USRE19452E

USRE19452E - Cotter key

Info

Publication number: USRE19452E
Authority: US
Priority date: 1932-01-29
Filing date: 1934-06-25
Publication date: 1935-02-05
Also published as: GB397769A; US1903129A; FR750535A; DE602606C

Description

Feb. 5, 1935. J. w. PETERSON COTTER KEY Original Filed Jan. 29, 1952 Reissued Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 19,4522 5 1 flv w i John W. Peterson, Cairo, Ill. Original Pia-1,903,129, dated Marches, "193:5, j

Serial No. 589,576, January 29,1932; Application for reissue June 25, 1934, Serial N 732,379 t -14 Claims. (CI. -85) i This invention relates to improvements in cotter keys or cotter pins of the general type having two legs for insertion through a bore or opening of a bolt, nut, shaft, or other machine element, for the purpose of retaining parts in assembled relationship.

A general object of the invention is the'provision of such a cotter key which-will perform :its intended function effectively, and which can be inserted and securely fastened in place, and which requires, in its use,'much less time and labor for the assembling and securing of it'in place than is involved in the use of cotter keys heretofore generally employed. I

Another object is the provision of a cotter key of the sort described which may be easily and freely inserted through an opening of appropriate size, and which automatically locks itself against withdrawal, yet may 'be withdrawn with facility upon proper manipulation.

Another object is the provision of a cotter key which, by virtue ofits automatic locking characteristic, is particularly qualified for assembly in locations affording limited or-restricted working space.

Yet another object is the provision of a cotter key possessing the attributes "indicated above, which may be manufactured economically and-in quantities with uniformity in dimensions and design, and which also may be made in a great variety of sizes.

Other and further objects will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter, or willbe apparent to one skilled in the art upon an'understanding of the invention or its employment in use.

For the purpose of aiding in the explanation of the invention, I show in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, various forms and features o'f cotter' keys injwhicl i. the invention is embodied, but it is to be understood that these and the following descriptionare pre; sented merely by way of example and illustration, and are not to be accorded any interpretation calculated to limit the appended claims short of the true andmost comprehensive scope of the invention in the art, as I am. aware that it may be embodied in many other specific forms, and that the features herein illustrated and described may be modifiedin various particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention or the intended scope of the claims.

In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is an illustration of one form of my improved cotter key with its portions iii-positions whichthey assume under normal or unrestrained condition of the metal;

5 Fig. 2 .is .an illustration. of the same form of key with parts retained in a tensioned condition and in positions in which theyare retained pre liminary to and incident to insertion through the intendedkey seat or aperture;

f Fig. 3 isan illustration of the same form of key in its seated and secured relationship with a bolt, shaft, or the like; 'f

Fig. 4 is an illustration of a modified form of key embodying the invention, with the parts in normal or untensioned positions;

' Fig.5, an illustration of .a second modified form of key. embodying the invention, with its parts'in thejnorm'al or untensioned position;

Fig. 6 is a detail, in the nature of a side elevation of the left end portionof Fig. 2, and serves to illustrate one. form of latching means and the relationship of parts in the latched condition;

-Fig. 7 illustrates, anotherform oflatching or holding element, thefigure-being a detail of the end of a pin leg; 1

Fig.8 is anothervi'ew of the same, looking at the bottom of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a detail similar to Fig. 6, showing a second modified form of latching or holding members; Q s r Fig. 10 .is inv thenature of a, left end view of Fig. I 9, but with the latching or holding members separated; and f I Fig. 11 is" an illustration of afurther modified formof the bight or loop of the key.

"Described generally, the invention contemplates 3. cotter key or pin having two arms or legs connectedby a'bight, head or loop, and of such nature that when unrestrained, the legs tend {to assume'a' sprea'd'or separated relation ship; considerably exceeding in their span the diameter of theseat or aperture in which the keyjis to'be inserted and secured. The legs of the jkey, or their connecting bight or head, or both, are'of a resilient or; elastic character, permitting the legs to be pressed together into close association with each other, and at the end of one or both of the legs is provided a latching or holding element, whereby the legs may be retained in thatrelationship against the tension which'tendstomove them to the separated or spread position. This latching or holding arrangement is such that the ends of the legs may be very easily and quickly freed from this retention,'to allow them to spring apart under the inherent elasticity or resiliency of the device. Atthe end of one or both of the legs is provided a stop or abutment member which projects outwardly from the leg in a position to engage against a surface of the element in which the key is seated, for the purpose of preventing withdrawal of the key from the seat. The head or bight of the key serves in similar fashion to prevent withdrawal of the key from the seat in the opposite diredion. I

