Lock nut with offset retaining ring
First Claim
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1. A lock nut system comprising:
- a nut having a plurality of nut teeth along an inner circumferential portion, said nut being threadably engageable with a shaft;
a retaining member engageable with the nut;
a keeper coupled to the retaining member and having a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage with said plurality of nut teeth, said keeper having a protrusion configured to fit within a recess of said shaft;
wherein said plurality of locking teeth are offset relative to said protrusion so that a first distance between the protrusion and a first full locking tooth located on the clockwise side of the protrusion is not equal to a second distance between the protrusion and a second full locking tooth located on the counterclockwise side of the protrusion; and
wherein said locking teeth engage with said nut teeth to lock said nut into position on said shaft when (i) the nut is threadably engaged to the shaft with the retaining member engaged to the nut and (ii) the protrusion is within the recess of the shaft.
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Abstract
A lock nut system includes a nut having a retaining member which includes a keeper having locking teeth configured to engage with the lock nut teeth. The locking teeth are offset in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to allow the lock nut to be locked into position on the shaft without further rotation or other adjustment of the nut.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A lock nut system comprising:
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a nut having a plurality of nut teeth along an inner circumferential portion, said nut being threadably engageable with a shaft; a retaining member engageable with the nut; a keeper coupled to the retaining member and having a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage with said plurality of nut teeth, said keeper having a protrusion configured to fit within a recess of said shaft; wherein said plurality of locking teeth are offset relative to said protrusion so that a first distance between the protrusion and a first full locking tooth located on the clockwise side of the protrusion is not equal to a second distance between the protrusion and a second full locking tooth located on the counterclockwise side of the protrusion; and wherein said locking teeth engage with said nut teeth to lock said nut into position on said shaft when (i) the nut is threadably engaged to the shaft with the retaining member engaged to the nut and (ii) the protrusion is within the recess of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A retaining apparatus for lock nut system useable with a nut having a plurality of nut teeth along an inner circumferential portion, said nut being threadably engageable with a shaft, the apparatus comprising:
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a retaining member engageable with the nut; at least one keeper configured to couple to the retaining member and having a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage with said plurality of nut teeth, said keeper having a protrusion configured to fit within a recess of said shaft; wherein said plurality of locking teeth are offset relative to said protrusion a so that a first distance between the protrusion and a first full locking tooth located on the clockwise side of the protrusion is not equal to a second distance between the protrusion and a second full locking tooth located on the counterclockwise side of the protrusion; and wherein said locking teeth are configured to engage with said nut teeth to lock said nut into position on said shaft when (i) the nut is threadably engaged to the shaft with the retaining member and one keeper being engaged to the nut and (ii) the protrusion is within the recess of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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providing a retaining member engageable with a nut, the nut having a plurality of nut teeth along an inner circumferential portion and being threadably engageable with a shaft; configuring a keeper with a protrusion sized to fit within a recess of said shaft and coupling the keeper to the retaining member; configuring a plurality of locking teeth on the keeper to engage with the plurality of nut teeth wherein said plurality of locking teeth are offset relative to the protrusion so that a first distance between the protrusion and a first full locking tooth located on the clockwise side of the protrusion is not equal to a second distance between the protrusion and a second full locking tooth located on the counterclockwise side of the protrusion; and wherein said locking teeth engage with said nut teeth to lock said nut into position on said shaft when (i) the nut is threadably engaged to the shaft with the retaining member engaged to the nut and (ii) the protrusion is within the recess of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification