Self-locking fastener system and process
Abstract:
A threaded fastener, inserted into a hole in materials to be joined, receives a free-running collar (nut) with out-of-round duplex barrels. Spring-loaded twin sockets cradle the barrels and a restraining polygon key extends through the sockets and into a recess in the small face on the pin tail. Installation advances in tandem sequence; tightening before swaging. A machined groove with flat bottom and side rising at about 20 degrees from axial forms a boundary and partly reshapes crests from parallel to angular. Such inclination keeps the collar connected to the cavity of the larger of twin sockets throughout tangential tightening, rise of torque, displacement of crest material, recoil of the smaller socket on the end barrel, cessation of collar rotation and plunging torque. When recoil ends, radial torque on the smaller socket crushes and locks barrel material into underlying left hand helical troughs that interrupt the last few pin threads.
Information query
Patent Agency Ranking
0/0