GB2229241A

GB2229241A - Retainer for fixing device

Info

Publication number: GB2229241A
Application number: GB9001406A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Valerie Jean Elizabeth Marsden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-17
Filing date: 1990-01-22
Publication date: 1990-09-19
Also published as: GB8906243D0; GB9001406D0

Abstract

Rotatable fixing devices (2), such as nuts or bolts, especially motor vehicle wheel nuts, can be held in position against undesired loosening by means of a retainer (3). The retainer (3) has one or more retaining members (4), such as caps or rings, which fit tightly around the fixing devices (2), and the members (4) are anchored against rotation, e.g. by fixing the retaining members (4) together with ties (5). The ties (5) may be adjustable in length, e.g. with ratchet devices. The retaining members (4) may be formed with inner teeth 8, and comprise moulded plastics. <IMAGE>

Description

RETAINER FOR FIXING DEVICE This invention relates to a retainer for a rotatable fixing device such as a bolt head or nut.

Motor vehicle wheels are usually mounted at the ends of axles by means of a number of circumferentailly spaced bolts. Commonly the bolts are fixed at the end of the axle and pass through holes in the wheel, and the wheel is locked in position by nuts screwed onto free ends of the bolts. With this arrangement, if the nuts are not securely tightened there is a serious risk that in use the wheel may work loose and become detached from the axle e.g. due to road vibration and forces applied during running of the wheel.

An object of the present invention is to prevent undesired loosening of a rotatable fixing device in a simple and convenient yet effective manner.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a retainer for a rotatable fixing device, said retainer comprising a retaining member adapted to fit around said fixing device so as to be non-rotatably located relative thereto, and a tie member adapted to be fixed to said retaining member and to an adjacent fixed anchor point so as to act to anchor said retaining member against rotation thereof.

With this arrangement, a rotatable fixing device, such as a bolt head or nut, can be effectively anchored against rotation in a particularly simple and convenient manner. In particular this can be achieved without requiring secure tightening of the fixing device.

It is visualised that the invention will find particular application in the context of fixing nuts of motor vehicle wheels. However, the invention is not restricted to this field of application and thus, the retainer may be applied to motor vehicle wheel fixing bolts and also to nuts, bolts and other fixing devices in contexts other than motor vehicle wheels.

Most preferably the invention is utilised where there are two or more adjacent rotatable fixing devices in which case each such device may be provided with a respective said retaining member, said members being fixed together by a common said tie member or members whereby each retaining member acts as the said anchor point for the (or each) other retaining member.

The (or each) retaining member may be in the form of a cap or ring (or he like) having an inner periphery shaped to grip the periphery of the fixing device so as to prevent relative rotation thereof.

Conveniently this shaping may comprise regularly or irregularly disposed teeth or indents or the like around the retaining member periphery, although other shapes may also be possible.

Preferably the (or each) retainer member is a plastics moulded part although other materials may be used as desired.

With regard to the (or each) tie member this is preferably in the form of a strip (or combination of strips) and this may be rigid or alternatively may be flexible with provision being made for securing the strip in a selected disposition. The strip may be of adjustable length and this may be achieved by using a two part strip with an adjustable joining device (such as a ratchet device or the like), or by using an adjustable mounting device between the strip and the (or each) associated retaining member (which mounting device may also comprise a ratchet device or the like).

The retainer of the invention can be used to provide protection against corrosion or the like, as well as retention against loosening of the fixing device. In this case the (or each) retention member may be in the form of a protective cap and /or may have a sealing collar or flange or the like and/or such member may be provided with a protective cover, which may be formed from metal or other material.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : - Fig. 1 is an end view showing four wheel nuts of a motor vehicle wheel with a retainer applied thereto in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of part of a modified form of the retainer of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view to a larger scale of a part of the arrangement of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of an alternative embodiment.

With reference to Fig. 1, a motor vehicle wheel is fixed to the end of an axle in conventional manner by means of four threaded members, or bolts 1, which are fixed to the axle at equally circumferentially and radially spaced positions about the axis of rotation of the axle. The bolts 1 extend through holes in the wheel and the wheel is fixed in position by means of nuts 2 which are screwed tightly onto the free ends of the bolts 1.

As shown in the drawings, the nuts 2 are retained against undesired loosening by means of a retainer 3. The retainer 3 is a one piece structure injection moulded from styrene or nylon or other durable plastics.

The retainer 3 comprises four retaining members 4 linked by four strips 5. As can be seen from Fig. 2, each member 4 comprises a cylindrical sleeve or collar 7 at one end. The inner surface 1 of the collar 7 has alternate longitudinally extending ridges 8 and grooves 9 disposed regularly around the periphery thereof. The grooves 9 are concavely curved and the ridges 8 are defined by peaks or edges between the grooves 9, whereby the shape is of 'rose' formation.

