Drilling motor coupler
OwnerThomas E. Falgout, Sr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The coupler is a ball and socket arrangement with retaining, sealing and lubricating features, and torque transmitting elements to rotationally connect the ball and socket. The torque transmitting elements include cams secured to the ball and sliding, to allow flexure, in slots in the socket surface. The retainer, which limits axial separation of ball and socket, preferably, also has a convex spherical surface with an origin common to that of the ball to provide a sealing surface to retain lubricant in the ball and socket region. A spring biased seal carrier has seals to engage the retainer convex surface and the element carrying the ball to form a closure. In an alternate form, the sealing elements comprise a tubular elastomer element attached at each end to the opposite terminals of the coupler.
Claims14
A down hole drilling motor drive shaft flexible coupler for inclusion in a continuing motor drive shaft, the coupler comprising:
- a) a first terminal with means for attachment to a continuing motor drive shaft and a first spherical surface with a plurality of peripheral slots extending some distance thereabout in a generally axial direction;
- b) a second terminal with means for attachment to a continuing motor drive shaft;
- c) a load carrier with a second spherical surface to mate with said first spherical surface and a generally cylindrical extension, with an axis, secured to said second terminal, said second spherical surface provided with at least two diametrically opposed cross bores each with axes that lie along a radial line of the sphere comprising said second spherical surface;
- and
- d) a rocker cam situated in each said cross bore, each with a head extending into one of said slots, each situated to rotate a limited amount in said bore, said heads situated to slide axially a limited amount along said slots.
A drilling motor drive shaft flexible coupler, with an axis of general symmetry, for inclusion in a continuing motor drive shaft, said coupler comprising:
- a) a first terminal with means for attachment to a continuing motor drive shaft, with a first spherical surface having a plurality of peripheral slots extending some distance thereabout in a generally axial direction;
- b) a second terminal with means for attachment to a continuing motor drive shaft;
- c) a load carrier extension on said second terminal with a second spherical surface to mate with said first spherical surface, having at least two peripherally distributed cross bores, each with an axis that lies along a radial line of the sphere defined by said second spherical surface, each said bore opening on a side of said sphere;
- d) a rocker cam head situated on a pin in each said cross bore, each head extending into one of said slots, each pin situated to rock in said bore and each head situated to slide along said slot;
- and
- e) a closure between said first and said second terminal to confine lubricant contained therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.