Multifunction Reaction Washer and Stack accessed by Slim Reaction Socket

Abstract

Accurate reaction socket access within an outer washer diameter is provided via a number of tool access castles extending from a stepped bushing and serration top, which in turn provides low friction during initial tightening and securing after final loading of a nut/bolt. Bottom serration slipping during initial tightening and thread locking during initial loosening are eliminated by the reaction washer stacked on top and in contact with a support washer via helical ramps and ramp mates. During initial tightening or loosening, the ramp mates slide up or down the helical ramps whereby an axial load on the nut/bolt is ramped up or down prior to screwing it on the main thread. A clamp ring or ramp indenters may secure the two washers. An interposition washer may extend the axial reaction range of the washer stack. Direct tension indicators may be combined with the ramp indenters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A reaction washer comprising:
 a) a washer axis;   b) a top face;   c) a number of tool access castles that are circumferentially arrayed with respect to said washer axis and that are extending away from said top face and within and up to an outer washer diameter of said reaction washer.   
     
     
         2 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said number of tool access castles comprises a lock-on groove that is circumferentially at least partially undercutting said at least one tool access castle. 
     
     
         3 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom face that s radially extending up to said outer washer diameter. 
     
     
         4 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said number of tool access castles is extending downward away from said top face. 
     
     
         5 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said number of tool access castles is extending upward away from said top face. 
     
     
         6 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a number of bite spikes circumferentially arrayed on a bottom face of said reaction washer. 
     
     
         7 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a number of rotation stop serrations that are positioned on said top face below and surrounding a central bushing face. 
     
     
         8 ) The reaction washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a disk spring washer body. 
     
     
         9 ) The reaction washer of  claim 8 , further comprising a number of rotation stop serrations that are positioned on a trough of said top face such that said rotation stop serrations are below and around a central bushing face while said disk spring washer body is load free and such that said rotation stop serrations are at least level with said central bushing face while said disk spring washer body is flat loaded. 
     
     
         10 ) An axially reacting washer stack comprising:
 a) a washer axis;   b) a top washer comprising a reaction torque access;   c) a support washer;   d) a helical ramp interface comprising:
 i) at least one helical ramp that is ramping around said washer axis on at least on one of said top washer and said support washer; 
 ii) at least one ramp mate on at least one other of said top washer and said support washer, said ramp mate being slide able along said helical ramp while said top washer is contacting said support washer; and 
   e) an interface rotation lock that is rotationally locking said top washer with said support washer while said axially reacting washer stack is operationally loaded;   such that while an actuation torque is induced onto a tightening element resting on said top washer, said top washer is with respect to said support washer rotated around said washer axis in a helical movement and is correspondingly axially reacted along said washer axis by a reaction torque that is opposing said actuation torque.   
     
     
         11 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , wherein said reaction torque access is comprised of a number of tool access castles that are circumferentially arrayed with respect to said washer axis and that are extending away from said top face and within and up to an outer washer diameter of said axially reacting washer stack. 
     
     
         12 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said number of tool access castles comprises a circumferential groove that is circumferentially at least partially undercutting said at least one tool access castle. 
     
     
         13 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , further comprising a ramp lift stop comprising a first ramp stop face and a second ramp stop face, said first ramp stop face being combined with at least one of said top washer and said support washer and said second ramp stop face being combined with one other of said top washer and said support washer such that ramp mate is rotationally free bound within said helical ramp while said ramp mate is contacting said helical ramp. 
     
     
         14 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 13 , wherein said first ramp lift stop face is adjacent said helical ramp and wherein said second ramp lift stop face is adjacent said ramp mate. 
     
     
         15 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 13 , further comprising a lift stop washer comprising a lift stop castle and wherein at least one of said first and said second ramp stop face is part of said lift stop castle. 
     
     
         16 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , wherein said interface rotation lock is comprised of:
 a) a first circumferential lock feature on said top washer;   b) a second circumferential lock feature on said support washer; and   c) a circumferential lock ring that is rotationally locking together said top washer with said support washer while engaging with said first circumferential lock feature and said second circumferential lock feature.   
     
     
         17 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , wherein said interface rotation lock is comprised of a ramp indenter on at least one other of said top washer and said support washer than said helical ramp such that said ramp indenter is indented into said helical ramp once said washer stop level is reached and said axially reaction washer stack is being axially loaded. 
     
     
         18 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , further comprising an interposition washer that is stacked in between said support washer and said top washer; and wherein a first of said helical ramp interface is comprised of said interposition washer and said top washer and wherein a second of said helical ramp interface is comprised of said interposition washer and said support washer. 
     
     
         19 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , further comprising a nut-bolt assembly, wherein said axially reaction washer stack is being part of said nut-bolt assembly. 
     
