IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH SCREW NUTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Sterne, of the Crown Iron Works,
Glasgow, and of Number 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH
SCREW NUTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Sterne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th November 1875.
I, LOUIS STERNE, of the Crown Iron Works, Glasgow, and of
Number 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CON-
NECTED WITH SCREW NUTS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object to prevent the loosening of screw
nuts through vibration or other incidental action, and it consists in
making the bearing surface of the nut, or of a washer or piece moving
with the nut, slightly inclined from the ordinary position at right angles
to the axis of the tapped or screwed bore of the nut.
If a nut of the improved kind is screwed on a bolt, such for example

page_text: as the screw bolt of a railway fish joint, the bolt becomes bended or
sprung slightly to one side when the surface of the nut or washer
completely meets or is wholly in contact with the fish plate, or whatever
surface it is screwed up against, and the parts then offer a resistance
to loosening which cannot be overcome by ordinary vibration or similar
action.
If the inclined surface is formed on the nut itself it will be desirable
to have both sides inclined, so that it will not matter which side is put
in contact with the fish plate or other surface.
The two sides of the nut may be parallel to each other, and the bore
be tapped with its axis at a slight inclination; or the surfaces may be
otherwise inclined to the bore.
Ordinary nuts may be rendered available in carrying out the In-
vention by interposing a wedge-shaped washer, or a washer with one
surface slightly inclined to the other; but such washer must be made
to turn with the nut by one or more ribs, flanges, or pins, keying one
to the other, or by the washer being formed on its face with a recess
into which the nut fits.
According to one advantageous modification the washer is made of
spring steel or other spring metal of a curved or convex form, and with
ribs at two opposite sides to key it to the nut. The screwing home
of the nut flattens the washer, and its reactionary spring tension makes
the nut more secure, whilst it will also compensate for any slight
elongation of the bolt. Such washers can be made by rolling in
long lengths to be afterwards cut transversely into squares or separate
washers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Sterne in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS 30
STERNE, of the Crown Iron Works, Glasgow, and of 9, Victoria
Chambers, Westminster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Louis Sterne, Her special
licence, that I, the said Louis Sterne, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Sterne, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR CONNECTED WITH SCREW NUTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Louis Sterne, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Sterne, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object to prevent the loosening of screw
nuts through vibration or other incidental action, and it consists in
making the bearing surface of the nut, or of a washer or piece moving
with the nut, slightly inclined from the ordinary position at right angles
to the axis of the tapped or screwed bore of the nut.
If a nut of the improved kind is screwed on a bolt, such for example
as the screw bolt of a railway fish joint, the bolt becomes bended or
sprung slightly to one side when the surface of the nut or washer
completely meets or is wholly in contact with the fish plate, or whatever
surface it is screwed up against, and the parts then offer a resistance
to loosening which cannot be overcome by ordinary vibration or similar
action.
If the inclined surface is formed on the nut itself it will be desirable
to have both faces inclined so that it will not matter which face is put
in contact with the fish plate or other surface.

page_text: The two faces of the nut may be parallel to each other, and the bore
be tapped with its axis at a slight inclination; or the faces may be
otherwise inclined to the bore.
Ordinary nuts may be rendered available in carrying out the In-
vention by interposing a wedge-shaped washer, or a washer with one
surface slightly inclined to the other; but such washer must be made
to turn with the nut by one or more ribs, flanges, or pins, keying one
to the other, or by the washer being formed on its face with a recess
into which the nut fits.
According to one advantageous modification the washer is made of
spring steel or other spring metal of a curved or convex form, and with
ribs at two opposite sides to key it to the nut. The screwing home
of the nut flattens the washer, and its reactionary spring tension makes
the nut more secure, whilst it will also compensate for any slight
elongation of the bolt. Such washers can be made by rolling in long
lengths to be afterwards cut transversely into squares or separate washers.
The accompanying Drawings represent various ways in which my
Invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 shews a nut A, both faces of which are slightly inclined
from the ordinary position at right angles to the axis of the bore of the
nut. In this view the nut is shewn in contact with the fish plate or
other surface (indicated by the line B) at one point only; then by
screwing the nut home the bolt C becomes bent slightly to one
side, and the face of the nut comes wholly in contact with the fish plate.
Although I have shewn both the faces of the nut as inclined so that
it will not matter which face is put in contact with the fish plate, only
one face may be inclined if preferred.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 represent an arrangement in which instead of
the face of the nut being inclined the nut is of the ordinary form, and
the desired effect is obtained by interposing a washer D with one face
slightly inclined to the other. This washer is formed with ribs or
flanges, as shewn, so that it may turn with the nut%; or instead of
flanges the washer may be recessed to receive the nut; Figure 2
represents the parts before, and Figure 3 after the screwing up.
The nut may be square, as shewn, or hexagonal, as in Figures 5 and 6,
or of other form which will cause the washer to turn therewith.

page_text: Figure 7 shews a modification in which the washer D is made of
spring metal of concave form on its upper face, and Figure 8, a similar
washer, but of convex form. The screwing home of the nut flattens
the washer, and its reactionary spring tension makes the nut more
3 secure, and at the same time compensates for any slight elongation of
the bolt.
Figure 9 represents my Invention applied to securing the bolt of a
fish plate, this Figure shewing the parts before the nut is screwed home;
Figure 10 represents the same after the screwing home of the nut. A is
the nut; C, the bolt; D, the flanged washer with inclined face; E, the
fish plates; F, the rail.
Figure 11 shews an arrangement in which the washer D has only
one flange, and Figure 12 shews the same when screwed up.
In Figures 13 and 14 I shew a washer without an inclined face,
the effect of an inclination being produced by means of a corrugation
or projection G against which the face of the nut bears near to one
side.
Figures 15 and 16 represent another form of washer.
In some cases I carry out my Invention by using nuts and washers
of the ordinary form externally, and by tapping the bore of the nut
with its axis at a slight inclination, as shewn in Figures 17 and 18;
or I use an ordinary nut and washer, and employ a bolt, the normal
form of which is slightly bent so that by screwing up the nut the bolt
becomes straightened, and thereby locks the nut.
I find that an inclination in the nut or washer of from 1/16th to 1/8th
of an inch is generally sufficient to give the necessary bend to the bolt,
and is not too much to allow of the bolt again straightening without
damage either to the threads of the bolt or nut.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Sterne, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.