US 4,594,757 AGranted

Machine for rebuilding drive shafts

OwnerRoyce O. Johnson, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

An elongated work support comprising a table is provided and includes three side-by-side work stations extending longitudinally thereof. A first work station extends centrally along the table and includes a rotary support at one end of the table from which cutting structure is supported for adjustable shifting generally radially of the axis of rotation of the rotary support. The cutting station further includes support structure for stationary mounting a drive shaft tube in position concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotary support and with one end portion of the tube positioned relative to the cutting structure for cutting of an end member from the tube. The other end of the table includes drive shaft end member and tube end engaging structure relatively shiftable lengthwise of the table whereby an end member may be separated from an associated tube end. A second station is disposed adjacent one longitudinal side edge of the table and is operable to rotatably support a drive shaft tube and to test the tube as well as an end member supported from one end thereof for straightness and proper alignment. A third station disposed along the opposite longitudinal side of the table includes structure for slidably supporting the drive shaft center tube section, abuttingly engaging one end member from the free end thereof and supporting and displacing the other end member toward the opposite drive shaft end in order to seatingly telescopingly engage the mounting shank portion of the other end member in the adjacent tube section end.

A drive shaft rebuilding machine including a mount, a support and cutting station including support means on said mount for stationarily supporting therefrom a drive shaft including a center tube section and opposite end torque transmitting end members having shank portions telescoped into and welded to the opposite ends of said tube section by peripheral weld zones, said support and cutting station including cutting means operative to peripherally precisely depth cut-away a selected weld zone and separation means operative to axially separate said tube section from the end member on the side of said zone remote from said tube section, a test station mounted on said support and including axially spaced journaled means on said support for journalling opposite end portions of said center tube section therefrom, said test station additionally including lateral deflection sensing and indicating means intermediate said journal means for sensing and indicating lateral deflection of the longitudial midportion of said center tube section during rotation of said center tube section relative to said journal means and misalignment sensing and indicating means for sensing and indicating misalignment of the end members at opposite ends of said center tube section, a reinstaller station including a pair of axially spaced supports on said mount for slidably supporting a center tube section from its opposite end portions for at least limited guided axial shifting of said center tube section relative to said supports, first and second abutment means on said mount spaced outward from remote sides of said supports, said abutment means including means for supportively engaging remote extremities of said torque transmitting end members in alignment with the center axis of a center tube section supported from said supports, one of said supports being stationarily mounted from said mount and means supporting the other of said supports from said mount for guided rectilinear shifting toward and away from said one support, and means operative to gradually forcible shift said other support toward said one said support.

Abstract

Claims9