Year: 1888

page_text: A communication from abroad by MAX ALBERS, of Gevelsberg, Westphalia, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Clerk.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to a new and useful improvement in locking screw-nuts, and
it is particularly applicable for railways, for locking nuts on the screw-bolts, which
secure the fish plates to the rails in fish-joints. Said nuts, as is well known, are liable
'to loosen, owing to the vibrations of the railway-plant under the heavy weight of the
rolling material, and they require a frequent and careful tightening to keep the fish-
joints in good condition, and to avoid accidents.
By the use of the improved locking device, the nuts will be entirely prevented from
turning on their bolts, and they need not be attended to, affording perfect security in
1150. A great number of locking devices for screw-nuts have been herebefore invented
and used for performing the same purpose in view, but many of them are either
deficient in the point of offering perfect safety, or they are too complicated and
expensive for general use on railways.
And in order that the said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, it will now be described
as follows:
The improvement consists of a nut-lock constructed to act against one side or face
of the nut when tightened up to the required degree, thereby preventing the nut to
unscrew or loosen itself on the bolt, under the vibrations of the plant or machinery
of which said bolt and nut form part. The locking-device not only presents a face in
close juxtaposition to the face or side of the nut, but works a pressure against said
face, and thereby efficiently prevents the nut from turning on the bolt, and the
locking face from receding under the action of the nut, while tending to turn.

page_text: The locking device consists of a strong metal pin or pivot, the middle portion of
which is cranked and the crank bent to form an angle or nose. The two ends of the
said pin or pivot are journalled in bearings provided in a projecting part of
the washer, said part being bent up, and capable of a slight elastic yielding motion.
The bent crank of the pin is preferably flattened on the side adjacent to the nut,
and the hinge of said pin is so distanced with reference to the nut, that on turning
said pin towards the nut, the crank will, with its angle or nose, strike against the
side or face of the nut, and, when forced down into its locking position, firmly press
against the said side or face. In forcing the angle or nose of the crank down by a
hammer or other implement, the up-bent part of the washer, with the bearings formed
to it, will so much yield as to allow the said nose to slide down along the face of the
nut, and when the said nose has been fully forced down, the flat side of the bent crank
will, by the clastic part of the washer, be firmly pressed against the face of the nut,
thus entirely preventing the same from turning on the bolt. The bent crank of the
pin, thus acting against the nut can not be pushed back by any tendency of the nut
to unscrew the only means to release the nut from the pressure of the locking crank
is to turn the latter up again in a vertical plane, this may be done by forcing a wedgo
or similar implement between the washer and crank, and by lifting the angle or nose
of the latter to slide past the face of the nut, while the bearings of the bent portion
of the washer yield as much as to allow of such motion. The unlocking, accordingly,
may be easily performed, when desired, but the vibrations of the bolt and nut will
never be able to force the bent crank up in a vertical plane to release the nut.
The flat face of the bent locking-crank must take a position parallel to the
adjacent face of the nut for the purpose of efficiently locking the same;
the nut,
however, when tightened up to the sufficient degree, will not always present one of its
faces parallel to the crank-face. To effect this, washers of different thickness may
be employed, and in general, three sizes will be sufficient to compensate for any
difference in the position of the working faces. But instead of using washers of
different size or thickness, which form part with the locking crank-pin, supplementary
washers may as well be employed to fill up the required distance, and place ono
face of the nut, when fully tightened, parallel to the face of the locking crank.
And in order to still more fully secure the nut by the locking-devico described, one
or both ends of the crank-pin or pivot may be made to project from their bearings or
hinges, and so bent, after the nut has been locked, that the bent end of the pin is
bearing against the fish-plate or any part of construction or machinery to which the
bolt and nut are secured. The bent portion of the washer, which forms the bearings
for the locking crank-pin, is thereby prevented from yielding, and the crank is rigidly
held against the face of the nut. To unscrow the nut, the bent end or ends of the
pin projecting from the bearings, must be straightened, first, before the crank can be
turned to release the nut. By this means a double security is provided. The bent
end of the projecting pin may be thus arranged in locking the nuts of fish-plate bolts,
that the wheels rolling on the rails would strike against the end of said pin in case it
should turn or get straightened, the locking-device being thereby automatically
controlled by the wheels.
