An Improved Nut Locking Device.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
An Improved Nut Locking Device.
I, JOSEPH CRAWHALL CHAPMAN, of 70, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
which has been communicated to me from abroad by Louis A. Centlivre, of Fort
Wayne, Indiana, United States of America, Manufacturer), 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 an improved nut-locking device.
The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient nut-locking
device adapted to be readily and efficiently employed in all situations in which a
threaded bolt and securing nut are used, and is especially adapted for securing the
fish-plates of railway rails, and for use in other positions where a bolt and nut are
subjected to excessive vibration.
My invention comprises a threaded bolt having a proper retaining head and
provided upon its circumference at its threaded end with a pair of diametrically
opposite longitudinal V-shaped grooves or channels; a nut adapted to fit the said
bolt and having a countersink or recess in the outer face thereof adapted to
receive and contain a washer interlocking with said bolt, and also provided with
diametrically opposite slots in the said face for the purpose of removing the said
washer; and an annular removable steel washer having upon its inner circum-
ference V-shaped diametrically opposite radial tongues or lugs adapted to interlock
with the grooves of the bolt, and whose perimeter is provided with teeth adapted to
frictionally engage the wall of the countersink and so prevent rotation of said nut
when set in position.
The novel feature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement
of the interlocking washer and containing nut adapted for frictional engagement
therewith to prevent rotation.
Similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several
views of the drawings.
Referring now to the said drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side view of a bolt and nut having my invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same showing the washer interlocked with the
channeled bolt and seated in the recessed nut.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the said nut showing the recessed slotted face thereof.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the saine showing the screw-threaded bolt opening in
dotted outline.
Fig. 5 is a detail of the steel washer showing the interlocking lugs and the
peripheral serrations.
. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 7 is a plan of a modified form of said washer adapted for use only in
wood.
Fig. 8 is another modified form of my improved washer.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a detachable spring-plate adapted for an interlocking
engagement with said nut for additional, security in situations where said nut is
subjected to excessive vibration.
The bolt 1 of any desired dimensions, has the usual integral head 2, preferably
hexagonal, as shown, and has its opposite end provided with a screw threaded

page_text: portion 3, having one or more longitudinal peripheral grooves 4, preferably two
diametrically opposite V-shaped grooves as shown, in Figs. 1 and 2. The said
grooves 4 preferably terminate at a distance from the inner end of said threaded
portion equal to the thickness of the said nut, less the depth of the recess therein,
for the reason that the said grooves would be useless beyond that point and could
only tend to weaken the said bolt.
These grooves 4 are adapted to receive corresponding lugs upon the inner
circumference of the interlocking washer hereinafter described. A
The nut 5 has a central screw-threaded bolt opening and a circular countersink
or recess 9, Fig. 3, at its outer face surrounding said bolt opening, and of a depth
sufficient to contain the said washer. The face of said nut is also provided with
one or more, preferably two, diametrically opposite radial slots 8 of a depth equal
to that of the said countersink whereby the said washer may be gripped or seized
for removal when desired.
The annular washer 6 preferably of steel may have a variety of forms as shown
in the drawings, the essential features of which are an interlocking with the bolt
and a frictional engagement with the said nüt. The preferred form of the said
washer 6 is shown in Fig. 5 in which its inner circumference has a pair of opposite
tongues or V-shaped lugs 7 coincident with the grooves 4 of the said bolt 1 and
adapted to form an interlocking engagement therewith.
The perimeter of said washer has a plurality of teeth 11 adapted to form a
binding frictional contact with the circular wall of the recess 9 of the said nut.
It is obvious that a single interlocking lug or tongue 7 would form a locked
engagement with said bolt, and that the number of peripheral teeth 11 may be
varied at pleasure.
The perimeter of the said washer 6 may be of hexagonal, as shown in Fig. 7, or
of other angular form and adapted to fit a-corresponding recess in said nut.
This
form is obviously adapted for use only where the parts secured by said bolt
are of wood or other material which is more or less compressible, and where the
said nut may be further rotated when in contact with the wood to make the sides
of the hexagonal recess in the nut coincide with the hexagonal sides of the said
washer when the same is interlocked with the grooves of said bolt.
