US3604292A

US3604292A - Bolt and nut fastening device

Info

Publication number: US3604292A
Application number: US789200A
Authority: US
Inventors: Toyoji Sada
Original assignee: Riken Seiki KK; RIKEN KIKI KK
Current assignee: Riken Seiki KK; RIKEN KIKI KK
Priority date: 1968-02-08
Filing date: 1969-01-06
Publication date: 1971-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-14
Also published as: DE1902263A1; GB1261545A; FR2001508A1

Abstract

This bolt and nut fastening machine has a structure wherein comprising an outer barrel that includes a nut-engaging spanner to screw up automatically a nut by a suitable driving means and a washer-engaging member fitted at the top end of said barrel to catch and

Description

United States Patent Toyoji Sada Niigata Prefecture, Japan 789,200

Jan. 6, 1969 Sept. 14, 1971 Riken Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha Niigata-keu, Japan;

Riken Kiki Knbushiki Kaisha Tokyo, Japan Feb. 8, 1968, Feb. 14, 1968, Feb. 15, 1968, Feb. 14, 1968, Feb. 19, 1968 Japan 43/8027, 43/ 10624, 43/ 11149, 43/79629 and 43/81376 lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignees Priority BOLT AND NUT FASTENING DEVICE 4Claims, 12 DrawingFig.

U.S.Cl .1 8l/57.11, 81/57.39, 8l/57.46 Int. Cl. B25b 17/ B25b 21/00 Field ofSearch 81/54, 55,

Referencs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bangerter et a1. Burnett et a1.

Evenson Stevenson Owen et a1. La Torre Sauter Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn ABSTRACT: This bolt and nut fastening machine has a structure wherein comprising an outer barrel that includes a nutengaging spanner to screw up automatically a nut by a suitable driving means and a washer-engaging member fitted at the top end of said barrel to catch and hold a polygonal washer of nut and to be constructed rotative only in one direction PATENTEU SEPI 41911 SHEET 1 OF 6 FIG.1

7'0 YOJ/ 6404 4 Tram/5Y PATENTEI] SEP14I971 3504292

sum

2 or 6 PATENTED SEN 41911 SHEET 3 0F 6 M l m/rwe 70 you/ 6AM fiTTOE/VEYS PATENTEUSEPMISTI 3.604.292

snmunre BOLT AND NUT FASTENING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bolt and nut fastening machine, and more particularly to a machine used, in the civil engineering as well as the building constructing filed, for fastening a nut having polygonal washer to a bolt made of steel material high in tensile strength for building up steel frame construction DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The cylindrical spanner attached to the rotating spindle at the head and automatically operated to screw up nut by a hydraulic or other drive means has been well known and in an extensive use in the industry. But, this type of the machine is known to have an inherent drawbacks that as the screwing up of the nut proceeds the resistance gradually increases ultimately up to the level the counteracting force from such resistance makes it unable for the operator to hold on the cylindrical holder before adequately firm binding of the joint is obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide an improved fastening machine capable to free the operator from the counteracting force transmitted to him from the increasing resistance as the screwing up of the nut proceeds, by overcoming the aforesaid drawbacks inherent in the conventional fastening machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening machine in which a polygonal cylindrical spanner to engage with the polygonal washer of the nut is installed at the head of the cylindrical holder in a manner rotatable only in one direction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machine in which the polygonal cylindrical spanner installed at the head of the cylindrical holder is provided to make one way rotary movement, clockwise or counterclockwise, by operation of a selective mechanism.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machine in which a meter indicating the degree of rotary movement is installed at the back end of the rotary spindle having a nut screwing cylindrical spanner at the head.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machine in which the rotary spindle having a nut screwing cylindrical spanner at the head is provided to rotate at a higher speed on reversing than on screwing up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of this invention taken along a longitudinal centerline.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVIV of FIG. I.

F IG. 5 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of this invention taken along a centerline.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view illustrating the relationship between a roll and a pusher bar.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of still another embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a slant view of a basket-shaped structure in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a layout of main cylinders, and acceleration cylinder and a hydraulic pump together with pipings completing the oil line in an embodiment shown in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The attached drawings show three different types of boltand-nut fastening machine embodying this invention. But, in all these drawings, the identical parts of each embodiment are designated with the same numerals.

