Power takeoff centrifugal pump with ring and pinion drive

Claim 2

In combination: a centrifugal pump means having an enclosed pumping chamber with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller journaled for rotation within said chamber and a drive shaft arranged to provide rotational energy to said impeller; and a power transmission means coupled to said centrifugal pump means for driving said drive shaft, said power transmission means being mounted within a housing and having an input coupling for direct mounting onto a tractor power takeoff shaft with the input thereof being coupled to said drive shaft; a. said power transmission means comprising a ring and pinion gear system with driver hub means secured to said input coupling, said ring and pinion gear system including: b. a ring gear means with axially inwardly directed teeth secured to said driver hub and arranged for limited relative arcuate rotation with said driver hub within said power transmission housing, said ring gear means having a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means thereon for coupling to said driver hub; c. a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means formed in said driver hub for accommodating coupling of said ring gear mounting means to said driver hub; d. a pinion gear in mesh with said axially inwardly directed teeth and fast on said drive shaft, said pinion gear being fabricated from a material less durable than said ring gear and being sacrificial; e. a plurality of bores in said hub means and a plurality of coupling members having central shank portions and one being disposed at each arcuately spaced mounting means location; and f. resilient pads circumscribing said central shank portions at each arcuately spaced mounting means location, and adapted to be confined within each said bore, said resilient pads having a body with a solid volume less than said bore and being adapted to peRmit limited relative arcuate motion between said driver hub and said ring gear in response to torque loading.

Claim 3

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said bores are formed within said driver hub and a threaded bore is formed within said ring gear, and wherein shoulder bolts with smooth central shank portions couple said ring gear to said driver hub.

Claim 4

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said arcuately spaced mounting means are disposed at 90*intervals adjacent the periphery of said ring gear and driver hub.

Claim 5

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said resilient pads are formed of rubber having a hardness ranging from between about 60 durometer and 80 durometer.

Claim 6

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said resilient pads have a generally triangular configuration with a finite thickness and with a central bore extending therethrough, and with laterally converging sides extending from said bore.

Claim 7

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 5 being particularly characterized in that said resilient pads are fabricated from rubber and have a hardness ranging from between about 60 durometer and 80 durometer.

Claim 8

The centrifugal pump means as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said pinion gear is secured to said drive shaft along two flats formed along said shaft and arranged in oppositely disposed relationship thereon, the flats comprising approximately 50 percent of the total periphery of said drive shaft.

Claim 9

In combination: a centrifugal pump means having an enclosed pumping chamber with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller journaled for rotation within said chamber and a drive shaft arranged to provide rotational energy to said impeller; and a power transmission means coupled to said centrifugal pump means for driving said drive shaft, said power-transmission means being mounted within a housing and having an input arranged for coupling to a source of rotational energy with the rotational energy being coupled to said drive shaft; a. said power transmission means comprising a ring and pinion gear system with driver hub means secured to said input coupling, said ring and pinion gear system including: b. a ring gear means with axially inwardly directed teeth secured to said driver hub and arranged for limited relative arcuate rotation with said driver hub within said power transmission housing, said driver hub including an outwardly extending flange having an annular recess extending radially inwardly from the outer edge thereof to form a guiding shoulder for said ring gear, said ring gear means having a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means thereon for coupling to said driver hub and having an inwardly extending flange with an inner edge mating with said guiding shoulder; c. a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means formed in said driver hub for accommodating coupling of said ring gear mounting means to said driver hub; d. a pinion gear in mesh with said axially inwardly directed teeth and fast on said drive shaft, said pinion gear being fabricated from a material less durable than said ring gear and being sacrificial; e. a plurality of bores and a plurality of coupling members having central shank portions and being disposed at each arcuately spaced mounting means location; and f. a resilient means disposed at each arcuately spaced mounting means location, and adapted to be confined within each said bore, said resilient means being adapted to forcibly accommodate limited relative shifting between said driver hub and said ring gear in response to torque loading.

Claim 10

In combination: a centrifugal pump means having an enclosed pumping chamber with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller journaled for rotation within said chamber and a drive shaft arranged to provide rotational energy to said impeller; and a power transmission means coupled to said centrifugal pump means for driving said drive shaft, said power-transmission means being mounted within a housing and having an input arranged for coupling to a source of rotational energy with the rotational energy being coupled to said drive shaft; a. said power transmission means comprising a ring and pinion gear system with driver hub means secured to said input coupling, said ring and pinion gear system including: b. a ring gear means with axially inwardly directed teeth secured to said driver hub and arranged for limited relative arcuate rotation with said driver hub within said power transmission housing, said driver hub including an outwardly extending flange having an annular recess extending radially inwardly from the outer edge thereof to form a guiding shoulder for said ring gear, said ring gear means having a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means thereon for coupling to said driver hub and having an inwardly extending flange with an inner edge mating with said guiding shoulder; c. a plurality of radially outwardly disposed equally arcuately spaced mounting means formed in said driver hub for accommodating coupling of said ring gear mounting means to said driver hub; d. a pinion gear in mesh with said axially inwardly directed teeth and fast on said drive shaft, said pinion gear being fabricated from a material less durable than said ring gear and being sacrificial; e. a plurality of bores and a plurality of coupling members having central shank portions and being disposed at each arcuately spaced mounting means location; and f. a resilient means disposed at each arcuately spaced mounting means location, and adapted to be confined within each said bore, said resilient means being adapted to forcibly accommodate limited relative shifting between said driver hub and said ring gear in response to torque loading.