Self-locking nut mechanism

In a structure for a building comprising a plurality of wood log elements arranged in superimposed array one on top of the other and having two end log elements, a bolt element extending within a through opening in each of said log elements and extending between said two end log elements, said bolt element having one end and an opposite end, a bolt head on said one end engaging one of said end log elements, and a self-locking nut mechanism disposed on said opposite end of said bolt element and engaging the other of said log elements, said self-locking nut mechanism including a nut body having a cylinder portion and a flange portion, means on said flange portion for fastening said nut body to said other log element, a through hole in said nut body having a first hole portion with one diameter and a second hole portion with another diameter greater that said one diameter, said nut body having a transition section between said first and second hole portions, said transition section having a first tapered part, a split-nut means disposed in said second hole portion, said split-nut means being split into at least two split-nut sections, said split-nut means having a longitudinal end having a second tapered part, biasing means in said nut body biasing said split-nut means toward said first tapered part such that said first and second tapered parts are biasingly engaged, said bolt element having external fastening means, said split-nut means having internal fastening means, said bolt element being axially insertable into said split-nut means such that said external fastening means engages said internal fastening means to temporarily separate said split-nut sections against the bias of said biasing means as said first tapered part engages said second tapered part, said bolt element being precluded from being withdrawn axially from said split-nut means by the mating of said external and internal fastening means.