Shur-lok Corporation

Albert L Worthing

Daniel J McCorkle

Fernando R De La Fuente

A locking assembly for fastening two components together, such as a fluid coupling assembly, is disclosed. A first member has a serrated annular surface and fastening threads adjacent a bearing surface. A second member has a flexible projection or projections or a complementary configuration to the serrated annular surface. The second member also includes fastening threads and a bearing surface. When the respective threads engage, they provide the primary preloading force to the bearing surface, while simultaneously the projections and the serrated detects provide a retention force to ensure a positive coupling.

Coupling joint assembly with integral retention mechanism

A castellated locknut having an annular ring and a set of castellations, wherein the castellations are tapered to provide a locking mechanism. The locknut is provided with a circumferential groove formed between the castellations and the annular body which ensures that the castellations have equal base cross-sectional areas, such that the castellations deflect uniformly upon mounting to a shaft. Further, the provision of the circumferential groove renders the annular ring torsionally flexible as compared to the flexural stiffness of the castellations. Upon mounting to a shaft, the annular ring of the locknut elastically and torsionally deflects, thus allowing the castellations to pivot clear of the shaft without undesirable inelastic deformation. Accordingly, a precise and uniform locknut having an effective locking mechanism is achieved. In an alternative embodiment, the castellations are not tapered; rather the castellations are bent radially by the application of a load prior to mounting to a shaft such that, upon mounting to the shaft, a locking interference is achieved.

Self-locking, castellated locknut

A fastener designed to be securerd into a hole in an aircraft panel can be manufactured from an integral engineering thermoplastic structure which includes a centrally located cylindrical body carrying flanges at its ends. One of these flanges has diametrically opposed notches leading through it. Ribs are located on the flanges so that when the fastener is within a hole in a panel and a fluid resin composition is forced in to one of the notches the flow is divided into two separate streams, each of which flows in a labyrinth-like manner in reaching the other notch.

Sandwich panel fastener

The method of affixing a fastener to a panel, said fastener comprising a body portion and a flange portion, said body portion comprising a thermoplastic material and being of a length greater than the thickness of said panel, comprising the steps of: inserting said fastener into and through said panel opening, whereby an end of said body portion of said fastener extends beyond the plane of the surface of the opposed side surface of said panel; and applying ultrasonic energy to said end of said fastener body portion for reshaping said end into a flange, said ultrasonic energy causing said end to flare over and contact said adjacent panel surface thereby sealing the panel against moisture entering the core space via the fastener installation hole. In a fastener of the type for mounting to a sandwich type panel and adapted to receive a bolt to attach external objects to said; said fastener having a body portion extending within said panel and having a flange portion external of said panel, the improvement comprising: said fastener body portion comprises a thermoplastic material and wherein said flange portion comprises a metal material and wherein the fastener contains a predetermined volume, V1, and is of a given weight, W1, and wherein the factor D1, defined as the weight, W1, divided by the volume, V1, is equal to or less than the density characteristic of the metal titanium.

Fastener and assembly process

A fastener structure which is especially desirable for use with laminated members such as graphite fiber members in which the fibers are secured together with an epoxy resin can be constructed utilizing a layer of a thermoplastic adhesive on at least one heat conductive functional part of the fastener. The fastener is preferably constructed so as to include a plate capable of being located against a surface of the member, a shank extending through a hole in the member and a holding part or element for securing the shank so that the plate is held against the surface of the member. The precise fastener used may be formed as a grommet, a rivet, a nut element or the like. Such a fastener can be constructed so as to provide corner reinforcement for the laminated member.

Growing community of inventors

Tustin, CA, United States of America

Albert L Worthing