Tension indicating washer

Claim 1

A tension indicating washer to indicate a predetermined loading in a joint, said washer comprising an annular disc-like body portion having first and second opposed faces with said second face defining a bearing surface, said body portion having an aperture adapted for receiving the shank of a threaded fastener; a pair of arm members projecting outwardly from the outer periphery of said body portion, each said arm having an elbow and an outer extremity extending in a direction axially away from bearing surface from said elbow to a position above said first face of said body portion; each elbow having a circumferentially inner and a circumferentially outer section, said circumferentially inner sections being adjacent each other, the circimferentially outer section of each elbow being displaced to a horizontal plane below the horizontal plane of said circumferentially inner section such that as tension is applied to the joint, the elbow will cause rotation of at least a portion of each arm so that the outer extremities thereof will approach each other and will touch when the predetermined proper loading is achieved in the joint.