AN IMPROVED WASHER FOR LOCKING NUTS, PARTICU- LARLY APPLICABLE FOR LOCKING THE NUTS OF RAILWAY FISH PLATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robinson, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WASHER FOR LOCKING NUTS, PARTICU-
LARLY APPLICABLE FOR LOCKING THE NUTS OF RAILWAY FISH PLATES."
Sealed the 8th May 1877, and dated the 13th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robinson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1876.
"AN IMPROVED
JAMES ROBINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
WASHER FOR LOCKING NUTS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR LOCKING THE NUTS
OF RAILWAY FISH PLATES."
This Invention relates to a washer used to prevent the loosening of screw nuts
caused by jarring or vibration.
That this Invention may be understood I will describe its application to railway
fish plates. In this case the washer consists of a strip of suitable metal of sufficient
size and having holes to embrace the four securing bolts of the fish plate. The
washer is provided with two hinged flaps which are hinged to the washer so as to
fall respectively between the two outside nuts of the said securing bolts. The flaps
are of size to allow of their fitting easily between the nuts when such nuts are
screwed up square. The sides of the flaps are provided with notches so as to take
the points or corners of the nuts should the nuts, or any of them, be so screwed up
that the corner or point instead of the side comes in contact with the flap. Upon
raising the flap the nuts can be unscrewed, and after screwing up are locked by the
falling of the flap.
The washer may be composed of any suitable metal, and of the thickness of an
ordinary waslier or more.
Although I have described my washer as applied to securing four nuts it will be
obvious that it can be constructed so as to embrace and secure any number of nuts.
In the case of single nuts the washer must be fixed or set on the bolt by having
the hole squared or so arranged that it cannot turn on the bolt, the hinged flap
keeping the nut from unscrewing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th May
1877.
JAMES ROBINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED
WASHER FOR LOCKING NUTS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR LOCKING THE NUTS
OF RAILWAY FISH PLATES."
This Invention relates to a washer used to prevent the loosening of scrow nuts
caused by jarring or vibration.
That this Invention may be understood I will describe its application to railway
fish plates. In this case the washer consists of a strip of suitable metal of sufficient
size and having holes to embrace the four securing bolts of the fish plate. The
washer is provided with two hinged flaps which are hinged to the washer so as to
fall respectively between the two outside nuts of the said securing bolts. The flaps
are of size to allow of their fitting easily between the nuts when such nuts are
screwed up square. The sides of the flaps are provided with notches so as to take
the points or corners of the nuts should the nuts, or any of them, be so screwed up
that the corner or point instead of the side comes in contact with the flap. Upon
raising the flap the nuts can be unscrewed, and after screwing up are locked by the
falling of the flap.
The washer may be composed of any suitable metal, and of the thickness of an
ordinary washer or more.
Although I have described my washer as applied to securing four nuts it will
be obvious that it can be constructed so as to embrace and secure any number of
nuts.
In the case of single nuts the washer must be fixed or set on the bolt by having
the hole squared or so arranged that it cannot turn on the bolt, the hinged flap
keeping the nut from unscrewing.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood I will now proceed
to more particularly set forth the system, inode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect.
On the Sheet of Drawings annexed hereto Figure 1 is a side elevation of a
railway rail with fish plate attached and my Invention applied thereto; Figure 2 is
a section through A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section through C, D, Figure 1.
The Drawings are half size, and like letters are used to denote like parts.
Upon reference it will be seen that A is a rail; B, a fish plate of ordinary con-
struction; a, b, c, d, are four securing bolts.
My Invention consists of the washer E which is provided with the two hinged
flaps F and H. These flaps are arranged to fall respectively between the nuts e
and f of the securing bolts a and b, and between the nuts h, i, of the securing bolts
c, d. The flaps F and H are of size to allow of their falling easily between the nuts
when such nuts are screwed up square. The sides of the flaps are provided with
notches S so as to take the points or corners of the nuts, or any of them, should the
nuts be so screwed up that the corner or point instead of the side comes in contact
with the flap.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular size or dimensions of washers constructed according
to my Invention, neither to the application to square nuts, as shown, as my improved
washer may be applied to other nuts, such as six-sided nuts, also my improved
washer may be applied to one or any number of nuts; what I claim as my Inven-
tion is, an improved washer for locking nuts consisting of a washer plate such as E,
provided with hinged flaps such as F and H, and 'applied to lock the nuts of screw

page_text: bolts in manner as described in the beforegoing Specification, and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robinsen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES ROBINSON. (L.S.)