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AssigneeKennametal Inc.
InventorsAlan J. Bookheimer, Ruy Frota de Souza Filho, Jason Won Goldsmith, Jeremy P. Canonge
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A hardware fastener with a movable threaded element suspended within a cavity formed in a body. The movable threaded element has an internal surface with threads for cooperating with a threaded fastener. The movable threaded element is suspended in the cavity by the one or more spring-like members such that an area, A, of reduced stiffness is created in the cavity proximate the movable threaded element, thereby allowing the movable threaded element to move a predetermined distance within the cavity when torque is applied to the threaded fastener. The one or more spring-like members store elastic potential energy to prevent the loss of pretension of the threaded fastener that can be caused by heat or vibration. The invention also eliminates the need for a torque wrench when tightening the threaded fastener to a specified torque value.
A hardware fastener comprising a movable threaded element suspended in a cavity of a body by one or more spring-like members to create an area, A, of reduced stiffness in the cavity, thereby allowing the movable threaded element to move a pre-determined distance relative to the body within the cavity when torque is applied to a threaded fastener, thereby placing the threaded fastener under pretension.
11-18. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.