Tapered locking nut

Claim 2

A locking nut comprising: a body having wrenching surfaces on its exterior, a base at one end upon which said body is adapted to be seated, and a threaded bore extending through said body, the thread of said bore having a pitch diameter which tapers toward the end opposite from said base, throughout the entire length of said bore, at and included angle of from about 1° to about 2°, having a fully formed root having a taper similar to that of said pitch diameter, and having a crest which is of a constant diameter, said crest being truncated with the truncation increasing from adjacent said base to adjacent said opposite end, said thread being continuous and uninterrupted by axial grooves or beams, whereby when a bolt is threaded into said nut the tread of said bolt will interface with said thread of said nut to create a locking effect.

Claim 3

The locking nut of claim 1, wherein said body is substantially rigid and substantially unbendable, such that said locking effect is created by interference between the thread of said bolt and the thread of said nut, without base deflection.

Claim 4

In combination with an exteriorly threaded member of constant diameter, a lock nut comprising: a body having a threaded bore extending therethrough, the thread of said bore being continuous and uninterrupted by axial grooves or beams and having a pitch diameter which tapers from adjacent one end toward the opposite end, throughout the entire length of said bore, at an included angle within the range of from about 1° to 2°, having a substantially fully formed thread profile adjacent said one end, and having a crest which is truncated to an increasing degree from adjacent said substantially fully formed thread profile to adjacent said opposite end, said crest having a constant diameter from said one end to said opposite end, said threaded bore being dimensioned such that said exteriorly threaded member can mate therewith and experience relatively free rotation relative to said body at said one end but will experience interference adjacent said opposite end, whereby said exteriorly threaded member and said body can be threaded together and will become locked against loosening by vibration.

Claim 5

In combination with an exteriorly threaded member of constant diameter, a lock nut comprising: a body having a threaded bore extending therethrough, the thread of said bore being continuous and uninterrupted by axial grooves or beams and having a pitch diameter which tapers from adjacent one end toward the opposite end, throughout the entire length of said bore, at an included angle within the range of from about 1° to 2°, having a substantially fully formed thread profile adjacent said one end, and having a crest which is truncated to an increasing degree from adjacent said substantially fully formed thread profile to adjacent said opposite end, said crest having a constant diameter from said one end to said opposite end, said threaded bore being dimensioned such that said exteriorly threaded member can mate therewith and experience relatively free rotation relative to said body at said one end but will experience interference adjacent said opposite end, whereby said exteriorly threaded member and said body can be threaded together and will become locked against loosening by vibration.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3, wherein said interference is such that it requires a torque within a predetermined range to unthread said exteriorly threaded member from said nut.

Claim 7

A locking nut comprising: a body having a threaded bore extending therethrough, the thread of said bore having a pitch diameter which tapers from one end of said body to its opposite end at an included angle of from about 1° to about 2°, said thread having a fully formed root with a taper substantially the same as that of said pitch diameter, said thread further having a crest which is of a constant diameter, said crest being tuncated with the truncation increasing from adjacent said cone end to adjacent said opposite end, whereby when a bolt of constant diameter is threaded into said nut the thread of said bolt will interfere with said thread of said nut to create a locking effect.

Claim 8

A locking nut comprising: a body having a threaded bore extending therethrough, the thread of said bore having a pitch diameter which tapers from one end of said body to its opposite end at an included angle of from about 1° to about 2°, said thread having a fully formed root with a taper substantially the same as that of said pitch diameter, said thread further having a crest which is of a constant diameter, said crest being tuncated with the truncation increasing from adjacent said cone end to adjacent said opposite end, whereby when a bolt of constant diameter is threaded into said nut the thread of said bolt will interfere with said thread of said nut to create a locking effect.

Claim 9

The locking nut of claim 5, wherein the pitch diameter of said thread is tapered throughout the entire length of said bore.

Claim 10

The locking nut of claim 5, wherein said thread is continuous through said bore and uninterrupted by axial grooves or beams.

Claim 11

A locking nut comprising: a substantially rigid, substantially unbendable body, said body having a threaded bore extending therethrough from one end of said body to an opposite end thereof, the thread of said bore having a pitch diameter which tapers from said one end to said opposite end at an included angle of from substantially 1° to 2°, with said thread being continuous and uniterrrupted by axial grooves or beams, and being of substantially full dimension, except at the crest thereof, said crest of said thread being increasingly truncated from said one end to said opposite end, with said crest of said thread having a constant diameter, such that when an exteriorly threaded member of constant diameter is threaded into said nut, the thread of said member will interfere with said thread of said nut to create interference and a locking effect resistant to vibration.

Claim 12

A locking nut comprising: a substantially rigid, substantially unbendable body, said body having a threaded bore extending therethrough from one end of said body to an opposite end thereof, the thread of said bore having a pitch diameter which tapers from said one end to said opposite end at an included angle of from substantially 1° to 2°, with said thread being continuous and uniterrrupted by axial grooves or beams, and being of substantially full dimension, except at the crest thereof, said crest of said thread being increasingly truncated from said one end to said opposite end, with said crest of said thread having a constant diameter, such that when an exteriorly threaded member of constant diameter is threaded into said nut, the thread of said member will interfere with said thread of said nut to create interference and a locking effect resistant to vibration.

Claim 13

The locking of claim 8, wherein the pitch diameter of said thread is tapered throughout the entire length of said bore.