US2157672A - Nut lock - Google Patents

Description

y 1939- F. PIERCE 2,157,672

NU: LOCK Filed May 2, 1938 Fig. 7

INVENTOR.

.[ESLIE f? PIER c5 BY QM ATTORNEY.

Patented May 9, 1939 UNETED STATES EATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a nut lock and has for its principal object a lock that will be opened automatically by a wrench when applied to the nut.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lock for the nut against rotation, and being so made as to avoid serious detraction from the engineering capacity of both nut and bolt.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in the lock mechanism a latch that will easily penetrate the outer points of the bolt threads when driven thereagainst, and whereby the groove in the bolt may be eliminated, in which case, the nut may be turned a short dis- "tance and locked independent of the groove.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple and efiicient means to rockably secure the latch in the wall of the nut, whereby the usual application of a pin at the fulcrum is eliminated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cantilever by altering one end of the original latch to engage in the side of a plug as an alternate for the tooth and move the plug radially to and from the bolt, the inner end of the plug being reduced equalling the thickness of its cantilever and arranged to embed in the bolt threads as well as engaging in a groove.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters will apply to like parts in the difier-ent views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the bolt and nut, showing the grooves and also the latch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the application of a socket wrench on the nut, parts removed for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a view of the bifurcated plug as applied to the latch.

Fig. 4A is a sectional view taken on line 4A4A in Fig. l, the latch and nut fragmentarily shown.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section-a1 view through the nut and a modification of the latch.

Fig. 6 is an axial view of the nut taken on line 6% in Fig. 5, and end view of the bolt.

Fig. 7 is an inverted edge view of the latch showing the position of the leaf spring.

My invention herein disclosed consists of a nut l, threaded to engage on a bolt 2 as means to illustrate the device in detail. The nut in design is mechanically understood as a hexagon but the invention is not restricted to such alone, as a rectangular or other polygonal forms will receive the lock elements. In Fig. 1 is shown a slot 3, the major portion of which partially extends through the wall of the nut intermediate of its ends as at A, while the minor portion thereof extends through the wall as at B, and in said slot is positioned a latch 4 rockably arranged and having its fulcrum point as at C, and being arcuate to seat in a depression coinciding therewith.

As a convenient and inexpensive means to secure the latch rockable in the slot, I have arranged a bifurcated plug 5, the legs D of the bifurcation being spaced apart and in parallelism to receive said latch rockable therebetween. To install the latch and plug, I have reamed or bored a point in the slot as at E to receive the plug, fitting snugly with its end slightly inward and being secured by an indenture that will overlap the outer end of said plug as shown as at F in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 4A is shown the method of restricting the arcuate portion of the latch in its seat, which is accomplished by forming a point G in the crotch of said plug upon which the arc of the latch will slidably engage.

The latch element consists of a tooth portion H that is raised by a lever I, the upper edge of which is arcuate in form so that when a wrench is placed on the nut the jaw of said wrench will slide freely over the lever, forcing it inward as disengaging means for the tooth. Secured to the under side of the lever portion is a leaf spring 1 as means to engage the tooth, causing it to seat in groove 8 that extends through the series of threads longitudinally of the bolt, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, but not restricted for such engagement alone, as said tooth portion may be forced inward from the points of the thread, forming a seat therein which will likewise lock the nut against rotation the same as if the tooth were seated in the groove. It will be understood that the term groove implies that the threads are severed in alignment longitudinally of the bolt to form a series of confronting shoulders. Note that the engaging end of said tooth has a concavity as at J, the radii of which are centered on the axis of the bolt, forming an edge at each side of the tooth, as at K, by which means the tooth will not be inclined to jump outward, but rather shear the metal in its turn, if such were possible, and furthermore, being so arranged, the nut may be properly tensioned regardless of the groove, and when so tensioned, the said tooth portion may be brought to engagement iii) as above described by a stroke applied to the upper edge thereof by the use of a flat punch that will enter the slot of the nut.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have entered a modification consisting of a plunger 9, cylindrical in form and having an elongated eye I 0 extending therethrough to receive the end L of said latch that is formed to enter said eye to move said plunger reciprocating in its respective bore 4 I radially extending in the wall of the nut from its outer surface, and the said plunger has a tooth, rectangular in cross section, as at M, and adapted to extend through a slot l2, communicating with the bore and bolt threads, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The point of said tooth is formed like that above described for tooth portion H shown in Fig. 4, and will function in like manner with respect to its engagement in a groove or embedded in the thread between said grooves as shown in Fig. 6.

In either method of construction, attention is directed to the concavity of the tooth and the method of securing the latch in the slot of the nut, and also, the width of the grooves being narrow will not seriously interfere with the durability oi the threads of standard bolts and nuts.

While I have shown the latch and its respective slot medially of the nut angles, I do not wish to be restricted, as the position of said elements may be in close proximity to or upon the angle of the nut, in which case a point engaging socket wrench will actuate the unlocking feature of the latch, and such other modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A nut lock of the character described adapted. to engage a slotted bolt, comprising a nut having a longitudinal slot formed in its wall and extending throughout the major length of the nut, the slot adjacent one end passing entirely through the Wall, a cylindrical opening formed in the wall in transverse vertical alignment with the slot, a plug positioned in said opening, means for preventing displacement of the plug, a latch member arranged in the slot, means carried by the plug for providing a pivotal fulcrum for the latch, one end of said latch adapted to normally extend beyond the outer face of the nut, a spring for urging the extended end outwardly, the oppositely positioned end of the latch adapted to normally extend through said slot for engagement with the slotted bolt.

2. A nut lock of the character described adapted to engage a slotted bolt, comprising a nut having a longitudinal slot formed therein and extending for the major portion of the length of the nut, one extremity of the slot passing entirely through the nut transversely, a cylindrical opening formed in the nut transversely and intersecting said slot, a bifurcated plug member positioned in said opening, means for preventing displacement of the plug, said plug having a fulcrum point formed therein between said bifurcations, a latch member positioned in said slot with one end normally extending beyond the side of the nut, said latch provided with a substantially centrally arranged circular pivotal portion, said pivotal portion adapted to engage the bottom wall of the slot and the fulcrum point of the plug, a spring for normally urging the extended end of the latch outwardly, the opposite end of said latch engaging the portion of the slot extending entirely through the nut, means operative in the extended portion of said slot and adapted to engage the slot of the said slotted bolt, said last named means moved into and out of engagement with the bolt by said latch.

LESLIE F. PIERCE.

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