Thread lock

Abstract

The method of making a friction locking fastener of the type having in the thread grooves a first deposit formed of a mixture of an uncured epoxy resin and a radiation-curable, film-forming material, and a second deposit of a fluid curing agent and a radiation-curable, film-forming material. The deposits are made in the thread grooves at circumferentially spaced locations so that a very thin coating of the radiation-curable, film-forming material develops at the surface of each deposit. The deposits are subjected to high intensity ultraviolet radiation for a few seconds to transform the coatings developed on the surfaces of the deposits into thin, continuous, flexible, non-tacky protective films which cover the still fluid deposits in the thread grooves of the article. Alternatively, when one or both the resin and the curing agent are microencapsulated. They may be contained in a single mixture which includes the radiation-curable material. That mixture, when deposited and exposed to radiation, will form a protective film at the surface. The resin will not be polymerized until the capsule are ruptured.

I claim: 
     
       1. The method of making a threaded friction locking article provided with thread locking means adapted to resist separation from a mating threaded member which comprises placing at a first location on the threaded surface of the article a first deposit .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.consisting essentially of .Iaddend.a fluid mixture of an uncured resin .[.and.]. .Iadd.having throughout .Iaddend.a radiation-curable, film-forming material so that a very thin .Iadd.integral .Iaddend.film coating of said radiation-curable, first-forming material develops at the surface of said first deposit, placing at a second location spaced circumferentially from said first location on said threaded surface a second deposit .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.consisting essentially of .Iaddend.a fluid mixture of a curing agent for the resin .[.and.]. .Iadd.having throughout .Iaddend.a radiation-curable, film-forming material so that a very thin .Iadd.integral .Iaddend.coating of the radiation-curable, film-forming material develops at the surface of said second deposit, and thereafter initiating a brief high intensity radiation of the radiation-curable film-forming material at the surfaces of said deposits to transform the same into thin, .Iadd.integral, .Iaddend.continuous, flexible, non-tacky outer protective films which cover the still fluid mixtures on the threaded surface of the article, said films being rupturable to permit intermixing of said resin and curing agent and curing of said resin. 
     
     
       2. The method as defined in claim 1, which comprises supporting the article with its axis vertical during deposition of the two deposits and radiation thereof, in which said deposits when deposited have a viscosity which permits flow thereof down into the thread grooves and laterally along the thread grooves while preventing substantial flow longitudinally of the article. 
     
     
       3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said radiation-curable material in each deposit includes trimethylopropane triacrylate. 
     
     
       4. The method as defined in claim 1, which comprises applying the deposit in the thread grooves at a temperature of about 90° F. 
     
     
       5. The method as defined in claim 1, in which the first deposit comprises a mixture by weight of about 15%-74% of the resin, about 20%-75% of a monomer, and about 1%-10% of a photoinitiator. 
     
     
       6. The method as defined in claim 1, in which the second deposit comprises a mixture by weight of about 15%-74% of the curing agent, about 20%-75% of a monomer, and about 1%-10% of a photoinitiator. 
     
     
       7. The method of mass producing articles by the method defined in claim 1, which comprises continuously advancing a series of articles horizontally through a deposit station and making the deposits in the thread grooves as the articles advance, and subjecting the deposits to ultraviolet radiation at a radiation station beyond the deposit station as the articles continue to advance. 
     
     
       8. The method of mass producing articles by the method defined in claim 7, which comprises collecting the finished articles at random immediately after exposure to the ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
       9. The method defined in claim 8, in which said first deposit comprises a mixture by weight of about 15%-74% of epoxy resin, about 20%-75% of a trimethylopropane triacrylate, and about 1%-10% of a photoinitiator. 
     
     
       10. The method as defined in claim 8, in which said second deposit comprises a mixture by weight of about 15%-74% of an amine curing agent, about 20%-75% of trimethylopropane triacrylate, and about 1%-10% of a photoinitiator. 
     
     
       11. The method of producing a threaded article provided with thread locking means adapted to resist separation from a mating threaded article which comprises depositing a fluid lock-forming material on the threaded surface of the article to be received in the thread grooves and fill the bottoms of the thread grooves, the fluid material .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.consisting essentially of .Iaddend.a fluid mixture including uncured resin contained in micro-capsules .[.,.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.a curing agent for the resin.[., and.]. .Iadd.having throughout .Iaddend.a radiation-curable film-forming material, and thereafter subjecting the radiation-curable material at the surface of said deposit to radiation to transform the same into .[.a.]. .Iadd.an integral, .Iaddend.thin, continuous, flexible, non-tacky outer protective film which covers the still fluid mixture in the thread grooves of the article, said film and micro-capsules being rupturable to permit intermixing of said resin and curing agent and curing of said resin. 
     
     
       12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the radiation-curable material includes trimethylopropane triacrylate. 
     
     
       13. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein said radiation-curable material comprises a monomer and a photoinitiator. 
     
     
       14. The method as defined in claim 13, in which the monomer is trimethylopropane triacrylate. 
     
     
       15. The method as defined in claim 1, in which the radiation-curable material includes a monomer and a photoinitiator, the monomer is trimethylopropane triacrylate, and the radiation-curable material is subjected to ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
       16. The method of producing a threaded article provided with thread locking means adapted to resist separation from a mating threaded article which comprises depositing a fluid lock-forming material on the threaded surface of the article to be received in the thread grooves and fill the bottoms of the thread grooves, the fluid material .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.consisting essentially of .Iaddend.a fluid mixture of an uncured resin and a fluid curing agent for said resin, one of which is contained in micro-capsules, said mixture .[.also including.]. .Iadd.having throughout .Iaddend.a radiation-curable film-forming material, and thereafter subjecting the radiation-curable material at the surface of said deposit to radiation to transform the same into .[.a.]. .Iadd.an integral, .Iaddend.thin, continuous, flexible, non-tacky outer protective film which covers the still fluid mixture in the thread grooves of the article, said film and micro-capsules being rupturable to permit intermixing of said resin and curing agent and curing of said resin. 
     
     
       17. The method as defined in claim 1 in which the radiation curable material comprises a monomer and a photoinitiator.