AU2008202398A1

AU2008202398A1 - Fastener locking device

Info

Publication number: AU2008202398A1
Application number: AU2008202398A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hannu Tapio Kangas
Original assignee: EILA KANGAS; MICHAEL KANGAS
Current assignee: Kangas Eila Anneli; Kangas John Tapio; Kangas Michael Arvi
Priority date: 2007-05-30
Filing date: 2008-05-30
Publication date: 2008-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-30
Also published as: AU2008202398B2

Description

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00

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0q P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "FASTENER LOCKING DEVICE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 00

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FASTENER LOCKING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fastener locking device. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a fastener locking device for

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0preventing either a nut or the head of a bolt of a nut-and-bolt assembly from crotating.

00 OBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Nut-and-bolt assemblies are commonly used to attach machinery parts to one another.

For example, rotary tiller blades are typically attached to a support at two or more points by nut-and-bolt assemblies to prevent the blade from turning back on its support as the blade comes in contact with soil, while allowing each blade to be replaced when it becomes worn. Unfortunately, nut-and-bolt assemblies are prone to loosen over time due to mechanical vibrations that are created when the rotary tiller is in operation, which causes the nut or bolt to rotate.

Accordingly, each nut-and-bolt assembly must be inspected and tightened on a regular basis in order to ensure the blade is properly attached to its support.

However, tightening each nut-and-bolt assembly is a time consuming and awkward procedure since it requires a person to hold the bolt head from one side of a rotor while rotating the nut from the other side of the rotor to prevent the bolt from rotating as the nut is tightened.

Furthermore, nut-and-bolt assemblies are subject to wear when exposed to abrasive environments. This is particularly relevant in the above example given of a rotary tiller where the nut and bolt assemblies are subject to wearing around a front side of a leading edge of the blade due to abrasion that is caused from contact with soil. As such, the bolt must be replaced before the bolt head becomes so worn that no face is left on the side of the bolt head for a spanner or similar type tool to hold.

2 00 0 The same problems discussed for nut and bolt assemblies used with N rotary tillers hold true for their use with trencher chains.

SOBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate one or more 00 limitations of the prior art by providing a fastener locking device which prevents a t fastener from rotating.

SA further object of the invention is to protect a flange of the fastener from 00

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Swearing.

A further object of the invention is to prevent the fastener from loosening due to mechanical vibration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form, although it need not be the only, or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a fastener locking device including: a base having one or more holes defined therein to allow at least two spaced fasteners to extend through the base to locate the base on a side of a support; and at least one constraining member which is connected to the base and which extends between the base and a flange of one of the fasteners to engage a face of the flange of the fastener, thereby to prevent the fastener from rotating relative to the base.

Advantageously, the constraining member may protect the flange of the fastener from damage.

Preferably, the fastener engaged by the constraining member is a boltand-nut assembly and the flange is a head of a bolt of the bolt-and-nut assembly or a nut of the bolt-and-nut assembly, and the constraining member is configured to engage a face of the head of the bolt or the nut.

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In one embodiment of the fastener locking device, the constraining member is integrally formed with the base.

O Preferably, the base defines an elongate stepped surface having at least one trough which has a hole defined therein through which a fastener can 00 extend, and including constraining members in the form of spaced apart walls Swhich define sides of the trough and between which the flange of the fastener is C captured so as to prevent rotation thereof.

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0 Preferably, the stepped surface has two troughs, each having a hole in which a fastener can be received.

In another embodiment of the fastener locking device one of the base and the constraining member includes a holding formation which engages the other of the base and the constraining member to prevent angular displacement of the constraining member relative to the base.

Preferably, the base includes the holding formation in the form of two spaced apart walls between which the constraining member is captured in an arrangement which prevents angular displacement of the constraining member relative to the base.

Alternatively, the constraining member includes the holding formation in the form of two spaced apart arms between which part of the base is captured in an arrangement which prevents angular displacement of the constraining member relative to the base.

Preferably, the constraining member includes two spaced apart walls between which the flange is captured.

Preferably, the constraining member has a hole defined therein through which one of the fasteners can extend to locate the constraining member on the base.

Preferably, the base has two spaced holes defined therein. One of the holes may be a slot.

Alternatively, the base has a single elongate slot defined therein.

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Preferably, the fastener locking device includes a constraining member for a each of the fasteners.