Another modified form of the washer 6 is shown in Fig. 8 in which the perimeter
is provided with a plurality of teeth 12 pointing in a direction opposite to that in
which the nut is adapted for rotation on the bolt when the said washer is in position
thereon. The difference between the forms shown in Figs. 5 and 8 being simply in
the number and arrangement of the peripheral teeth.
The wall of the recess in the nut may be provided with teeth projecting into the
said recess and adapted to engage the teeth of the washer.
When my improved nut-locking device is employed in situations in which there
is excessive shaking or vibrations having a tendency to displace the washer from its
seat in the nut, an additional security is provided by means of the spring-metal'
plate or cap 13 having a central bolt opening 16 and diametrically opposite
vertical arms 14 each provided with a hook or barb 15 upon the inner face of the
free end thereof, Fig. 10, adapted to engage corresponding recesses 10 in the
opposite sides of said nut 5, Fig. 1.
The operation of my improvement thus described is obvious and briefly stated is
as follows: When the nut 5 has been placed in position on the bolt 1 and tightened
thereon, the washer 6 is slipped over the threaded portion 3 with its tongues
engaged with the grooves 4 of said bolt, and is placed in position in the recessed
face of the nut with its peripheral teeth in contact with and impinging upon the
wall of said annular recess.
As the said washer is thus interlocked with the bolt it will prevent rotation of
the said nut when in use, even under severe vibration, by the frictional contact of
its serrated perimeter therewith. The said washer can readily be removed by
lifting or prying it out of its seat in said recess, access thereto being afforded by
the said diametrically opposite slots 8.

page_text: The spring-plate or cap 13 can be readily placed in position when desired, and
as readily be detached therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion (as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a screw-threaded bolt having one or more longitudinal
grooves in the threaded portion thereof, of a nut 5 fitting said bolt and having a
recess in the outer face thereof surrounding the bolt opening and adapted to receive
and secure a metallic washer, and provided with one or more radial slots 8 for the
purpose specified; and an annular washer 6 having upon its inner circumference one
or more interlocking lugs or tongues 7 adapted to register with the said grooves of
the bolt, and provided upon its outer perimeter with a plurality of teeth adapted
to impinge upon the wall of the recess of said nut, as described, and thereby
prevent its rotation, and secure said washer therein by a binding frictional contact
therewith, substantially as described.
2. In a nut-locking device the combination of a screw threaded bolt having one
or more longitudinal grooves in the threaded portion thereof; a nut fitting said
bolt, recessed upon its outer face to form a seat for a fixed washer, and provided
with one or more radial slots 8 for the purpose specified; a washer 6 having one
or more lugs or tongues 7 adapted to form an interlocking engagement with said
grooves and provided upon its perimeter with a series of teeth adapted to prevent
the rotation of said nut by forming a binding frictional contact therewith as
described; and a spring-plate 13 adapted to secure the said washer against
displacement by an interlocking engagement with the said nut, all substantially as
described.
3. In a nut-locking device a metallic washer 6 adapted to form a locked
engagement with the threaded bolt, and having its perimeter provided with a
plurality of teeth adapted to secure the nut fitting said bolt against rotation by a
binding frictional contact therewith, all substantially as described.
4. The combination with the grooved bolt, of the nut having an annular recess
surrounding the bolt-aperture, and a washer provided with an inwardly-projecting
tongue, or tongues, and peripheral teeth, substantially as shown and for the purpose
set forth.
5. In a nut-locking device the combination, of a grooved bolt, a nut having an
annular recess surrounding the bolt-aperture and a transverse opening at one side
communicating with said recess; together with a washer having tongues and
peripheral teeth, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a nut-locking device the combination with the grooved bolt, of a nut
having an annular recess surrounding the bolt aperture, teeth projecting into said
recess and a transverse opening, together with a washer having inwardly projecting
tongues and peripheral teeth, the said teeth being adapted to interlock with the
teeth on the nut and engage therewith by frictional contact.