Back to results
US 4,051,784 AGranted
Flexible rotary coupling
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorDonald Lloyd Ries
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorDonald Lloyd Ries
Estimating the term…
A coupling comprising first and second members adapted to be connected respectively to a rotary drive and a rotary driven means subject to displacement from its normal axis of rotation. An elongate member is located intermediate the first and second members and drivingly connected to each member by a plurality of links and connecting pins. Each link includes a pair of connecting pins extending in the same axial direction away from the link. One pin of each link is secured to a flange at one end of the intermediate member, the other pin being secured to a flange of the first or second member at that end of the intermediate member. The links are provided adjacent the side of the flanges opposite one of the first or second rotary members to reduce the angular displacement required of the connecting link pins to accommodate axial displacement of a given distance and to provide a structure in which the elements may be readily assembled and disassembled.
A coupling for transmitting torque from a rotary driving means to a rotary driven means comprising a first member adapted to be connected to said driving means, a second member adapted to be connected to said driven means, an elongate member intermediate said first and second members and means drivingly connecting said first and second members respectively to opposite ends of said intermediate member, said means connecting at least one of said members to its respective end of said intermediate member comprising a plurality of links and connecting pins with each link having a pair of connecting pins with one end of each connecting pin seated within said link and with the pins extending in one direction away from said link with one connecting pin of each link secured adjacent its other ends to means extending radially outward from said one member and the other connecting pin secured adjacent its other end to means extending radially outward from said intermediate member.
A coupling for transmitting torque from a rotary driving means to a rotary driven means substantially axially aligned with said driving means comprising a first member adapted to be connected to the rotary driving means, a second member adapted to be connected to the rotary driven means, an elongate member intermediate said first and second members, means extending radially outward from said first and second members and from each end of said intermediate member, and means connecting said first and second members respectively to the opposite ends of said intermediate member, said connecting means comprising a plurality of links and connecting pins with each link positioned adjacent the side of said radially extending means of said intermediate member opposite from said first member and having a pair of pins with one end of each connecting pin seated within a link and with the pins extending away from said link in the direction of said first member with one connecting pin of each link secured adjacent its other end to said means extending radially outward from one end of said intermediate unit and the other connecting pin secured adjacent its other end to said means extending radially outward from said first or second rotary member at that end of said intermediate member.
A drive axle assembly for a rail vehicle comprising a gear box including rotary output driving means, a coupling having a hollow interior and an axle extending through the interior of said coupling, a wheel at each end of said axle, said coupling comprising a first rotary member drivingly connected to said gear box output, a second rotary member drivingly connected to said axle between said wheels, an axially elongate member intermediate said first and second rotary members, radially directed extensions at each end of said intermediate member, and a plurality of links drivingly connecting each of said rotary members to an extension at one end of said intermediate member, each of said links being located on the side of its respective extension opposite from said first rotary member and including a pair of connecting pins projecting axially away from said link in the direction of said first rotary member, one of said pair of connecting pins being secured adjacent its projecting end to an extension of said intermediate member and the other of said pair of connecting pins being secured adjacent its projecting end to one of said rotary members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Term ended 4 Oct 1994 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The present invention is directed to a coupling and, more specifically, to a flexible drive coupling for a self-powered rail type of mass transit vehicle.
Flexible drive couplings connecting a shaft to a rotary driving member in which the shaft and the axis of rotation of the rotary driving member are normally in axial alignment but capable of being axially misaligned are known. Drive couplings of the type to which the present invention is directed which have been proposed for use in transit vehicles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 567,560 to E. J. Bagnall and U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,096 to U. Kayserling. Flexible drive couplings are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 268,807 to F. F. Landis, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,242,694 and 3,791,170 to R. Schmidt.
The coupling of the present invention comprises a first member adapted to be connected to a rotary driving means, a second member adapted to be connected to a driven means, an elongate member intermediate the first and second members and means drivingly connecting the first and second members respectively to opposite ends of the intermediate member. The means connecting at least one of the members to its respective end of the intermediate member comprises a plurality of links and connecting pins with each link having a pair of connecting pins extending in the same direction away from the link and with one connecting pin of each link secured to a radial extension provided to that member and the other connecting pin secured to a radial extension provided at that end of the intermediate member. In the embodiment to be disclosed below, a pair of diametrically opposed radially extending arms are provided at each end of the elongate intermediate member. The first and second members are each respectively provided with a pair of diametrically opposed radially extending arms which are connected by links and connecting pins to the adjacent arms of the intermediate member with the links connecting the first member to the intermediate member positioned adjacent the side of the intermediate member arms opposite from the first member. In the disclosed embodiment the links connecting the second member to the intermediate member are also positioned adjacent the side of the intermediate member arms opposite from the first member. In the preferred embodiment the diametrically opposed arms at each end of the intermediate member are oriented substantially normal to each other and a pair of links are each secured at one end to each radially extending arm of the intermediate member and at the other ends to the radially extending arms of the first or second member at that end of the intermediate member.
In the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts:
FIG. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a drive axle assembly for a steel wheeled transit vehicle;
FIG. 2 is an end view of the coupling taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and
With reference to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a drive axle assembly for a transit vehicle comprising an axle 10 fitted at its opposite ends with a pair of steel wheels 11 only one of which is shown riding on a rail 12. The wheels 11 are fixed at the opposite ends of the axle 10 to be driven thereby on the rails. The axle 10 is rotatably mounted in bearings, not shown, which in turn may be supported in conventional manner by means of a car truck secured to the under carriage of the rail vehicle per se. The drive assembly of FIG. 1 is preferably driven by an electric motor rigidly supported by the car truck with the output shaft of the motor drivingly engaging the rotary input 14 of a gear box 15.
The cast housing of the gear box 15 provides a pair of oppositely disposed ears 16 having apertures 18 which are used to rigidly secure the gear box housing to the car truck.
The rotary input 14 of gear box 15 drives a pinion gear 19 the axis of rotation of which is substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the axle 10. The teeth of the pinion gear 19 mesh with the teeth of a ring gear 20. The ring gear 20 is secured by means of a plurality of machine bolts 21 to a sleeve 22. The sleeve 22 is mounted by means of a plurality of tapered roller bearings provided internally of the gear box housing to permit relatively friction free rotation of the ring gear 20 and sleeve 22 about an axis substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the pinion gear 19. The axially facing annular end of the sleeve 22 shown to the right in FIG. 1 is provided with a plurality of teeth 24 which serve as a rotary driving input to the coupling 25.