Speed Nut
AssigneeAlpha 3D LLC
InventorDonald Eugene Rhoton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A speed nut provides a separable housing, when closed, defining an internally threaded cavity for engaging a threaded shaft, and when open, allowing movement of the speed nut along the shaft without engagement of the threads. Interdigitated knuckles on the housing portions provide robust resistance against axial shifting when the nut is used to apply axial force to the threaded shaft. The knuckles may also provide a hinge point allowing the nut to be opened and closed with a simple hinging action and a means for locking the nut portions together through a releasable pin passing through the opposite knuckles.
Claims10
A speed nut comprising:
- a housing having a first and second portion movable between a separated position and a closed position having the first and second portions abutting to define an internally threaded cylindrical cavity extending along an axis and sized to receive and engage corresponding threaded shaft for threaded rotation therethrough;
- at least one torsion arm having a proximal end attached to the housing and a distal end extending away from the axis to allow rotation of the housing about the threaded shaft engaged with the internally threaded cylindrical cavity when the first and second portions are in the closed position;
- wherein each of the first and second portions provide outwardly extending knuckles at laterally opposed edges of the first and second portions;
- and
- wherein when the first and second portions are in the closed position, the knuckles of laterally opposed edges of the first portion interdigitate with the knuckles of the laterally opposed edges of the second portion to resist relative axial motion between the first and second portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.