Improvements in Nut Locks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
Improvements in Nut Locks.
I, FREELING HYSON DEDRICK, Farmer, of Glidden, in the County of Carroll, and
State of Iowa, United States of America, 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 relates to improvements in nut locks for railroad rails, and the
object is to provide a simple, cheap and effective device of this class.
To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrange
ment of the device as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly
pointed out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawing the same reference characters indicate the same
parts of the invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved nut lock;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same;
Figure 3 is a detail perspective of the pawl; and Figure 4 is a similar view of
the nut.
1 represents the ordinary bolt, and 2 the nut formed with an integral circular
flange 3, the periphery of which terminates in a series of ratchet-shaped teeth 4,
and the inner face of said flange, contiguous to the fish plate, is provided with an
annular shoulder 5, so as to form a space between the outer toothed edge of the
flange and the fish plate.
6 represents a spring steel pawl, its rear end terminating in a flat heel 7, pro-
vided with a central orifice 8 for the reception of the bolt 1.
The toe or forward end of this pawl 6 is formed with a ratchet-shaped tooth 71,
and a projecting guard arm 10 which extends between the outer face of the fish
plate and the contiguous or inner face of the flange 3 to prevent the lateral dis-
placement of the free end of the pawl when in engagement with the teeth on the
flange.
The nuts are placed in position on the bolts in regular order, beginning at the
right hand end of the fish plate, which is first screwed home, and then the pawl
is placed over the second bolt, with its free end in engagement with the teeth on
the flange of the first nut.
The second nut is then secured upon its bolt, and the second pawl placed on the
third bolt, and so on. The last or fourth pawl is secured to the fish plate by a bolt
or rivet 11, to secure the last or fourth nut from any backward movement.
The pawl 6, being made of spring metal, will permit the nut and ratchet, in
contact with its tooth 71, to be tightened up without interfering with the adjust-
ment of the remaining pawls or nuts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
A nut lock comprising the bolt 1, and the nut 2 formed with the flange 3 pro-
vided with a series of ratchet-shaped teeth 4, and an annular shoulder 5, in

page_text: combination with the spring pawl 6 having the flat heel 7 formed with the bolt
orifice 8 to engage an adjacent bolt, and having its toe formed with a ratchet-
shaped tooth 9 and projecting guard arm 10 to pass under the flange 3, substantially
as shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of December 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.