Coupling guard
OwnerWilliam E. LaBarge, IIIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guard for shielding a coupling joint joining rotating shafts includes first and second cylindrical components configured to telescopingly adjustably engage to enclose the coupling joint. The cylindrical components are made from opposing identical semi-cylindrical cover halves, each with lateral flanges, with one set of lateral flanges forming an inwardly-facing longitudinal slot for slidably receiving the other pair of lateral flanges. A fastener extended through overlapping flanges fixes the length adjustment. A pair of supports includes a vertically adjustable bracket on spaced stands, the brackets being configured to wedgingly engage the supports when secured in a vertically adjusted position thereon. The cover halves, supports and brackets can be thermoformed from heat.
Claims18
A guard for shielding a pair of exposed rotating shafts and a coupling joint interconnecting the shafts in a machine assembly, comprising:
- first, second, third, and fourth cover components, each including a semi-circular body and an end wall and edges on opposing sides;
- the bodies of the first and second cover components forming a first cylindrical shape and the associated end walls forming a first opening for a first shaft when the edges of the first and second cover components are abutted;
- the bodies of the third and fourth cover components forming a second cylindrical shape and the associated end walls forming a second opening for a second shaft when the edges of the third and fourth cover components are abutted;
- the first cylindrical shape being sized to telescopingly slidingly fit over an outer surface of the second cylindrical shape in order to enclose the coupling joint and associated portions of the first and second shafts.
A guard for shielding a pair of exposed rotating shafts and a coupling joint interconnecting the shafts in a machine assembly, comprising:
- first and second cylindrical components configured to telescopingly engage to enclose the coupling joint and each including an end wall that, when combined form an opening for one of the shafts, the components slidingly engaging to thus allow for longitudinal length adjustment of the guard;
- and
- a pair of spaced stands each including a support and a vertically adjustable bracket, the brackets each being configured to wedgingly frictionally engage the supports when secured in a vertically adjusted position thereon.
A method of shielding a pair of exposed rotating shafts and a coupling joint interconnecting the shafts in a machine assembly, comprising steps of:
- providing first and second cylindrical components that enclose the coupling joint and that form end walls with openings for the shafts;
- slidingly engaging the first and second cylindrical components to adjust to a selected longitudinal length for covering the coupling joint and then securing same together;
- and
- providing a pair of supports including a vertically adjustable bracket on each of the pair of supports;
- and
- adjusting and then wedgingly securing the brackets to the supports in a vertically adjusted position thereon.
A method of shielding a pair of exposed rotating shafts and a coupling joint interconnecting the shafts in a machine assembly, comprising steps of:
- providing first and second cylindrical components configured to telescopingly engage to enclose the coupling joint and each including an end wall forming an opening for a shaft, the first and second cylindrical components having first abutting lateral flanges that form longitudinally-extending slots and second abutting lateral flanges that fit into and slidably engage the slots;
- providing supports for supporting the first and second cylindrical components;
- and
- slidingly longitudinally adjusting and then securing the first and second cylindrical components together in a horizontally adjusted position and to the supports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.