Torque-actuated expansible shaft assembly for roll core

An expansible shaft assembly having a periphery for insertion into a roll core to exert torque on said core, said shaft assembly comprising:

• (a) a shaft having an axis of rotation;
• and
• (b) a plurality of core-engagement shoes for pivotally connecting to said shaft so as to pivot about respective different pivot axes extending parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced therefrom, said plurality of core-engagement shoes having outwardly-facing core-engaging surfaces pivotable about respective ones of said pivot axes, each of said pivot axes being located along a respective one of multiple pivot-axis directions extending radially from said axis of rotation of said shaft;
• (c) each respective core-engaging surface being pivotable about its respective axis outwardly from said periphery to engage said core in response to torque applied to said shaft, and pivotable about its respective pivot axis inwardly to disengage said core in response to the absence of said torque, each said core-engaging surface being positioned along a respective lever-arm direction extending from the respective pivot axis of the respective core-engagement shoe, each respective lever-arm direction having an outwardly-facing angular separation of at least 70.degree. from the respective pivot-axis direction associated with said respective core-engagement shoe;
• (d) wherein said core-engaging surface is one of a pair of core-engaging surfaces located on the same shoe on opposite sides of said respective pivot-axis direction.

An expansible shaft assembly having a periphery for insertion into a roll core to exert torque on said core, said shaft assembly comprising:

• (a) a shaft having an axis of rotation;
• and
• (b) a plurality of core-engagement shoes for pivotally connecting to said shaft so as to pivot about respective different pivot axes extending parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced therefrom, said plurality of core-engagement shoes having outwardly-facing core-engaging surfaces pivotable about respective ones of said pivot axes, each of said pivot axes being located along a respective one of multiple pivot-axis directions extending radially from said axis of rotation of said shaft;
• (c) each respective core-engaging surface being pivotable about its respective axis outwardly from said periphery to engage said core in response to torque applied to said shaft, and pivotable about its respective pivot axis inwardly to disengage said core in response to the absence of said torque, each said core-engaging surface being positioned along a respective lever-arm direction extending from the respective pivot axis of the respective core-engagement shoe, each respective lever-arm direction having an outwardly-facing angular separation of at least 70.degree. from the respective pivot-axis direction associated with said respective core-engagement shoe;
• (d) wherein at least a pair of said core-engagement shoes are spaced axially along said shaft, the respective core-engaging surface of one of said pair of core-engagement shoes being located on one side of its respective pivot-axis direction, and the respective core-engaging surface of the other of said pair of core-engagement shoes being located on the opposite side of its respective pivot-axis direction.

An expansible shaft assembly having a periphery for insertion into a roll core to exert torque on said core, said shaft assembly comprising:

• (a) a shaft having an axis of rotation;
• and
• (b) a plurality of core-engagement shoes for pivotally connecting to said shaft so as to pivot about respective different pivot axes extending parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced therefrom, said plurality of core-engagement shoes having outwardly-facing core-engaging surfaces pivotable about respective ones of said pivot axes, each of said pivot axes being located along a respective one of multiple pivot-axis directions extending radially from said axis of rotation of said shaft;
• (c) each respective core-engaging surface being pivotable about its respective axis outwardly from said periphery to engage said core in response to torque applied to said shaft, and pivotable about its respective pivot axis inwardly to disengage said core in response to the absence of said torque, each said core-engaging surface being positioned along a respective lever-arm direction extending from the respective pivot axis of the respective core-engagement shoe, each respective lever-arm direction having an outwardly-facing angular separation of at least 70.degree. from the respective pivot-axis direction associated with said respective core-engagement shoe;
• (d) said expansible shaft assembly including respective groups of said core-engagement shoes, the respective core-engaging surfaces of one group being located at different distances from their respective pivot axes than the core-engaging surfaces of another group, further including detachment means for enabling interchangeable connection of said respective groups of engagement shoes pivotally to said shaft.

An expansible shaft assembly having a periphery for insertion into a roll core to exert torque on said core, said shaft assembly comprising:

• (a) a shaft having an axis of rotation;
• and
• (b) a plurality of core-engagement shoes for pivotally connecting to said shaft so as to pivot about respective pivot axes extending parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced therefrom;
• (c) each of said core-engagement shoes having an outwardly-facing core-engaging surface, said core-engagement shoes being arranged in respective different groups each having its respective core-engaging surfaces located at different distances from their respective pivot axes than the core-engaging surfaces of another of said groups;
• and
• (d) detachment means for enabling interchangeable connection of said respective different groups of core-engagement shoes pivotally to said shaft.