Shaft locking assemblies and methods

A shaft locking assembly for a drive shaft having a drive segment, a driven segment and a shaft gap between the drive segment and the driven segment, the shaft locking assembly comprising:

• an assembly hub including a stop plate;
• a distal pusher sleeve engaging the stop plate;
• a contractible shaft locking sleeve engaging the distal pusher sleeve, the shaft locking sleeve adapted to straddle the shaft gap between the drive segment and the driven segment of the drive shaft;
• a proximal pusher sleeve engaging the shaft locking sleeve;
• a push plate engaging the proximal pusher sleeve;
• a fluid pressure space disposed in pressure transmitting relationship to the proximal pusher sleeve;
• a fluid pressurizing mechanism disposed in fluid communication with the fluid pressure space;
• the proximal pusher sleeve adapted to push against the shaft locking sleeve, the shaft locking sleeve adapted to push against the distal pusher sleeve and the shaft locking sleeve adapted to contact and push against the drive shaft segment and the driven shaft segment of the drive shaft responsive to introducing a pressurizing fluid into the fluid pressure space;
• and
• a push plate engaging the proximal pusher sleeve, and wherein the fluid pressure space communicates with the push plate.

A method of locking a rotating element on a drive shaft, comprising:

• mounting the rotating element on an assembly hub of a shaft locking assembly;
• placing a push plate against at least one pusher sleeve:
• placing a fluid pressure space in communication with the push plate;
• applying the push plate against the pusher sleeve by introducing a pressurizing fluid into the fluid pressure space against the push plate;
• applying the pusher sleeve against a shaft locking sleeve;
• and
• applying the shaft locking sleeve against the drive shaft and the assembly hub.