High torque friction fit low moment hub joint assembly for a shaft

A method of coupling a shaft to a connector using a hub joint assembly, wherein the shaft includes an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, wherein the hub joint assembly includes a coupling hub and a clamp ring, wherein the coupling hub includes a collar portion and a flange portion, wherein the collar portion includes a bore having an inner surface, wherein the collar portion further includes an outer surface that is conical, wherein the flange portion extends from the collar portion, wherein the clamp ring includes a bore having an inner surface that is conical, wherein the clamp ring further includes an outer surface, and wherein a passage is defined in the clamp ring and extends from the outer surface of the clamp ring to the inner surface of the clamp ring, the method comprising:

• a) positioning the coupling hub on the shaft so that the inner surface of the collar portion is positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft to provide a final axial position;
• b) sliding the clamp ring on the coupling hub so that the conical inner surface of the clamp ring is positioned adjacent to the conical outer surface of the coupling hub at a first relative position to establish a zero interference point;
• c) providing a pusher device including a cylinder having a bore defined therein, and a piston slidably positioned within the bore, wherein a pressure chamber is defined between the cylinder and the piston, wherein the cylinder is coupled with the clamp ring, wherein the piston is coupled with at least one of the shaft and the coupling hub;
• d) providing a dilation pressure assembly including a passage defined therein, wherein the dilation pressure assembly is associated with the clamp ring so that the passage of the dilation pressure assembly is aligned with the passage defined in the clamp ring;
• e) introducing hydraulic fluid through the passage of the dilation pressure assembly and the passage defined in the clamp ring so that the hydraulic fluid positioned at an interface between the conical inner surface of the clamp ring is positioned adjacent to the conical outer surface of the coupling hub;
• f) introducing hydraulic fluid into the pressure chamber of the pusher device to move the cylinder relative to the piston and thereby move the clamp ring relative to the coupling hub to a second relative position, wherein the movement of the clamp ring relative to the coupling hub imposes an interference pressure between the coupling hub and the shaft thereby frictionally coupling the coupling hub to the shaft;
• g) identifying a distance between the first relative position and the second relative position, wherein the identified distance is indicative of an interference pressure between the coupling hub and the shaft;
• and
• h) repeating steps e), f) and g) until the identified distance is associated with a predetermined interference pressure to frictionally couple the coupling hub to the shaft.