Locking fastener apparatus

• US 6,682,281 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence E. Larsen
• Original Assignee: Lawrence E. Larsen
• Inventors: Larsen, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, NEILL R
• Application Number:
  US10/195,076
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 411/114, 411/115, 411/292, 411/294, 411/300, 411/321, 411/322, 411/326, 411/327, 411/329
• US Class Current: 411/327
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/02 Shape of thread; Special thread-forms F16B25/00 takes precedence; used to remove paint or dirt layers F16B35/007, F16B37/002; used as screw-locking device F16B39/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/04 with specially-shaped head or shaft in order to fix the bolt on or in an object locking the bolt against turning in the object by the use of accessory parts F16B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/32 Locking by means of a pawl or pawl-like tongue
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 41/002 Measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins devices for fastening nuts to surfaces F16B37/04

Abstract

A locking fastener apparatus for coupling objects together. The locking fastener apparatus includes a bolt having a head portion and a shaft portion with a plurality of shaft slots along the shaft. A nut has a threaded hole for threadably receiving the shaft portion of the bolt. A nut slot is centrally positioned across a width of a first side portion of the nut. The nut has a nut lock bore extending inwardly through the nut slot from the first side portion towards a central hole of the nut. The nut includes a nut lock member for movably positioning in the nut lock bore of the nut. The inner end of the nut lock member has a catch portion that is engagable with the shaft slots. A lever member pivotally coupled to the nut is positioned in the nut slot, with a first end attached to the nut lock member and a second end abutting a biasing member which biases the catch portion into one of the shaft slots to facilitate locking the two together until.

Claims

1. A locking fastener apparatus for coupling objects together, said apparatus comprising:

a bolt having a head portion and a threaded shaft portion, said shaft portion having a plurality of shaft slots;

a nut having a threaded hole for threadably receiving said shaft portion of said bolt, said nut being releasably engagable with said shaft portion of said bolt, said nut having an upper side, a lower side, and a plurality of side portions; and

said nut having a nut slot disposed in a first side portion of said plurality of side portions, said nut slot being centrally positioned across a width of said first side portion and being oriented substantially parallel to said upper and lower sides of said nut;

said nut having a nut lock bore extending inwardly through said nut slot from said first side portion towards said hole of said nut, said nut lock bore being positioned generally adjacent to a first outer edge of said first side portion of said nut and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said hole; and

wherein said nut lock bore of said nut extends into said first side portion such that an aperture is formed in an outer wall of said nut to define said hole;

said nut including a nut lock member for movably positioning in said nut lock bore of said nut, said nut lock member having an angled inner end for abutting an inside end of said nut lock bore when fully received by said nut lock bore; and

said inner end of said nut lock member having a catch portion for extending into said aperture of said nut such that said catch portion is engagable with said shaft slots when said nut is threadably positioned on said bolt and said nut lock member is fully received by said nut lock bore of said nut.

2. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising each of said shaft slots of said bolt being spaced about a circumference of said shaft portion, each of said shaft slots being oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft portion and extending generally a full length of said shaft portion.

3. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising said nut having a biasing member being disposed in a second outer edge of said first side portion of said nut and being centrally positioned in said nut slot.

4. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising said nut including a lever member being pivotally coupled to said first side portion of said nut and extending a length of said first side portion;

a first end of said lever member being attached to an outer end of said nut lock member and being positioned in said nut slot of said nut; and

a second end of said lever member extending outwardly from said nut slot of said nut and being positioned atop said biasing member.

5. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said biasing member biases said second end of said lever member outward from said first side portion causing said nut lock member to move inward fully through said nut lock bore of said nut.

6. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said catch portion of said nut lock member engages one of said shaft slots when said nut is threadably coupled to said bolt and said nut lock member is aligned with one of said shaft slots.

7. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said catch portion of said nut lock member is moved out of said shaft slot when said second end of said lever member is biased inward by the attachment of a conventional fastener tool to said nut.