In FIGS. ll, 5 and 9, the nut to be bound by a fastening machine of this invention is represented by A, a polygonal washer of the nut by B, the bolt to which said nut is screwed by C, and the structural materials to be bound by said bolt C and nut B are represented by D and E.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1 represents a nut-engaging spanner or socket member having

polygonal holes

2 and 3 at each end, the hole 2 fitting to the polygonal nut A and the other hole 3 to be attached to the polygonal head 5 of the rotating spindle 4. The peripheral wall of said spanner 1 has hole 6 and slot 7 provided in said polygonal head 5 is inserted with a ball 9 together with a spring 3, and when said spanner 1 is fitted on the polygonal head 5, said ball 9 proceeds by the force of the spring 8 into the hole 6 and thereby said spanner l is interlocked with the polygonal head 5.

Because of the aforesaid mechanism in the head portion of said rotary spindle 4, said rotary spindle can be inserted and releasably fitted into said spanner, and at a proper position backward from the head it is fixed with a pinion 10 which on the rear side is affixed to an end of a torsion spring 11, and the rotary spindle 4 is disposed inside of an outer barrel 14 by means of two bearings, 12 and 13.

As described above, said outer barrel 14 including a rotary spindle 4 within the inside of its has its foremost end portion shaped as a polygonal head 15, said polygonal head having a hole 16 perforated on one side and fitted therein with a spring 17 and a ball 18. The rear end of said outer barrel is connected to a casing 19 by a screw 20 and a holding handle 21 is also screwed to the outer side of said casing 19, the rear end of said rotary spindle 4 is received by bearings on the inner bottom of said casing, and on the inner lateral side of said casing is secured the other end of said torsion spring 11, and furthermore said holding handle 21 is equipped with a actuating switch 22 of a hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawings).

Two hydraulic cylinders 23 and 23' are installed symmetrically in vertical and horizontal direction transverse to the axial line of said outer barrel 14. The cylinders 23 and 23' include

racks

25 and 25 fixed to pistons, 24 and 24', fitted in

cylinders

23 and 23,

such racks

25 and 25 being engaged with pinion 10 the

cylinders

23 and 23 are respectively connected with oil pipes 26 and 26', which oil pipes are connected at the other end with a cylindrical holder 27 installed firmly in the outside of the outer barrel, and this cylindrical holder 27 is connected with the end of the oil pipe 28 coming from the hydraulic pump not shown in the drawing. An outer tube holder or washer-engaging member 29 has two

polygonal holes

30 and 31 at both ends, the polygonal hole 30 hold washer B and the other polygonal hole 31 receives said polygonal head 15 of the outer barrel 14, and a hole 32 is formed in the peripheral wall adjacent the polygonal hole 31 so that when tube 29 is fitted to the polygonal head 15, said ball 18 fitted into a hole 16 proceeds by the force of the spring 17 into the hole 32, and thereby said outer tube holder 29 is engaged with the polygonal head 15. (See FIG. 4).

To start fastening the bolt-and-nut with this machine, and fit the polygonal hole 2 of the nut-engaging spanner I to a nut A, polygonal hole 3 is attached to the polygonal head 5 of the rotary spindle 4 and polygonal washer B is held within polygonal hole 30 of the outer tube spanner 29 whose polygonal hole 31 is fitted to the polygonal head 15 of the outer barrel 14. Switch 22 is then pushed to start the hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawing) supplying thus the pressurized oil through

oil pipes

28, 26 and 26' into the cylinders 23 and 23'. By means of the oil pressure, two

racks

25 and 25 provided and fixed to the pistons 24 and 24' respectively as shown in FIG. 2, move, namely one to the right and the other to the left, thereby turning the pinion 10 engaged with these racks, 25 and 25, in the clockwise direction to turn the rotary spindle 4 fixed to said pinion l and bind the bolt and nut by screwing up nut A.

Upon proceeding of fastening, as the nut A gets screwed up more and more, the outer barrel 14 held by the operator encounters an increasing counteracting force due to binding. However, because the polygonal hole 30 of the washer-engaging member 29 is tightly holding the washer B and said washer B is getting pressed more and more to the structural material D to be bound, the friction between the washer B and the structural material D finally is increased so large an extent that the washer becomes adhered and nonrotative to the structural material D. This eventually results in the washer-engaging member 29 as well as the outer barrel 14 being held relative to the structural material and thereby the counteracting force is not transmitted to the operator.

