Heat break coupling
AssigneePyrotek, Inc.
InventorJon Tipton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the art of processing and treating molten metal. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved coupling design for a molten metal processing system to provide coupling design for rotor/shaft systems which has a heat break to prevent heat flow to a motor. This disclosure deals with a cross sectional area reduction heat break which provides a restriction prevent heat transmission through a conductive material by providing a coupling for connecting a motor to a shaft in a molten metal processing system to restrict heat flow to a motor, which will ultimately extend the life of the motor.
Claims15
A coupling for connecting a driver shaft, such as, but not limited to, a motor shaft, to a driven shaft, such as but not limited to an impeller shaft in a molten metal processing system comprising:
- a body having a first opening configured to receive a driver shaft, a second opening configured to receive a driven shaft, with a designed cross-sectional area reduction between the first opening and the second opening, to reduce heat flow from the driven shaft to an associated driver shaft through the coupling.
A coupling mechanism for connecting a driver system to an impeller shaft of a molten metal pump, the coupling mechanism comprising a body having a first cavity configured to receive an associated output shaft of an associated driver system and a second cavity, axially spaced from the first cavity, the second cavity being configured to include a geometry extending radially into a side wall of the body, wherein the geometry reduces the cross-sectional area of the body taken normal to a rotational axis of the body through the slot, and a third cavity to accept a driven impeller shaft.
A method of inhibiting heat flow from a driven impeller shaft to a motor through a coupling comprising the steps of:
- attaching a motor output shaft to the coupling at a first opening;
- attaching an impeller shaft to the coupling at a second opening;
- removing material between the first and second openings resulting in columns of material radially located around the coupling.
A method of manufacturing a coupling comprising the steps of:
- forming one cavity for attachment of a driver motor output shaft;
- forming one cavity for attachment of a driven impeller shaft;
- removing mass from a side wall of a coupling to reduce heat flow from the impeller to the output shaft of the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.