Preferably, one or both of the constraining member and the base includes 00oo an outwardly projecting bash formation which is positioned to be adjacent the Sflange of the fastener to protect the flange of the fastener from wear.

SPreferably, the bash formation is sufficiently spaced from the flange of the 00

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Sfastener to allow for a socket to engage the flange of the fastener without N 10 interference from the bash formation.

Preferably, the base and the constraining member are formed of metal plate.

In another form, the invention resides in a fastener locking assembly which includes: the fastener locking device as defined and described hereinabove; and a protection plate which has one or more holes defined therein to allow the at least two spaced fasteners to extend through the protection plate to locate the protection plate on the other side of the support and which includes a bash formation located adjacent the one or more holes to protect a flange of at least one of the fasteners.

Preferably, the fastener locking assembly includes: a first protection plate having the one or more holes defined therein; and a second protection plate having a single hole defined therein to allow for one of the fasteners to extend there through and having an engaging formation which engages the first protection plate, thereby to prevent the second protection plate from angular displacement relative to the first protection plate.

00 0 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To assist in understanding the invention and to enable a person skilled in the art to put the invention into practical effect, preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to the Cc 5 accompanying drawings, in which: 00 FIG 1A shows a top view of the fastener locking device according to a first Cembodiment; SFIG 1B shows a side view of the fastener locking device of FIG 1A; 00 oo 0FIG IC shows a front view of the fastener locking device of FIG 1A; FIG 1D shows a back view of the fastener locking device of FIG 1A; FIG 1E shows a perspective view of the fastener locking device of FIG 1A; FIG 2A shows a top view of the fastener locking device according to a second embodiment; FIG 2B shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device of FIG 2A; FIG 3A shows a top view of the fastener locking device according to a third embodiment; FIG 3B shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device of FIG 3A; FIG 4A shows a top view of the fastener locking device according to a fourth embodiment FIG 4B shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device of FIG 4A; FIG 5A shows a top view of the fastener locking device according to a fifth embodiment; FIG 5B shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device of FIG 00 FIG 6A shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device c according to a sixth embodiment which forms part of a fastener locking assembly Sin accordance with the invention; FIG 6B shows a top view of the fastener locking device of FIG 6A; FIG 6C shows a perspective view of the fastener locking assembly of FIG o00 6A fixed to a support; t' FIG 7A shows a perspective exploded view of the fastener locking device Saccording to a seventh embodiment which forms part of a fastener locking o00 assembly in accordance with the invention; c 10 FIG 7B shows a top view of the fastener locking device of FIG 7A; FIG 7C shows a perspective view of the fastener locking assembly of FIG 7A fixed to a support; FIG 8A shows a perspective exploded view of a fastener locking device according to an eight embodiment; FIG 8B shows a top view of the fastener locking device of FIG 8A; FIG 8C shows a perspective view of the fastener locking device of FIG 8A; FIG 9A shows a side view of a rotary tiller showing the fastener locking device of FIG 3A in use; FIG 9B shows a perspective view of the rotary tiller of FIG 9A; and FIG 10 shows a perspective view of trencher chain showing the fastener locking assembly of FIG 7A in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout.

00 A first embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the C invention, as shown in FIGS 1A to 1E, is designated generally by reference Snumeral As shown in FIG 1A, the fastener locking device 10 comprises a base 11 having an elongate planar surface 12 and a pair of holes 13 extending through the base 11. Each end of the base 11 includes a pair of edges 14A,14B, 00oo respectively, that meet each other at an angle of 1200 to form a point 15A,15B.

C A constraining member in the form of two walls 16A,16B projects perpendicularly c outwardly from the planar surface 12 at each edge 14A, 14B.

00 oO The base 11 and walls 16A,16B of the fastener locking device 10 are integrally formed from a rectangular plate of metal that is cut and bent to shape.

The fastener locking device 10 is formed by cutting a triangular section from each corner of one end of plate. A V-shaped notch is also cut from the same end of the plate. A small hole may also be formed at point 15A,15B to prevent the plate from tearing where the walls 16A, 16B meet at each end of the base 11.

As shown in FIG 1C, the V-shaped notch allows each corner at the front of the base 11 to meet at point 15A and extend along a seam to form a rightangled trapezoidal wall 16A along each front edge 14A of the base 11.

