Improvements in and connected with Bolts and Nuts and other analogous Screwed Articles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Bolts and Nuts and other
analogous Screwed Articles.
We, THOMAS HOLMES, of 3, Nelson Terrace, Bellevue Road, Seacombe, in the
County of Chester, Engineer, and ROBERT WILLIAMS, of 7, Bellevue Road, Seacombe,
in the County of Chester, Shorthand Writer, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates mainly to screwed bolts (or studs) and nuts of the ordinary
kind, but it is also applicable to other analogous screwed articles having a screwed
portion and a nut or nuts, cap, collar, or their equivalent, adapted to work thereon;
the chief object of the invention being the prevention of the bolt and nut or other
respective things changing their relative positions when they have been screwed up
or set, generally termed "slacking back."
For convenience of description we will set forth the invention with reference to the
ordinary bolt and nut, it being understood that the improvements involved in it are
applicable to other things as above stated.
According to the invention the nut is provided with a recess the roof or top of
which lies tangentially to the axis of the aperture through which the bolt passes, that
is to say, the recess is of wedge or tapered form relatively to the axis of the nut. In
the recess is used or placed a device (preferably being teeth, serrations or their
equivalent), which, as soon as the "slacking-back" movement commences, moves or
comes into the shallower portion of the wedge shaped recess and jambs or locks the
nut and bolt together. This recess, and the device used and adapted to operate
the nut
therein as described may take various modifications of form. In screwing up
on the bolt or bolt onto the nut, as the case may be--the arrangement and form of
the recess permits the locking or jambing device to lie in the larger portion of it (and
which it is caused to do in the act of screwing up) and so is practically inoperative
in the process.
A construction which we have found very suitable for ordinary bolts and nuts,
especially those used for securing fish plates to the rails of permanent way of railways
and the like, consists in making the form of the locking or jambing device of corre-
sponding form to the wedge shaped recess of the nut and providing its inner edge
with teeth, serrations, or the like, and forming it (the device) upon, or making
it a part of, a collar, which comes between the nut and the fish plate or other thing.
This wedge jambing device may be made by stamping it out of and with the metal
of the collar, the punches or dies being so formed that the portion to form the wedge
piece is left and not punched out when the aperture in the collar is first punched, but
this portion is subsequently bent down and the teeth or serrations formed in it.
These operations may be conducted in sequence in a single machine, or separately and
in sequence in different machines.
It will be obvious that if the nut or bolt are locked when tight the nut cannot be
slacked back by a spanner or other instruments and consequently must be broken off,
if constructed as above described, in order to remove it. We however, in cases when
required, provide a means in connection with the nut or spanner by which the
jambing device is held in the largest part of the recess when slacking it back. To do
so the nut must first be screwed up slightly.
3711 ,
CML1600
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicants' Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Bolts and Nuts and other
analogous Screwed Articles.
We, THOMAS HOLMES, of Nelson Terrace, Nelson Terrace Road, Seacombe, in the
County of Chester, Engineer, and ROBERT WILLIAMS, of 7 Bellevue Terrace, Bellevue
Road, Seacombe, in the County of Chester, Shorthand Writer, do hereby declare
the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
1
This Invention relates mainly to screwed bolts or studs, and nuts, of the ordinary
kind; but it is also applicable to other analogous screwed articles having a screwed
portion or a nut or nuts, cap, collar, or their equivalent, adapted to work thereon, the
chief object of the Invention being the prevention of the bolt or nut or other
respective things changing their relative positions, generally termed "slacking
back "when they have been screwed up, or set.
For convenience of description we will set forth our Invention with reference to the
ordinary bolt or nut, it being understood that the improvements involved in it are
applicable to other things as above stated.
"
According to the invention, the nut is provided with a recess, the roof or top of
which lies tangentially to the circle of the aperture through which the bolt passes,
that is to say, the recess is of wedge or tapered form relatively to the axis of the nut.
