Locknut

Claim 2

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external crosssection and a frusto-conical extension at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending throughout the axial extent thereof, said body portion having a plurality of radial indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external crosssection, and said threaded bore having a plurality of distorted locking regions in radial and axial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions of said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said frustoconical extension whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said frusto-conical extension, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut engages a mating threaded member, each indentation having an arcuate inner wall which is part of a cylinder that either surrounds or intersects said threaded bore and each locking region being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said undistorted region, said inner wall being substantially parallel to the axis of said locknut throughout its axial extent, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 3

A locknut according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate inner walls extend parallel to the axis of said locknut.

Claim 4

A locknut according to claim 1 wherein: a. said external cross-section of said body portion is hexagonal and said body portion has three indentations in alternate flat surfaces thereof at the juncture of said body portion and said frusto-conical section; b. each of said indentations extends across 50 percent to 70 percent of the width of the flat surface in which it is located; and c. each of said indentations extends along 15 percent to 45 percent of the height of said body portion of said locknut.

Claim 5

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-section and a frusto-conical crown portion at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending axially thereof between the top end of said crown portion and a second end of said body portion, said body portion having a plurality of indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a corresponding number of distorted locking regions in radial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions in said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said crown portion whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said crown portion, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, said locking regions extending radially inward of said undistorted regions and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said locknut, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut threadably engages a mating threaded member, each of said indentations having a convexly curved inner wall with ends indented further from the associated flat surface than is the crest of said curved inner wall, said inner wall being substantially parallel to said axis throughout its axial extent and said locking regions being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said inner walls of said indentations, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 6

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-section and a frusto-conical crown portion at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending axially thereof between the top end of said crown portion and a second end of said body portion, said body portion having a plurality of indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a corresponding number of distorted locking regions in radial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions in said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said crown portion whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said crown portion, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, said locking regions extending radially inward of said undistorted regions and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said locknut, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut threadably engages a mating threaded member, each of said indentations having a convexly curved inner wall with ends indented further from the associated flat surface than is the crest of said curved inner wall, said inner wall being substantially parallel to said axis throughout its axial extent and said locking regions being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said inner walls of said indentations, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 7

A locknut according to claim 4 wherein said external cross-section of said body portion is hexagonal and said body portion has three indentations in alternate flat surfaces thereof.

Claim 8

A locknut according to claim 4 wherein the curvature of said inner walls of said indentations is more flat than the curvature of said threaded bore prior to being distorted.

Claim 9

A locknut according to claim 5 wherein each of said indentations extends across 50 percent to 70 percent of the width of the flat surface in which it is located.

Claim 10

A locknut according to claim 7 wherein each of said indentations extends along 15 percent to 45 percent of the height of said body portion of said locknut.

Claim 11

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-section and a frustoconical extension at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending throughout the axial extent thereof, said body portion having a plurality of radial indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a plurality of distorted locking regions in radial and axial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions of said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said frustoconical extension whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said frustoconical extension, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut engages a mating threaded member, each indentation having an arcuate inner wall which is part of a cylinder that either surrounds or intersects said threaded bore and each locking region being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said undistorted regions, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 12

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-section and a frustoconical extension at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending throughout the axial extent thereof, said body portion having a plurality of radial indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a plurality of distorted locking regions in radial and axial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions of said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said frustoconical extension whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said frustoconical extension, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut engages a mating threaded member, each indentation having an arcuate inner wall which is part of a cylinder that either surrounds or intersects said threaded bore and each locking region being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said undistorted regions, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 13

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-secTion and a frustoconical crown portion at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending axially thereof between the top end of said crown portion and a second end of said body portion, said body portion having a plurality of indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a corresponding number of distorted locking regions in radial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions in said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said crown portion whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said crown portion, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, said locking regions extending radially inward of said undistorted regions and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said locknut, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut threadably engages a mating threaded member, each of said indentations having a convexly curved inner wall with ends indented further from the associated flat surface than is the crest of said curved inner wall, and said locking regions being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said inner walls of said indentations, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.

Claim 14

A locknut having a body portion of polygonal external cross-secTion and a frustoconical crown portion at one end of said body portion, said locknut also having a threaded bore extending axially thereof between the top end of said crown portion and a second end of said body portion, said body portion having a plurality of indentations in selected flat surfaces thereof spaced from the corners of said polygonal external cross-section, and said threaded bore having a corresponding number of distorted locking regions in radial alignment with said indentations and extending between relatively undistorted regions in said threaded bore, said indentations intersecting said body portion and said crown portion whereby each of said indentations is located partially within said body portion and partially within said crown portion, said indentations being of a width and of a height less than those of said flat surfaces, said locking regions extending radially inward of said undistorted regions and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said locknut, the magnitude of said indentations being such that the locking regions cause said locknut to be stressed elastically when said locknut threadably engages a mating threaded member, each of said indentations having a convexly curved inner wall with ends indented further from the associated flat surface than is the crest of said curved inner wall, and said locking regions being curved in generally the same direction as the direction of curvature of said inner walls of said indentations, the radius of curvature of said locking regions being greater than the radius of curvature of said undistorted regions.