A more detailed understanding of theinvention may be had from the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawing. In Fig. 1 is il- 'lustrated a key formed of wire, which may he 01' any appropriate cross-sectional form, the key being shaped with the

legs

10 and 11 connected by a loop or bight 12, the wire being of a tempered or resilient character such that the legs tend strongly to assume the spread or relative positions approximately as shown. At the free end of the leg 10 the wire is bent reversely back along theouter side of the legto form an abutment or stop'member 14, the tip. of which-is bent upwardly to a position somewhat above the leg wire 10, to form a latching or retaining member 15; The parts are illustrated on a somewhat larger scale in 6. The wire at the free end of the leg llis bent reversely back along the outer side of the leg wire, for a length somewhat less than that. of the reversed portion 14, and this portion '16 is adapted to constitute an abutmentor stop member. The provision oithis member 16, while desirable, isoptional, but not essential. V

The key may be shaped from wire having the proper resiliency, or the wire may be shapedwhile in a mild or annealed condition, to form the key above described, and then tempered, to give it the desired set .and'spring quality.

The device having. the proper'spring quality,

the wire is placed under tension by pressing the legs together and crossing or partly crossing one over the other, as in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, and the key is latched intl'u's tensioned conditionv by engaging the leg 11' against the outer side of the latching or retaining member 15, the parts being held in this relationship by the spring tension of the wire. The key is now in condition suitable for insertion through the intended key seat or aperture. This contracting or tensioning and latching .oi theikey may be done as a part of its manufacture, in which-case, the key is marketed in that condition.

' In this contracted or latched condition, the legs are close together, and may be quickly and easily inserted through a suitable key seat or aperture to a distance suchthat 'thelatched ends of the legs-protrude. Thereupon, the key may be quickly and easily set or secured simply by disengaging theleg 11 from the latching member 15, which may be accomplished readily by the insertion of a prying implement between the ends of the legs. Immediately the leg 11 is disengaged from the latching member, the legs spring apart under the tension of the material, to the extent permitted by the key seat or aperture, thus assuming a position as illustrated for example in Fig. 3. The elastic tension of the material holds the legs in contact with the opposite wall portions of the key seat, and the key is retained against withdrawal byabutment of the abutment or stop member or members against the. adjacent side of the transfixed member. The continuous spring pressure of the key legs on the wall portions of the seat holds the key against rattling. 'I'hekey may thus be inserted in close proximity to washers or other elements mounted on the transfixed member, or through collars, castellated nuts, or other members provided with suitable apertures or keyways in register with the key seat. 1

The bight, loop, or head of the key may be made in any of a great variety of forms, certain variations in this particular being illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 11. t ,7

The latching member and stop members may be formed in various fashions. For example, in 4, 5, 7 and 8 is illustrated an arrangement wherein the latching member 15 is provided by 9 9 the reversely bent end of the leg wire under the latter and turning the tip up at the inside of theleg wire. In Figs. 9 and 10 is illustrated another fashion in which cooperating latching members may be formed at the ends of the legwires, by bending the ends of the wires reversely alongside the leg wires and then swag- :mg the bent portion to iormcomplementary shouiders or offsets 15' adapted to engage each other to hold thele'gs under tension. In Fig. 10 the arrows indicate the direction of the spring tendency of the leg members. in the others, the reversely bent ends of the leg wires form stop members, as indicated at 14'.

The temper set of the material may be such as to cause the-legato spread or separate in crossed relationship, as'ilhistratedfor example in Fig. 4,

which has to be spread at the ends; and it is to i be observed'likewise that the proper setting of the key is efiected with certainty. While spring keys have beenheretofore proposed for use, it has been diflicult to accomplish their insertion; due-to the fact that the legs had to be held together by pliers or the like in order to efiect their introduction into the aperture.- This disadvantage is entirely eliminated by my present invention, as the legs are held together by the latching arrangement.

