Apparatus for coupling concentric cylindrical members through the selective radial enlargement of one of the coupling components

A new and improved apparatus for coupling concentric cylindrical members through the selective radial enlargement of one of the coupling components comprising, in combination:

• a fixed collar having a cylindrical interior bore of a common diameter and with an exterior cross section of varying diameters, an exterior inboard section being of a large diameter, an exterior outboard section being of an intermediate diameter and an exterior intermediate section being of a small diameter, the fixed collar being fabricated of carbon steel and having a plurality of apertures in a circular configuration extending through the inboard section;
• an adjustable component having an upper half and a lower half and a central bore extending therethrough with an inboard end forming a flange of an intermediate diameter positionable over the intermediate section of the collar and having a enlarged diameter thereadjacent for being positioned over the outboard section of the collar and having an outboardly tapering intermediate section with its greatest diameter at an outboard end and its smallest diameter at its inboard end joining at its inboard end with the enlarged diameter, the tapered section including an intermediate part of a greater diameter than the sections of the tapering section on opposite sides thereof, the adjustable member being provided with annular grooves on its exterior surface extending from the outboard end to an intermediate location;
• an actuator rod located through the bores of the fixed collar and the adjustable component, the actuator rod having an outboard end with a circular cross section of an increased diameter and having downwardly tapering surfaces forwardly and rearwardly thereof, the rearward tapering surface reducing to a diameter equal to the exterior diameter of the remainder of the rod whereby relative axial movement between the rod and to the fixed collar and the adjustable component will allow the tapered surfaces of the rod to interact with the tapered surface of the adjustable component to effect the increasing and decreasing of its diameter;
• an elastic garter spring in an annular configuration positionable in at least one of the grooves of the adjustable component to provide a retarding force to the rapid expansion thereof under the influence of the actuator rod;
• and
• attachment bolts extending through the collar and threadedly received in threaded apertures of the adjustable component for attachment therebetween.