High voltage insulative shaft coupler

A high voltage electrically insulative shaft coupler, comprising

• a. A first coupler element having a hollow housing, said housing including a cylindrical interior cavity having an inner diameter of a first dimension,
• b. a second coupler element including an elongated shaft, said shaft being formed to fit within said cavity, and
• c. a cylindrical, flexible elastomeric retention member secured to said shaft, and said retention member having an outer diameter of a second dimension, said second dimension being greater than said first dimension, said retention member being formed of a dielectric material capable of withstanding high voltage of on the order of 50 kilovolts without breakdown,
• d. said shaft retention member being installed axially within said housing cavity;
• such that said retention member is compressed so that the outer diameter of said retention member is equal to said first dimension, whereby said retention member and said shaft will be axially rotated when said first coupler element housing is rotated,
• e. a dielectric first guide means located centrally adjacent the bottom of said cavity in axial registration with the interior of said cavity and with the end of said shaft within said cavity, said first guide means being capable of withstanding high voltage and being formed to receive said shaft end and being sufficiently hard and unyielding to retain said shaft end in position in axial registration with the interior of said cavity and prevent substantial lateral movement thereof,
• f. a dielectric guide collar adjacent the top of said cavity in close fitting relationship with the cavity defining portions of said hollow housing and in close fitting surrounding relationship with respect to said shaft, said guide collar being capable of withstanding high voltage and being sufficiently hard and unyielding to prevent substantial lateral movement of the portions of said shaft adjacent the top of said cavity, and
• g. retaining means for retaining said guide collar in place adjacent the top of said cavity,
• h. whereby said second coupler element shaft will be held in place and prevented from substantial lateral movement by said first guide means adjacent the bottom of said cavity and by said guide collar adjacent the top of said cavity and will be electrically insulated from said first coupler element by said first guide means, said guide collar and said intermediate elastomeric retention member.