Mechanical assemblies and methods of making same
AssigneeJacobs Brake Technology Corporation
InventorsDennis R. Custer, Donald J. McCarthy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Two members which initially have a very loose, complementary dovetail relationship to one another are firmly secured together by causing the material of a ductile locking member to flow into the space which initially exists between the complementary dovetail shapes. This technique is especially suitable for joining materials which are otherwise difficult to unite. For example, this technique can be used to secure an insert of tungsten carbide or ceramic in a main member of steel. Wear or bearing inserts of hard material can be secured in this way to the hydraulic pistons (especially the master pistons) used in compression release engine brakes.
Claims15
A substantially rigid assembly comprising:
- first and second members, said first member having a male dovetail-shaped portion positioned in a female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member leaving substantial space between adjacent surfaces of said portion which define the dovetail shapes of said portions;
- and
- a locking member of ductile material filling said space;
- wherein
- said first member has a first end positioned within said female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member and a second end outside said female dovetail-shaped portion and extending beyond the walls of said locking member;
- and
- said locking member is formed by initially positioning said ductile material adjacent to said space and subsequently forcing said ductile material to at least partly flow into said space in order to substantially fill said space and provide a tight dovetail connection between said surfaces of said portions which define the dovetail shapes of said portions of said first and second members, leaving said second end of said first member exposed as a contact surface for contact with elements external to said assembly.
A substantially rigid assembly comprising:
- first and second members, said first member having a male dovetail-shaped portion positioned in a female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member with substantial space between adjacent surfaces of said portions which define the dovetail shapes of said portions;
- and
- a locking member of ductile material filling said space;
- wherein:
- said first member is a retainer member disposed in a recess in said second member;
- and
- said locking member is formed by initially positioning said ductile material adjacent to said space, and subsequently forcing said ductile material to at least partly flow into said space in order to substantially fill said space and provide a tight dovetail connection between said surfaces of said portions which define the dovetail shapes of said portions of said first and second members;
- said assembly further comprising:
- a third member disposed in said recess and extending beyond the walls of said first and second members and said locking member, said third member being retained in said recess by said retainer member.
The assembly defined in 11 wherein said retainer member is a hollow annulus, and wherein said third member projects through the hollow center of said annulus.
A substantially rigid assembly comprising:
- first and second members, said first member having a male dovetail-shaped portion positioned in a female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member leaving substantial space between adjacent surfaces of said portions which define the dovetail shapes of said portions;
- and
- a locking member of ductile material filling said space;
- wherein:
- said female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member has a bottom surface;
- said first member has a first end positioned within said female dovetail-shaped portion of said second member and opposite said bottom surface;
- and
- said locking member is formed by initially disposing said ductile material in a gap communicating with said space and located between said bottom surface of said female portion and said first end of said male portion, and subsequently forcing said first end of said male portion toward said female portion to thereby cause said ductile material of said locking member to flow from said gap into said space in order to substantially fill said space and provide a tight dovetail connection between said surfaces of said portions which define the dovetail shapes of said portions of said first and second members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.