Plastic stabilized composite camshaft

A camshaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft member having an outer periphery;
• a cam element including an aperture having an inner periphery similar to said outer periphery and defining a continuous space therebetween;
• interlocking means comprising an interlocking section of said outer periphery and said inner periphery;
• a plastic hardenable material in said continuous space for rigidly affixing said cam element to said shaft member;
• at least some of said material between portions of said interlocking sections compressionally resisting torsional loading of said camshaft;
• and
• the shape of said interlocking section of said inner periphery increasing the grip of said material on said cam element upon shrinking of said material.

A composite camshaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft member having a cross section defining a plurality of first protrusions;
• a plurality of identical cam elements spaced along said shaft member and each having an opening defining a plurality of second protrusions, said first protrusions and said second protrusions dovetailing and forming a small continuous space therebetween;
• a hardened flowable material in said continuous space securing said cam elements in position along said shaft member;
• and
• said first and second protrusions being shaped such that portions of said material therebetween compressionally resist torsional loading of said camshaft and such that upon shrinkage of said material, said cam elements and said camshaft are more tightly secured together.