formed in the outer surface of the same, about said opening, and rect-
angular in shape, a locking washer located in said depression, and of a similar
shape, inclined yeilding tongues formed from said plate, and arranged in a
circle, a nut, the inner surface of which is provided with depressions, the number
of which are less than the number of tongues, the latter adapted to co-operate
with said depressions, and the depression formed in the fish plate adapted to
receive the locking washer flush with the outer surface of said fish plate, whereby
when the nut is screwed into a binding position, the inner flat surface will be
in direct contact with the outer surface of the fish plate, substantially as
described.
בד
1
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.