Improved Device for Locking or Securing Nuts to Bolts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Device for Locking or Securing Nuts to Bolts.
I, GEORGE TABRAR of 564 Old Kent Road in the County of London
Engineer and Tool Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a means whereby when the nut of a bolt
say an ordinary fish bolt as used on railways has been screwed up tightly against a
washer or washer plate passed over the bolt or bolts it shall be impossible for the
said nut to sag or turn backwards on the thread of the bolt unless the washer
surrounding the bolt and which is usually placed between the nut and the rail be
allowed to turn therewith or, where a washer plate is used, unless the same be
previously broken or cut.
In a
In carrying out my invention I provide a washer or washer plate (which may
extend over say two bolts) and on this washer or washer plate, the latter being
used for fishing rails, I stamp form or sink so as to surround the screwed_end
of the bolt a number of teeth or projections constituting a ratchet or race.
convenient position in the nut and so as to be over or opposite the race or ratchet
I form or sink a hole either entirely or partially through the substance of the nut,
and in this hole which may be of any convenient shape I insert a toothed head or
pawl terminating in a short shaft or tail reduced in thickness around which is coiled
a piece of wire so forming a spiral spring.
This spring pawl or catch may be retained in the recess by any well known
means such as by finishing the recess after dropping in the spring device by using
a doming punch.
In the case of washers for fish bolts two ratchets may be formed on a washer
plate at the proper distance apart to allow of their passing over the ends of two
bolts it being necessary to prevent the washers from turning round. Where single
bolts and washers are used any well known device may be employed in order to
prevent the turning of the washer, thus it may be formed with a tongue engaging
against a pin or projection on the machine or surface through which the bolt
passes or may have a hole fitting over a pin or projection or vice versa.
The bolt (or bolts) having been placed in position and the ratchet washer passed
over its end or ends the nut (or nuts) carrying the catch or pawl is placed on the
screwed end and turned until it closely approaches the ratchet washer when the
catch or pawl engages therewith allowing the nut to be tightly screwed home but
preventing its return unless the ratchet be previously destroyed.
I may find it convenient in some cases to form the ratchet or race in the inner
face of the nut and the projecting spring pawl upon the meeting face or faces of
the washer or washer plate.
When it is desired to release the nut from the bolt the washer must be loosened
so as to be capable of turning or the washer plate divided or broken between the
bolts when the nut can be unscrewed with ease.
Dated this 14th day of March 1893.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Device for Locking or Securing Nuts to Bolts.
I, GEORGE TABRAR of 564 Old Kent Road in the County of London,
Engineer and Tool Maker, 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 is intended to provide a more perfect and secure means for locking
the nuts passed over threaded or screwed bolts such as fish bolts used on the
permanent way of railroads (in connection with fishplates or like devices) for the
purpose of joining the ends of the rails, or of locking the nuts of bolts used to
connect various parts of machinery, say for instance the cover or head of a cylinder
to its position on such cylinder, or for other purposes where bolts and nuts are
required.
In describing my invention I shall refer to a sheet of drawings attached hereto,
on which
Figure 1 is a plan of pawl washer for use on flat surfaces such as cylinder covers,
flanged joints, or parts of machinery ;
Figure 2 is a vertical section showing spring catch for engaging with hole in
said washer;
Figures 3 and 4 are plan of underside and vertical part section and elevation
of nut for use with said washer showing the ratchet teeth for engaging with pawl;
Figure 5 shows a form of double washer specially applicable to the fish plates of
railway metals, but also adaptable to other purposes;
Figure 6 is a modified form of double washer (which may be used singly as
Figure 1 if desired) showing ratchet or circular race for engaging with a spring
pawl or projection on the nut, indicating also a means of adjusting the distance
apart of the two holes of the double washer ;
Figures 7 and 8 are plan and vertical part section and elevation respectively of
modified nut with spring pawl, and
Figure 9 is a form of key for temporarily withdrawing pawl from ratchet race.
