Landing gear axle nut safety socket

A method for tightening a nut on a landing gear of an aircraft, the method comprising:

• providing a socket having (i) a socket body having a first end and a second end, said first end of said socket body having a rotatable gear hub, and said second end configured to accommodate said nut;
• (ii) socket body insert fixed substantially within said socket body and having a gear sleeve positioned substantially therein;
• (iii) a trigger movable between a triggered position and a non-triggered position, said trigger configured to move to said triggered position when a distance between said axle and said nut is different than a predetermined trigger distance;
• (iv) a trigger spring between said socket body insert and said trigger, said trigger spring biasing said trigger toward said second end, said trigger configured to compress said trigger spring towards said first end in said triggered position and configured to decrease compression on said trigger spring in said non-triggered position;
• (v) a reset pin operably connected to said trigger to reset said trigger from said triggered position to said non-triggered position when depressed toward said first end;
• (vi) a reset spring between said reset pin and said gear hub, said reset spring biasing said reset pin towards said second end;
• and (vii) a carrier between said gear sleeve and said trigger, said carrier retaining a plurality of ball bearings movable between said trigger and said reset pin, said ball bearings configured to lock said trigger when positioned in said trigger and lock said reset pin when positioned in said reset pin;
• accommodating said nut in said first end of said socket body;
• and
• tightening said nut by rotating said gear hub when said trigger is in said non-triggered position.