Link and bearing for rotary coupling
AssigneeLord Corporation
InventorsFrank E. Staples, Donald D. Russell, James L. Potter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A link for use in a link-type rotary coupling. The link has an elastomeric bearing which incorporates a pair of cavities that provide discontinuities for preventing the transfer of tensile stresses in the elastomeric layers when the link is tensioned axially while permitting the elastomeric layers to accept compressive stresses when the link is compressed axially. The resulting link is durable.
Claims25
In an elastomeric bearing which forms a portion of a link body, said bearing having a top surface and a bottom surface, an inner member having an outer surface, an outer member having an inner surface surrounding said inner member in spaced relation, layers of elastic material disposed between and outer surface of said inner member and said inner surface of said outer member and extending to said top and bottom surfaces, and at least one inelastic shim disposed between said layers, said inner member being pivotal about a pivot axis relative to said outer member and being displaceable under load in a first loading direction transversely of said pivot axis on a transverse axis, the improvement comprising:
- said layers of elastic material forming elastomeric means for retaining the inner member in a position within said bearing outer member for enabling said layers to accept compressive loads in a major arcuate zone in said first loading direction,
- an unbonded interface located directly adjacent to a selected one of said elastic layers and a selected one of said inner member, said outer member and said at least one inelastic shim, said unbonded interface occurring in a minor arcuate zone in a second loading direction opposite said first loading direction, and
- a pair of discontinuities extending transversely to said link body for separating of said minor arcuate zone from said major arcuate zone and defining two ends of each said arcuate zone, the boundaries of said arcuate zones being defined by said outer surface of said inner member, by said inner surface of said outer member, by said top and said bottom of said bearing and by said ends formed by said discontinuities,
- whereby loading of the inner member in the first direction separates the unbonded interface of said minor arcuate zone and the discontinuities, in conjunction with the unbonded interface cooperate to relieve undersirable stresses in the elastic layers in the bearing.
A link for providing a tension and compression connection on a longitudinal axis extending between spaced elements while accommodating relative pivotal motion between the elements in a direction transverse to said axis, said link comprising a link body extending on said axis between said elements, first means for connecting said link body at a first location to one of said elements, and second means for connecting said link body at a second location to the other of said elements, at least one of said means for connecting including an inner member and a plurality of alternating layers of elastic and relatively inelastic material disposed between said inner member and said link body, said alternating layers being arranged in separate arcuate zones which zones extend transverse to said longitudinal axis on diametrically opposite sides of said inner member, and means providing a pair of discontinuities between said alternating layers on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis to permit said inner member to pivot with minimal restraint relative to said link body when said link body is stressed in tension, whereby the link can accommodate the tension and compression loads and pivotal motions in a manner that minimizes internal stresses among the elastic layers.
In a link-type coupling for transferring torque between a drive member having a first rotational axis and a driven member having a second rotational axis, wherein said first and second axis may be misaligned, including a first plurality of connectable means for transmitting torque from said drive member to a linkage means, attached to said drive member and said linkage means, a second plurality of connectable means for transmitting torque from said linkage means to said driven member, attached to said driven member and said linkage means, each plurality being located radially outward of their respective rotational axis in spaced confronting relation with one another, said linkage means disposed between said drive and driven members interconnecting said first and second plurality of connectable means of said drive and said driven members respectively, said linkage means including a link body having a longitudinal axis extending between at least certain ones of said plurality of connectable means substantially tangentially to said rotational axis, and elastomeric bearing means connecting said link body to said connectable means for pivotal relative motion about spaced axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, said link being subjected to tension and compression loading under various conditions of rotational motion, the improvement wherein said elastomeric bearing means includes alternating layers of elastomeric material and inelastic shims bonded together throughout separate arcuate zones which zones have their ends defined by discontinuities, said zones being spaced apart on said longitudinal axis on diametrically opposite sides of said connectable means, whereby internal stresses can be reduced among the elastomeric layers while accommodating link motions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.