Antibacklash coupling

Claim 2

A coupling for torsionally connecting a driving member to a driven member, said coupling including: a hollow tubular member for disposition over at least one of the driving and driven members; said hollow tubular member being formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition in cooperating spaced grooves in one of the driving and driven members to form the sole connection between said hollow tubular member and the one member; separate means engaging each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member when each of said first portions is disposed in one of the grooves in the one member to retain said first portions of said hollow tubular member in the grooves in the one member; first means carried by said hollow tubular member and surrounding said separate means; and radially adjustable means supported by said first means and cooperating with each of said separate means to insure that each of said separate means retains said engaged first portion of said hollow tubular member in the groove in which said engaged first portion is disposed in the one member.

Claim 3

The coupling according to claim 1 in which each of said first means comprises a circular-shaped rod that is partially disposed within the grooves in the one number.

Claim 4

The coupling according to claim 1 in which said first portions of said hollow tubular member are equally angularly spaced from each other.

Claim 5

The coupling according to claim 1 in which: said hollow tubular member also is disposed over tHe other of the driving and driven members; said hollow tubular member has spaced second portions for disposition in cooperating spaced grooves in the other member to form the sole connection between said hollow tubular member and the other member; second separate means engaging each of said second portions of said hollow tubular member when each of said second portions is disposed in one of the grooves in the other member to retain said second portions of said hollow tubular member in the grooves in the other member; second means carried by said hollow tubular member to retain each of said second portions in one of the grooves in the other member and surrounding said second separate means; and means supported by said second means and cooperating with each of said second separate means to insure that each of said second separate means retains said engaged second portion of said hollow tubular member in the groove in which said engaged second portion is disposed in the other member.

Claim 6

The coupling according to claim 4 in which each of said first and second means comprises a circular-shaped rod that is partially disposed within the grooves in each of the driving and driven members.

Claim 7

The coupling according to claim 4 in which: said first portions of said hollow tubular member are equally angularly spaced from each other; and said second portions of said hollow tubular member are equally angularly spaced from each other.

Claim 8

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of said driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member to form the sole connection between said hollow tubular member and said one member; separate means engaging each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member when each of said first portions is disposed in one of said grooves in said one member to retain said first portions of said hollow tubular member in said grooves in said one member; first means carried by said hollow tubular member and surrounding said separate means; and radially adjustable means supported by said first means and cooperating with each of said separate means to insure that each of said separate means retains said engaged first portion of said hollow tubular member in said groove in which said engaged first portion is disposed in said one member.

Claim 9

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of said driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member to form the sole connection between said hollow tubular member and said one member; separate means engaging each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member when each of said first portions is disposed in one of said grooves in said one member to retain said first portions of said hollow tubular member in said grooves in said one member; first means carried by said hollow tubular member and surrounding said separate means; and radially adjustable means supported by said first means and cooperating with each of said separate means to insure that each of said separate means retains said engaged first portion of said hollow tubular member in said groove in which said engaged first portion is disposed in said one member.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 7 in which said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said first portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said first portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said first portions for disposition in said grooves in said one member without shearing of said hollow tubular member.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 7 in which each of said separate means includes a circular-shaped rod disposed within each of said grooves in said one member; and said supported means includes means acting on each of said rods to retain each of said rods partially in one of said grooves in said one member.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 7 in which each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 10 in which said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said first portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said first portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said first portions for disposition in said grooves in said one member without shearing of said hollow tubular member.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 7 in which: the other of said driving and driven members has at least two spaced Grooves therein; said hollow tubular member has spaced second portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said other member and forming the sole connection between said hollow tubular member and said other member; second separate means engages each of said second portions of said hollow tubular member when each of said second portions is disposed in one of said grooves in said other member to retain said second portions of said hollow tubular member in said grooves in said other member; second means carried by said hollow tubular member and surrounding said second separate means; and means supported by said second means and cooperating with each of said second separate means to insure that each of said second separate means retains said engaged second portion of said hollow tubular member in said groove in which said engaged second portion is disposed in said other member.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 12 in which: said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said first portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said first portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said first portions for disposition in said grooves in said one member without shearing of said hollow tubular member; and said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said second portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said second portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said second portions for disposition in said grooves in said other member without shearing of said hollow tubular member.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 12 in which: each of said separate means comprises a circular-shaped rod disposed within each of said grooves in each of said driving and driven members; and each of said supported means supported by said first means and said second means includes means acting one each of said rods to retain each of said rods partially in one of said grooves in each of said driving and driven members.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 12 in which each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 15 in which: said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said first portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said first portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said first portions for disposition in said grooves in said one member without shearing of said hollow tubular member; and said hollow tubular member has openings in its wall having said second portions with each of said openings being adjacent one of said second portions of said hollow tubular member to permit deformation of said second portions for disposition in said grooves in said other member without shearing of said hollow tubular member.

Claim 19

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of said driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member; first means carried by said hollow tubular member retains each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said one member; said hollow tubular member has a longitudinal slit therein; and each of said first portions comprises a part of said hollow tubular member on each side of said longitudinal slit in said hollow tubular member.

Claim 20

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of said driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member; first means carried by said hollow tubular member retains each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said one member; said hollow tubular member has a longitudinal slit therein; and each of said first portions comprises a part of said hollow tubular member on each side of said longitudinal slit in said hollow tubular member.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 17 in which each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular.

Claim 22

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of saId driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member; and first means carried by said hollow tubular member retains each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said one member; each of said first retaining means includes: a circular-shaped rod disposed within each of said grooves in said one member; and means carried by said hollow tubular member and acting on each of said rods to retain each of said rods partially in one of said grooves in said one member.

Claim 23

In combination: a driving member; a driven member; a coupling to connect said driving member to said driven member; one of saId driving and driven members having at least two spaced grooves therein; each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular; said coupling including a hollow tubular member formed of a ductile material that is capable of being deformed without failure; said hollow tubular member having spaced first portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said one member; and first means carried by said hollow tubular member retains each of said first portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said one member; each of said first retaining means includes: a circular-shaped rod disposed within each of said grooves in said one member; and means carried by said hollow tubular member and acting on each of said rods to retain each of said rods partially in one of said grooves in said one member.

Claim 24

The combination according to claim 17 in which: the other of said driving and driven members has at least two spaced grooves therein; said hollow tubular member has spaced second portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said other member; second means is carried by said hollow tubular member and retains each of said second portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said other member; said hollow tubular member having a second longitudinal slit therein; and each of said second portions comprising a part of said hollow tubular member on each side of said second longitudinal slit in said hollow tubular member.

Claim 25

The combination according to claim 20 in which each of said grooves has its walls substantially perpendicular.

Claim 26

The combination according to claim 19 in which: the other of said driving and driven members has at least two spaced grooves therein; said hollow tubular member has spaced second portions for disposition within each of said grooves in said other member; and second means is carried by said hollow tubular member and retains each of said second portions of said hollow tubular member in one of said grooves in said other member; each of said second retaining means includes: a circular-shaped rod disposed within each of said grooves in said other member; and means carried by said hollow tubular member and acting on each of said rods to retain each of said rods partially in one of said grooves in said other member.