Coupling for end gudgeon and internally heated roller

Means for drivingly coupling a support gudgeon of a first thermal expansion characteristic to an internally heated roller of a different thermal expansion characteristic, said means comprising:

• a first circumferential wall and a second circumferential wall, spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first wall, for defining an annular groove in said roller;
• and
• means for urging said support gudgeon into coupled engagement with said roller, said urging means having a first portion operatively connected to said gudgeon and a second portion extending at least partially into and in sliding engagement with said second wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion and contraction of said support gudgeon and roller is compensated for by sliding movement of said urging means in said groove to maintain said support gudgeon in coupled engagement with said roller throughout an operating range of temperatures.

For use with an internally heated roller having a cylindrical core of a first thermal expansion characteristic, an internal peripheral surface in said core defining a coaxial bore in at least one end of said core, a first circumferential side wall in said surface and a second circumferential side wall in said surface spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first side wall for defining an annular groove in said core, and a gudgeon of a different thermal expansion characteristic received in said bore in driving engagement with said core, means for urging said gudgeon into coupled supporting and driving engagement with said core regardless of unequal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core because of temperature changes, said urging means comprising:

• an element in engagement with said gudgeon for urging said gudgeon into said bore to maintain said gudgeon in supporting and driving engagement with said core, said element extending at least partially into said annular groove, and having a portion in sliding engagement with said second side wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core is compensated for by sliding movement of said element in said annular groove which maintains said gudgeon and said core in engagement.

In a roller having a longitudinal axis and a coaxial support member, a roller mounting providing for unequal thermal expansion characteristics of the roller and the support member, said mounting comprising:

• a shoulder on said roller against which said support member seats in an axial direction, a retainer element engaging said roller and engaging said support member in the opposite axial direction, and cooperating accomodating surfaces on said retainer element and roller, said surfaces being angled with respect to the axis to cause movement of said retainer element radially toward or away from the axis in response to thermal contraction or expansion of said support member relative to said roller.