Load indicating fasteners
First Claim
1. A load indicating fastener comprising a body having a shank which is subject to tensile loading in use, the body having a bore which extends axially from an end face of the body into the shank and which is adapted to receive a gauge pin, the gauge pin having a threaded portion adapted to engage a complementary threaded portion of the bore so that rotation of the gauge pin effects axial movement between the gauge pin and the body of the fastener, the threaded portion of the gauge pin being spaced from a part of the gauge pin which is adapted to contact part of the body of the fastener to stop movement of the gauge pin as it is screwed into the body of the fastener, the gauge pin protruding outwards beyond the end face of the fastener and having a head by which the pin can be rotated, and markings being provided on the head and the end face of the fastener to indicate the position of the gauge pin when the said part of the pin is in contact with the said part of the bore when the shank of the fastener is subject to a predetermined tensile loading, the gauge pin being free to rotate so that the gauge pin can be withdrawn from the fastener by rotating the pin to release the engagement between the threaded portion of the pin and the complementary threaded portion of the bore.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A load-indicating fastener, such as a bolt (10), has a bore (18) which extends from an end face (16) of the bolt and which can receive a gauge pin (30). The gauge pin (30) is free to rotate so that it can be withdrawn completely from the bolt. In use of the bolt, the gauge pin (30) is reinserted into the bore (18) and screwed down until the end of the pin engages the inner end of the bore. As the bolt is tightened, causing elongation of the shank (12) of the bolt (10) and therefore of the bore (18), the user can check the loading on the bolt by periodically rotating the gauge pin (30), to maintain contact between the end of the pin and the inner end of the bore, until the pointer (40) reaches the mark (28) on the end face (16) of the bolt, indicating that the predetermined loading has been reached.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A load indicating fastener comprising a body having a shank which is subject to tensile loading in use, the body having a bore which extends axially from an end face of the body into the shank and which is adapted to receive a gauge pin, the gauge pin having a threaded portion adapted to engage a complementary threaded portion of the bore so that rotation of the gauge pin effects axial movement between the gauge pin and the body of the fastener, the threaded portion of the gauge pin being spaced from a part of the gauge pin which is adapted to contact part of the body of the fastener to stop movement of the gauge pin as it is screwed into the body of the fastener, the gauge pin protruding outwards beyond the end face of the fastener and having a head by which the pin can be rotated, and markings being provided on the head and the end face of the fastener to indicate the position of the gauge pin when the said part of the pin is in contact with the said part of the bore when the shank of the fastener is subject to a predetermined tensile loading, the gauge pin being free to rotate so that the gauge pin can be withdrawn from the fastener by rotating the pin to release the engagement between the threaded portion of the pin and the complementary threaded portion of the bore.
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6. An assembly comprising a fastener and a gauge pin withdrawn from the fastener, said fastener including a body having a shank which is subject to tensile loading in use, the body having a bore which extends axially from an end face of the body into the shank and which is adapted to receive the gauge pin, the gauge pin having a threaded portion adapted to engage a complementary threaded portion of the bore so that rotation of the gauge pin effects axial movement between the gauge pin and the body of the fastener, the threaded portion of the gauge pin being spaced from a part of the gauge pin which is adapted to contact part of the body of the fastener to stop movement of the gauge pin as it is screwed into the body of the fastener, the gauge pin protruding outwards beyond the end face of the fastener and having a head by which the pin can be rotated, and markings being provided n the head and the end face of the fastener to indicate the position of the gauge pin when the said part of the pin is in contact with the said part of the bore when the shank of the fastener is subject to a predetermined tensile loading, the gauge pin being free to rotate s that the gauge pin can be withdrawn from the fastener by rotating the pin to release the engagement between the threaded portion of the pin and the complementary threaded portion of the bore.
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7. An assembly comprising a plurality of fasteners and a single gauge pin common to all the fasteners, each fastener including a body having a shank which is subject to tensile loading in use, the body having a bore which extends axially form an end face of the body into the shank and which is adapted to receive the gauge pin, the gauge pin having a threaded portion adapted to engage a complementary threaded portion of the bore so that rotation of the gauge pin effects axial movement between the gauge pin and the body of the fastener, the threaded portion of the gauge pin being spaced from a part of the gauge pin which is adapted to contact part of the body of the fastener to stop movement of the gauge pin as it is screwed into the body of the fastener, the gauge pin protruding outwards beyond the end face of the fastener and having a head by which the pin can be rotated, and markings being provided on the head and the end face of the fastener to indicate the position of the gauge pin when the said part of the pin is in contact with the said part of the bore when the shank of the fastener is subject to a predetermined tensile loading, the gauge pin being free to rotate so that the gauge pin can be withdrawn from the fastener by rotating the pin to release the engagement between the threaded portion of the pin and the complementary threaded portion of the bore, each fastener having been pre-set, using the single gauge pin, to provide an indication at the predetermined tensile loading when the gauge pin is, in use, inserted into the bore in the fastener.
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8. An assembly comprising a plurality of fasteners and a number of identical gauge pins, each fastener including a body having a shank which is subject to tensile loading in use, the body having a bore which extends axially from an end face of the body into the shank and which is adapted to receive a respective gauge pin, the gauge pin having a threaded portion adapted to engage a complementary threaded portion of the bore so that rotation of the gauge pin effects axial movement between the gauge pin and the body of the fastener, the threaded portion of the gauge pin being spaced from a part of the gauge pin which is adapted to contact part of the body of the fastener to stop movement of the gauge pin as it is screwed into the body of the fastener, the gauge pin protruding outwards beyond the end face of the fastener and having a head by which the pin can be rotated, and markings being provided on the head and the end face of the fastener to indicate the position of the gauge pin when the said part of the pin is in contact with the said part of the bore when the shank of the fastener is subject to a predetermined tensile loading, the gauge pin being free to rotate so that the gauge pin can be withdrawn from the fastener by rotating the pin to release the engagement between the threaded portion of the pin and the complementary threaded portion of the bore, each fastener having been pre-set, using one of the gauge pins, to provide an indication at the predetermined tensile loading when any of the gauge pin is, in use, inserted into the bore in the fastener.
Specification