Shaft Connector Systems and Methods

A method comprising:

• installing an operator on a valve in an operational environment without disassembling the valve, wherein installing the operator comprises:
• disposing a valve shaft and an operator shaft in an end to end arrangement;
• positioning a sleeve over the end to end arrangement;
• coupling the sleeve to the valve shaft and to the operator shaft via a plurality of interior bosses that extend from the sleeve and into corresponding pre-configured recesses in the valve shaft and the operator shaft;
• allowing the sleeve to self adjust the alignment between the valve shaft and the operator shaft while transmitting torsional, translational, or torsional and translational loading through the plurality of interior bosses;
• retaining the plurality of interior bosses in the pre-configured recesses via at least one bolting assembly that secures the sleeve to the valve shaft and the operator shaft;
• and
• wherein the torsional, translational, or torsional and translational loading is not transmitted through the bolting assembly.

A method comprising:

• installing an operator on a valve in an operational environment without disassembling the valve, wherein installing the operator comprises:
• disposing a valve shaft and an operator shaft in an end to end arrangement;
• coupling the valve shaft to the operator shaft via a sleeve comprising a plurality of shear components extending from an interior wall of the sleeve and into corresponding pre-configured recesses in the valve shaft and the operator shaft;
• retaining the plurality of shear components in the pre-configured recesses via one or more retaining mechanisms that secure the sleeve to the valve shaft and the operator shaft;
• and
• independently aligning the valve shaft and the operator shaft while transmitting torsional, translational, or torsional and translational loading through the plurality of shear components and not through the retaining mechanisms.