US3585815A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular drive shaft
Assignee: Universal Harvester Co Inc
•
Filing: 1969-03-14
•
Granted: 1971-06-22
•
Expires: 1989-03-14
Abstract
Abstract A drive shaft for transmitting torque therealong such as the center shaft of a grain harvesting reel. The drive shaft is of modular construction and comprises a plurality of shaft sections, thereby enabling composite shafts of substantially any desired length to be provided by assembling the requisite number of shaft sections having the lengths necessary to aggregate the desired length for the composite shaft. Such a modular drive shaft includes a plurality of shaft sections assembled in axial succession, compression caps adjacent the opposite ends of the assembled sections, and one or more tension components extending between such compression caps and secured thereto in tension so as to apply a compressive stress to the shaft all along the length thereof and thereby integrate the shaft sections such that the composite shaft will have structural properties substantially equivalent to those of a one-piece shaft of the same length and general parameters.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen R Hubbard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:26
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D57/00; A01D57/01; A01D57/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
In a modular reel structure for harvesting machinery and the like, a composite drive shaft adapted to transmit torque along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of axially extending shaft sections adapted to be assembled one with another in axially aligned juxtaposition and respectively equipped adjacent the juxtaposed ends thereof with abuttable facing edges, a pair of compression caps engageable with the outer ends of the two shaft sections respecTively defining the opposite end portions of said drive shaft, a tension component adapted to extend between said compression caps and be connected under tension thereto so as to apply compressive force to said caps and to each of said shaft sections throughout the entire length thereof to constrain said abuttable edges in tight nonrotative frictional engagement and stress integrate the caps and shaft sections into said composite drive shaft by application of unitary compressive force from end-to-end thereof and entirely without the need for threaded interconnections or comparable rotation-constraining means, whereby reel structures of substantially any desired length can be selectively constructed by assembling a plurality of shaft airflow lengths that aggregate such desired length with compression caps stream with a tension component of sufficient length to extend between said compression caps and be connected thereto under tension, each of said shaft sections being equipped adjacent each build thereof with a circumjacent collar fixedly secured thereto so as to prevent relative movement therebetween and each of which collars is provided with an outwardly extending flange, and a plurality of drive spiders for respective disposition between and connection with two adjacent flanges so as to be rotatively driven thereby with said composite shaft. end ambient air
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
In a modular reel structure for harvesting machinery and the like, a composite drive shaft adapted to transmit torque along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of axially extending shaft sections adapted to be assembled one with another in axially aligned juxtaposition and respectively equipped adjacent the juxtaposed ends thereof with abuttable facing edges, a pair of compression caps engageable with the outer ends of the two shaft sections respecTively defining the opposite end portions of said drive shaft, a tension component adapted to extend between said compression caps and be connected under tension thereto so as to apply compressive force to said caps and to each of said shaft sections throughout the entire length thereof to constrain said abuttable edges in tight nonrotative frictional engagement and stress integrate the caps and shaft sections into said composite drive shaft by application of unitary compressive force from end-to-end thereof and entirely without the need for threaded interconnections or comparable rotation-constraining means, whereby reel structures of substantially any desired length can be selectively constructed by assembling a plurality of shaft airflow lengths that aggregate such desired length with compression caps stream with a tension component of sufficient length to extend between said compression caps and be connected thereto under tension, each of said shaft sections being equipped adjacent each build thereof with a circumjacent collar fixedly secured thereto so as to prevent relative movement therebetween and each of which collars is provided with an outwardly extending flange, and a plurality of drive spiders for respective disposition between and connection with two adjacent flanges so as to be rotatively driven thereby with said composite shaft. end ambient air
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The reel structure of claim 1 and further comprising alignment-enforcing structure provided by said shaft sections adjacent the juxtaposed ends thereof and including mating configurations defined along said abuttable facing edges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The reel structure of claim 2 in which each of said collars projects outwardly from the associated end of the shaft section upon which it is mounted, said collars providing at the outwardly projecting ends thereof the aforesaid abuttable edges having the mating configurations defined therealong.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The reel structure of claim 3 in which a plurality of tension components are provided each adapted to be connected under tension with said compression caps which define the only stress-imparting connection of said tension components to said drive shaft along the entire length thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The reel structure of claim 4 in which each of said shaft sections is hollow, and in which each of said tension components is adapted to extend through the hollow interior thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
246 words
In a modular reel structure for harvesting machinery and the like, a composite drive shaft adapted to transmit torque along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of axially extending shaft sections adapted to be assembled one with another in axially aligned juxtaposition and respectively equipped adjacent the juxtaposed ends thereof with abuttable facing surfaces, a pair of compression caps engageable with the outer ends of the two shaft sections respectively defining the opposite end portions of said drive shaft, and a tension component adapted to extend between said compression caps and be connected under tension thereto so as to apply compressive force to said caps and to each of said shaft sections throughout the entire length thereof to constrain said abuttable surfaces in tight nonrotative engagement and stress integrate the caps and shaft sections into said composite drive shaft by application of unitary compressive force from end-to-end thereof and entirely without the need for threaded interconnections or comparable rotation-constraining means, whereby reel structures of substantially any desired length can be selectively constructed be assembling a plurality of shaft sections having lengths that aggregate such desired length with compression caps and with a tension component of sufficient length to extend between said compression caps and be connected thereto under tension, at least certain of said shaft sections being equipped adjacent and end thereof with a circumjacent collar fixedly secured thereto so as to prevent relative movement therebetween and adapted to have a drive spider secured thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
246 words
In a modular reel structure for harvesting machinery and the like, a composite drive shaft adapted to transmit torque along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of axially extending shaft sections adapted to be assembled one with another in axially aligned juxtaposition and respectively equipped adjacent the juxtaposed ends thereof with abuttable facing surfaces, a pair of compression caps engageable with the outer ends of the two shaft sections respectively defining the opposite end portions of said drive shaft, and a tension component adapted to extend between said compression caps and be connected under tension thereto so as to apply compressive force to said caps and to each of said shaft sections throughout the entire length thereof to constrain said abuttable surfaces in tight nonrotative engagement and stress integrate the caps and shaft sections into said composite drive shaft by application of unitary compressive force from end-to-end thereof and entirely without the need for threaded interconnections or comparable rotation-constraining means, whereby reel structures of substantially any desired length can be selectively constructed be assembling a plurality of shaft sections having lengths that aggregate such desired length with compression caps and with a tension component of sufficient length to extend between said compression caps and be connected thereto under tension, at least certain of said shaft sections being equipped adjacent and end thereof with a circumjacent collar fixedly secured thereto so as to prevent relative movement therebetween and adapted to have a drive spider secured thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The reel structure of claim 6 in which each of said collars is provided with an outwardly extending flange, and further comprising a plurality of drive spiders for respective connection with said flanges so as to be rotatably driven thereby with said composite shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-21 | 1974-12-21 | 1975-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-21 | 1978-12-21 | 1979-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-21 | 1982-12-21 | 1983-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |