Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts

Claim 2

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inward from the end face thereof, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on said drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves, respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within said socket element in said bore, diametrically aligned guide slots disposed transversely of and traversing said drive shaft end and intersecting said axial bore therein, said guide slots being inclined with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and being at an acute angle relative to said plane, a retaining pin extending through said guide slot and guided for movement transversely of itself by said slots between a retaining position at one end of said slots, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two peripherally opposed abutment means on said socket element, and a release position at the other end of said slots, in which said outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, a control member in said axial bore of said drive shaft end fixed to said retaining pin for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore, in which said retaining pin is in said retaining position thereof, and an actuated position, in which said retaining pin is in said release position thereof, and adjustment means located at the end face of the drive shaft on said control member and movable in an axial direction for controlling the movement of said control member and retaining pin between said normal and retaining positions.

Claim 3

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines on said drive shaft and alternated by longitudinal grooves, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of the drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within said socket element in said bore, a radial guide passage extending outwardly from the axial bore in the drive shaft end, a retainer disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the outer extremity of said retainer is disposed within the axial extension of one of said grooves of the drive shaft end for locking cooperation with said abutment means on said socket element when said socket element is fitted on the drive shaft end and a release position in which the outer extremity of said retainer is disposed within the axial extension of one of said splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retainer to said retaining and release positions thereof, the guide passage providing cam slots for said retainer radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion thereof, said cam slots being inclined longitudinally of the drive shaft end for guiding the outer extremity of said retainer along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions.

Claim 4

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines on said drive shaft and alternated by longitudinal grooves, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of the drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within said socket element in said bore, a radial guide passage extending outwardly from the axial bore in the drive shaft end, a retainer disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the outer extremity of said retainer is disposed within the axial extension of one of said grooves of the drive shaft end for locking cooperation with said abutment means on said socket element when said socket element is fitted on the drive shaft end and a release position in which the outer extremity of said retainer is disposed within the axial extension of one of said splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retainer to said retaining and release positions thereof, the guide passage providing cam slots for said retainer radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion thereof, said cam slots being inclined longitudinally of the drive shaft end for guiding the outer extremity of said retainer along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions.

Claim 5

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending axially inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on said drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft and intersecting said axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on the socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of said drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced angularly of said normal position, and spring means between the control member and the drive shaft end for biasing said control member to said normal position, the control member being composed of rubber, the spring means being portions of said control member nonrotatably fixed to the drive shaft for elastic angular deformation relative thereto in said actuated position of said control member.

Claim 6

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending axially inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on said drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft and intersecting said axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on the socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of said drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced angularly of said normal position, and spring means between the control member and the drive shaft end for biasing said control member to said normal position, the control member being composed of rubber, the spring means being portions of said control member nonrotatably fixed to the drive shaft for elastic angular deformation relative thereto in said actuated position of said control member.

Claim 7

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of the drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft and intersecting the axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of the drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on the socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of the peripherally opposed splines on the drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving the retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to said control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced angularly of said normal position, and spring means between the control member and the drive shaft end for biasing the control member to the normal position, said guide passage providing guide slots for said retaining pin in a plane transverse to the drive shaft and disposed radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the retaining pin, said guide slots guidingly receiving the retaining Pin for guiding the outer extremities of said retaining pin along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions, and turning means on the control member for the application of torque to move it angularly to said actuated position.

Claim 8

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of the drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft and intersecting the axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of the drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on the socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of the peripherally opposed splines on the drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving the retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to said control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced angularly of said normal position, and spring means between the control member and the drive shaft end for biasing the control member to the normal position, said guide passage providing guide slots for said retaining pin in a plane transverse to the drive shaft and disposed radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the retaining pin, said guide slots guidingly receiving the retaining Pin for guiding the outer extremities of said retaining pin along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions, and turning means on the control member for the application of torque to move it angularly to said actuated position.

Claim 9

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting the splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within said socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft end and intersecting said axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced laterally of said normal 58 position, spring means between said control member and said drive shaft end for biasing the control member to said normal position, an actuator on the control member for moving said control member laterally in the axial bore to said actuated position, the control member being composed of rubber, and the spring means being portions of the control member adjacent to the retaining pin and being supported in the axial bore for elastic deformation transversely thereagainst in said actuated position of said control member.

Claim 10

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting the splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within said socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft end and intersecting said axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in the guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced laterally of said normal 58 position, spring means between said control member and said drive shaft end for biasing the control member to said normal position, an actuator on the control member for moving said control member laterally in the axial bore to said actuated position, the control member being composed of rubber, and the spring means being portions of the control member adjacent to the retaining pin and being supported in the axial bore for elastic deformation transversely thereagainst in said actuated position of said control member.

