Adjustable coupled drive shaft with a restraining ring

A coupling device comprising:

• a first rotating sleeve having an annular portion with a longitudinal axis, said annular portion having a first end, a second end, and an annular interior surface, the interior surface being provided with teeth distributed about said axis and extending inwardly toward said axis of the first sleeve, said teeth each extending for a first length along said axis of the first sleeve, said interior surface forming a first recess means adjacent said first end for accommodating a first ring, the first ring being removably disposed in said first recess means and extending inwardly toward said axis of the first sleeve, said interior surface having a second recess means for accommodating a second ring, said second recess means being disposed between said first recess means and said second end, the second ring being removably disposed in said second recess means and extending inwardly farther toward said axis of the first sleeve than said first ring;
• and
• a second rotating sleeve having an annular portion with a longitudinal axis, said annular portion having two ends and an annular exterior surface, the exterior surface being provided with teeth distributed about said axis of the second sleeve and extending away from said axis of the second sleeve so that the teeth of the second sleeve are interengageable with the teeth of the first sleeve, said first and second sleeves having relative diameters such that said annular portion of the second sleeve is insertable into said annular portion of the first sleeve, said teeth of the second sleeve extending along the axis of the second sleeve for a second length which is substantially smaller than said first length, said second sleeve also having an abutment portion which abuts said first ring of the first sleeve to limit axial movement of the second sleeve, said teeth of the second sleeve being separated from the first ring by an axial distance when the abutment portion abuts said first ring.

A coupling device, for transmission of torque between a drive and a driven shaft, comprising:

• a first sleeve having a longitudinal axis and having an annular portion including an annular interior provided with teeth distributed about said axis on said interior and extending toward said axis, said teeth each extending along said axis and having spaced ends, said interior including opposite ends, a third sleeve having a longitudinal axis and having an annular portion including an annular interior provided with teeth distributed about said longitudinal axis on said interior of said third sleeve and extending toward said axis of said third sleeve, said teeth each extending along said axis of said third sleeve and having spaced ends,
• a second sleeve having a longitudinal axis and spaced apart annular portions each including an annular exterior provided with teeth distributed about said axis of each said annular portion of said second sleeve so as to be respectively interengagable with said teeth of said first sleeve and said third sleeve,
• said first and third sleeves and said second sleeve having relative diameters such that said annular portions of said second sleeve are insertable into said annular portions of said first and third sleeves, respectively, said teeth of said sleeves each having an axial dimension such that said sleeves are relatively axially shiftable over a first selected distance, said first and third sleeves having at one end a first recess means supporting a first retaining ring, said first recess means extending radially outwardly from said axis into at least the teeth of said first and third sleeves, said first retaining ring being carried in said respective first recess means, said first retaining rings each extending radially inwardly toward said respective axis of said respective first and third sleeves, said teeth of said first and third sleeves each having a second recess means located between said one end and said first recess means thereof, said second recess means having a smaller radial outer extent than said first recess means of each said first and third sleeve and having a second retaining ring carried therein spaced radially inwardly relative to said first retaining ring to thereby define a flow passage between the radial outer extent of said second retaining ring and said interior of said first and third sleeves, respectively, and said second sleeve having an axially extending abutment member on each annular portion for contacting said second retaining ring so as to prevent relative axial shifting of said sleeves beyond a second selected distance, said first selected distance being limited by the contact of the said second sleeve's teeth and the said first retaining ring when the said second retaining ring is removed from the said second recess means of one of said first or third sleeves.