Flexible couplings

Claim 1

A FLEXIBLE COUPLING FOR COUPLING COAXIAL SHAFTS COMPRISING A TORQUE-TRANSMITTING MEMBER OF AN ELASTOMER INCLUDING A CENTRAL SUBSTANTIALLY ANNULAR PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION AND A PAIR OF INTEGRAL HUB-EXTENSIONS PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE AXIAL DIRECTIONS AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM THE FLANGES PORTIONS OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID TORQUE-TRANSMITTING MEMBER BEING SUBDIVIDED SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY INTO A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE COMPLEMENTARY TORQUE-TRANSMITTING UNITS, MEANS FOR PRECLUDING RELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS AND A PAIR OF COAXIAL SHAFTS, SAID PRECLUDING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY ANNULAR CLAMPING MEMBERS EACH MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS AND EACH ADAPTED TO EXERT RADIAL CLAMPING PRESSURE UPON ONE OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS, SAID MEANS FOR PRECLUDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT FURTHER INCLUDING A PAIR OF COAXIAL METALLIC HUB-MEMBERS ADAPTED TO THE MOUNTED DIRECTLY UPON A KEYED TO A PAIR OF COAXIAL SHAFTS AND TO FORM A PAIR OF MOUNTING SUPPORTS FOR SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS, EACH OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS HAVING A RADIALLY INNER SURFACE IN THE SHAPE OF A MULTILATERAL PRISM ABUTTING AGAINST THE RADIALLY OUTER SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-MEMBERS IN THE SHAPE OF A CONGRUENT MULTILATERAL PRISM, GAPS BEING DEFINED BETWEEN SAID PLURALITY OF TORQUE-TRANSMITTING UNITS IN THE REGIONS OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS THEREOF ALLOWING COMPRESSION OF PORTIONS OF SAID PAIR OF HUB-EXTENSIONS INTO SAID GAPS.