Improvements in Devices for Locking Nuts.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1997
Improvements in Devices for Locking Nuts.
I, CHARLES BRISTOW, of 54 Lambton Quay, in the City of Wellington, in
the Colony of New Zealand, Settler, 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 :-
This invention has reference to devices for, or forms of, nuts for locking the
same upon bolts and the like, whether the nut bas to be tightened up against a face
or in a given position upon a bolt and the like.
This object of the invention is attained, in the case of a nut screwed against a
face, by forming or securing ratchet teeth upon the nut and providing a pawl to
engage with such teeth upon a washer or the solid material against which the nut
is screwed.
In the case of locking a nut in any desired position without screwing against a
face, a slot is cut along the length of the bolt into which a sliding key is fitted
having a toe or projection. This said key when in position is chased upon its outer
surface with a thread to correspond with and form part of the thread of the bolt.
A washer somewhat similar to the one beforementioned is used where required.
In order that the invention may be most easily understood by one skilled in the
art to which it appertains reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings
and a description given in detail.
Similar letters of reference on the drawings refer to similar parts,-
Figure 1 is a plan of a nut (a) having a disc (a¹) formed solid with, or secured
to the same, and,
Figure 2 is a view of the lower side of the same shewing the ratchet teeth (a 2),
which teeth have broad surfaces (a 3) where they come into contact with an
adjacent face.
Figure 3 is a top view of a washer (6) and a spring pawl (61) attached thereto
by rivets (62).
Figure 4 shews a bolt or stud (c) in position in any solid material (d) and fitted
with the beforementioned nut and washer, which washer is prevented from turning
by pin (3). It will be seen that when the nut is turned to screw it up against
the face of (d) the ratchet teeth will depress spring (61) and force it down into the
recess (64) in the washer, but that the nut cannot be unscrewed unless and until
the spring is depressed and released from the teeth by applying pressure upon its
projecting snib (b 5).
Figures 5 & 6 shew the ratchet teeth (a2) cut upon the periphery of the
disc (a), and a pawl (61) mounted upon the washer (b) by means of pin (66) and
actuated by coil spring (67) to keep it engaged with the teeth.
Pin (66) passes
through the washer into the material below to prevent the washer from turning.
To unscrew the nut the pawl is held out of gear by the operator.
Figures 7 & 8 shew the pawl (61) in the form of a leaf spring riveted to the
washer (b) by rivets (2), one of which rivets is extended below to prevent the
washer from turning.
Figures 9 & 10 shew the spring pawl (6') formed out of a flanged portion of the
washer (b).
Figures 11 & 12 shew a pawl (51) somewhat similar to that on Figures 5 & 6 except
that it is held to its work by a leaf spring.

page_text: Figures 13 & 14 shew a pawl (62) and spring similar to that on Figures 11 & 12
except that the spring is formed out of a flanged portion of washer (b).
Figures 15 & 16 shew a pawl (61) operating by gravity.
Figures 17 & 18 shew a pawl (6) and spring where the pawl is provided with a
lever (f) to engage with the spring.
Figures 19 & 20 shew a spring pawl (61) riveted to the flanged rim of the
washer. The ratchet teeth are thus covered and protected.
Figures 21 & 22 shew a double spring for two pawls (6'). The ratchet teeth
are so shaped that when they are engaged with the pawls the nut cannot be screwed
or unscrewed.
Figures 23 & 24 shew a form of washer which may be used where it is not
desirable to make a hole in the material to receive a pin to prevent the washer
from turning. The washer has a flange or flanges (9) which overlap the article
through which the bolt or stud passes and is thus prevented from turning.
