Improvements in Locking Nuts on Screws or Bolts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1893-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Locking Nuts on Screws or Bolts.
JOHN BARLOW of 12 Saby Terrace Kinglake Street Nottingham Mechanic, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The nut
By my invention, I construct bolts (or screws) having one or more grooves or
flats cut lengthwise through the thread of the bolt for the purpose of receiving
therein or thereon an indent of the nut or of a catch spring attached to the nut.
For the former method I make by preference a flat or groove in the bolt so as to
form a channel or bed into which the indent of the nut is to be pressed.
is of the ordinary kind except that I form a narrow flange on one or both sides of
the nut this flange may be made projecting or recessed, when the nut is screwed
home. I tap that part of the flange of the nut which is immediately over the
groove or flat part of the bolt with sufficient force to depress the flange into the
hollow place underneath, this indent is sufficient to prevent the nut turning on
the bolt, when subjected merely to vibration but not sufficient to resist the
application of the spanner when required. As however there are cases where this
method of locking might be found objectionable, I have devised a means of
locking the nut by the use of a catch spring, operating in a manner similar to the
indent of the nut. In this case I cut one or more grooves lengthwise on the bolt
and make the nut with a catch spring to act directly upon the thread and to drop
into one or other of the flats or grooves of the bolt. The spring may be attached
to the nut in any covenient manner, I prefer to form a groove in the middle of the
nut, but a recess may be formed on one or both of the ends of the uut, in either
case, an opening must be made through the nut for the purpose of permitting the
catch head of the spring to come into contact with the bolt. By preference I
make the spring of a curved or circular form with a head (or catch) turned
The spring
inwards, so as to penetrate the opening made for it through the nut.
being of a circular form is sprung upon the nut and held in a groove or by a flange
formed for that purpose.
The head of the catch spring is rounded (or other
suitable form) so as to permit it traveling along the screw, and the spring is
sufficiently elastic to allow of the catch rising and falling as it crosses the grooves
or flats when moved by the spanner, but when the nut is screwed home the nut
must be left with the catch spring in one of the grooves provided for it.
spring is made to act with sufficient grip to prevent the nut moving when subjected
to vibration. The object in having more than one groove flat or channel on the
bolt is to prevent the necessity to turn the nut completely round the bolt before it
finds a place of rest. The method described is for the security of external screws,
but it is obvious that by a reversal of the application of the catch spring it may be
applied to internal screws also.
Dated thie Third day of August. 1892.
The
JOHN BARLOW.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locking Nuts on Screws or Bolts.
I, JOHN BARLOW, of 12 Saby Terrace, Kinglake Street, Nottingham,
Mechanic, 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 illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 is a plan or end view of a bolt and nut

page_text: provided with one form of my improved locking means and representing the nut
locked on the bolt.
Figure 3 is an end view of the same before the nut is locked in position and
Figure 4 is an elevation of the bolt separately and Figure 5 is a vertical section of
a nut showing a slight modification.
Figure 6 is a cross section of a bolt and nut showing a second form of my
invention.
Figure 7 is a vertical section, Figure 8 is a side view and Figure 9 is a sectional
plan, of the nut separately.
Figure 10 is an elevation and Figure 11 is an end view of the bolt separately,
and Figure 12 is a vertical section of a nut showing a slight modification thereof.
According to my invention I employ a bolt or screw having one or more grooves
or flats cut lengthwise across the thread of the bolt for the purpose of receiving
therein or thereon an indent made in the nut or, in lieu thereof, a spring catch
attached to the nut.
The former method is illustrated at Figures 1 to 5 and the latter at Figures 6
to 12.
Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a is a screw bolt and a¹ is a groove, or it may be a
flat, formed across the thread thereof; b is a nut of an ordinary kind except that it
is formed with a narrow flange b' on one end or side of the nut and which may
project therefrom as shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, or may be recessed as shown at
Figure 5, whilst a narrow flange 6 may be made on both sides of the nut as shown
also at Figure 5.
The groove a¹, or flat, forms a channel or bed into or over which an indent b³
made in the nut, at the time of locking it, is to be pressed. Thus, when the nut is
screwed home, I, by a slight blow or pressure, depress that part of the flange 61 of
the nut which is immediately over the groove a or flat of the bolt, so that an
indent 6 is made on the flange b' sufficient to prevent the nut from moving by mere
vibration, but not sufficient to resist the application of a spanner when it is
required to turn the nut.
In cases where it might be deemed undesirable to disturb the flange of the nut,
I have devised a method of locking the nut by a spring catch, as represented at
Figures 6 to 12, operating in a similar manner to the indent of the nut and which
I will now describe.
In this case I cut one or more grooves a' lengthwise on the bolt across the
thread, and I provide the nut 6 with a spring catch to run directly upon the
thread of the bolt or screw and to drop into one or other of the grooves a¹ or flats
of the bolt.
•
I
The spring catch 63 may be attached to the nut in any convenient manner.
prefer however to form a groove 64 around the middle of the nut, as shown at
Figures 6 to 9, but a recess 6** may be formed on one end of the nut as shown at
Figure 12. In either case an opening is made transversely through the nut for
the purpose of receiving the catch head of the spring catch and permitting it to
come into contact with the bolt.
By preference I make the spring of a curved or circular form and with a
projecting head or catch 6 turned inwards so as to penetrate the opening made
for it through the nut; the spring, being of a circular form, is sprung upon the nut
and held in the groove as shown at Figures 6 to 9, or by a flange or recess b**
formed for that purpose as shown at Figure 12, and in this latter case the head or
catch is shown in the middle of its carrying spring.
The head of the spring catch is rounded so as to permit of its travelling along
the screw thread and the spring is sufficiently elastic to allow of the catch rising
and falling as it crosses the grooves or flats a' when moved by the spanner, but
when the nut is screwed home, the nut must be left in such a position that the
spring catch 63 is in one of the grooves a' provided for it; the spring is however
made with sufficient grip to prevent the nut moving when subjected to vibration.

page_text: In the arrangement shown at Figures 6 to 12 the bolt is provided with four
grooves a; the object in having more than one groove or flat is to prevent the
necessity for turning the nut completely round the bolt before it finds a place
of rest.
The forms above described are for the security of external screws, but it is
obvious that by a reversal of the application of the spring catch it may be applied
to internal screws also.
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. The combination with a bolt or screw having one or more grooves or flats
across the thread, of a nut formed with a flange sufficiently light or flexible to be
depressed over or into a groove or flat of the bolt, substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination with a bolt or screw having one or more grooves or flats
across the thread, of a nut carrying a spring catch which drops into a groove or
flat of the bolt, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
Dated this day of May To
JOHN BARLOW,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.