Abstract
A nut to be used as part of a fastener to be used in multiple ways in various industries or methods has a drive mechanism and stud extending from the drive mechanism with a threaded bore. In addition the nut can be specifically used as a method and as part of special fastener that can be used to join cut, hard-wood members, other naturally occurring manufactured mat members or synthetically man made members, referred to as “timber(s)” or “laminated”, in forming a mat used for heavy construction equipment to run on over ground which is not stable. These mats are commonly referred to as “Crane Mats” or “Laminated Mats” in the construction, mining, pipeline, and oil and gas industries among others.
Claims
1. A nut comprising: (a) a head disposed at a first end of the nut with a drive, the drive including an externally facing six-sided surface having six flats joined by six edges for external engagement by a socket or wrench, the head having a flat top surface and a rounded shoulder transitioning into the six-sided surface such that an upper edge of the six flats facing the first end are arched where the flats transition blend into the rounded shoulder; (b) a stud extending from a bottom side of the head to an opposite second end of the nut, the stud having an internally threaded bore that extends from the second end toward the first end, the bore having a tapered mouth at the second end that is progressively larger than the diameter of the threaded bore; and (c) a pass-through aligned with the center of the threaded bore and extending through the flat top surface of the head, the pass-through having an internal diameter opening capable of receiving a member that threads into the threaded bore.
2. The nut as recited in claim 1 including an integral flat bearing surface under the head incorporated within the head.
3. The nut as recited in claim 1 including a connection between the stud and the head in which it is reinforced with additional material in order to allow for more torque to be placed on the drive without the head detaching from the stud, the connection including an integral washer portion that has an outer perimeter having a diameter that is larger than an effective outer diameter of the six edges of the head and wherein the effective outer diameter of the head is larger than an outer diameter of the stud, and including a tapered enlargement between the stud and an underside of the washer portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 shows a isometric view of crane mat.
(2) FIG. 1A shows a side cross section view of crane mat with a bolt and nut.
(3) FIG. 2 shows a top and side view of an improved nut Post Nut Sleeve.
(4) FIG. 3 shows a bolt for a crane mat system for use with the Post Nut Sleeve.
(5) FIG. 4 shows a elongated nut with a bolt.
(6) FIG. 5 shows Spherical Nut Sleever) and bolt.
(7) FIG. 6 shows a top and side view of an alternate embodiment of nut.
(8) FIG. 7 shows a top and side view of the nut.
(9) FIG. 8 shows a crane mat.
(10) FIG. 9 shows an isometric view of crane mat (laminated mat).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(11) FIG. 1. shows an embodiment of a crane mat 2. The crane mat can have multiple structural pieces 4 that can be made out of various materials. Often the multiple structural pieces 4 are made out of wood. The multiple structural pieces 4 as shown in FIG. 1 can have different widths. The crane mat 2 can have desired dimensions of length A, width B and thickness C. A non-limiting example of the desired dimensions of a crane mat 2 would be a mat that is 4 feet wide, 18-20 feet long and 8 inches thick. The desired dimensions can be any dimensions. For a laminate mat, a typical thickness could be 3-5 inches. With some materials used for constructing the mat, the exact desired dimension cannot be achieved consistently. For example, if wood is used and a typical desired dimension of width b was 4′ the width b could ranges from 3′11″ to 4′2″ because of the inconsistencies in the size of the individual pieces wood. FIG. 1 depicts the multiple structural pieces varying in size or shape so the exact width B of the crane mat 2 may not be obtainable and there could be variation in the width B of the mat itself at different points and there is often variation in width b from mat to mat even if all were desired to be 4 feet in width B. In the prior art in order to accommodate for the varying sizes of the individual multiple structural pieces 4 a bolt that was significantly longer than the width b was used. In addition, because that mats are sometimes placed side by side it was important that the bolt and nut not extend too far from the edge of that mat, otherwise a gap between mats would be created when they were placed side by side. In order to account for the varying sizes of the individual multiple pieces of mats and also not create a gap between two mats, a bolt that extends through the mat is often used with countersink hole for the nut. After the nut and bolt are connected the end of the bolt is often cut off. FIG. 1 shows countersink holes to allow for a regular nut and washer to be recessed into the mat or for the nut as claimed as part of this invention to be used. This is to be contrasted to the crane mat shown in FIG. 8 without having countersunk holes wherein the bore hole ends 26 are the same diameter and not much larger than the bolt or the stud on the nut. A bore within the mat structure 9 is shown and that is where the bolt and or nut run through the mat to connect the multiple structural pieces 4 together. It should be noted that in FIGS. 1 and 8 the bolt runs through the width B. In FIGS. 1 and 8 the bolt can have a length that is shorter than the desired dimension which in FIGS. 1 and 8 is the width B. In contrast with the mats 2 shown FIGS. 1 and 8 is the mat shown in FIG. 9 which is often referred to as a laminate mat. In FIG. 9 the desired dimension is the thickness C. In a mat 2 as shown in FIG. 9 the bolt can have a shorter length that the desired thickness C. If typical crane mat dimensions are 4 feet in width B, 18 feet in length A, and 4 inches thickness C, and those dimensions are used for the desired dimensions of the mats shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 9 that would mean that a bolt to be used with the mats in FIGS. 1 and 8 could have a length of less than 4 feet. In contrast the bolts used for the mat as shown in FIG. 9 could have a length less than 4 inches. The above is a non-limiting example and the bolts could also be longer than a desired dimension. In the preferred embodiment the bolts for the mat shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 would be less than the width B and would less than the thickness C for the mat shown in FIG. 9.