The strips 5 are relatively rigid, inextensible bars or straps which are formed integrally with the collars 7 and extend radially relative to the members 4. Each member 4 has two strips 5 joined thereto at rights angles to each other whereby the strips 5 form a square framework with the members 4 at the corners.

In use, the collars 7 are fitted around the four nuts 2. The angular corners of the nuts 2 are engaged tightly within grooves 9 of the members 4. The inner diameters of the members 4 are appropriately selected to achieve such tight fitting, and the multiple grooves 9 facilitate easy insertion and accommodate variations in angles of the nut corners.

Once fitted it will be appreciated that the nuts 2 are locked against rotation in a particularly simple and convenient yet effective manner. The nuts 2 cannot readily loosen so as to permit detachment of the wheel, even if the nuts 2 have not been securely tightened.

The collars 7 act to form sealing rings around the nuts 2 to limit ingress of dirt and moisture and corrosive materials.

When desired, the retainer 3 can be easily pulled off the nuts 2 to allow unscrewing.

With the embodiment described above, the spacing of the members 4 is fixed by the length of the strips 5.

With the modification of Fig. 2, each strip 5 is formed in two parts 5a, 5b and the parts are joined by a ratchet arrangement. As shown in Fig. 3, each strip 5a, 5b has ratchet teeth and these teeth engage corresponding teeth within a ratchet block 10. The strip parts 5a, 5B can be pushed through the block 10 to achieve a desired shortening of the separation of the members 4. The strips 5a, 5b have angular parts 11, 12 so that the strips can snugly overlap each other.

With the alternative embodiment of Fig. 4, retaining members 4 are used of like form to the members 4 of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

However, in place of the rigid strips 5, flexible (but relatively inextensible) ratchet straps 13 are used. Each strap 13 comprises an elongate body 14 with ratchet teeth therealong and, at one end, an integral end piece 15 with a slot therethrough having complementary ratchet teeth on its inner periphery. Each member 4 has the slotted piece 15 of a respective one of the straps 13 fixed thereto.

With this arrangement, the members 4 are pushed over the respective wheel nuts 2 and the members 4 are then anchored together by inserting the toothed end part 14 of the straps 13 of each member 4 through the slotted piece 15 of the next adjacent member.

In this way, a retainer can be readily assembled to suit the spacing requirements of the nuts 2. The straps 13 may be conventional ratchet ties e.g. of the kind used for cable ties etc.

The straps 13 need not be permanently fixed to the members 4 by attachment of the slotted pieces 15 thereto. Instead it is possible to use an arrangement whereby for example, the straps 13 are pulled through slots or the like in the members 4 to be retained thereon by abutment of the end pieces 15. After fitting, excess lengths of the straps 13 can be cut off as desired.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments which are described by way of example only. In particular, the invention is not restricted to use with motor vehicle wheel nuts. The invention may be used with other fixing devices in any suitable context. For example, the invention may be used with fixing nuts or bolts of motor housings or the like. Moreover, the members 4 do not have to be fitted to hexagonal fixing devices, nor does the resulting retainer assembly have to be of square formation. Differently shaped fixing devices can be accommodated and differently shaped formations can be used e.g. linear, polygonal, irregular, curved, circular etc.

Claims

1. A retainer for a rotatable fixing device, said retainer comprising a retaining member adapated to fit around said fixing device so as to be non-rotatably located relative thereto, and a tie member adapted to be fixed to said retaining member and to an adjacent fixed anchor point so as to act to anchor said retaining member against rotation thereof.

2. A retainer according to claim 1 for two or more adjacent rotatable fixing devices, said retainer comprising a respective said retaining member for each said fixing device and said members being arranged to be fixed together by a common said tie member or members whereby each retaining member acts as the said fixing point for the (or each) other retaining member.

3. A retainer according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the (or each) retaining member is in the form of a cap or ring having an inner periphery shaped to grip the periphery of the respective fixing device so as to prevent relative rotation thereof.

4. A retainer according to claim 3 wherein said shaping of the inner periphery comprises teeth or indents.

5. A retainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the (or each) retainer member is a plastics moulded part.

6. A retainer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the (or each) tie member comprises a strip (or combination of strips).

7. A retainer according to claim 6 wherein the (or each) said strip is rigid.

8. A retainer according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the (or each) said strip is of adjustable length.

9. A retainer according to claim 8 wherein the (or each) said strip is a two part strip with an adjustable joining device.

10. A retainer according to claim 9 wherein the adjustable joining device is a ratchet device.

11. A retainer according to claim 8 wherein an adjustable mounting device is provided between the (or each) strip and the associated retaining member.

12. A retainer according to claim 11 wherein the adjustable mounting device is a ratchet device.

13. A retainer according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

14. A retainer according to any one of claims 1 to 13 when applied to the retaining nuts of a motor vehicle wheel.