Self-locking prevailing torque fastener

Claim 1

A self-locking prevailing torque fastener (40) for inserting into an article opening and securing a threaded member thereto, said fastener comprising: a base portion (2) having an aperture (4) for receiving the threaded member therethrough that is at least partially surrounded by means for engaging the threads of the threaded member and securing the threaded member to the fastener (40) in response to rotatational advancement of the threaded member through the aperture, a pair of resilient arms having respective sections (8) extending downwardly and inwardly towards each other from opposite edges of the base portion (2) in a spaced-apart relationship sufficient to enable the threaded member to be received from the aperture therebetween and thence having respective sections (10) extending outwardly away from each other and upwardly towards the base portion (2) and thence having respective sections (12) extending inwardly towards each other and through respective openings (14) disposed in each arm on the side of the base portion (2) facing towards the article opening and thence downwardly away from the base portion to respective free-ends (16) thereof to provide a pair of torque arms that are spaced-apart from each other a distance sufficient to enable their respective engagement with opposite sides of the threaded member received through the aperture therebetween, a pair of tabs (18) respectively extending from each section (12) outwardly away from each other in proximity to the respective openings (14) therethrough, means (20) for registering the fastener tabs (14) with the opposite edges of the article opening when the arms of the fastener are inserted thereon, said tabs (18) dimensionally adapted to respectively engage opposite edges of the article opening upon their respective registration therewith, and said tabs (18) and said torque arms dimensionally adapted such that when the arms are inserted into the article opening, the tabs (18) respectively press against the opening opposite edges and urge a portion of each torque arm against opposite sides of the threaded member received from the aperture (4) therebetween with sufficient force to apply a force thereagainst that inhibits loosening of the threaded member from the fastener (40) coupled with a substantially equal and opposite force arising from the force exerted by the threaded member in the torque arms that urges the tabs (18) against the respective article opening opposite edges with sufficient force to lock the fastener (40) to the article.