Device for coupling two shafts of a rotating machine for heat transfer

Abstract

A device for coupling two shafts of a rotating machine for permitting simultaneously a thermal dilatation and a sealing of the shafts with respect to each other, in combination with the shafts, includes inner and outer normally synchronously rotating mutually concentric shafts defining a ring gap therebetween, at least the outer shaft being hollow defining a space between the shafts, an expansion compensator with a given maximal permissible twist disposed between the inner periphery of the outer shaft with one end and the outer periphery of the inner shaft with its other end sealing the space between the shafts and permitting relative axial, radial and tangential motion between the shafts, a holding ring rotatably and sealingly supported on the inner shaft connected sealingly to said other end of the expansion compensator thereby permitting a twisting movement thereof with respect to the inner shaft, and at least one driver element attached to the outer shaft engaging the inner shaft via the holding ring with tangential play (S.sub.2) between the shafts being smaller than the given maximal permissible twist, the driver element mechanically connecting the holding ring, and the other end of said expansion compensator to the outer shaft when twists of the expansion compensator exceed the tangential play (S.sub.2).