Flexible coupling having torque-transmitting unit radially insertable between flanges of hub members

Claim 1

A FLEXIBLE COUPLING COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A PAIR OF COAXIAL ROTATABLE MEMBERS HAVING A PREDETERMINED AXIAL SPACING, ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED ON ONE SIDE THEREOF JUXTAPOSED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS WITH CIRCULAR CENTERING MEANS HAVING A PREDETERMINED DEPTH IN AXIAL DIRECTION; (B) A TORQUE-TRANSMITTING UNIT ARRANGED COAXIALLY TO SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS FOR TRANSMISSION OF TORQUES BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, SAID UNIT HAVING AN AXIAL LENGTH LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED AXIAL SPACING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS TO ALLOW RADIAL INSERTION OF SAID UNIT INTO THE SPACE BOUNDED BY SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, SAID UNIT INCLUDING A PAIR OF COAXIAL SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID RADIALLY SPACED TORQUE-TRANSMITTING RINGS AND SAID UNIT FURTHER INCLUDING AN INTERMEDIATE TORQUE-TRANSMITTING RING OF AN ELASTOMER TRANSMITTING TORQUES FROM ONE OF SAID PAIR OF RINGS TO THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF RINGS, ONE OF SAID PAIR OF RINGS COOPERATIVELY ENGAGING END CENTERING MEANS ON ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS TO CENTER SAID UNIT IN REGARD TO SAID ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF RINGS HAVING AN AXIAL SPACING FROM SAID OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS IN EXCESS OF SAID DEPTH IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID CENTERING MEANS ON SAID ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS; (C) SPACER MEANS ARRANGED INSIDE OF A GAP FORMED BETWEEN SAID OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS AND SAID OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF RINGS; AND (D) FASTENER MEANS FIRMLY HOLDING SAID SPACER MEANS IN THE POSITION THEREOF.