Lock and pin combination for cold working cracks
AssigneeLock-N-Stitch, Inc.
InventorGary Reed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lock and pin for the structural and fluid tight repair of cracks not amenable to high temperature repairs or synthetic material patches. Fluid tight pins and locks seal the crack while one or more locks prevent the crack from growing. These repairs need to endure the remaining life cycle of the machinery part while withstanding all the strain, pressure, heat and expansion and contraction of the part before the crack(s) were formed. Often these cracks evolved due to engineering design flaws that will require even greater strength from these areas than when new.
Claims15
A lock and pin combination comprising:
- said lock having an external contour complemental to a recess formed substantially across a crack but said lock slightly smaller dimensionally than the recess, a plurality of pins adapted to be received all along the crack, the crack provided with thread patterns complemental to threads of said pins, said pin threads and said crack threads having a contour which precludes the through passage of fluid there beyond;
- wherein said pin comprises a thread root located between inside corners of adjacent tooth flanks, and
- a thread pattern of said thread has a variable pitch.
A lock for repairing a crack in a material wherein said lock is placed along the crack substantially perpendicular to the crack in a complemental recess, said lock having a long axis and a plurality of lobes circumscribing its outer periphery, the plurality of lobes including lobes of differing diameters, such that any attempt at crack migration is thwarted by said lobes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.