Year: 1887

page_text: Date of App.ication, 6th Dec.,. 1887
Specification Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888
We, JOHN W. PARKS, and PETER G. ROQUEMORE, of Marshall, in the County of
Harrison, and State of Texas, United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved nut lock which is cheap, simple and effective
however heavy and frequent the strain and concussion on the parts to which it is
applied. The object of the invention is to provide a nut lock which will require a
minimum number of parts to adjust, will require no other tools than a wrench, which
will stay where adjusted in spite of any amount of pounding or concussion and which
when desired may be removed without difficulty.
To this end the invention consists in a nut provided with a serrated face and a
washer having sharp spring lips engaging with the serrations.
Our invention also consists in a peculiarly constructed washer for locking the nut,
the novel features of which will be pointed out in the claims.
In the drawing accompanying this specification.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our invention as applied to a rail joint, the nut being
removed from the bolt on the left to better show the position of the washer.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the rail near the joint, showing the angle bars and the
nut lock in operative position.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of improved washer.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view showing the notched face of the nut.
Figure 5 is a detail view showing a modified form of notches in the engaging
ut face.
The washer D figures 1, 2, and 3 is made of tempered steel and has a central
hole D₁ for the bolt. A cut is made in one side of the washer and the opposite sides
are bent in opposite directions and given a sharp edge. The whole may be stamped
out from a single piece of sheet metal at one blow by using a properly shaped die
and hammer.
The washer is given an irregular contour, a square form answering well for rail

page_text: joint uses, and when in place one side bears against the vertex line of the angle bar
and prevents the washer from turning. If a fish plate is used on the joint, the
washer may be made large enough to engage one of the flanges of the rail, or the
inner lip d of the washer may be depended on to prevent slipping. The engaging
face of the nut is notched as shown at e, in figures 2 and 4 or as shown at e¹ in
figure 5.
In the former the notch has one perpendicular wall and one inclined.
In the latter both walls are inclined as shown in figure 5. The form shown in
figure 5 is more readily removed when necessary and makes a perfectly safe lock and
is the form we prefer to use in practice.
on.
In putting the parts in position a bolt C is thrust through the rail and angle
bars B B or through any two parts to be bolted together, and the washer D slipped
It will be observed that it is immaterial which side of the washer faces the nut
and this is a feature of great practical importance as in many forms of nut locks an
accidental reversal of the washer will not lock the nut and the latter will be sure to
loosen. The nut E is then screwed on the bolt and rides forward on the thread until
it engages the projecting lip of the washer. This slips over the inclined walls of the
notches yielding slightly as the nut is screwed up and is adjusted so as to leave the
nut in the corner of the notch when the operation is finished. The inner lip d¹ of
the washer bites into the side of the angle bar B₁ or if the parts united be of softer
material than iron takes a firm hold on one of the same. A practical trial of this lock
on a rail joint subjected to constant use has demonstrated its efficiency where all other
forms have failed. Whereas the nuts had to be tightened every 24 hours in the joints
on which the trial was made, ours has been in continuous use for weeks and is as
tight now as when first adjusted.
We desire to have it understood that our invention is not limited to rail joints
but may be adopted on any structure where a reliable adjustment of a nut on a bolt
is desired.
Having thus fully described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is :
1st. In a nut lock the combination with a bolt and a nut having a notched or
serrated face of a rectangular washer split across one of its sides, the ends thus formed
being bent in opposite directions to substantially the same degree and each end being
beveled from one side to the other to form a knife edge substantially as specified.
2nd. As a new article of manufacture a rectangular washer made of tempered steel
and having a bolt hole, one side of the washer being cut through from the edge to the
bolt hole, and the ends thus formed being bent in opposite directions to substantially
the same degree, and each end being beveled from one side to the other to form a
knife edge substantially as specified.
Dated this 6th day of December A D 1887
JOHN W. PARKS.
PETER G. ROQUEMORE.