Drive shaft engagement and methods

The drive shaft assembly of claim 36, wherein the assembly includes a power take-off coupling for a vehicle and a driven implement, the coupling comprising:

• a power take-off shaft of the vehicle including a plurality of male splines extending in an axial direction and having respective tapered ends tapering in an axial direction;
• and
• a power input shaft of the implement including a plurality of female splines extending in an axial direction and having respective tapered ends tapering in an axial direction;
• wherein the female splines are adapted to receive the male splines and form a driving connection, the tapered ends facilitating engagement and alignment of the male splines and the female splines.

A method of engaging a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a connector being coupled to the driven shaft by a universal joint, the connector being adapted to engage the drive shaft, the drive shaft having a first axis and the connector having a second axis, the method comprising:

• pivoting the connector relative to the driven shaft to orient the second axis in a predetermined orientation with respect to the first axis;
• holding the connector in position relative to the driven shaft with the second axis in the predetermined orientation relative to the first axis by locking the universal joint;
• and
• engaging the connector of the driven shaft with the drive shaft.

An articulated drive shaft assembly adapted to connect to and be driven by a drive shaft, the drive shaft assembly comprising:

• a driven shaft having a first axis;
• a connector having a second axis and adapted to engage the drive shaft;
• and
• a universal joint connecting the connector to the driven shaft, the universal joint including a locking assembly to selectively hold the connector in a position relative to the driven shaft with the first axis in a predetermined orientation relative to the second axis during connection with the drive member.

A coupler assembly comprising:

• a hub having a bore defining a bore axis and operable to receive along the bore axis a shaft to be locked to the hub, the hub defining a slot communicating with the bore;
• a locking member movable in the slot to engage a recess in the shaft when the shaft is inserted into the bore;
• a first indicia indicative of a locked condition of the coupler assembly, in which the locking member engages the recess;
• and
• a second indicia indicative of an unlocked condition of the coupler assembly.