Fairfield Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Fairfield Manufacturing, Inc.

Dan E Phebus

William H Hayward

Kenneth E Carlton

Russell E Summers, Jr

William A Schrader

By combining shaping and milling actions, or smilling, the cutting tool can move through the entire usable portion of the spline and machine a tool relief into the face of the adjacent feature such as a shoulder before retracting, reversing direction, and repeating the cycle. The smilling apparatus and manufacturing method eliminates the need for an annular spline relief and the full length of spline engagement can be utilized for strength. The effective width of the spline connection apparatus manufactured by the smilling process conserves space and increases the load carrying capability of the spline connection.

Smilled spline apparatus and smilling process for manufacturing the smilled spline apparatus

A spline connection apparatus includes a male spline apparatus and a female collar apparatus coupled together. The male spline apparatus includes an external spline and a plurality of first tooth spaces having spline relief portions for tool clearance extending angularly and conically into a shoulder portion and base portion of the male spline apparatus. The female collar apparatus includes and internal spline and a plurality of second tooth spaces having an internal spline relief portion for tool clearance extending angularly and conically into the counterbore engagement surface of the female collar apparatus. The external teeth of the external spline and the internal teeth of the internal are equal in length. The effective face width of the engagement is equal to the length of the external and internal teeth.

A gearbox includes a shaft input spherical bearing and a shaft output spherical bearing enabling the ring gear to float within the housing and not engage the housing. The shaft output spherical bearing permits angular displacement of the output shaft with respect to the longitudinal axis of said output shaft. A spline connection enables the ring gear to pivot with respect to the cover. Loads transmitted to the housing of the gearbox are not transferred to the gear systems and the gear systems self-align within the housing.

Roadheader gearbox

A two-ratio planetary hub utilizes spring applied pressure release clutches between the sun gear and planet carrier and ring gear to stationary housing to provide selectable ratios, braking and neutral functions.

Growing community of inventors

Rossville, IN, United States of America

Dan E Phebus