As shown in FIG 1D, each corner at the back of the base 11 meets at point 15B to form triangular shaped walls along each back edge 14B of the base 11.

FIG 1E shows an exploded perspective view of bolts 17 and the fastener locking device 10. The bolts 17 are inserted within each of their respective spaced holes 13 such that each pair of walls 16A,16B projecting from the base 11 of the fastener locking device 10 will contact adjoining faces 19 of an hexagonally shaped head 18 of each respective bolt 17, thus preventing each bolt 17 from rotating when a nut (not shown) is tightened on each respective bolt 17. However, it should be appreciated that the fastener locking device10 may be made suitable for use with other polygonal shaped bolt heads by changing the angle where the each pair of walls 16A,16B meet at point 15A,15B, respectively.

00 The location of the head 18 of the bolt 17 and how it is engaged by the walls S16A, 16B is shown in broken lines in Fig 1A.

A second embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGS 2A and 2B, is designated generally by reference numeral 00 The fastener locking device 20 comprises a base 21 having an elongate C stepped surface 24 forming two planar trough sections 22A. Each of the trough sections 22A, 22B includes a hole 23 that extends through the base 21.

o00 Constraining members in the form of two walls 26A,26B are positioned on opposite sides of each hole 23 to contact diametrically opposite faces 19 of the head 18 of each respective bolt 17. The walls 26A, 26B are spaced parallel to each other. The spacing of the walls 26A, 26B is such that the head 18 of the bolt 17 is captured between the walls 26A, 26B in an arrangement wherein the walls 26A, 26B engage opposite faces 19 of each bolt 17 to prevent rotation of the bolts 17 relative to the base 21.

A third embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGS 3A and 3B, is designated generally by reference numeral The base 31 of the fastener locking device 30 is formed in a similar manner as the base 11, except that each corner of the rectangular metal plate that is used to form the base 31 and walls 36A,36B has been cut and bent in the same manner as the wall 16A of the first embodiment described above.

The fastener locking device 30 further includes a pair of collars 40. Each collar 40 comprises a hexagonally shaped base 41 including a hole 43 that receives a respective bolt 17. Each collar 40 also includes a pair of walls 46A,46B located on adjacent front and back edges of the base 41. Each collar is formed by cutting and pressing a smaller rectangular plate of metal in a press using a similar method as explained above for the base 11.

As shown in FIG 3B, each bolt 17 is inserted within a hole 43 of each respective collar 40 before the bolt 17 is further inserted into a respective spaced hole 13 provided in the base 31. In this manner, the head 18 of each respective 00 0 bolt 17 is nested inside the collar 40 such that adjoining faces 19 of the bolt head c 18 contact respective walls 46A,46B of the collar 40. As such, the head 18 of Sthe bolt 17 is protected from wear in either front or back directions. Furthermore, walls 46A of one collar 40 also contact walls 36A at one end of the base 31 while walls 46B of the other collar 40 contact walls 36B at the other end of the base 11. The arrangement of using double walls 36A,46A and 36A,46B at each 00 respective end of the fastener locking device 30 reinforces each end of the base S31 against damage.

C A fourth embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the oO 00 invention, as shown in FIGS 4A and 4B, is designated generally by reference C numeral The fastener locking device 50 is similar to the fastener locking device with the only difference being the collars 52 of the fastener locking device The collars 52 are formed in a similar manner as described in the third embodiment, except that only one pair of walls 54 are provided on each respective collar 52. The walls 54 and the base 56 of the collars 52 are cut such that each wall 54 extends perpendicularly from the base 56 to provide further protection for each head 18 of respective bolts 17 from wear. Holes 58 are defined in the base 56 of each collar 52, through which the bolt 17 extends. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS 4A and 4B to describe features of the fastener locking device 50 which are the same as the features of the fastener locking device A fifth embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGS 5A and 5B, is designated generally by reference numeral 60. The fastener locking device 60 includes constraining members in the form of collars The fastener locking device 60 is similar to the fastener locking device with the only difference being the configuration of the base 62 of the fastener locking device 60. The base 62 includes a planar surface 12 having a hole in the form of a slot 68 formed between each of its ends. A holding member in the form of a wall 64 extends along each side of the base 62 to form a channel 66.

