Self-locking fastener

Claim 1

A self-locking fastener comprising thread means around a central axis, a load surface, and wrenching means permitting said fastener to be tightened and loosened, said load surface being adapted to be tightened against a substantially flat mating surface and providing self-locking means including: (a) an annular bearing surface concentric with said thread means having an outer edge located in a bearing plane perpendicular to said central axis and extending back from said plane as it extends radially inward from said edge; (b) a plurality of circumferentially disposed radially extending teeth extending substantially radially from said edge of said bearing surface, said teeth providing edges lying along said plane, inclined ramp surfaces and axially extending locking surfaces which extend to an inner axially extending end surface and cooperate therewith to define recesses between said teeth extending back from said bearing plane along the entire length of said teeth; (c) an annular axially extending skirt around said teeth at the outer extremities thereof, said skirt having an axial edge in said bearing plane and providing opposed inner and outer axially extending walls which substantially intersect at said axial edge; (d) tightening of said fastener against a mating surface causing said edge of said bearing surface, said edges of said teeth and said axial edge of said skirt to engage said mating surface substantially simultaneously and to be pressed into said mating surface and causing the material forming said mating surface to be displaced past said bearing plane into said recesses adjacent to said locking surfaces so that a mechanical interference is established between said locking surfaces and the material of said mating surface displaced past said bearing plane to resist loosening of said fastener, said ramp surfaces engaging the material displaced past said bearing plane while said fastener is being tightened and operating to provide a camming action allowing continued tightening of said fastener without encountering excessive torque; and (e) said skirt and said bearing surface providing support for the ends of said teeth and also cooperating to form a continuous seal along both extremities of said teeth.