Hence the pinmay be handled entirely by the head J or bight. This facility of insertion and locking isofparticular advantage where theworking space is restricted or the key seat is close to washers, collars, or the like. The key may be as readily removed, by latching the'ends of the legs as above describedso it may. be withdrawn by the head, or. asis the usualpractice, by cutting off the head, or ends of .thelegs. and then withdrawing it. The leg members may be serrated, knurled or sinuouslyformed for the purpose of increasing their bite or holding efi ect upon the wall portions of thexkeyseat. 7 v

What I claim is:

1. 1i cotter key comprising a pair of legs conjoined bya head and tending normally to assume a spread relationship, said key formed to permit the end portions of the legs to be overlapped one upon the other, a latching'member carried adjacent the end of one leg for latching engagement with the other leg to hold the legs close together and under'elastic tension in positions such that the over-all width of the key across the ends of the legs is less than that of the head, and a stop member projecting outwardly from one of the legs adjacent the free end thereof.

In this form, as :3

Iii)

2. A cotter key comprising a pair of legs conjoined by a head and tending normally to assume a spread relationship, said key formed to permit the end portions of the legs to be overlapped one upon the other, latching members carried adjacent the ends of the legs and adapted for interengagement when end portions of the legs are in overlapped position to hold the legs close together and under elastic tension in positions wherein the maximum distance across the legs is less than the maximum width of the head, and a stop member projecting outwardly from one of the legs adjacent the free end thereof.

3. A cotter key comprising a pair oi legs conjoined by a head and tending normally to assume a spread relationship, said key formed to permit the end portions of the legs to be overlapped one upon the other, a latching member carried adjacent the end of one leg for latching engagement with the other leg to hold the legs under elastic tension in positions relatively close together, and stop members carried on the legs adjacent the ends thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom in the directions in which the legs tend to separate.

4. A cotter key as specified in claim 2 which, inclusive of the latching members, is formed throughout of a single length of spring wire.

5. A cotter key as specified in claim 1 and wherein the latching member projects from the leg in one direction and the stop member projects in another direction.

6. A cotter key as specified in claim 2 and wherein the latching members are formed as ppositely directed projections on the leg portions.

'7. A cotter key comprising a pair of legs conjoined by a head and tending normally to assume a spread relationship, said key formed to permit the end portions of the legs to be overlapped one upon the other, a latching member carried adjacent the end of one leg for latching engagement with the other leg to hold the legs under elastic tension in positions relatively close together, and stop members projecting outwardly in opposite directions adjacent the free ends of the legs, the stop member on one leg being spaced a less distance from the head than the stop member on the other leg.

8. A cotter key formed of spring wire with two leg portions tending to assume a spread and separated relationship, the wire at one end of a leg member being bent reversely to a position along the outer side of said leg member and part of the reversely bent portion being off-set to form a catch engageable by the other leg member, whereby the leg members may be latched in proximate relationship and held under elastic tension.

9. A cotter key having two legs connected by a head and elastically constrained toward spread relationship, a latching member carried by one 01' the legs and adapted for latching cooperation with the other leg to retain the legs under elastic tension with their ends relatively close together, and a stop member carried adjacent the end of one leg and projecting outwardly therefrom on the side opposite the other leg, said latching and stop members being insertable through the key-way with the legs when the latter are latched together.

10. A cotter key having two connected legs elastically constrained toward a spread position, one of the legs being formed adjacent its free end with a stop member extending outwardly in the direction away from the other leg and one of the legs being formed adjacent its free end with a latching member for latching engagement with an end portion of the other leg.

11. A cotter key having two leg portions elastically constrained toward spread relationship and movable to a crossed relationship, and a latching member carried on one of the leg portions for latching the leg portions in crossed relationship under elastic tension with their ends close together.

12. A cotter key having two leg portions connected by a head portion and tending normally to assume a separated relationship at their free ends, said leg portions having stop members projecting therefrom adjacent their free ends and having also interengageable parts whereby they may be hooked together under elastic tension to hold the outer sides of their free ends and stop members closer together than the outer sides of the head, for insertion through the key seat.

13. A cotter key having two leg portions connected by a head portion and tending normally to assume a separated relationship at their free ends and adapted to have their free ends moved into overlapping relationship under elastic tension, said leg portions having stop members projecting therefrom adjacent their free ends and having also interengageable parts whereby they may be hooked together under elastic tension to hold their free ends and stop members sufi'iciently close together to permit their insertion through a key seat which will not admit the head.

14. A cotter key comprising a pair of legs conjoined by a head and tending normally to assume a spread relationship, one of the leg portions having a part projecting laterally in a direction away from the other leg to form a stop member adapted for latching engagement with a part of the other leg to hold the legs under elastic tension in positions wherein the maximum distance across the legs and stop member is less than the maximum width of the head.

J. W. PETERSON.