Safety coupling for the transmission of rotary motion

Abstract

The safety coupling includes a driving part (10) and a driven part (12) able to rotate around the same rotation axis (X) and respectively provided with first torque transmission means (14, 24) and with second torque transmission means (30, 36, 40, 52, 60, 62) having front toothings (24, 40, 60, 62) normally meshing with each other for the transmission of torque between the two parts of the coupling (10, 12). The safety coupling also includes torque-sensitive opening means (66, 72, 110) arranged to disengage the front toothings (24, 40, 60, 62) of the first (14, 24) and second (30, 36, 40, 52, 60, 62) torque transmission means, thus interrupting the torque transmission, when the torque transmitted between the two parts of the coupling (10, 12) exceeds a gi ven maximum value. The torque-sensitive opening means (66, 72, 110) include a pressure chamber (66) filled with incompressible fluid and valve means (110) suitable for allowing the discharge of the fluid from the pressure chamber (66) once a given maximum fluid pressure value (pt) has been exceeded in the pressure chamber (66). The pressure of the fluid in the pressure chamber (66) exerts a force on the front toothings (24, 40, 60, 62) of the first (14, 24) and second (30, 36, 40, 52, 60, 62) torque transmission means tending to keep the front toothings meshing for the transmission of the torque between the two parts of the coupling (10, 12), and the torque transmitted between the two parts of the coupling (10, 12) through the front toothings (24, 40, 60, 62) of the first (14, 24) and second (30, 36, 40, 52, 60, 62) torque transmission means produces an increase in the pressure of the fluid in the pressure chamber (66) proportional to the torque transmitted, in such a way that the maximum torque value is linked to the maximum pressure value (pt).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.