The
Figures 25 to 39 inclusive shew devices for locking the nut upon the bolt when
the same is not screwed up against a face. The bolt (c) has a groove or keyway (e¹)
wherein freely fits a key or slide (h) shewn apart on Figures 29 and 30.
body of this key when in position fills up the groove (c) and makes the thread
continuous, so that the nut (a) may be freely screwed thereon. The end of the
key is furnished with a toe or projection (h) against which the nut will be locked
as it is screwed down. A nut and washer as shewn on Figure 25 and similar to
those shewn on Figure 4 will be locked and prevented from being further screwed
on or unscrewed except by releasing the spring pawl (b¹). The position at which
the nut will be locked may be roughly determined by setting the key (h) before
the nut is screwed thereon and a fine adjustment may be made by means of the
sloping or inclined inner face (h2) of washer (b). The total depth of the inclined
face is equal to the pitch of the screw thread, so that by means of the washer the
nut may be made to lock and adjusted within any fraction of the pitch of the
thread according as the bolt is turned to bring the toe (h') into the required position
upon the inclined face of the washer. Figure 34 shews the washer in section and
the half of the inclined face when it is made continuous. In this form a half turn
of the washer will cause the same to rise or fall upon the toe (¹) a distance equal
to the pitch of the thread. This form is easily manufactured, but that shewn on
Figure 35 is preferred since a whole turn is required for the same adjustment, which
is therefore capable of a greater degree of fineness.
Where it is desired to lock the nut in a position which would make it undesirable
to use a pin (63) to prevent the washer from turning, I make a washer with
serrations (3) to engage with a snib (4) upon key (h) (see Figures 31 & 32).
Figure 33 is a view of the lower side of the washer and it will be seen that when
upon a bolt (c) and key (h), and the snib (h 4) engaged in one of serrations (h 3) as
shewn on Figure 32 the said washer cannot be turned backwards or forwards, and
that when a nut similar to that shewn on Figures 2, 4, 25, 26 and 27 is engaged
with the spring pawl (6) Figure 32, the said nut will be locked and prevented from
being screwed or unscrewed until released by depressing the said pawl.
On Figures 36 to 38 inclusive, the nut (a) is provided with a washer (b) and
these are secured together revolvubly in any well known manner, but preferably by
forming a plain flange (a 5) upon the nut and riveting à cap (69) to the washer so
that a recess is left as shewn wherein the flange of the nut may be freely revolved.
An annular recess or groove (7) is cut within the washer to freely receive toe (¹)
after the latter has been passed through the aperture (46), which is provided on
the lower side of the washer. To adjust the nut, the key (h) is placed in the
desired position in groove (c¹) and the nut with its washer attached screwed on
until the washer reaches the toe ('), when the washer is turned round until
aperture (6) is immediately over toe (¹). The screwing on of the nut is then
continued and the washer beld from revolving so that the toe may pass up the
aperture. When the toe reaches groove (7) the washer is turned about a half

page_text: turn. It will then be impossible to screw the nut further on or unscrew the same-
until the toe is released from the washer by passing out at aperture (½ 6).
It will be obvious that well known mechanical equivalents may be substituted
for some of the devices herein before described, such as fitting the pawl upon the
nut and cutting ratchet teeth upon the washer; that the washer may be dispensed
with and the pawl pivoted upon the face of (d) and a recess cut in (d) for depressing
spring (6); that the nut may be recessed similarly to the recess in the washer-
(Figures 25, 26, 27 & 28) but without inclination on inner face (2) to engage with
toe () (Figures 29 & 30); but these modifications will be evident to a skilled
person and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
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. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially
as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, on the accompanying
drawings.
2. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 5 & 6 on the accompanying drawings.
3. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 7 & 8 on the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 9 & 10 on the accompanying drawings.
5. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 11 & 12 on the accompanying drawings.
6. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 13 & 14 on the accompanying drawings.
7. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 15 & 16 on the accompanying drawings.
8. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 17 & 18 on the accompanying drawings.
9. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 19 & 20 on the accompanying drawings.
10. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as
described with reference to Figures 21 & 22 on the accompanying drawings.
11. The combination of a ratcheted nut with a plate or washer and pawl.
substantially as described with reference to Figures 23 & 24 on the accompanying
drawings.
12. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially as.
described with reference to Figures 25 to 30 inclusive and Figures 34 & 35 on the
accompanying drawings.
13. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially
as described with reference to Figures 25, 31, 32 & 33 on the accompanying
drawings.
14. The arrangement for locking nuts consisting of mechanism substantially
as described with reference to Figures 36, 37, 38 & 39 on the accompanying
drawings.
15. The arrangement for locking nuts upon bolts and the like, consisting of
mechanism constructed, arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purpose set forth herein.
L
1007
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.