The walls 64 allow each of the collars 40 to be slidably retained within the 00 channel 66. The walls 64 constrain the collars 40, and thus the bolts 17, from c rotating. The walls 64 may also contact the heads 18 of the bolts 17 directly to Sconstrain rotation of the bolts 17. Furthermore, the spacing of the collars 40 is adjustable relative to the each other so that the fastener locking device can be 5 used with bolts 17 of various spacing.

A sixth embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the 00oo invention, as shown in FIGS 6A to 6C, is designated generally by reference C numeral 70. The fastener locking device 70 forms part of a fastener locking c assembly in accordance with the invention, which is designated generally by 00 oo reference numeral The fastener locking device 70 is similar to the fastener locking device with the only difference being the collars 72 of the fastener locking device The collars 72 are formed in a similar manner as described in the fifth embodiment, except that a single bash wall 74 replaces the pairs of walls 46A of the collars 40. The bash wall 74 is square relative to the base 76 of the collars 72. The bash wall 74 provides further protection for each head 18 of respective bolts 17 from wear as will be described in more detail herein below. In FIGS 6A to 6C features of the fastener locking device 70 which are the same as the features of the fastener locking device 60 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The fastener locking assembly 80 comprises the fastener locking device and protection plates 81 and 82. As shown in Figures 6B and 6C of the drawings, the fastener locking assembly 80 is bolted to a support 78 using the bolts 17 and nuts 89.

The protection plate 81 comprises a flat rectangular base section 84 and a bash plate 85 at a forward end thereof. The bash plate 85 is square with the base section 84. Two spaced holes 86 are defined in the base section 84. The protection plate 82 is similar to the protection plate 81 except that its base section 87 is shorter, only one hole 86 is defined therein and it has an engagement formation in the form of a lip 88 at its rearward periphery which extends in a direction opposite to that of the bash plate 85. The protection plate 82 is configured to overlay part of the protection plate 81 in an arrangement 00 0 wherein the lip 88 abuts the rear edge of the protection plate 81 and the hole 86 N of the protection plate 82 is in register with one of the holes 86 of the protection plate 81. The lip 88 constrains the protection plate 82 from rotation because of its abutment with the rear of the base section 84 of the protection plate 81.

t 5 In use, the fastener locking assembly 80 is fastened to a support 78 in which two spaced bolt holes 79 are defined. The fastener locking device 70 is 00 C fixed to one side of the support 78 and the protection plates 81, 82 to the other N side of the support. The support 78 may form part of any mechanical implement N or the like, but the Applicant envisages that the fastener locking assembly will be 00 0 10 particularly suited for use in environments where the bolt heads or nuts are C exposed to abrasion. More particularly the Applicant envisages that the support 78 may form part of a tiller assembly or trencher chain.

A seventh embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGS 7A to 7C, is designated generally by reference numeral 90. The fastener locking device 90 forms part of a fastener locking assembly in accordance with the invention, which is designated generally by reference numeral 99.

The fastener locking device 90 comprises a base 91 and constraining members in the form of collars 92. A holding member in the form of a wall 94 extends along each side of the base 91 to form a channel 95. The base 91 has two spaced holes 13 defined therein and a bash plate 93 at a forward end thereof. The walls 94 allow each of the collars 92 to be slidably retained within the channel 95. The walls 94 constrain the collars 92 from angular displacement, and thus the bolts 17 from rotating.

The collars 92 each have flat rectangular base section 96 and a bash plate 97 at a forward end thereof. The bash plate 97 is square with the base section 96. The collars 92 further include constraining members in the form of spaced parallel walls 98 between which the head 18 of the bolts 17 are captured.

The collars 92 also include holes 43 defined therein which are similarly dimensioned to the holes 13 of the base 91.

00 O The fastener locking assembly 99 comprises the fastener locking device C 90 and protection plates 81 and 82 which are the same as the protection plates Sdescribed for the fastener locking assembly 80. As shown in Figures 7B and 7C of the drawings, the fastener locking assembly 99 is bolted on to a support 78 using the bolts 17 and nuts 89. A tiller blade 89 is fixed between the base 91 and the support 78. The tiller blade has holes 13 defined therein which are in 0 register with the holes of the base 91 and the protection plate 81.

C An eighth embodiment of a fastener locking device in accordance with c the invention, as shown in FIGS 8A to 8C, is designated generally by reference 00oo numeral 100. The fastener locking device 100 comprises a base 101 and cconstraining members in the form of two collars 102.

