Patent ID: 7673849

Claim:
A hydraulic nut for tensioning an assembly comprising multiple studs, said hydraulic nut comprising: a. an outer body having formed therein a plurality of substantially cylindrical bores, each of said bores defining an annular shoulder; b. a plurality of substantially annular inner bodies, each of said inner bodies being respectively slidingly received into one of said bores of said outer body for relative movements with respect to said outer body, each of said inner bodies defining an annular shoulder such that said annular shoulders of said bores and said annular shoulders of said inner bodies define annular pressure areas therebetween, each of said inner bodies having an outer surface provided with outer threads, and each of said inner bodies being configured to engage one of said studs; c. a plurality of locking collars respectively mounted to said inner bodies for relative movements with respect to said inner bodies, each of said locking collars having an inner surface provided with inner threads, said inner threads of said locking collars respectively engaging said outer threads of said inner bodies; d. internal hydraulic ports extending within said outer body between adjacent bores, said internal hydraulic ports fluidly connecting adjacent pressure areas together; e. at least one external hydraulic pressure port extending through said outer body between at least one of said bores and the exterior of said outer body; wherein when hydraulic fluid is pumped through said external hydraulic pressure port, said hydraulic fluid flows to each of said pressure areas via said internal hydraulic ports whereby pressurization of each of said pressure areas is effected substantially simultaneously.