Adjustable diameter bolt with adjustable nut

• US 5,193,956 A
• Filed: 01/21/1992
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avibank Manufacturing Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avibank Manufacturing Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Duran, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US07/823,172
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 411/24-28, 411/32, 411/33, 411/55, 411/45, 411/48, 411/348, 411/243, 411/432, 411/383
• US Class Current: 411/33
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/068 expanded in two or more places

Abstract

A self-retaining adjustable diameter bolt with an adjustable nut including a bolt having a head, a shank, and a threaded end adapted to be inserted into a hole in an installation for subsequent coupling to an nut assembly. The bolt includes a pawl with a plurality of bushing segments mounted on the bolt shank, the pawl extending through an opening in the bolt adapted to engage the segments to stop withdrawal from the bolt. The nut assembly has a first portion threaded onto the threaded end driving the segments forward and filling the spacing between the hole and bolt shank. The nut assembly includes a second portion rotatable on the first portion which can be tightened against the panel installation. In this manner, full radial expansion of the segments takes place before the first nut portion bottoms out against the installation and the second nut portion can be then tightened against the installation.

Claims

1. In a self-retaining bolt assembly including a bolt having an enlarged head at one end, a shank portion adjacent the head, a threaded section adjacent the shank portion, the bolt being adapted to be inserted through aligned apertures in a pair of abutting structures with the head on the access side of said structure, the bolt including a pawl disposed in a hole in the bolt movable from a first position into said hole to a second position extending out of the hole, the threaded section being adapted to be threaded to a nut assembly on the blind side of said structures, the improvements which comprises:

a plurality of bushing segments encircling the shank portion of said bolt; and

said nut assembly having a first main threaded body portion tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt forcing said segments toward said bolt head whereby said segments are adapted to fill the spacing between said bolt shank portion and the walls of said aligned apertures, and said nut assembly having a second portion rotatably and threadably mounted on a threaded portion on the exterior of the first portion tightening said nut assembly against said structure when said second portion is threadably rotated on said first portion and abuts against said structure.

2. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein at least some of said segments are split ring bushing segments.

3. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein some of said segments are male-type segments adapted to contract against the shank portion of said bolt when said nut assembly is tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt, and other of said segments are female-type segments adapted to expand outwardly from said shank portion against the walls of said apertures when said nut assembly is tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt.

4. In the assembly of claim 3 wherein said male-type segments and said female-type segments are staggered along said shank portion.

5. In the assembly of claim 4 wherein said segments include a first sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said head, a first female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first sleeve, a first male-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first female-type segment, a second female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first male-type segment, a second male-type segment encircling said bolt against said second female-type segment, a third female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said second male-type segment, and a second sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said third female-type segment.

6. In the bolt assembly of claim 1 including orienting means associated with said pawl and said pawl hole for orienting said pawl in a predetermined direction.

7. In the bolt assembly of claim 1 wherein said pawl is spring biased in said pawl hole.

8. In the bolt assembly of claim 1 including an aperture extending through said threaded section, the longitudinal axis of said aperture extending normal to the longitudinal axis of said bolt, said first nut portion being a counterbored castellated self-locking nut portion threaded onto said threaded section of said bolt providing a plurality of openings for insertion of a cotter pin therethrough and through said aperture thereby positively retaining said nut assembly to said bolt.

9. In the bolt assembly of claim 1 wherein said pawl is mounted in a hole on a cylindrical portion of said bolt adjacent said threaded section at the terminal end of said bolt.

10. In the bolt assembly of claim 1 wherein said pawl is normally biased upwardly to a first position engaging said bushing segments when said nut assembly is unthreaded from said threaded section and adapted to be moved downwardly against its spring bias to a second position allowing said nut assembly to be moved therepast and off of said bolt.

11. In a self-retaining bolt having an enlarged head at one end, a threaded end and a shank portion therebetween, said bolt including a pawl adapted to extend out beyond the outer surface of said bolt when in a first position and adapted to extend back into the shank portion of said bolt when in a second position, the bolt including a hole partway therethrough, the central longitudinal axis of said hole extending in a direction generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said bolt, said bolt being free of any longitudinally extending passageway along the interior length thereof, the pawl being disposed in said hole and loosely retained therein, pawl withdrawal prevention means associated with the opening leading into the hole in which said pawl is disposed to prevent withdrawal thereout, said pawl having a face portion having a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bolt, spring biasing means in said hole engaging said pawl normally biasing said pawl to a first position wherein said face portion extends out of said hole and movable along an axis generally coincident with the central longitudinal axis of said hole to a second position wherein said face portion is disposed in said hole, and keying means keying said pawl to said shank portion so that said pawl is oriented so that its face portion faces the head of said bolt with the plane thereof extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank portion, the improvement which comprises:

a plurality of bushing segments encircling the shank potion of said bolt; and

a nut assembly having a main threaded body portion threaded to said threaded end of said bolt, said nut assembly having a first threaded nut portion, that, when threaded to said threaded end and tightened thereon, forces said segments toward said bolt head and said nut assembly further includes a second nut portion threadably and rotatably mounted onto a threaded portion of the exterior of said first nut portion.

12. In the bolt of claim 11 wherein at least some of said segments are split ring bushing segments.

13. In the bolt of claim 11 wherein some of said segments are male-type segments adapted to contract against the shank portion of said bolt when said nut is tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt, and other of said segments are female-type segments adapted to expand outwardly from said shank portion when said nut is tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt.

14. In the bolt of claim 13 wherein said male-type segments and said female-type segments are staggered along said shank portion.

15. In the bolt of claim 11 wherein said segments includes a first sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said head, a first female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first sleeve, a first male-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first female-type segment, a second female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first male-type segment, a second male-type segment encircling said bolt against said second female-type segment, a third female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said second male-type segment, and a second sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said third female-type segment.

16. A bolt assembly comprising:

a bolt having an enlarged head at one end, a threaded end and a shank portion therebetween with a terminal end extending from said threaded end;

a spring biased pawl mounted in a hole in said shank portion adapted to extend out beyond the outer surface of said shank portion when in a first position and adpated to extend back into the shank position;

a plurality of bushing segments encircling the shank portion of said bolt; and

a nut assembly having a first main threaded body portion adapted to thread to said threaded end of said bolt and be tightened thereon forcing said segments toward said bolt head and a second body portion threaded to the exterior of said first body portion disposed between the terminal end of said bolt and said segments.

17. In the bolt assembly of claim 16 wherein at least some of said segments are split ring bushing segments, said one of said segments being a non-split ring bushing segment.

18. In the bolt assembly of claim 16 wherein some of said segments are male-type segments adapted to contract against the shank portion of said bolt when said first nut portion is tightened onto the threaded section of said bolt, and other of said segments are female-type segments adapted to expand outwardly from said shank portion when said first nut portion is tightened.

19. In the bolt assembly of claim 17 wherein said segments include a first sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said head, a first female-type segment encircling said bolt against said first sleeve, a first male-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first female-type segment, a second female-type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said first male-type segment, a second male-type segment encircling said bolt against said second female-type segment, a third female type segment encircling said bolt adjacent said second male-type segment, and a second sleeve encircling said bolt adjacent said third female-type segment.

20. In the bolt assembly of claim 17 including orienting means associated with said pawl and said pawl hole for orienting said pawl in a predetermined direction.

21. In the bolt assembly of claim 17 including an aperture extending through said threaded section, said first nut portion being a counterbore castellated self-locking nut threaded onto said threaded section of said bolt providing a plurality of openings for insertion of a cotter pin therethrough and through said aperture thereby positively retaining said first nut portion to said bolt.