Improvements in Nut Locks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
Improvements in Nut Locks.
We, ALBERT DAVIS SMITH, of No. 33 South 6th Street, City of Philadelphia,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Merchant, and PAUL HAMILTON
MARKLEY, cf Hatbero, County of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in nut locks, and has for its object
to provide a lock of simple and economical construction which may be readily and
quickly placed in position, and will securely and rigidly lock and hold the nut in
position upon the bolt.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view on the line 1-1 Fig. 2 of a nut lock constructed
in accordance with our invention, illustrating the same in the position upon a
threaded bolt.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line 2-2 Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking staple.
Fig. 4 is a similar view of the nut to which said staple is applied.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified construction of nut.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 6-6, Fig. 7 of a further modification.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the same, on the line 7-7 Fig. 6 and
Figs. 8 and 9 are detached perspective views of the nut and staple illustrated in
Figs. 6 and 7.
The device as constructed may be employed in connection with any ordinary
threaded bolt such as employed to unite two or more parts, pieces or plates of
metal, or other material, and is of special value for locking nuts in position on bolts
employed to hold together parts which are subjected to considerable jar, vibration
or motion, and thus rendered more liable to become loosened.
Referring to the drawing a, a, ², represent three pieces or plates, as an
illustration, which it is desired to secure together.
A is a nut having a screwthreaded orifice, o, and A¹ the screwthreaded bolt to
which it is adapted, which may be of any ordinary construction. On the inner
face of the nut, A, I provide channels or grooves, a, preferably on each side of the
orifice, o,
and so located that the channels of the respective grooves pass through
the circumferential line of the orifice, o. p is a metal staple, preferably of steel,
consisting of two prongs having sharpened or chisel points, p', adapted to the
channels, a, of the nut, A, and to be guided therein; the walls of the channels, a,
may be square but are preferably rounded or semi-circular in cross-section, while
the prongs of the staple, p, are square or circular in cross-section and adapted to
neatly fit in the said channels, a, and to conform to the lines of the walls of the
channel; the channels, a, are preferably of a depth less than the thickness of the
It is also clear that
prongs of the staple, p, for the purposes hereinafter described.
the shape of the walls of the channels, a, and that of the prongs, pl, may be varied
without departing from the spirit of my invention. The prongs of the staple, p,
are preferably of a length sufficiently greater than the length of the nut to allow
of the lower ends of the staple being bent up toward or against the proximate
edge of the nut when in position, if desired, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

page_text: In assembling the nut upon the bolt, when the plates or parts to be secured are in
position with the bolt through the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the nut is turned
full up upon the bolt to the desired or required position; to lock the same, the prongs
of the staple, p, are inserted in the channels, a, and the staple driven to the position
shown in Fig. 2. The sharpened or chiselled points, 7, of the prongs of the staple, p,
come into contact with the threads of the bolt on opposite sides of the same, in being
driven home to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and mutilate, rupture, or cut their
way through the threads of the bolt and thus positively prevent the nut from
becoming loosened or being turned on the bolt so long as the staple remains in the
locked position. In order to prevent the staple from becoming loosened, or through
any cause, working out, the lower ends are preferably turned up against the proxi-
mate edge of the nut, which will prevent the withdrawal of the staple. It is clear,
however, that the relative direction of the respective grooves, a, may be so
provided in the inner face of the nut in such a manner, or at such an angle relative
to each other, as to prevent the staple working loose and to practically automati-
cally lock the staple in the nut. The channels, a, which cut through the circum-
ference of the crifice, o, on opposite sides are preferably wide enough to extend
slightly beyond the circumferential line of said orifice.
In the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, the material between the outer walls of
the respective grooves, a, is cut away so as to practically form a wide slot for the
insertion of the staple, the latter being held in position by the edges or flanges, b,
on either side of the slot, and cutting into the threads of the bolt in the same
manner as previously described. This form of nut may be employed to advantage
on fine machinery, as the head of the staple may then.be driven in until it is flush
with the surface of the nut.
Further, it is clear that when the staple is driven into and through the
channels, a, to the position shown in Fig. 2, the nut, A, having been previously
turned full up upon the bolt, A', to the desired position, as the thickness of the
respective prongs of the staple is greater than the depth of the channels, a, and
extends slightly beyond the circumferential line of the bolt and orifice, o in the nut,
the tendency will be to force the nut slightly away from the impinging plate or
part and to create frictional contact between the outwardly facing faces of the
threads of the nut and the impinging inwardly facing faces of the threads of
the bolt, tending to bind the nut upon the bolt and to partly release the
strain upon the prongs of the staple. This feature, however, is not an absolute
requisite, and if desired the channels, a, might be equal in depth to the thickness
of the prongs of the staple, though this is not the desired nor preferable form.
