Fastener

Abstract

A fastener has a body and a cage with cam surfaces formed on interengaging components to inhibit relative rotation. A washer is interposed between said surfaces and has oppositely directed faces with cam surfaces formed on one face and serrations on the other. The serrations engage the planar underside of the body.

1 ) A fastener comprising a body having a planar end face, a cage rotatably secured to said body and having a radial face directed toward said end face and side walls extending toward and overlying a portion of said body to inhibit axial separation, and a washer interposed between said body and said cage, said washer having a pair of oppositely directed faces, one of said faces being directed toward said planar end face of said body and having serrations formed thereon for engagement with said planar end face to inhibit relative rotation therebetween, and the other of said faces being directed toward said radial face of said cage and having a cam surface formed thereon, said cam surface engaging a complementary cam surface on an oppositely directed face to induce relative axial movement upon rotation between said faces.  
   
   
       2 ) A fastener according to  claim 1  wherein said complementary cam surface is formed on said radial face of said cage.  
   
   
       3 ) A fastener according to  claim 2  wherein said cage has an outer surface oppositely directed to said radial face and serrations are formed on said outer surface.  
   
   
       4 ) A fastener according to  claim 1  wherein said complementary cam surface is formed on a second washer interposed between said radial face and said other of said faces.  
   
   
       5 ) A fastener according to  claim 4  wherein said radial face and said second washer have opposed faces and a second set of complementary cam surfaces are formed on said opposed surfaces to induce axial displacement upon relative rotation therebetween.  
   
   
       6 ) A fastener according to claims  1  wherein said body has a flared skirt adjacent said radial face and said side walls overlap said skirt.  
   
   
       7 ) A fastener according to  claim 6  wherein said body is a nut having planar flanks to permit torque transmission thereto.  
   
   
       8 ) A fastener according to claims  1  wherein each of said cam surfaces include a plurality of inclined facets distributed about an axis of rotation.  
   
   
       9 ) A fastener according to  claim 8  wherein said facets are interconnected by ridges to provide a torque-transmitting abutment between said faces.  
   
   
       10 ) A fastener according to  claim 5  wherein said cam surfaces on opposite sides of said second washer are different.  
   
   
       11 ) A fastener according to  claim 10  wherein said facets associated with one of said cam surfaces are inclined of different length to facets associated with the other of said cam surfaces.  
   
   
       12 ) A fastener according to  claim 10  wherein said body has a plurality of flats formed thereon to define a polygonal body and the number of said facets is an integral multiple of the number of flats.  
   
   
       13 ) A fastener according to  claim 1  wherein said serrations are asymmetric and extend substantially continuously across said surface, each of said serrations having an inclined facet and a generally axial end face and being oppositely directed to said cam surface.  
   
   
       14 ) A fastener according to  claim 13  wherein said facets are disposed at 15° to a radial plane.  
   
   
       15 ) A fastener comprising a body having an end face, a cage rotatably secured to said body and having a radial face directed toward said end face and side walls extending toward and overlying a portion of said body, said radial face and said end face being interconnected by cam surfaces formed thereon and operable to induce relative axial movement upon relative rotation between said faces, and an abutment between said cage and said body to limit axial separation therebetween.  
   
   
       16 ) A fastener according to  claim 15  wherein said abutment is selectively removable to permit increased axial movement between said body and cage.  
   
   
       17 ) A fastener according to  claim 15  wherein a washer is interposed between said body and said cage, said washer having a pair of oppositely directed faces, one of which is directed toward said end face of said body and the other of which is directed toward said radial face of said cage, opposed faces of said fastener having complementary cam surfaces thereon to induce relative axial movement between said body and said cage.  
   
   
       18 ) A fastener according to  claim 17  wherein said abutment is selectively removable to permit increased axial movement between said body and cage.  
   
   
       19 ) A fastener according to  claim 18  wherein said abutment is resilient to facilitate insertion between said cage and said body.  
   
   
       20 ) A fastener according to  claim 19  wherein said cage has an inclined wall extending across but spaced from said body and said abutment is removably secured between said inclined wall and said body.  
   
   
       21 ) A fastener according to  claim 20  wherein said body has a flared skirt and said side walls overlap said skirt.  
   
   
       22 ) A fastener according to  claim 21  wherein said flared skirt is surmounted by a nut having planar flanks to permit torque transmission thereto.  
   
   
       23 ) A fastener according to  claim 22  wherein said complementary cam surfaces include a plurality of facets inclined to a radial plane and interconnected by ridges to provide a torque-transmitting abutment between said faces.  
   
   
       24 ) A fastener according to  claim 22  wherein said cam surfaces associated with respective ones of said opposed pairs of faces are different.  
   
   
       25 ) A fastener assembly for securing a pair of components to one another, said fastener assembly including a bolt having a head with a first end face directed toward one of said components and a threaded shank depending from said head, a nut having a body and a second end face directed toward another of said components, said body being threaded to receive said shank, a cage secured to one of said head and said body and having a radial face extending across a respective one of said end faces, an abutment acting between said cage and said body to limit relative axial movement therebetween and a washer interposed between said cage and said end face, said washer having a pair of oppositely directed faces, one of which is directed toward said one end face and the other of which is directed toward said radial face of said cage, opposed pairs of said faces having complementary cam surfaces formed thereon to induce axial movement upon relative rotation between said faces.  
   
   
       26 ) A fastener according to  claim 25  wherein said abutment is selectively removable to permit increased axial movement between said body and cage.  
   
   
       27 ) A fastener according to  claim 26  wherein a washer is interposed between said body and said cage, said washer having a pair of oppositely directed faces, one of which is directed toward said end face of said body and the other of which is directed toward said radial face of said cage, opposed faces of said fastener having complementary cam surfaces thereon to induce relative axial movement between said body and said cage.  
   
   
       28 ) A fastener according to  claim 27  wherein said abutment is selectively removable to permit increased axial movement between said body and cage.  
   
   
       29 ) A fastener according to  claim 28  wherein said abutment is resilient to facilitate insertion between said cage and said body.  
   
   
       30 ) A fastener according to  claim 29  wherein said cage has an inclined wall extending across but spaced from said body and said abutment is removably secured between said inclined wall and said body.  
   
   
       31 ) A fastener according to  claim 30  wherein said body has a flared skirt and said side walls overlap said skirt.  
   
   
       32 ) A fastener according to  claim 31  wherein said flared skirt is surmounted by a nut having planar flanks to permit torque transmission thereto.  
   
   
       33 ) A fastener according to  claim 30  wherein said complementary cam surfaces include a plurality of facets inclined to a radial plane and interconnected by ridges to provide a torque-transmitting abutment between said faces.  
   
   
       34 ) A fastener according to  claim 33  wherein said cam surfaces associated with respective ones of said opposed pairs of faces are different.