It is not exactly necessary that the locking face bearing against the face of the nut
be formed by a bent crank of the pivot turning in bearings of the washer. The
locking face, bent to form an angle or nose, may be provided with suitable pivots
secured or formed to it, the angle-shaped locking-piece being made solid.
Data. 7.1.
1 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A communication from abroad by MAX ALBERS, of Govelsberg, Westphalia, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Clerk...
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6. Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-.
The invention relates to a new and useful improvement in nut-locks, and it is
particularly applicable for use in connection with railways, when it is desired to lock
the nuts on the screw-bolts which secure the fish-plates to the rails in fish-joints.
Said nuts, as is well known, are liable to become loose in consequence of the frequent
and strong vibrations of the railway-plant under the heavy weight of the rolling stock,
and they require a frequent and careful tightening to keep the fish-joints in good
condition and to avoid accidents.
By the use of the improved nut-lock, the nuts will be provented. from turning on
their bolts, and they need not be attended to as they will afford perfect security in uso.
A great number of locking devices for screw-nuts have been herebefore invented
and used to perform the same purpose in view, but all of them are either deficient
in action, or they are too complicated and expensive for general use in railway
plant.
In order that the said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into practico inay be readily understood, it will now be described, with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan of the improved nut-lock in the locking position, but without
tho nut.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same in the open position.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, in the locking position, with the nut
in place.
M
'
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same open, with the nut indicated by dotted
lines.
Figure 5 is a front or end view of the nut-lock, as applied to the bolt and nut
of a fish-plate railway-joint..
Figure 6 is a side elevation of said rail-joint with nut-locks applied.
Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 show a modification of the nut-lock of the invention.
Figures 7 and 8 being a side elevation and front elevation respectively of the
nut-lock without the nut; Figure 9 a plan of the nut-lock with the nut indicated
by dotted lines; and Figure 10 a side elevation of the nut-lock with the nut in
position.
Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a projection B' on the improved nut-lock is constructed

page_text: '
to act against one side or face of the nut when forced down against said side or face,
thereby preventing the nut from unscrewing or. loosening itself on the bolt, under the
vibrations of the plant or machinery, of which said bolt and nut form part. The
nut-lock not only presents a face in close juxtaposition to the face or side of the nut,
as is the case with some of the nut-locks hitherto known, but it actually bears against
and exerts a constant pressure on said face, and thereby efficiently prevents the nut
from turning on the bolt and the locking face from yielding or receding under the
action of the nut, while tending to turn.
The locking device of the invention consists of a strong metal pin or pivot, the
middle portion of which is cranked, as at B, and the crank itself bent to form an angle
or nose B¹. The two ends of the said pin or pivot are journalled in bearings A²
provided in a projecting part of the washer A, the said part A' being bent up and
capable of a slight elastic yielding motion.