In this recess is used or placed a device (preferably having teeth, serrations, or their
equivalent), which, as soon as the "slacking back movement commences, comes
within or moves into the shallower portion of the wedge shaped recess and jams or
locks the nut and bolt together. This recess, and the device used and adapted to
operate therein, as described, may take various modifications of form. In screwing up
the nut on the bolt or bolt into the nut, as the case may be the arrangement and
form of the recess permits the locking or jamming device to lie in the larger portion
of it (which it is caused to do in the act of screwing up) and so is practically inopera-
tive in the process.
A construction which we have found very suitable for ordinary bolts or nuts,
especially those used for screwing fish plates to the rails of permanent ways, of rail-
ways and the like, consists in making the form of the locking or jamming device of
corresponding form to the wedge shaped recess of the nut, and providing its inner
edge with teeth, serrations or the like, and forming it (the device) upon, or making a
part of, a collar, which comes between the nut and the fish plate or other thing.
This wedge locking or jamming device may be made by stamping it out of, and
with the metal of, the collar, the punches or dies being so formed that the portion to
form the wedge piece is left and not punched out when the aperture in the collar is
first punched, but the portion is subsequently bent down and the teeth or serrations
formed in it. These operations may be conducted in sequence in a single machine, or
separately and in sequence in different machines.
It will be observed that, in order to remove it, the nut if it cannot be slacked back
by a spanner or other instrument, must be broken off, when constructed as above
described. We however in cases where required provide a means in connection with
the nut or spanner by which the locking device is held in the largest part of the
recess when slacking it back. To do so the nut must first be screwed up slightly.
The above is a general description of the invention, but now, in order to make it
more clear, we will proceed to describe it with the aid of drawings, a sheet of which
is hereto annexed and form part of the specification. In this sheet of drawings we
shew several modifications of ordinary bolt and nuts provided with improvements
according to our invention, these various examples being given to indicate how it may
be modified in different ways.
The letters and figures of reference marked on the drawings correspond with those
used in the following description, the same letters and figures being used to denote
the same or like parts in the different views wherever they occur.

page_text: Figure 1 shows, in longitudinal section, a bolt and nut according to our invention,
applied to a railway rail joint;
Figure 2 is a cross section of the nut looking towards its base, and taken through
the line XX Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a view of the locking device, showing the wedge shaped piece.
Figures 4 and 5 show, in elevation and side view, a spanner adapted to turn or
slack back the nuts having locking devices of the kind shewn in Figures 1 to 3.
Figure 6 shows an ordinary nut and bolt, provided with improvements according
to this invention.
Figure 7 is an end view, and Figure 8 an elevation, illustrating a converse arrange-
ment of locking bolt and nut according to the invention, of that shewn in the above
figures.
Figure 9 is an elevation showing a modification of the arrangement illustrated in
Figures 7 and 8;
Figure 10 is an end view thereof; and
Figure 11 is a view showing the locking device of this arrangement on its top
side.
With reference to the drawings a is the nut; e is the locking device; and i is the
seen, is
bolt. The device e in the arrangements shewn in Figures 1 and 6, it will be
in the form of a washer shaped body, having a wedge shaped projecting portion f, the
inner edge of which lies next the threads of the bolt, and is provided with teeth
running the full depth of the device (see Figures 3, 7 and 11); and this portion f is
adapted to lie, when in use and operation, within the recess provided in the
nut a.
In the arrangements shown in Figures 7 and 8, and 9 to 11 (which are the converse.
of those shown in the other Figures), the wedge shaped projecting portion f is provided
on the nut, instead of on the locking device e, whilst the recess b is provided in the
device.
Referring now more especially to Figures 1 to 5, the bolt and nut are shown as
applied to, and passing through, ordinary fish plates p, and a railway rail web r. The
periphery of the locking device e in this case is provided with recesses g, and these
serve as a means by which the locking device may be unlocked and kept unlocked
when taking the nut off the bolt. However, where these provisions are made, the
spanner used to actuate the nut, must be provided with a means corresponding with,
and adapted to engage with, these recesses; such a spanner is shown in Figures 4
and 5, and the provision thereon consists, as will be seen, of pins h.
