Ford Motor Company Limited

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

James A Levitte

Hui Wang

Richard L Seidel

Ronald G Weiss

Jonathon P Schmidt

Allan J Theisen

A locking washer for axles on vehicles that prevents a nut from rotational movement relative to the axle. The locking washer includes a sleeve step having central passage with a non-cylindrical section that is rotationally coupled to the axle. The non-cylindrical section may include polygonal lobes or splines that engage a matching shaped portion on the axle. The washer is engaged directly on the shaped portion of the axle instead of the threaded portion of the axle and thereby reduces manufacturing costs and steps by eliminating machining of the threaded portion. The washer being engaged on the shaped portion prevents any relative movements between the axle and the washer from disturbances such as vibration, impact, and rotation.

Wheel end assembly with locking fastener

A screw or bolt has a conventional threaded shank and a tapered pilot or lead end for easy entry to a threaded receptacle or nut. A pilot lead extends axially from the end of the shank. In one form, the pilot is cylindrical having an axis that either intersects or is parallel to the axis of the shank. Partial threads extend around the portion of the periphery of the pilot and an unthreaded transition surface angularly spaced from, transversely opposite, the partial threads extends to the outer surface of the shank. In another form, the pilot is elliptical having partial threads extending over a portion of its periphery and an unthreaded surface transversely opposite the pilot threads.

Fastener screw thread and pilot to avoid cross threading

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

James A Levitte