Flexible coupling
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorDaniel M. Jedlicka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible coupling (10) includes a resilient body (12) for transferring torque and compensating for angular misalignment between first and second shaft members (14,16). A first pair of arms (28) connects the first shaft member (14) interlockingly to the resilient body (12) at one end (20) thereof, a second pair of arms (30) connects the second shaft member (16) interlockingly to the resilient body (12) at the other end (22), and first and second retaining members (32,34) releasably couple the resilient body (12) respectively to the first and second pairs of arms (28,30) at the opposite ends (22,20). Preferably, the resilient body (12) is of elastomeric material strengthened by a plurality of internal metal reinforcement members (86).
Claims6
A flexible coupling (10) for connecting first and second shaft members (14,16), comprising:
- resilient body means (12) for transmitting torque and compensating for misalignment between the first and second shaft members (14,16), said resilient body means (12) including an elastomeric body (68) having a central axis (18), opposite first and second ends (20,22), and a plurality of reinforcement members (86) arranged within the elastomeric body (68), each reinforcement member (86) being oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the axis (18);
- first arms means (28) for connecting the first shaft member (14) interlockingly to said resilient body means (12) at said first end (20);
- second arm means (30) for connecting the second shaft member (16) interlockingly to said resilient body means (12) at said second end (22);
- first retaining means (32) for releasably coupling said resilient body means (12) to said first arm means (28) at said second end (22);
- and
- second retaining means (34) for releasably coupling said resilient body means (12) to said second arm means (30) at said first end (20).
A flexible coupling (10) for connecting first and second shaft members (14,16) comprising:
- resilient body means (12) for transmitting torque and compensating for misalignment between the first and second shaft members (14,16) said resilient body means (12) including an elastomeric body (68) having a central axis (18), opposite first and second ends (20,22), first and second pairs of radially outwardly facing channels (72,74) and a plurality of internal metallic reinforcement members (86) arranged in sets (88), each set (88) encompassing a single one of said channels (72,74);
- first arm means (28) for connecting the first shaft member (14) interlockingly to said resilient body means (12) at said first end (20);
- second arm means (30) for connecting the second shaft member (16) interlockingly to said resilient body means (12) at said second end (22);
- first retaining means (32) for releasably coupling said resilient body means (12) to said first arm means (28) at said second end (22);
- and
- second retaining means (34) for releasably coupling said resilient body means (12) to said second arm means (30) at said first end (20).
A flexible coupling (10) for connecting first and second shaft members (14,16) comprising:
- a cylindrical resilient body (12) having a central axis (18), opposite first and second ends (20,22), and first and second sets of outwardly opening channels (24,26);
- a plurality of reinforcement members (86) located within the resilient body (12) and arranged in spaced apart relation in a direction parallel to said axis (18);
- a first set of arms (28) connected to the first shaft member (14) and received in said first set of channels (24) at said first end (20);
- a second set of arms (30) connected to the second shaft member (16) and received in said second set of channels (26) at said second end (22);
- a first retaining device (32) connected to said first set of arms (28) at said second end (22) and releasably entrapping said resilient body (12);
- and
- a second retaining device (34) connected to said second set of arms (30) at said first end (20) and releasably entrapping said resilient body (12).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.