The base 101 comprises a flat rectangular base section 103 and a bash plate 104 at a forward end thereof. A circular hole 13 and a slotted hole 105 is defined in the base section 103 of the base 101.

The collars 102 are similar to the collars 92, with the only difference being the inclusion of holding formations in the form of downwardly extending arms 106. The arms 106 are opposite each other and spaced so as to capture part of the base section 103 between them when the collars 102 are fixed against the base section 103 as shown in Figures 8B and 8C. The arms 106 prevent the collars 102 from angular displacement relative to the base 103. Features of the collars 102 which are the same as feature of the collars 92 are indicated by the same reference numerals.

Although not depicted, the Applicant envisages that in another embodiment of a collar 102, the walls 98 may be downwardly extending in the same direction as the arms 106 to capture the head of a bolt or a nut located below the base section 96.

FIGS 9A, 9B shows a number of fastener locking devices 30 in use with a rotary tiller 110.

As shown in FIG 9A, a rotor 111 is used to support a number of blades 112 that are disposed around the periphery of the rotor 111. Each blade 112 is attached to a front face of the rotor 111 by a pair of bolts 17.

00 O As shown in FIG 9B, the rotary tiller 110 comprises a row of rotors 111.

N As the rotary tiller 110 is pulled behind a tractor (not shown), the drag angle of the rotary tiller 110 exposes the front faces of each rotor 111 to a great deal more wear than a back face (not shown). By applying a fastener locking device 30 to each pair of bolts 17, the fastener locking devices 30 allow each nut that is disposed on the back face to be easily tightened without having to hold its OO respective bolt head on the front surface of the rotor to prevent the bolt from rotating. The fastener locking devices 30 also protects the heads 18 of each pair 0of bolts 17 from wearing as the rotary tiller 110 is used to cultivate soil. Although

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the fastener locking device 30 has been shown in use with the rotary tiller 110 it must be appreciated that any of the fastener locking devices described may similarly be used.

As shown in Figure 10, the fastener locking assembly 99 is used with a trencher chain 120. The fastener locking assembly 99 comprises the fastener locking device 90 and the protection plates 81, 82.

The trencher chain 120 includes a chain 121 to which mounting plates 122 are connected by rivets 123. A number of teeth 124 are connected to the mounting plates 122 by bolts 17 which extend transversely trough opposite mounting plates 122. The bolts 17 also extend though tube spacers 125 which assist in maintaining lateral spacing between the mounting plates 122 when the bolts 17 are tightened.

In use, the trencher chain 120 moves in a direction through the ground when digging a trench. As shown, the bash plates 85, 93, and 85 protect the bolt heads 18 and nuts 89 from wear as the trencher chain 120 digs through the ground. The fastener locking device 90 prevents the bolts 17 from rotating and wearing loose during the digging operation. Although the fastener locking device has been shown in use with the trencher chain 120, it must be appreciated that any of the fastener locking devices described may similarly be used.

The fastener locking devices are formed of CK1055 tool steel plate which is heat treated after forming to improve its hardness factor and resistance to wear. Specifically the steel is hardened to a Rockwell 43 HRC.

00 0 The advantages of the fastener locking device will be readily understood c by reference to the above description and drawings as shown. Of particular note, the fastener locking device prevents a nut-and-bolt assembly from rotating on one side such that a person is not required to hold both the nut and bolt on opposite sides of a machine part in order to tighten the nut-and-bolt assembly.

Furthermore, the fastener locking device saves the bolt head from wear. Finally, 00 since the fastener locking device prevents the bolt from rotating, the nut itself is Sless prone to loosening on the bolt due to mechanical vibrations that would C otherwise cause the nut-and-bolt assembly to rotate.

00 O 10 While the fastener locking device has been disclosed as a particularly N good arrangement for locking and protecting bolts on the blades of a rotary tiller and teeth of a trencher chain, it should be realised that the use of the invention is not restricted to this application and can be used as a locking arrangement for mower blades, bridge structures, rail-lines, building elements or any other application where nut and bolt assemblies are used. In particular, the invention is particularly useful in high vibration environments where a nut-and-bolt assembly must be tightened on a regular basis and may be exposed to wear.