The bent crank B of the pin is preferably flattened on the side adjacent to the nut,
and the hinge of said pin is so distanced with reference to the nut, that, on turning
said pin towards the nut, the crank B will, with its angle or nose B' strike against the
side or face of the nut, and, when fully forced down into its locking position, firmly
press against the side or face of the nut C, as shown in Figures 3 and 6. In forcing
the angle or nose B₁ of the crank B down by a hammer or other implement, the
up-bent part A¹ of the washer A, with the bearings A² formed on it, will yield
sufficiently to allow the said nose B₁ to slide down along the face of the nut, and when
the said nose B has been fully forced down, the flat side of the bent part B will, by
the elasticity of the part A of the washer A, be firmly pressed against the face of the
nut C, thus preventing the nut from turning on its bolt. D. The bent crank B' of
the pin, thus acting against the nut will not be pushed back by any tendency of the
nut to unscrew; the only way to release the nut from the pressure of the locking
crank B is to force the latter up again in a vertical direction, as in Figure 4, this
may be done by forcing a wedge or similar implement between the washer A and
crank B, and by lifting the angle or nose 13 past the face of the nut, while the bent
portion A and bearings A² of the washer A yield sufficiently to allow of such upward
motion. The unlocking, accordingly, may be easily performed, but the vibrations of
the bolt and nut will never be able to force the bent crank B up in a vertical plane
to release the nut.,
The flat face of the bent locking-crank B¹ ought to take a position parallel to the
adjacent face of the nut C, for the purpose of efficiently locking the same, the nut,
however, when tightened up to a sufficient degree on its bolt, will not always present
one of its faces parallel to the face of the crank B¹. To effect this, washers of different
thickness may be employed, and, in general, three sizes will be sufficient to compensate
for any difference of the position of the working faces. But, instead of using
washers A of different size or thickness, to which the locking-crank B B is journalled,
supplementary washers may as well be employed to fill up the required space, and
place one face of the nut, when fully tightened, parallel to the face of the locking-
crank B¹.
And in order to still more completely secure the nut C by means of the nut-lock
described, one or both ends of the pin or pivot may be made to project from their
bearings or hinges, as at B2, and be so bent, after the nut has been locked, that the
bent end B2 of the pin will bear against the fish-plate or other part of the machinery,
to which the bolt and nut are secured. The bent portion A' of the washer A, forming
the bearings of the locking pin, is, thereby, prevented from yielding, and the crank Bi
is rigidly held against the nut."
To unlock the nut, the bent end or ends B2 of the pin, projecting from the
bearings A², must be straightened, first, before the crank B can be turned to release
the nut C. By this means, a double security is provided. The bent end B² of the
projecting pin may be so arranged, in locking the nuts of fish-plate bolts, that
the wheels rolling on the rails would strike against the end of said pin, in case it
should turn or get straight, the locking device being thus automatically controlled by
the wheels.

page_text: It is not exactly necessary, that the locking face B' bearing against the face of the
nut C, be forined by a bent crank B of the pivot turning in bearings of the washer.
The locking piece B' bent to form an angle or nose, may be provided with suitable
pivots secured or formed to it, the angle-shaped locking piece B B' being mado
solid.
Or, according to another modification of the invention as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9
and 10, the angle-shaped locking lever B B¹ may be arranged to turn loosely on a
bolt E secured in the bearings A2 A3 of the washer A. The working effect of said
bent lever B B will be the same, as above described. And further, it is not necessary
that the face of the crank locking lever B', adjacent to the face of the nut, be flat.
In making said faco V shaped, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, these advantages are
obtained :-
First, that on bearing against the flat side of the nut, the edges of the V shaped
face will strongly work in either direction against said nut; and,
Secondly, that the V shaped face may as well be applied to the edge of the nut, as
shown in Figure 9, if such edge presents itself opposite the locking face, thereby
avoiding the necessity of using washers of different thickness, or of applying
supplementary washers, to put a flat face of the nut parallel to the locking face.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a nut lock, the combination with a washer having a slightly bent up, elastic
side-portion, of a pivoted cranked lever bearing against one side face of the nut and
locking the same, substantially as set forth.
2. A nut lock, consisting of a washer A, having a slightly bent up side-portion A',
and bearings or lugs A² formed to it to carry the pivot or pivots of a bent lever B B¹,
which being turned towards the nut and forced down prevents the same from turning
on its bolt, substantially as set forth.
3. A nut lock consisting of a washer A with lugs or bearings A2, and a pivoted
cranked lever B B', the pivot or pivots of which project from the lug or lugs as at B²,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. A nut lock consisting of a washer A with lugs or bearings A2, and a pivoted
bent lever B B', the locking face of which is V shaped, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 7th day of December 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.