8. A locking fastener apparatus for coupling objects together, said apparatus comprising:

a bolt having a head portion and a threaded shaft portion, said shaft portion having a plurality of shaft slots;

a nut having a threaded hole for threadably receiving said shaft portion of said bolt, said nut being releasably engagable with said shaft portion of said bolt, said nut having an upper side, a lower side, and a plurality of side portions;

each of said shaft slots of said shaft portion of said bolt being spaced about a circumference of said shaft portion, each of said shaft slots being oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said shaft portion and extending generally a full length of said shaft portion;

said nut having a nut slot disposed in a first side portion of said plurality of side portions, said nut slot being centrally positioned across a width of said first side portion and being oriented substantially parallel to said upper and lower sides of said nut, said nut having a nut lock bore extending inwardly through said nut slot from said first side portion towards said hole of said nut, said nut lock bore being positioned generally adjacent to a first outer edge of said first side portion of said nut and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said hole;

wherein said nut lock bore of said nut extends into said first side portion such that an aperture is formed in an outer wall of said nut defining said hole;

said nut including a nut lock member for movably positioning in said nut lock bore of said nut, said nut lock member having an angled inner end for abutting an inside end of said nut lock bore when fully received by said nut lock bore, said inner end of said nut lock member having a catch portion for extending into said aperture of said nut such that said catch portion is engagable with said shaft slots when said nut is threadably positioned on said bolt and said nut lock member is fully received by said nut lock bore of said nut;

said nut having a biasing member being disposed in a second outer edge of said first side portion of said nut and being centrally positioned in said nut slot;

said nut including a lever member being pivotally coupled to said first side portion of said nut and extending a length of said first side portion, a first end of said lever member being attached to an outer end of said nut lock member and being positioned in said nut slot of said nut, a second end of said lever member extending outwardly from said nut slot of said nut and being positioned atop said biasing member;

wherein said biasing member biases said second end of said lever member outward from said first side portion causing said nut lock member to move inward fully through said nut lock bore of said nut;

wherein said catch portion of said nut lock member engages one of said shaft slots when said nut is threadably coupled to said bolt and said nut lock member is aligned with one of said shaft slots;

wherein said catch portion of said nut lock member is moved out of said shaft slot when said second end of said lever member is biased inward by the attachment of a conventional fastener tool to said nut.

9. A locking fastener apparatus for coupling objects together, said apparatus comprising:

a bolt for threadably coupling to an object, said bolt comprising a head having a top side and a bottom side, and including a threaded shaft; and

said bolt having a locking assembly for selectively engaging a plurality of locking holes in the object being coupled to;

said locking assembly including a bolt slot being disposed in said top side of said head of said bolt and being positioned offset from a center of said head.

10. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising said locking assembly including a bolt lock bore extending through said head, said bolt lock bore being centrally located on a first end of said bolt slot and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom sides of said head.

11. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising said locking assembly including a bolt lock member for movably positioning in said bolt lock bore of said bolt, said bolt lock member extending generally below said bottom side of said head of said bolt when fully received by said bolt lock bore such that said bolt lock member is engagable with one of the locking holes in the object said bolt is being fastened to.

12. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising said locking assembly including a biasing member being disposed in said top side of said head of said bolt, said biasing member being centrally positioned in a second end of said bolt slot.

13. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising said locking assembly including a lever member being pivotally coupled to said head of said bolt and extending a length of said bolt slot, a first outer end of said lever member being attached to said bolt lock member and being positioned in said bolt slot generally adjacent to said top side of said head of said bolt, a second outer end of said lever member extending outwardly from said bolt slot of said bolt and being positioned atop said biasing member.

14. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said biasing member biases said second outer end of said lever member outward from said top side of said head of said bolt causing said bolt lock member to move through said bolt lock bore and outward from said bottom side to engage one of the locking holes in the object.

15. The locking fastener apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said bolt lock member is moved out of the locking hole in the object engaged with when said second outer end of said lever member is biased inward towards said bottom side of said head of said bolt, wherein the attachment of a conventional socket fastening tool depresses said second outer end of said lever member inward disengaging said bolt lock member from the locking hole in the object.