IMPROVEMENTS IN DEVICES FOR LOCKING OR SECURING SCREW-NUTS ON FISH-PLATES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co Patent Agents Southampton Buildings London for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DEVICES FOR LOCKING OR SECURING SCREW-NUTS ON
FISH-PLATES Communicated to him from abroad by James F. Goodridge, of
Boston, Massachusetts United States of America.
»
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th July 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN DEVICES FOR LOCKING OR
SECURING SCREW-NUTS ON FISH-PLATES." [A communication to him from abroad
by James F. Goodridge, of Boston, Massachusetts United States of America.]
The object of this invention is the production of a lock-plate which may be so
applied to the four nuts of a fish-plate as to lock them all, and yet require the
temporary removal of but a single nut from the fish-plate during the process of its
application. The said invention consists in a metallic plate, provided with four
lips or flanges, to abut against the nuts of the four bolts used in securing the fish
plates to two adjoining rails, a hole to receive one of said bolts, and a slot to
embrace the nut of another of the said bolts,
The nut-block-plate is made of flexible iron, or other suitable metal. There is cut
therein a slot, or opening, adapted to fit one of the nuts, when the latter has been
tightened upon its bolt. It has also a hole through which another of the bolts
passes when the said lock-plate, is applied to the fish-plate
The said plate has also four lips two of which are formed by merely turning up
the ends of the plate.
In practical operation these end lips serve to lock, respectively, the outer nuts,
and are turned up before the nut-lock-plate, is applied to the fish-plate. With some
kinds of metal, flanges, or shoulders, cast with, or hammered from, the metal will
serve for these lips thus formed.

page_text: One of the said lips is formed by increasing the length of the longitudinal cut
made in cutting the slot or opening. In practical operation, this lip also is turned
up before the lock-plate is applied to the fish-plate. Another of the lips is formed
by making the cuts from the upper edge of the lock-plate, near the aforesaid hole,
one on either side of said hole. For a purpose which will presently appear, the
length of these cuts should exceed the distance between the top of the nut and
the upper edge of the lock-plate, when the said nut is properly screwed to its
position.
The last named lip is not turned up when the lock-plate is first applied to the
fish-plate, but lies in the plane of the lock-plate, the process by which the nut-lock,
as a whole, is applied being as follows.
One of the nuts is first removed from its bolt and the nut-lock-plate is so applied
to the fish-plate that the said bolt passes through the hole, while the slot, or opening
fits loosely about another of the nuts. Three of the lips will rest against the
corresponding nuts. One nut is then screwed tight upon its bolt, and the lip is
turned over upon it. If, in tightening the nut, it comes square with the edge of
the lock-plate, the said lip will be turned over but if the nut, when tightened, is
not square with the plate, the length of the cuts in the plate forming the lip, allows
that lip to be turned at a suitable angle.
An important feature of this nut-lock is the aforesaid slot, or opening, as its use
permits a plate which serves as a guard for a nut within the slot, and as a washer
and a guard for a nut on one side of the slot; to serve also as a guard for a nut on
the other side of the slot.
I sometimes modify my invention by providing the washer or guard-plate with a
strengthening rib, or bead, and also sometimes form the ends with lips to embrace
two sides of the nut. The washer or guard-plate may be formed for either square
or hexagonal nuts; and when those of the latter description are used, it is some-
times desirable to substitute for the slots or opening, a hole of corresponding
hexagonal shape, and similar openings may be used for the end nuts, each provided
with a lip.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th January 1883.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN DEVICES FOR LOCKING OR
SECURING SCREW-NUTS ON FISH-PLATES." A communication to me from abroad by
James F. Goodridge, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
The object of this invention is the production of a lock-plate which may be so
applied to the four nuts of a fish-plate, as to lock them all, and yet require the
temporary removal of but a single nut from the fish-plate during the process of its
application
The said invention consists in a metallic plate, provided with four lips, or flanges,
to abut against the nuts of the four bolts used in securing the fish-plates to two
adjoining rails, a hole to receive one of the said bolts, and a slot to embrace the not
of another of the said bolts.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nut-lock embodying the said invention, and
shown as applied to a fish-plate bolted to two rails.
