Abstract: A self-locking fastener for a threaded joint having an end portion with a plurality of teeth in an annular array arranged to indent a coacting surface of a workpiece, to resist loosening. The teeth have individual top bearing surfaces which comprise discontinuous sections of the end surface of the fastener body, the sections being flanked in opposite circumferential directions respectively by abruptly and gradually sloping side surfaces, enabling the fasteners to be turned in a tightening direction and resisting turning in a loosening direction. The top bearing surfaces spread the clamp load and limit indentation of the teeth into the coacting surface to an extent determined by the combined areas of the top bearing surfaces engaged with the coacting surface.

Abstract: Novel hatch latch apparatus operable upon dropclosing of an elongated trough or circular hatch cover to effect automatic locking of the hatch cover's striker bar to a covered hopper car's roof whereby the hatch cover's compression seal is compressably seated and sealed against the hatch opening's coaming. Detented unlatching of the hatch cover is effected by operation of an associated detent lever which positively places the apparatus' latch lever out of operational engagement with the hatch cover's striker bar. When in the inoperative detent position, the novel latch apparatus is further operable upon a subsequent drop-closing of the hatch cover and its associated striker bar to effect reactivation of the latch lever from the detent position to the normal latching position, therefore again effecting automatic locking.

Abstract: Novel ratchet loadbinder apparatus utilizing a spring-biased single pawl member carried within a slotted cam formed on the loadbinder's handle, the pawl member being selectively and reversibly positioned in one of two operating positions formed by bearing recesses at both ends of the slotted cam, such selective placement depending upon the desired direction of movement of an associated screw-threaded turnbuckle barrel. The loadbinder's handle carries a spring member utilized to maintain the pawl member in its preselected position during indexing handle movements. During working stroke handle movements, the pawl member is forcibly interposed between the selected bearing recess on the handle and an associated ratchet gear rigidly mounted on the threaded barrel.