Gear and bearing test apparatus and torque inducer coupling therefor

Claim 1

TEST APPARATUS COMPRISING A FRAME, A ROTARY TORQUE SHAFT ON SAID FRAME, ROTARY TORQUE TRANSMISSION MEANS DRIVABLY COUPLING ONE END OF SAID SHAFT TO THE OTHER END OF SAID SHAFT TO FORM A CLOSED LOOP TORQUE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SYSTEM IN ROTATION, SAID SHAFT COMPRISING A PAIR OF COAXIAL, RELATIVELY ROTATABLE SHAFT SECTIONS, A ROTARY TORQUE INDUCER COUPLING BETWEEN SAID SHAFT SECTIONS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND PARTS WHICH ARE RELATIVELY ROTATABLE ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT SECTIONS, MEANS DRIVABLY CONNECTING ONE SHAFT SECTION TO SAID FIRST COUPLING PART, MEANS DRIVABLY CONNECTING THE OTHER SHAFT SECTION TO SAID SECOND COUPLING PART, AT LEAST ONE CENTRIFUGAL WEIGHT FREELY PIVOTED ON ONE OF SAID COUPLING PARTS ON AN AXIS ECCENTRIC TO THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE WEIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL TO SAID FIRSTMENTIONED AXIS WHEREBY SAID WEIGHT MAY SWING FREELY UNDER THE ACTION OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE WHEN SAID COUPLING IS ROTATED, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID WEIGHT AND THE OTHER COUPLING PART FOR CAUSING RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID PARTS AS SAID WEIGHT SWINGS ON ITS PIVOT, WHEREBY THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE ACTING ON SAID WEIGHT WHEN SAID COUPLING IS ROTATED BY DRIVING OF SAID TORQUE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN ROTATION CREATES A TORQUE IN SAID SYSTEM WHICH IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE ROTARY SPEED ONLY OF SAID COUPLING AND REMAINS CONSTANT AT ANY GIVEN ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE COUPLING.