Ferrule lock nuts
OwnerChristopher C. Burtoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and Method of use for an improved lock nut type of fastener. On a threaded rod, a set of one or two cavity locknuts are used with a sleeve like ferrule to lock a nut in a set position on the rod. For example a nut that is clamping a workpiece can be held in place (resisting if not preventing loosening) by suitable application of the ferrule and cavity locknut. The cavity locknut has a tapered funnel-like cavity in a nut face around the nut's threaded hole. Locking is accomplished by immobilizing the ferrule on the rod and against the nut to be held, orienting the cavity side of the cavity locknut toward the ferrule, and forcefully torquing the cavity nut against and around the ferrule so that it is crimped against the threaded rod by the tapered cavity in the nut.
Claims18
A fastener kit for fastening a workpiece using a specified threaded rod, the fastener kit comprising:
- a first nut and a second nut, both the first nut and second nut having a tapered cavity extending axially inward to a predetermined depth from a face of the first nut and second nut and tapering from a larger opening down to the diameter of a threaded portion of the first nut and second nut;
- which threaded portion of the first nut and second nut has threads that mate with threads of the specified threaded rod;
- a ferrule having an inside diameter defined by a lengthwise bore of a predetermined length that permits the ferrule to be positioned on a threaded lengthwise portion of the specified threaded rod, the ferrule being a non-resilient continuous ring having a profile with a middle collar portion and distal first and second tapered ends tapering down from the collar portion to distal thin edges;
- and
- instructions for use of the fastener kit, the instructions comprising:
- instruction for positioning the first nut on the specified threaded rod;
- instruction for positioning the ferrule on the threaded lengthwise portion of the specified threaded rod such that the tapered cavity of the first nut engages the first tapered end of the ferrule;
- instruction for positioning the second nut on the specified threaded rod such that the tapered cavity of the second nut engages the second tapered end of the ferrule, wherein the predetermined ferrule length and the predetermined tapered cavity depths place the inside face of the first nut at a predetermined distance from the inside face of the second nut;
- and
- instructions for forcibly torquing the first nut towards the second nut by a specified force that is predetermined to permanently crimp and deform the material of the ferrule into the threads of the specified threaded rod, thereby providing a predetermined locknut holding force for the fastener kit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.