Pinion coupling

Abstract

A drive connection between a drive pinion and a motor shaft. The motor shaft has a longitudinal axial bore into which is force-fitted a pinion shaft which is preferably integral with the pinion. The pinion shaft is shorter in length than the length of the bore in the motor shaft and connects with said motor shaft bore therebeyond to define a cavity between the end of the pinion shaft and the bottom of the bore when the shaft is fully fitted within the bore. A second bore extends from the surface of the motor shaft into the cavity area of such longitudinal bore and has a fitting associated therewith for the selective introduction of a fluid under pressure into the cavity to force the pinion shaft out of the bore for disconnecting the pinion from the motor shaft. In one embodiment, both the axial bore and the pinion shaft have a constant diameter. In another embodiment the longitudinal bore has a stepped diameter and the pinion shaft has a stepped diameter corresponding to the bore diameter. A locking pin may be utilized to secure the pinion shaft to the motor shaft. The fluid may generally be any non-compressible fluid, such as grease, hydraulic fluid, oil, water or the like, and may be introduced into the cavity with commonly available devices such as a grease gun or the like.