In carrying out my invention in relation to ordinary machinery and to
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of accompanying drawings, I sink, stamp, or form in the
underside of the nut A (Figs. 3 and 4) or that face which comes in contact with
the washer C a circular groove or chase having teeth or projections BB cut,
stamped, or otherwise formed therein so as to form a ratchet race and I also
provide for each bolt a special metallic washer such as shown by C (Fig. 1) having
à circular hole D of sufficient diameter to allow of its being passed over the bolt
without permitting more than the necessary clearance.
In this washer I cut or stamp out tongues or pawls E E, the ends of which are
raised so as to project slightly above the surface of the washer C so as to be
capable of engaging with the ratchet teeth B B cut or formed in the nut A
(Figs. 3 and 4) when the same is passed over the bolt and screwed home. The
washer or plate C is held in position and prevented from turning when the nut is
screwed home by means of a small spring controlled bolt or stud F sunk in the face
of the cover or other surface G (Fig. 2) engaging in a hole H cut in the washer C
or equivalently.
The stud F is held up normally by a spring-device such as J, so keeping the
washer in place until the nut is screwed home, and may be prevented from escaping
by a plate K screwed or fitted into the cover or surface G. On pressing down the
stud the washer is permitted to revolve with the nut on commencing to unscrew
and so said nut may be released.
In applying my invention to fish bolts or such bolts as it is not absolutely
necessary to remove, I may use either a double washer joined by a flat unbroken

page_text: band L, such as shown in Figure 5, and having tongues or pawls EEE, as in
Figure 1, with a nut such as Figure 3; or I may use a pair of washers having
arms or flat projections M M, such as shown in Figure 6, capable of fitting and
sliding in a sleeve N which prevents their being turned after they are placed over
the bolts their arms having been previously inserted in the sleeve so allowing space
for adjustment when such is required.
Instead of forming the ratchet B in the nut and the tongues or pawls EE on
the washers, I may reverse this arrangement in some cases, as for instance for fish
bolts, and may form a ratchet or race O, (Fig. 6) in the washer or plate and
provide a nut, such as shown by Figures 7 and 8, carrying in a convenient position
a spring controlled tooth or pawl P in a sunk recess or hole Q, normally projecting
from the nut so as to engage with the ratchet or race O in the washer.
In cases
where it may be desired to unscrew the nut after being screwed home, the nut is
formed, as in Figure 8, with a hole R in line with or a continuation of hole Q and
the tooth P screwed or tapped so that it can be withdrawn from engagement with
the ratchet by means of a key, Figure 9, or similarly effective device. The tooth
or pawl is prevented from falling out by jumping or forcing a portion of nut on to
its shoulder as at S, or other means may be employed for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. For locking the nuts of bolts the use of a nut having an annular ratchet or
race cut or formed on the underside concentric with the bolt hole in conjunction
with a loose washer or plate carrying tongues or pawls arranged concentrically
with the bolt hole therein and so as to engage with the ratchet race in the nut,
said washer or washer plate being provided with an arm in which is a hole into
which takes a spring-controlled stud for the purpose of keeping it in position until
released by pressure on said stud (or any equivalent device for retaining in position)
substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and
of the accompanying drawings.
2. For locking the nuts of bolts and particularly fishbolts and the like the use
of a double washer (such as shown in Figure 5) carrying tongues or pawls capable
of engaging with a ratchet or toothed race in the underside of a nut (such as
shown by Figure 3) substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. For locking the nuts of bolts and particularly fishbolts the use of washers
such as shown in Figure 6 having teeth O formed therein concentric with the bolt
hole, and projecting arms M retained in position by sleeve N in conjunction with
nuts each carrying a spring-controlled tooth, pawl, or like device P engaging when
screwed home with the race O, such tooth, pawl, or projection being capable of
being raised from its engagement with race by means of a key such as Figure 9,
or any well known means, substantially as described and with reference to
Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The devices for locking nuts to bolts substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawings.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.