     
         20 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 10 , further comprising a tightened assembly, wherein said axially reacting washer stack is being part of said tightened assembly. 
     
     
         21 ) An axially reacting washer stack comprising:
 a) a washer axis;   b) a top washer;   c) a support washer;   d) a helical ramp at least on one of said top washer and said support washer; and   e) a ramp indenter at least on one other of said top washer and said support washer, said indenter being in sliding contact with said helical ramp while said top washer is stacked on said support washer.   
     
     
         22 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 21 , wherein said ramp indenter is comprised of a bearing ball. 
     
     
         23 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 21 , wherein said ramp indenter is rotationally free supported in at least one of said top washer and said support washer such that said ramp indenter is rolling on said helical ramp while said top washer is rotated with respect to said washer axis along said helical ramp. 
     
     
         24 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 21 , wherein said ramp indenter is comprised of an indenting ramp. 
     
     
         25 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 21 , further comprising an indentation stop mate on at least one other of said top washer and said support washer, wherein said indentation stop mate comes in contact with said helical ramp at a predetermined indentation depth of said ramp indenter into said helical ramp. 
     
     
         26 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 21 , further comprising an indentation depth squirt indicator that is part of at least one of said support washer, said top washer and an interposition washer that is in between said top washer and said support washer, wherein said indentation depth squirt indicator comprises a squirting medium that said indentation depth squirt indicator is squirting away from said axially reacting washer stack at a predetermined indentation depth of said indenter into said helical ramp. 
     
     
         27 ) An axial reaction washer system comprising:
 a) a tightening axis;   b) a tightening element threaded on a main tightening thread, said tightening element comprising a load face and an actuation coupling such that said tightening element is being displaced axially along said tightening axis while being rotationally actuated and screwed along said main thread by an actuation torque applied via said actuation coupling   c) a top washer comprising a top face and a reaction coupling, said top lace being in contact with said load face;   d) a concentric socket tool comprising an inner actuation socket and an outer reaction socket, said inner actuation socket mating said actuation coupling and said outer reaction socket mating said reaction coupling such that said actuation torque is being transferred onto said tightening element via said inner actuation socket while a reaction torque is transferred onto said reaction coupling via said outer reaction socket, wherein said reaction torque is opposing said actuation torque such that said tightening element and said top washer are being rotated oppositely with respect to each other around said tightening axis;   e) a helical ramp;   f) a support washer in contact with said top washer via said helical ramp;   wherein:   a) said helical ramp is part of least one of said top washer and said support washer; and   b) said top washer is rotated by said reaction torque in a helical relative movement with respect to said support washer until a ramp friction on said helical ramp has increased up to a washer stop level at which said reaction torque is transferred onto said support washer such that said top washer is stopped and said tightening element is further rotated by said actuation torque.   
     
     
         28 ) The axial reaction washer system of  claim 27 , wherein said number of tool access castles are within and up to an outer washer stack diameter of said top washer and said support washer and wherein said outer socket comprises an outer socket bottom diameter that is within and up to said outer washer diameter. 
     
     
         29 ) The axial reaction washer system of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of said number of tool access castles comprises an undercutting groove and wherein said reaction socket comprises a hooking nose that is correspondingly shaped and engaging with said undercutting groove and axially locking said reaction socket with said at least one of said number of tool access castles prior to transferring a reaction torque from said reaction socket onto said tool access castle. 
     
     
         30 ) The axially reacting washer stack of  claim 27 , further comprising an interposition washer that is stacked in between said support washer and said top washer; and wherein a first of said helical ramp is comprised of at least one of said interposition washer and said top washer and wherein a second of said helical ramp is comprised of at least one of said interposition washer and said support washer. 
     
     
         31 ) The axial reaction washer system of  claim 27 , further comprising a ramp indenter on at least one other of said top washer and said support washer than said helical ramp such that said ramp indenter is indented into said helical ramp once said washer stop level is reached and said tightening element is being loaded. 
     
     
         32 ) The axial reaction washer system of  claim 27 , wherein:
 a) at least one of said top washer and said tightening element comprises a first circumferential lock feature;   b) said support washer comprises a second circumferential lock feature; and   c) said axially reacting washer stack further comprises a circumferential lock ring that is rotationally locking together said top washer with said support washer while engaging with said first circumferential lock feature and said second circumferential lock feature.   
     
     
         33 ) The axial reaction washer system of  claim 32 , wherein:
 a) said first circumferential lock feature is comprised of said actuation coupling;   b) said second circumferential lock feature is comprised of a peripheral bottom serration vertically extending on an circumferential face of said support washer; and   c) said circumferential lock ring is comprised of a axial press ring that is initially engaging with said actuation coupling and consecutively pressed over peripheral bottom serration while said sacrificial mantle ring is press assembled over said tightening element, said top washer and said support washer.