When screwing up of the nut A is completed, the operator puts off the switch 22 and withdraws both the spanner l and the outer tube holder 29 from the nut A and washer B, and then by the elastic force of the spring 11 fixed at one end to the rotary spindle 4 and at the other end to the casing 19, the rotary spindle is rotated in the direction reverse to that at the time of screwing up and by the rotation of the pinion l0 fixed to said spindle shaft, the

racks

25 and 25, together with pistons 24 and 24', revert to the former position in the hydraulic cylinders 23 and 23', and the oil in said cylinders 23 and 23', returns to the oil tank of the hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawing) through the oil pipes 24 and 24'. Since an inner tube spanner l and an outer tube holder 29 are releasably fitted with the polygonal head of the rotary spindle 4 and polygonal head of outer barrel by

polygonal holes

3 and 31 respectively and are coupled by means of the balls 9 and 18, pushed with the springs, 8 and 17, in the holes, 6 and 32 provided in the peripheral walls, they can be replaced to meet varying size of nut A and washer B.

With reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, wherein another embodiment of this invention is illustrated, the machine is essentially the same as the foregoing embodiment, excepting, however, for the provision of an indicator showing the number of revolutions and a mechanism to cope with phase difference of the washer. This indicator is provided at the back of the casing 19 having a scaled disk 33 and an indicating means 35 covered with a transparent plate 34. (see FIG. 6)

The mechanism of the outer tube holder to cope with phase difference has a free wheel mechanism and serves to check rotation towards a direction to which the counteracting force works.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, there is interposed, between an outer barrel and an outer tube holder of the FIG. 1 embodiment, an intermediary tube 36 with a form just like a separated head of the outer barrel l4 and flat spaces 37 are provided in several portions on the outer periphery of said outer barrel 14 adjacent the bearings 12, and a spring holder 38 wherein there is positioned a pusher bar 40 with a spring 39 isfixed thereon in a manner that said pusher bar exerts a pressure to a roll 41. Then all these components are encased in the rear portion of said intermediary tube 36 while another portion is polygonally shaped and is fitted into the outer tube holder 29 in a similar way as in the FIG. I embodiment.

In this instance, said spring holder 38 is effective in the same direction as the counteracting force transmitted from the washer B onto the outer tube holder 29. When screwing up a nut, the phase difference between nut A and washer B often happens and in such a case this fastening machine can be used with much convenience and with good result.

When the outer tube holder 29 fails to engage a polygonal washer even after the spanner 1 has caught the nut A, then the intermediary tube 36 and the outer tube holder 29 are revolved in the counterclockwise direction while having the spanner 1 partially fitted to nut A, as seen in FIG. 7, whereupon the roll 41 contacting the inner wall of said tube 36 revolves and by overcoming the force of the spring 39 pushes the pusher bar 40 into the spring holder 38, and the intermediary tube 36 thereby revolves freely in the aforesaid direction until the polygonal hole 30 of the outer tube holder 29 comes to conform to the polygonal washer C. Thereupon, the machine is pressed further toward the washer so as to let the polygonal hole 30 of said outer tube holder 29 hold the washer C well enough and screwing up of the nut is effected by the operation similar to that as described in the FIG. 1 embodiment. Because the scaled disk 33 is provided at the rear end of the rotary spindle 4, the operator can continue the fastening operation by consulting the scale and the indicator and by presetting the indicator at a proper scale on the disk he can always give a uniform bolt and nut binding adequate and desirable in each work.

Referring to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, wherein another embodiment is shown, this type is essentially the same in structure as the FIG. 5 embodiment, but its free wheel mechanism is designed so as to make rotation selectively only in a desired direction by the controlling means from outside, and the return action of the nut-engaging spanner is effected by a hydraulic power instead of a torsion spring.

l-Iereunder, some explanation will be made about the different points of this type from those of the FIG. 2 embodiment.

Firstly the free wheel mechanism is built-up as in the following structure:

The periphery of the bearings 12 of the outer barrel [4 is made octagonal in shape and its outside is fitted with the basketlike tube 46 formed as explained below.

