Locking Nut and Bolt System with Enhanced Locking

• US 20070105634A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Permanent Technologies LLC (Permanent Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Permanent Technologies LLC (Permanent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ball, Loren
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 470/25
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/32 Locking by means of a pawl or pawl-like tongue

Abstract

The locking nut and bolt system includes an elongated locking unit, mounted in a nut and operative with a specially configured groove bolt. The locking unit includes a plurality of at least three tines, asymmetrically located, which protrude tangentially and generally radially inward. The tines are radially asymmetrically disposed such that when a respective tine latches into a corresponding groove, asynchronous locking operation is achieved. When the tine is engaged in the groove, counter-rotational movement (loosening) is prohibited. In another embodiment, the locking unit has different sized edge cut-outs prohibiting the locking insert from rotating within the nut. The locking unit may also include a longitudinal split and a key and a keyway. A manufacturing process is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a locking nut insert comprising:

stamping a plate as an elongated strip to form a plurality of at least three tine-tabs which are not symmetrically spaced on said elongated strip and forming interleaving forward and rear edges;

rolling said elongated strip to interlock said forward and rear edges thereby forming a cylindrical locking nut insert with a longitudinal split, said split formed by said forward and rear edges;

punching or compressing said tine-tabs from said plate thereby forming an elongated locking unit with a plurality of tines protruding tangentially and generally radially inward toward an axial centerline of said elongated locking unit;

said plurality of at least three tines being radially asymmetrically disposed about said axial centerline, each tine having a distal tine end adapted to latch, said asymmetric disposition of said plurality of tines resulting in asynchronous locking of said plurality of tines.

2. A method of manufacturing a locking nut insert as claimed in claim 1 including forming at least one top cavity on an edge.

3. A method of manufacturing a locking nut insert as in claim 1 including forming one of an elongated cylinder and an elongated polygonal unit having five or more sides with a having longitudinal split thereat.

4. A method of manufacturing a locking nut insert as in claim 3 including forming a key and a keyway at the interleaved surfaces.