1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of fasteners, such as a pair of nuts, on a threaded shaft wherein one of the nuts is a lock or jam nut that is used to prevent the loosening of the other nut.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is often necessary to place a nut on a threaded shaft in an apparatus where the threaded shaft is subjected to rotational or other forces that tend to loosen the nut. In such situations, it is well known to place two conventional nuts on the threaded shaft wherein one of the nuts functions as a lock nut or jam nut to prevent the loosening of the other nut. A variety of modifications to this arrangement have also been developed to provide an arrangement which inhibits the loosening of a primary nut on a threaded shaft.
There are a wide variety of applications for such locking nut arrangements. Many automobiles and other driver-operated vehicles have steering wheels that are mounted on adjustable steering columns wherein the steering column may be adjusted by tilting the steering column, adjusting the axial length of the steering column or by permitting both the tilting and axial adjustment of the steering column. Many of these adjustable steering columns have a locking lever that can be pivoted by the operator of the vehicle between an unlocked position, which allows for the repositioning of the steering column, and a locked position, which secures the steering column in the selected position. These levers are often mounted on one end of a threaded shaft that forms part of the locking assembly. The other end of the threaded shaft often has a nut threadingly secured thereon that bears against another part of the steering column assembly. To prevent this primary nut from loosening on the shaft and thereby degrading the performance of the locking assembly a jam nut can be installed on the threaded shaft and engaged with the primary nut.
While many of the known locking nut arrangements perform adequately, further improvements which facilitate the efficient manufacture of an apparatus employing a locking nut or jam nut arrangement is desired.