In Figs. 6, 7 8 and 9 is illustrated a construction in which the staple is in the
form of a spring, which, in bearing against the face of the object through which
the bolt passes, and the inner face of the nut serves to more effectually bind the
nut in place, while permitting some yielding under severe strains.
The nut has its grooves in this instance, in the form of two inwardly tapered
faces, a', and the staple, P, is of wedge shape in cross section having one flat face
adapted to impinge against the face of the object to be secured, and its inner
tapered faces fitting against the beveled faces, at, of the nut so that the staple will
be firmly held in place. The body of the staple is curved, as shown, so that it will
act as a spring bearing against the inner face of the nut and always tending to
force the latter toward the end of the bolt, the binding effect being thus increased
and the nut securely held in place.
The extent of cut or mutilation of the threads of the bolt is sufficient only to bind
the staple in place and preferably not such as to materially weaken the bolt or to
render it unfit for subsequent use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1. A nut lock comprising a screwthreaded nut and bolt, a guiding channel or

page_text: channels provided in the inner face of said nut at the circumference of the screw-
threaded orifice on a line passing through the threads of the bolt when in position
on the bolt, and prongs adapted to said channels when in position and to cut through
the threads of said bolt for locking the nut in position upon the bolt, substantially
as described.
2. A nut lock consisting of a screwthreaded hoit and nut having threaded orifice
adapted to the threads of the bolt, a guiding groove or grooves provided in the
inner face of the said nut through the length or breadth of the same, and staple
having prongs adapted to said groove or grooves and to pass into and through the
same when the nut is in position on the bolt and to cut through the screw-
threads of the bolt, for locking the nut in position upon the bolt, substantially as
described.
3. A nut lock consisting of a screwthreaded bolt, and a nut having a threaded
orifice adapted to the threads of the bolt, a channel or channels in the face of the
out, and spring staples having prongs adapted to said channel or channels and to
mutilate or cut the threads of the bolt, the staple acting also as a spring tending to
force the nut towards the smaller end of the bolt, substantially as described.
4. A nut lock consisting of a screwthreaded bolt, and nut having threaded orifice
adapted to the threads of the bolt, shallow channels provided in the inner face of
said uut in a line cutting through the opposite outer edges of the screwthreaded
orifice, and a staple having prongs adapted to said channels of greater thickness
than the depth of the respective channels, said prongs adapted in said channels
when the out is in position upon the bolt to cut their way respectively through the
threads of the bolt on opposite sides for locking the nut in position upon the bolt,
substantially as described.
5. A nut lock consisting of a screwthreaded bolt and nut having threaded orifice
adapted to the threads of the bolt, channels provided in the inner face of the nut
through the opposite outer edges of the screwthreaded orifice on a line when in
position on the bolt directed through the threads of the bolt, and a two pronged
staple curved to form a spring and adapted when the nut is in position upon the
bolt to cut its way respectively through the. threads on opposite sides of the bolt
for locking the nut in position upon the bolt, substantially as described.
6. A nut lock comprising a screwthreaded bolt and nut having threaded orifice
adapted to the threads of the bolt, channels, a, provided in the inner face of the
nut through its length or breadth in a line passing through the threads of the bolt
on opposite sides when said nut is in position upon the bolt and staple, p, having
sharpened prongs, p', adapted to said channels, a, and to cut through the threads
on the bolt when the nut is in position upon the bolt, with protruding ends adapted
to be turned up toward or against one of the faces of the nut when the staple is in
the locked position, substantially as described.
7. A screwthreaded bolt, A', nut having threaded orifice adapted to the threads
of the bolt, beveled faces, a', passing through circumferential lines of the orifice of
the nut on opposite sides, two-pronged staple of wedge shape in cross section, and
curved to form a spring, said staple being adapted to said beveled faces and to cut
through the screwthreads provided on the bolt when the nut is in position upon the
bolt, and acting also to impinge against the walls of the proximate plate to be
secured, tending to force the nut away from said plate and to bind it upon the
threads of the bolt, substantially as described.
8. A nut lock, A, having screwthreaded orifice, o, screwthreaded bolt, A,
oppositely disposed channels, a, provided in said nut, A, and staple, p, substantially
as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.