(12) FIG. 1A shows the side view of the crane mat 2. The crane mat has a bolt 6 that extends through the mat and the mat is fastened by connection of bolt 6 with nut 8. The nut 8 has a pass-through 28. The bore hold shown in FIG. 1A has substantially the same diameter at both ends and is just larger enough for the bolt head and the nut stud. As shown in FIG. 2 nut 8 has a head 10 with a drive 12. In this preferred embodiment the drive is a six sided surface used with a wrench or socket. A stud 14 extends from one side of the head 10. The stud 14 typically has a threaded bore. This new fastening system 6 and 8 allow for a completely new method for manufacturing crane mates. The reason for this is that the drive for tightening the system is on the nut, plus the sleeve allows for different widths of the individual structural pieces of the crane mat as described above. As indicated above the crane mats may have to stack side by side and therefore may need a flat surface. In order to obtain this, previous methods of manufacturer required that the bolt not extend significantly past the edge of the mat, thus requiring a counter sink hole be used for the nut and washer. Once the bolt and nut were tightened so that the nut was in the countersink hole the bolt portion that could extend past a leading edge of the mat had to be sheared or cut. This countersinking and shearing procedures created significant labor and safety issues.
(13) FIG. 3 shows a new bolt 6. This bolt can be made from rebar. As seen the bolt 6 has a flat bolt head 18. As shown in FIG. 3 the bolt 6 has a surface that assists it through the bore and aligns the bolt with the nut. When the hole is drilled often inside the hole if the material is wood, the wood splinters inside the bore. If the nut and bolt have to thread inside the bore, the splintering can cause the bolt to be off center. Having a deformed surface can help keep the bolt through the bore and align the bolt. The bolt 6 could be made from rebar, steel tubing, fiberglass, plastic or wood. The bolt in FIG. 3 shows the head 18 is welded 19 onto the rebar bolt. The head of 18 could also be forged as shown in FIG. 5.
(14) FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the nut 8 and the bolt 6. The bolt 6 is constructed from steel tubing. There is a flat head that is welded to the tubar and reduced threaded length on the opposite end of the bolt 6. The threaded end can have a chamfered section in order to make connection with the nut 8 easier.
(15) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the nut 8 and bolt 6. Threaded bore 20 can be seen. Threaded bore 20 will allow for another bolt to be connected to nut 8.
(16) FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment of the nut 22. Nut 22 has an inner drive mechanism 24.
(17) FIG. 7 shows nut 8 and two bolts 6. As can be seen nut 8 has a pass-through 20 that would either allow a bolt 6 if long enough to pass completely through nut 8 or alternatively allow for a second bolt 6 to enter into the opposite side of nut 8. This is a completely new and novel feature of nut 8. No other nut has the combination of the stud, pass-through and drive. This will allow for the nut 8 to be used in numerous different applications for which either pass-through of the first bolt 6 is required or a second bolt 6 is required. This is completely contrary to the previous thinking with these type of nuts because that intentionally don't provide for pass-through.
(18) FIG. 9 shows a crane mat (laminated mat) 2. Fasteners 30 are used in the desired dimension of thickness C. The multiple structural pieces in this embodiment are both stacked and beside each other. Multiple fasteners are used. Those fasteners are nuts and bolts as shown and described in this application.
(19) A person of skill in art would use standard bolt and nut making techniques to make the nut and bolt shown.
(20) Various changes could be made in the above construction and method without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. It is intended that all matter contained in the above and as shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative example and not as a limitations.
(21) Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while still being within the scope of the invention.
