An Improved Nut Lock.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SE MULTICATION.
An Improved Nut Lock.
I, GEROLT GIBSON, of 117 North 8th Street, of the City of St. Louis, in the
County of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, Lawyer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for a NUT LOCK, 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 that class of mechanical contrivances or devices termed
nut locks, primarily as its name denotes, for locking nuts upon their bolts as
against accidental displacement or unscrewing of the nut from any jarring action,
as in the case of an engine or train of cars passing over its rails, or from other
cause, or when used with their bolts for any other purpose or under any other
circumstances, and to these ends the invention consists in the novel combination and
construction of parts substantially as hereinafter more fully disclosed and pointed
out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved nut lock, showing one way of
applying it for use, among others of which it is capable.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the several parts of my nut lock disassociated and
relatively disposed.
Figure 3 is an inverted perspective view of the locking nut, and
Figures 4 and 5 are modifications of my invention which will be described in
detail further on.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a bolt, A, a notched or ratchet-faced
nut, B, and a washer, C.
The bolt, A, has a longitudinal groove or channel, a, traversing, preferably, the
greater portion of its length.
The ratchet-face of the nut is composed of a series of notches or steps, b, having
continuously gradually sloping or inclined bottoms, b', with their maximum
depressions terminating at perpendicular walls, 6ª, forming in part said notches, and
these notches face inward toward the surface of the rail or article to be bolted.
The washer, C, is struck up, preferably, of spring metal, into disk, or other form,
and has projecting transversely toward the axis of the bolt, inward from a point
coincident with its outer edge or circumference, a stop or detent, c, arranged in a
radial slot, c¹, produced in the body of the washer, and having its termini at the
outer edge or circumference of the washer and the central bolt-hole thereof.
The slot, c', in permitting the detent, c, to sink flush with the washer, as it does
as the nut engages the detent, instead of standing in a plane above the washer,
lessens the strain on the detent and the spring and permits the nut to be brought
jamb against the washer, the advantages of which are apparent.
The stop or detent, c, is formed at its outer end integral with, or in continuation
of, a spring, c, itself preferably integral with the washer, C, being stamped
therefrom in the form of a segment, in this instance following the outer edge
contour or circumference of the washer, but inclined or curving outward toward,
and at, its outer detent or stop-carrying end, to cause the stop or detent to stand a
short distance above the washer to cause it to automatically engage the notched or
ratchet face of the nut, as the latter is turned or screwed home.
The plate or washer, C, has a spline-like projection or tongue, c, extending into
its bolt-hole and engaging the longitudinal groove or channel, a, of the bolt, A, to
prevent the turning of the washer independently of the bolt, the bolt, itself, being
prevented from turning or having axial movement by forming thereon the usual
angular portion or shoulder, a', engaging a corresponding recess in the part through
which the bolt passes.

page_text: It will, therefore, be seen that, with the washer and the nut initially in position
on the bolt, upon turning the nut in the required direction a short distance, its
ratchet or notched face will be engaged by the detent or stop and the latter will
alternately be retracted and projected at each turn of the nut, during such
engagement, the detent or stop thus projecting or springing into each notch and
providing for the retention of the detent, in any, or whichever, one of the notches
that may be stopped opposite the detent.
In order to release the nut it is only required to press lightly with the finger upon
the detent and hold it until the nut has been turned in the reverse direction
sufficiently to become disengaged from the detent..
It will be also observed that, while the perpendicular wall of the coincident
notch of the nut, which the detent has to pass or be disengaged from before release,
effectually prevents the reverse movement of the nut, the notched or ratchet face
of the nut is not acted upon by spring pressure to hold it in place, nor yet is the
detent required to have any part of its surface specially provided for that purpose,
or otherwise, bent up against the nut to secure it in position.
The spring. it will be noticed in applicant's invention, is used only to project or
spring the detent or stop into the required notch of the nut, consequently metal
possessing but a minimum amount of elasticity and no great strength of spring,
are needed, and the spring itself is subjected to the least possible resistance;
therefore, the detent, with its spring, does not require premature renewal, and a
great deal of time and attention to keep them in working order.
My invention also forms both a washer and a nut lock at the same time; and the
washer tits tight and flat upon the surface against which the nut pushes or forces it,
meeting said surface at all points; and the nut bears flat against the washer on all
sides, thus leaving no longitudinal waste space between the nut and the washer, and
the latter and the surface against which it rests.
The spring of the detent or stop exerts no appreciable pressure upon the nut,
consequently does not tend to pry the nut off the bolt, nor exert lateral strain upon,
and tend to distort, the threads of the screw bolt.
The spring locking action of the detent or stop produces a clicking action upon
the ratchet or notched face of the nut, as the latter is screwed upon the bolt, and,
therefore, gives notice when the locking point has been reached.
This feature is, it is obvious, of especial advantage in screwing on nuts in
perilous positions, as at difficult places on bridges and other elevated points,
shortening up the time consumed in locking them, the nut requiring but a few turns
to effect the clicking action between it and the detent, signalling the locking of
the nut.
.
The spring is low down and well out of the way of accident or disarrangement
and is never engaged, and, therefore, never subjected to unnecessary compression
and straining, by the nut as it is screwed home.
The detent or stop and its spring being a continuous, or one, piece and integral
with the washer, can never become displaced or lost.
In lieu of the tongue, c³, the washer may be struck up with one or more lips or
points which are imbedded in the surface to which the washer is applied in case
such surface should be wood, and in this way prevent the independent movement or
displacement of the washer.
In the modification as disclosed in Figure 4, instead of extending the slot, c¹, and
detent, c, clear into the bolt-hole of the washer, they are stopped a short distance
away from said bolt-hole. Figure 5 shows the integral detent and spring in
alignment throughout their length, the washer being elongated or extended for
that purpose as shown.
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. In a nut lock, the combination with a nut (whose base is provided with a series

page_text: of notches or ratchets) of a locking bolt and washer having a spring detent or
stop, the point of connection of said stop or detent with its spring, and the spring
itself, being outside the base of the nut, substantially as described.
2. In a nut lock, the combination, with a nut whose base is provided with a
series of notches or ratchets, of a longitudinally grooved bolt, and a locking
washer or plate having a tongue engaging the groove of said bolt, and a spring
stop or detent, the point of connection of said stop with its spring, and the spring
itself, being outside of the base of the nut, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In a nut lock, the combination, with a nut whose base is provided with a
series of notches or ratchets, of a locking plate or washer having a radial or
transverse slot, and a radial or transverse spring-detent or stop standing above, and
in alignment with, said slot, the point of connection of the stop with its spring, and
the spring itself, being outside of the base of the nut, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
-
4. In a nut lock, the locking plate or washer, having a detent or stop standing
transversely to the axis of the bolt and adapted to engage a notched or ratchet-
faced nut, and having its integral spring constituting a segment of the washer and
curved or inclined outward or upward along the outer edge of said washer, out of
alignment or engagement with said nut, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 31st day of January 1893.
GEROLT GIBSON.