This basketlike tube 46 has eight crosspieces 42 fixed to flange 43 at one end and between each crosspiece 42 is fitted an elastic element 45 including side plates serving as springs 44 and the flange 43 has two protrusions 48 and 48' in symmetrical position across the centerline, said protrusions being defined by cutaways on both sides as seen in FIG. 10. This basketlike tube 46 is placed to fit the polygonal part of the outer barrel 14 in a manner the centerline in the longitudinal direction of each crosspiece comes to the angular top of the polygonal surface of the outer barrel l4 and the flange 43 is disposed to come to the position between the end of the intermediary tube 36 and the side 14' of the outer barrel l4, and in the space between the adjacent springs 44 of the elastic element 45, eight rolls 47 are interposed to mount on the flat space 37 of the outer barrel 14, the supporting bars 49 and 49' are provided in the outer barrel 14 at the position confronting said protrusions 48 and 48', the pusher bars 51 and 51' are inserted into the receive tubes 50 and 50', fixed to the same to have them pushed by the spring 52.

Thus, the pusher bars 51 and 51, are set to a position to push the heads of said protrusions 48 and 48', and the relative position of the angular part of said basketlike tube 46 against the angular part of said outer barrel is also set up just the same as described above, and then all these components are to be encased by said intermediary tube 36 in a similar way as the FIG. 5 embodiment.

Now, with reference to FIG. 12, a description is made as under for the hydraulic mechanism to get a quick recovery of the nut-engaging spanner after an operation. A forward working oil route a and a backward working oil route b are connected with a oil pipe 28' and 28" respectively, and the other end of said oil route a is connected with No. 1 exit of the hydraulic pump 53. Besides the aforesaid cylinders, 23 and 23', is provided therein another cylinder designated as an acceleration cylinder 54 which includes a piston 55 fitted with a piston rod 56 larger in capacity, and an oil chamber 58 is defined between said piston rod 56 and the inside wall of said cylinder 54, said chamber 58 being smaller in capacity than an oil chamber 57 being defined between the bottom wall and said piston rod 56 on the opposite side of piston 55. Said backward working oil route b is connected with the acceleration cylinder 54 so that it communicates with the larger oil chamber 57, and the smaller oil chamber 58 is connected with No. 2 exit of the hydraulic pump 53, and the interspace between the cylinder 54 and the piston rod 56 is sealed by the ring 59.

Regarding operation of said free wheel mechanism in the FIG. 9 embodiment, in case there is a phase difference between polygonal nut A and polygonal washer B just like the case of the FIG. 5 embodiment in the preceding description, then the outer tube holder should be rotated selectively in either clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction so as to catch and hold the washer B, and then said free wheel mechanism never permit any rotation toward the counterdirection.

As seen in FIG. 11, when the flange 43 is turned in the clockwise direction to engage the cutaway after the protrusions 48 and 48' with the pusher bars 51 and 51, the crosspieces 42 fixed to this flange 43 move all at once in the clockwise direction to a position on the nearest flat adjacent corner of the polygonal part of the outer barrel 14. Under such condition, the intermediary tube 36 incorporated with the cylindrical washer-engaging member 29 and revolvable in a body can freely turn in the counterclockwise direction, but it cannot turn in the clockwise direction because of the friction among the peripheral surface of the outer barrel 14, roll 47, and the inner wall of the intermediary tube 36.

This fastening machine, when used for unscrewing the nut, it is apparent that the flange 43 should be turned in the counterclockwise direction so that the opposite cutaways engage with the pusher bars 51 and 51 because said cylindrical washer-engaging member 29 can freely turn in the clockwise direction but must not turn in the counterclockwise direction. Next, further explanation will be made on the function of the hydraulic mechanism for quick recovery of the spanner referring to FIG. 12. When the switch 22 is put on, the oil is fed from the No. 1 exit of the hydraulic pump 53 into the

cylinders

23 and 23 through the forward working oil route a and the oil discharged from the opposite sides of the

pistons

24 and 24 of the cylinders, 23 and 23', passes through the backward working oil route b and the acceleration cylinder 54 and returns to the oil tank of the hydraulic pump 53 through the oil route c, and meanwhile the inner tube spanner is screwing up the nut A as described above.

After screwing up a nut is finished, the switch 22 is turned on, releasing the spanner 1 from nut A, and then the conventional switch valve (not shown in the drawing) provided in the hydraulic pump 53 works to free the supply side of the forward working oil route a and convert it in turn to a backward working oil route at the same time the backward working oil route b is converted to an oil feeding route and the oil is supplied from the exit No. 2 of the hydraulic pump 53 into the smaller oil chamber 58 of the acceleration cylinder 54 through the oil route 0.

