Hydraulically controlled shaft coupling

Abstract

A shaft coupling comprises two coupling members, which are connected or adapted to be connected to respective shafts. One of the two coupling members is provided on a coupling face with an even number of bores, which have a uniform angular spacing and are either parallel to the axis of rotation of the coupling or radial with respect to said axis. A piston is slidably mounted in each bore and has a coupling end face with is beveled or crowned. Hydraulic lines are provided for applying fluid pressure to each piston at its rear end. The other coupling member is provided on a coupling face with an annular series of alternating elevations and depressions, which also have a uniform angular spacing. By the application of hydraulic pressure to the rear end faces of the pistons, the coupling end faces of the pistons are urged against the elevations and depressions. To permit a control of the torque transmission capacity of the coupling so that said capacity can be decreased to zero and to ensure that the torque transmission capacity will be independent of the slip between surfaces in frictional contact and of any change of the viscosity of a liquid, the bores are arranged in pairs of diametrically opposite bores and the bores of each pair communicate with each other through a hydraulic line, which is permanently filled with a hydraulic liquid. A controllable throttle valve is associated with each of said hydraulic lines. Adjacent ones of said elevations and depressions merge into each other.