Nut and thread protector
AssigneeRodun Development Corporation
InventorRonald G. Dunegan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for protecting nuts and protruding threads of bolts from corrosion and damage. A cup-shaped cap is provided for sealingly enclosing the exposed threads. A suitable protecting fluid may be introduced through a charging port, and an expandable bladder protruding from the side of the cap indicates that the cap is maintaining the protective fluid under pressure. A nut cover is slidably mounted to the cap, and serves to protect the nut from the environment.
Claims19
Apparatus for protecting threads from the environment, comprising:
- a body member having a circular opening at one end thereof approximating the diameter of said threads and a cavity for receiving said threads,
- retaining means on said body member for fixedly positioning said body member over said threads,
- sealing means adjoining said opening for sealing said cavity from the environment, and
- valve means carried by said body member for introducing a selected fluid under pressure into said cavity and into fluid engagement with said threads.
Apparatus for protecting threads from the environment, comprising:
- enclosure means having an opening at the end thereof and a cavity for receiving said threads,
- sealing means adjacent said opening for sealing said cavity from the environment when said enclosure means is positioned over said threads,
- a pressure vessel within said cavity for containing a pressurized fluid including a selected gas, and
- actuation means for rupturing said pressure vessel while enclosure means has been positioned over said threads and said cavity has been sealed from the environment.
A method for protecting threads of a bolt from the environment, comprising
- sealing said threads from the environment with an enclosure,
- thereafter injecting a selected fluid through said enclosure and into contact with said threads,
- retaining said selected fluid under pressure within said enclosure for inhibiting corrosion.
A method for protecting threads from the environment, comprising:
- providing a pressurized vessel containing a selected fluid within an enclosure,
- sealing said threads from the environment with said enclosure,
- thereafter rupturing said pressurized vessel within said enclosure for releasing said selected fluid into contact with said threads,
- retaining said selected fluid under pressure within said enclosure for inhibiting corrosion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.