Figure 2, is a similar view of the said nut-lock, detached.
Figure 3 is a perspective view, drawn to an enlarged scale-illustrating the manner
in which under certain circumstances, the locking-lip may be turned up against the
nut which is removed to allow of the lock-plate being applied
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views, in perspective, shewing modifications of the
said invention.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
F is the fish-plate; R', R³ are the rails ; b¹, 6º, 6º, 6º are the four bolts; and n', nº,
n, n, are the nuts therefor
The nut-lock plate A is made of flexible iron, or other suitable metal, and has cut
therein a slot or opening & adapted to fit the nut n when the latter has been
tightened upon its bolt 6; it has also a hole h, through which the-bolt b³, passes
when the lock-plate A is applied to the fish-plate as shown in Figure 1. The said
plate A. has also four lips F, P, P,, two of which, and I, are formed by merely
turning up the ends of the plate as shown. In operation these end lips serve to
lock, respectively the outer nuts, n³, n, and are turned up before the lock-plate, is
applied to the fish-plate. With some kinds of metal, flanges or shoulders cast with,
or hammered from, the metal, will serve for these lips thus formed
The lip, is formed by increasing the length of the longitudinal cut made in
cutting the slot, or opening 8; this lip, also is turned up before the lock-plate is applied
to the fish-plate. The lip, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is formed by making the
cuts from the upper edge of the lock-plate A, near the hole h, one on either side of
the said hole. For a purpose which will presently appear, the length of these cuts
should exceed the distance between the top of the nut n³, and the upper edge of the
lock-plate A, when the said nut is screwed to the position shown in Figure 1. The
lip is not turned up when the lock-plate is first applied to the fish-plate, but lies
in the same plane with the said lock-plate A
The mode of applying the nut-lock is as follows:-that is to say. The nut n', is first
removed from its bolt 6, and the nut-lock or plate A so presented to the fish-plate, F,
that the said bolt 6, passes through the hole h, while the lot, or opening &, fits
loosely over the nut. The lips, and will rest against the nuts n', nª and nº
as shown in Figure 1. The nut n², is then screwed tightly upon its bolt 6º, and the

page_text: lip, is turned over upon it. If, in tightening the nut n², it comes square with the
edge of the plate A, the lip 2, will be turned over as shown in Figure 1, but if
the nut, when tightened, is not square with the plate the length of the cuts in the
plate forming the lip , allow the said lip to be turned at a suitable angle, as shown
in Figure 3.
The important feature of this nut-lock is the aforesaid slot, or opening 8, as its use
permits a plate, which serves as a guard for a nut within the slot, and as a washer
and a guard for a nut on one side of the slot, to serve also as a guard for a nut on
the other side of the slot.
It is obvious that a lock-plate may be formed otherwise than precisely as above
described and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it being only essential that there shall
be a hole for one of the bolts, a slot or opening, for one of the nuts, and lips, flanges,
or shoulders, for all the nuts. Some modifications are shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7
and 8, the lip L, of these figures taking the place of the lip 2, of the other figures.
As shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 8, the guard-plate may be provided with a
strengthening rib, or bead r; and the ends may sometimes be formed with lips to
embrace the sides of the nut. The guard-plate may be formed for either square or
hexagonal nuts; and, when nuts of the latter description are used, it is sometimes
desirable to substitute for the slots or opening a a hole of corresponding hexagonal
shape, and similar openings, each of which is provided with a lip, may be used for the
end nuts as shown in Figure 6.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim :-
First. A plate of flexible metal, provided with four lips adapted to abut or be
turned against, the nuts of the four several bolts used in securing the fish-plate to
its rails, a hole for receiving one of the said bolts, and a slot or opening to embrace
the nut of another of, the said bolts, substantially as described, for the purpose
specified.
Second. In a device for locking or securing screw-nuts on fish-plates, the com-
bination of the slot or opening &, and the hole h, substantially as described, for the
purpose specified.
i
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Tenth day of January in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.