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US H1,981 H1Granted
Bearing stress-free locking device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorKevin R. Hennick
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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorKevin R. Hennick
Estimating the term…
A locking device is provided for preventing adjacent threaded fasteners from rotating while not bearing any of the preload stress of the fasteners. The locking device includes: a plurality of locking rings, each locking ring being of sufficient diameter to surround the sides of one of the adjacent fastener heads and wherein each locking ring is made from a pliable material such that the locking ring may be deformed to closely fit its associated fastener head; and a torque member, connected to each locking ring, for providing torque to prevent each locking ring and its associated bolt head from rotating.
A locking device for preventing rotation of a plurality of threaded fasteners having fastener heads having sides that vary in radial dimension, said locking device comprising:
A locking fastener kit for joining components, said kit comprising:
A locking device for preventing rotation of at least one threaded fastener having a fastener head having sides that vary in radial dimension and that include a plurality of indentations therein, said locking device comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locking devices which are used to provide torque to prevent a threaded fastener (bolt and nut, cap screw, or the like) from rotating and, more particularly, to a locking device which, in addition to providing torque, does not bear any preload stress from the fastener head.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art lockplate installed before use.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 2.
A preferred embodiment of the locking device of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 and in FIG. 6. Locking device 10 can be used with different fasteners and two specialized fastener embodiments are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively. In FIG. 4, the locking device, which is generally denoted 10, is shown in use with two fasteners 20 having fastener heads 22. Fastener 20, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 5, is one embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the present invention. Locking device 10 is further shown in FIG. 6 in use with two fasteners 26 having fastener heads 28. Fastener 26, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 7, is a second embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and 6, locking device 10 comprises locking rings 12 and 14 which are connected to opposite ends of torque member 16. Locking rings 12 and 14 each have an inside diameter d, which is at least slightly larger than the diameter of the corresponding fastener head 22 (or 28), and a thickness t which is sufficient to withstand the necessary torque while still being pliable such that locking rings 12 and 14 can be deformed to closely fit the corresponding fastener head 20 (or 22). If the fastener heads with which locking device 10 is to be used are of different diameters, locking rings 12 and 14 can be different diameters as well.
Torque member 16 is of sufficient length so that locking rings 12 and 14 are centered over adjacent fastener heads 22 (or 28). The thickness of torque member 16 may be appropriately varied to provide sufficient torque while using a minimum of material and allowing for efficient manufacture of the device. Of course, the cross sectional shape of torque member 16 may also be varied for similar purposes.