Splined safety lock

• US 5,348,349 A
• Filed: 11/22/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Norman S. Sloane
• Original Assignee: Norman S. Sloane
• Inventors: Sloane, Norman S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US08/155,148
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 285/81, 285/86, 285/91, 285/92
• US Class Current: 285/92
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/005 comprising locking means for the threaded member locking of screws or nuts per se F16B39/00

Abstract

A safety retainer ring is disclosed herein for holding a shaped nut in position on a threaded nipple or the like, which includes an annular body having an internal bore configured adjacent one open end to conform with the shape of the nut and having an external raised row of projections, each having a hole therethrough for receiving a straight pin formed in a length of a safety clip. Internal splines are provided adjacent the other open end adapted to receive mating external splines carried on a collar of the nipple to prevent relative movement therebetween whereby the nut cannot back off from its threaded connection with the threaded nipple.

Claims

1. In a safety retainer ring assembly in combination with a shaped nut threadably carried on a coupling and engageable with a threaded nipple, the improvement which comprises:

a retainer ring having an annular body with an open-ended bore configured at one internal end to conform with said shape of said shaped nut and raised shoulders projecting into said bore;

a supporting structure;

said nipple having an external collar provided with a plurality of splines arranged in parallel spaced-apart relationship;

said retainer ring having a plurality of parallel internal splines disposed in said bore at said bore end opposite to said bore end carrying said shaped end;

said bore splines and said collar splines selectively mateable to prevent rotation of said ring;

a plurality of apertures provided in said ring at its shaped end;

a resilient clip adapted to be inserted through selected ones of said plurality of apertures disposed between said collar and said nut;

said ring is slideably carried on said coupling; and

said ring includes, internal shoulders engageable with said collar to prevent said ring from sliding on said collar after threaded engagement of said nut with said threaded nipple.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including:

a resilient seal carried on said nipple compressible against said shaped nut by hand pressure.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said seal includes an exposed flap expandable at its top and bottom under pressure to enlarge a sealing area between said nipple and said shaped nut.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said nipple and said shaped nut have opposing parallel sloping surfaces separated by said seal flap.

5. A splined safety lock for a threaded coupling comprising:

a retainer ring having an open-ended bore defining an internal passageway between its opposite ends;

one end of said retainer ring passageway terminating in an edge marginal region carrying a plurality of internal flats shaped to define a hexagon;

said other end of said retainer ring passageway terminating in a second edge marginal region carrying a plurality of splines arranged in fixed parallel spaced-apart relationship;

said splines in parallel alignment with the central longitudinal axis of said passageway and terminating with said plurality of flats;

each of said plurality of flats having an aperture therethrough with selected ones of said apertures in linear alignment; and

said retainer ring having a plurality of shoulders disposed at the end of said flats terminating with said splines and said shoulders raised above said splines.