The fastener locking devices may also be used with a range of different diameter bolts since a small amount of play is allowable between the walls of the fastener locking device and the bolt head while still preventing the rotation of the bolt. This is of particular advantage when Metric and Imperial sizes are interchanged or where access to replacement parts is limited. Similarly the fastener locking device may be used with both left hand thread and right hand thread nut-and-bolt assemblies. Typically the fastener locking devices will be dimensioned and configured to accept 10mm to 16mm diameter bolts.

Although the fastener locking device has been described for use with nutand-blot assemblies, it may similarly be used for any fastener which has a flange with a face which can be engaged by the fastener locking device, of which nutand-bolt assemblies are but one. Similarly, the fastener locking device has been described in order to lock a bolt head in position to prevent the bolt from rotating, but the fastener locking device may also be used to prevent a nut from rotating on the bolt.

00 0 Throughout the specification the aim has been to describe the invention cI without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Persons skilled in the relevant art may realize variations from the specific embodiments that will nonetheless fall within the scope of the invention.

00 00

Claims

1. A fastener locking device including: a base having one or more holes defined therein to allow at least two spaced fasteners to extend through the base to locate the base on a side of a 00 support; and (at least one constraining member which is connected to the base and c which extends between the base and a flange of one of the fasteners to engage 00 oo Sa face of the flange of the fastener, thereby to prevent the fastener from rotating N relative to the base.

2. The fastener locking device of claim 1, wherein the fastener engaged by the constraining member is a bolt-and-nut assembly and the flange is a head of a bolt of the bolt-and-nut assembly or a nut of the bolt-and-nut assembly, and wherein the constraining member is configured to engage a face of the head of the bolt or the nut.

3. The fastener locking device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the constraining member is integrally formed with the base.

4. The fastener locking device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one of the base and the constraining member includes a holding formation which engages the other of the base and the constraining member to prevent angular displacement of the constraining member relative to the base.

The fastener locking device of claim 4, wherein the base includes the holding formation in the form of two spaced apart walls between which the constraining member is captured in an arrangement which prevents angular displacement of the constraining member relative to the base. 00 O O

6. The fastener locking device of claim 4, wherein the constraining member includes the holding formation in the form of two spaced apart arms between which part of the base is captured in an arrangement which prevents angular O Sdisplacement of the constraining member relative to the base. 00 m

7. The fastener locking device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the (N Oconstraining member includes two spaced apart walls between which the flange 00oo is captured. 0

8. The fastener locking device of any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the constraining member has a hole defined therein through which one of the fasteners can extend to locate the constraining member on the base.

9. The fastener locking device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base has two spaced holes defined therein.

The fastener locking device of any one of the preceding claims, which includes a constraining member for each of the fasteners.

11. The fastener locking device of claim 3, wherein the base defines an elongate stepped surface having at least one trough which has a hole defined therein through which a fastener can extend, and including constraining members in the form of spaced apart walls which define sides of the trough and between which the flange of the fastener is captured so as to prevent rotation of the fastener.

12. The fastener locking device of claim 11, wherein the stepped surface has two troughs, each having a hole in which a fastener can be received. 00 O

13. The fastener locking device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or C both of the constraining member and the base includes an outwardly projecting Sbash formation which is positioned to be adjacent the flange of the fastener to protect the flange of the fastener from wear. 00

14. The fastener locking device of claim 13, wherein the bash formation is tsufficiently spaced from the flange of the fastener to allow for a socket to engage Sthe flange of the fastener without interference from the bash formation. 00 N

15. The fastener locking device of claim 9 or claim 12, wherein one of the holes is a slot.

16. The fastener locking device of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base has a single elongate slot defined therein.

17. The fastener locking device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base and the constraining member are formed of metal plate.

18. A fastener locking assembly which includes: the fastener locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; and a protection plate which has one or more holes defined therein to allow the at least two spaced fasteners to extend through the protection plate to locate the protection plate on the other side of the support and which includes a bash formation located adjacent the one or more holes to protect a flange of at least one of the fasteners.

19. The fastener locking assembly of claim 18, wherein the fastener locking assembly includes: 00 a first protection plate having the one or more holes defined therein; and a second protection plate having a single hole defined therein to allow for one of the fasteners to extend there through and having an engaging formation which engages the first protection plate, thereby to prevent the second protection Splate from angular displacement relative to the first protection plate. 00 C~f

20. A fastener locking device or a fastener locking assembly substantially as herein (N Sdescribed with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the 00 accompanying drawings and/or examples.