However, the quantity of oil being discharged from the larger oil chamber 57 of the acceleration cylinder is larger enough by the capacity ratio of the larger oil chamber 57 to the smaller oil chamber 58 to which oil being fed from No. 2 exit of the hydraulic pump. Therefore, this larger quantity of oil forwarded through the backward working oil route b into the cylinders, 23 and 23, results in a more rapid return movement of the pistons than forward operating movement, and it eventually gives quick rotation to the pinion for the quick recovery to be ready for next operation, and after the recover is made then the switch is put off for no further movement of the pistons.

I claim:

1. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means;

driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a noncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and said washer-engaging member; and

one-way release means interconnecting said washer-engaging member to said housing means for permitting rotation of said washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in one rotational direction for permitting said washer-engaging member to be selectively rotatably displaced into proper alignment with said washer for permitting engagement therewith, said one-way release means preventing rotation of said washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in the opposite direction.

2. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and said washer-engaging member;

connecting means drivingly engaged between said washerengaging means and said housing means for normally preventing relative rotation therebetween; and

release means coacting with said connecting means for disengaging said connecting means to permit said washerengaging means to be selectively rotated in one direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise, relative to said housing means for enabling said washer-engaging means to be properly aligned with said washer.

3. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means;

driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with an disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and said washer-engaging member; and

indicator means mounted on said housing means adjacent the rearward end thereof, said indicator means being interconnected to said spindle for indicating and recording the number of revolutions of said spindle. 4. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and bolt head, comprising:

housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means, said spindle having a gear nonrotatably supported thereon;

driving means including fluid actuated means drivingly connected to said spindle for causing rotation thereof in a one direction for permitting a nut to be rotatably screwed onto a bolt;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with said nut for threading the nut along said bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a washer disposed on said bolt and for nonrotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt;

said fluid actuated means including fluid pressure cylinder means having a pair of reciprocal pistons each having a slideable gear racks fixedly secured thereto and means mounting said pistons and gear racks for movement in opposite directions, said gear racks being disposed in meshing engagement with said gear at substantially diametrically opposite sides thereof; and

restoring means connected to said spindle for causing rotation thereof in the opposite direction after said fluid actuated means has been deenergized and said socket means has been disengaged from said nut, said restoring means comprising torsion spring means connected between said spindle and said housing means.

Claims

1. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same; socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a noncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washerengaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and said washerengaging member; and one-way release means interconnecting said washer-engaging member to said housing means for permitting rotation of said washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in one rotational direction for permitting said washer-engaging member to be selectively rotatably displaced into proper alignment with said washer for permitting engagement therewith, said oneway release means preventing rotation of said washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in the opposite direction.

2. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same; socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a noncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connEcting said washer and said washer-engaging member; connecting means drivingly engaged between said washer-engaging means and said housing means for normally preventing relative rotation therebetween; and release means coacting with said connecting means for disengaging said connecting means to permit said washer-engaging means to be selectively rotated in one direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise, relative to said housing means for enabling said washer-engaging means to be properly aligned with said washer.

3. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same; socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a noncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with an disposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and said washer-engaging member; and indicator means mounted on said housing means adjacent the rearward end thereof, said indicator means being interconnected to said spindle for indicating and recording the number of revolutions of said spindle.

4. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which a washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means, said spindle having a gear nonrotatably supported thereon; driving means including fluid actuated means drivingly connected to said spindle for causing rotation thereof in a one direction for permitting a nut to be rotatably screwed onto a bolt; socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein for engagement with said nut for threading the nut along said bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging a washer disposed on said bolt and for nonrotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said fluid actuated means including fluid pressure cylinder means having a pair of reciprocal pistons each having a slideable gear racks fixedly secured thereto and means mounting said pistons and gear racks for movement in opposite directions, said gear racks being disposed in meshing engagement with said gear at substantially diametrically opposite sides thereof; and restoring means connected to said spindle for causing rotation thereof in the opposite direction after said fluid actuated means has been deenergized and said socket means has been disengaged from said nut, said restoring means comprising torsion spring means connected between said spindle and said housing means.