Self-locking turnbuckle

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION A TURNBUCKLE AND LOCKING MEANS THEREOF, SAID TURNBUCKLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY HAVING A BORE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH SAID BODY, RIGHT-HAND THREADS IN ONE END OF SAID BORE AND LEFT-HAND THREADS IN THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID BORE, EXTERNAL LEFTHAND THREADS ON THE SAID ONE END OF SAID BORE, EXTERNAL LEFTRIGHT-HAND THREADS ON THE SAID OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BODY, AND THREADED TENSION-RECEIVING SHAFTS RECEIVED IN THE SAID ONE AND OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BORE AND ENGAGING THE THREADS IN SAID ENDS OF THE BORE; AND SAID LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ABUTMENTS ONE ON EACH OF SAID SHAFTS AXIALLY REMOVED FROM THE THREADS ON SAID SHAFTS, SAID ABUTMENTS BEING FIXED AGAINST AXIAL AND ROTARY MOTION ON SAID SHAFTS, INTERNALLY THREADED SLEEVES ENGAGING THE EXTERNAL THREADS ON THE BODY, AND RADIALLY INWARDLY EXTENDING WALLS ON SAID SLEEVES ADAPTED TO ROTATE RELTIVE TO AND ENGAGE SAID RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ABUTMENTS ON THE SH AFTS ON THE SIDES OF SAID ABUTMENTS REMOTE FROM SAID BODY, WHEREBY TO PREVENT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFTS OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY BEYOND SAID WALLS.