Reliance Electric Company

Reliance Electric Limited

Holmes A Downey

Steven C Marsh

A flexible coupling for connecting a driving shaft and a driven shaft together in an end-to-end relationship for transmitting power from the driving shaft to the driven shaft. Flexible coupling sub-assemblies which are balanced and aligned are provided between a center spacer member and coupling hubs attached to the driving shaft and to the driven shaft. The flexible coupling sub-assemblies each include a pair of annular adaptor rings having therebetween a flexible element member which preferably includes a plurality of side-by-side flexible members. The adaptor rings include an annular flange having on one side thereof a substantially radially extending countersunk face and on the other side thereof a substantially radially extending, generally planar face. The countersunk guide face guides the adaptor rings onto annular flanges of the coupling hubs and center spacer member to ensure proper alignment and balancing of the flexible coupling upon provision thereof with flexible elements. An elongated, cylindrical extension portion is provided on a coupling hub for each flexible coupling sub-assembly and extends through at least one adaptor plate, the flexing member, and at least into the bore of the second adaptor plate. The elongated, substantially cylindrical extension portions retain the flexible coupling sub-assemblies in the event of a failure of the flexible element member to prevent disassociation of a part of the coupling therefrom.

Flexible shaft coupling

An elastomeric shear shaft coupling is disclosed for connecting two rotatable shafts in end-to-end relationship. The coupling includes hubs for mounting on the opposed ends of the shafts and a flexible element extending between the opposed hubs. Clamping members and suitable fasteners are used to secure the element to the hubs for transmitting the torque developed by the driving shaft to the driven shaft. The flexible element has a bead of harder material than the body of the element, disposed within or at the margins of the element in the locus of clamping, and is reinforced with a matrix of plies or layers of a suitable fabric material.

Elastomeric shear shaft coupling

A thrust cancelling shaft coupling in which two generally axially disposed flanges are connected by two frustoconically shaped elements positioned in opposite relationship to one another. The large ends of both elements are connected to the flange on one shaft and both small ends are connected to the flange on the other shaft. The thrust forces generated in one element as a result of a tendency to shorten in length under rotational and thrust forces are counteracted by the corresponding forces in the other element so that thrust forces are not transmitted from the element to either the shafts, bearings or other parts of the driving and driven equipment. The larger end of each element is connected to the respective flange, with a sleeve-like member interposed between the larger ends of the elements, and the smaller ends of the elements are connected to a cylindrical member on the opposite flange. The two torsional elements, which are identical in size and shape, are constructed of elastomeric material and are capable of absorbing substantial angular and parallel misalignment between the drive and driven shafts.

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Holmes A Downey