Flex Type Lock Nuts
A one piece all-metal prevailing torque type lock nut. These lock nuts have six equally spaced opposing slots aligned with the corners of the nut and cut into a cylindrical collar of slightly smaller diameter at the top of the nut. All-metal lock nuts are more resistant to higher temperatures and chemical exposure than non-metallic lock nuts (such as nylon insert lock nuts) and may be re-used.
PREVAILING TORQUE
As the bolt threads through the flex lock nut, the slotted collar expands outwards causing the prevailing torque and increasing the resistance to loosening forces when tightened onto a mated thread. Consequently, unlike free spinning lock nuts, torque must be applied during both assembly and dis-assembly - prevailing torque. The advantage of this type of nut is that loosening is unlikely even if pre-load is reduced completely because of the remaining rotational resistance. Prevailing torque lock nuts are not ideal to use with long threaded assemblies because long spans of threads may reduce the effectiveness of the nut's locking mechanism. Therefore, the length of the bolt or screw should not be much longer than that needed to ensure full thread engagement with the nut.
Material, Threading and Sizes
Available threads include standard right-hand and Unified inch coarse series (UNC, Unified National Coarse) or Unified inch fine (UNF, Unified National Fine). Sizes refers to the nut's nominal thread diameter. Nut width across flats, (wrench size), and thickness vary with nut size.
Typically, sizes range from about #6 to 1". Flex type lock nuts are available in a low-carbon steel with a cadmium coating. For dimensions and technical specifications click
here.