"
In this arrangement the position of the recesses g is such, that, when the spanner
is applied to the nut, the pins h will lie in the recesses g, and then, in the act of
slacking back" the nut, the device e will be slacked back before the jaws of the
spanner actually press upon the side of the nut. By thus arranging the nut and its
locking device, the wedge portion f will be drawn back from off the thread of the
bolt, and be moved into the larger part of the recess b, wherein it will, and must be
retained during the operation of taking off the nut, until there is a space, between
the nut and the surface of the metal against which it presses, large enough to allow the.
device to lie loosely and freely on the bolt.
The arrangement shown in Figure 6, as regards the nut and locking device, is
practically the same as that set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the only
In
difference being that the device e is not provided with the peripheral recesses g.
this figure the nut a is broken away to show clearly the position of the projecting
wedge portion f, of the device e.
In the arrangements shown in Figures 7 and 8, and 9 to 11, the locking device e is
provided with flattened sides, corresponding with the shape of the nut in connection
with which it is used, and the projecting wedge portion f is provided on the nut a,
the corresponding recess to receive it being provided in the locking device.
In this case the flattened sides are the equivalent of the recesses g, in the arrange-
ment set forth with reference to Figures 1 to 3, and serve the same end, namely

page_text: for the purpose of first removing the teeth of the device e from off the thread of the
bolt, before pressure is brought upon the nut in the act of slacking it back. That is
to say, when the nut is tightened up, and locked, the sides of the nut and the device e
do not coincide (as shown in Figure 7), but when they do coincide, then the pro-
jecting portion stands in the larger portion of the wedge shaped recess b and does
not press upon the bolt. In the act therefore of slacking back the nut, the device e
is first slacked back until its sides coincide with those of the nut, and then the spanner
is applied so as to grip both nut and device, thereby retaining the device in its
unlocked position during this operation.
It will be seen that whereas in Figures 7 and 8 the device e is a simple hexagonal
washer, in Figures 9 to 11 it consists of the two portions, namely, a hexagonal part
and a circular base.
In applying the nut and locking device to a bolt, the nut is turned on the bolt in
the ordinary way with the locking device in position, and when "home," is drawn
up tight in the usual way. Thus it is obvious, that so far as the applications of the
nut and device are concerned, there is practically no difference between the mode and
effect according to this invention, and the manner and effect of applying an ordinary
nut; and not until the "slacking back" of the nut commences does the operation
and effect of the invention come into play. As soon, however, as the nut does com-
mence to slack back, the inclined surfaces of the recess band projecting portion f,
of the nut and device, come into contact, with the result, that, by virtue of the wedge
shape of these two parts, the teeth of the locking device are brought up to, and caused
to press upon, and grip, the threads of the nut, thereby holding it and preventing it
from turning back.
Although we have particularly described our invention as applied to ordinary bolts
or nuts, it is to be understood that it may be applied to various purposes where
threaded rods or pins and nuts or caps, are used in an analogous or equivalent manner
to a bolt or nut.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The means substantially as herein described for preventing the slacking back of
nuts or caps, or for locking same, consisting in the employment of a device in com-
bination with the said nut or cap, so constructed and arranged, that the tendency of
the nut to slack back acts upon said device, in such a manner, as to cause it to grip
and lock with the bolt or shank, in connection with which said nut and device are
used.
and
2. In nuts and bolts, or analogous screwed articles, the combination of a nut a,
a device e, said nut and device being provided with a recess b, and a projecting
locking portion f, respectively, or conversely, with a projecting locking portion f
and recess b, respectively, the said parts being adapted to operate substantially as
described.
3. In a bolt and nut of the kind herein referred to, the construction, substantially
as described, by which the locking device is adapted to be unlocked and slacked
back.
4. The nut and locking device, constructed and adapted to be operated substantially
as set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
5. The nut and locking device constructed and adapted to be operated substantially
as set forth with reference to Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the drawings.
6. The particular arrangements and constructions of nuts a and devices e set
forth, respectively, with reference to Figures 1 to 3; 6; 7 and 8; and 9 to 11, of
the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of February 1890.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Agents.