Claim 11

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of said shaft, a socket element having an axial bore open at its rear end, the drive shaft end entering the socket, a member to the normal position, interfit between he socket and the drive shaft end when the drive shaft end is extended into the socket, a retaining pin located adjacent to the end of the drive shaft, a control member in the axial bore of the drive shaft fore moving the retaining pin to retaining or release positions of the pin, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for movement with the same between a normal position in the axial bore of the socket and an actuated position therein spaced laterally of the normal position, spring means between the control member and the drive shaft for biasing the control member to the normal position, an actuator on the control member for moving the same laterally in the axial bore of the drive shaft end to the actuated position, a guide passage in the bore of the socket, and guide passage including guide slots for said retaining pin in a plane transverse to said drive shaft end and disposed radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the retaining pin, and said guide slots guidingly receiving said retaining pin for guiding said retaining pin along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to Said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions.

Claim 12

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of said shaft, a socket element having an axial bore open at its rear end, the drive shaft end entering the socket, a member to the normal position, interfit between he socket and the drive shaft end when the drive shaft end is extended into the socket, a retaining pin located adjacent to the end of the drive shaft, a control member in the axial bore of the drive shaft fore moving the retaining pin to retaining or release positions of the pin, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion fixed to the control member for movement with the same between a normal position in the axial bore of the socket and an actuated position therein spaced laterally of the normal position, spring means between the control member and the drive shaft for biasing the control member to the normal position, an actuator on the control member for moving the same laterally in the axial bore of the drive shaft end to the actuated position, a guide passage in the bore of the socket, and guide passage including guide slots for said retaining pin in a plane transverse to said drive shaft end and disposed radially at opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the retaining pin, and said guide slots guidingly receiving said retaining pin for guiding said retaining pin along a path inclined longitudinally with respect to a plane through the drive shaft axis and at an acute angle relative to Said plane as it is moved between said retaining and release positions.

Claim 13

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having at axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the drive shaft, a series of longitudinal splines on the drive shaft and alternated by longitudinal grooves, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a radial guide passage extending outward from the axial bore in the drive shaft end, said guide passage having guide slots, a longitudinally extending retainer disposed in the guide passage and engaging in the guide slots and movable laterally therein and normally of the axial bore between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retainer are disposed within the axial extensions of the grooves of the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for locking cooperation with said abutment means on the socket element when said socket element is fitted on the drive shaft end, and a release position in which the outer extremities of the retainer are disposed within the axial extensions of the splines on the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for releasing the socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving the retainer to said retaining and release positions, the control member being connected to the retainer and movable normal to the axial bore, the control member being actuatable from the end face of the drive shaft.

Claim 14

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having at axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the drive shaft, a series of longitudinal splines on the drive shaft and alternated by longitudinal grooves, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof and provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a radial guide passage extending outward from the axial bore in the drive shaft end, said guide passage having guide slots, a longitudinally extending retainer disposed in the guide passage and engaging in the guide slots and movable laterally therein and normally of the axial bore between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retainer are disposed within the axial extensions of the grooves of the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for locking cooperation with said abutment means on the socket element when said socket element is fitted on the drive shaft end, and a release position in which the outer extremities of the retainer are disposed within the axial extensions of the splines on the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for releasing the socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving the retainer to said retaining and release positions, the control member being connected to the retainer and movable normal to the axial bore, the control member being actuatable from the end face of the drive shaft.

Claim 15

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof the provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft end and intersecting said axial bore thereof, said guide passage including guide grooves, a longitudinally extending retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable laterally therein and normally of the axial bore between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of the said drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the control member and retaining pin being connected for conjoint movement transverse to the axial bore and being actuatable from the end of the drive shaft.

Claim 16

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at the rear end thereof the provided with a series of longitudinal internal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively, of said drive shaft end, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket element in said bore, a guide passage traversing said drive shaft end and intersecting said axial bore thereof, said guide passage including guide grooves, a longitudinally extending retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable laterally therein and normally of the axial bore between a retaining position, in which the opposite outer extremities of the retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of the said drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element, and a release position, in which the outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on the drive shaft end and above the surface thereof for releasing said socket element, and a control member in said axial bore of the drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release positions thereof, the control member and retaining pin being connected for conjoint movement transverse to the axial bore and being actuatable from the end of the drive shaft.

Claim 17

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines, alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at its rear end and provided with a series of longitudinal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively of the drive shaft, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket in said bore, a guide paSsage traversing the drive shaft, and intersecting the axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position in which the opposite outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed with the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element and a release position in which said outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in the axial bore of said drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release position thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion that is fixed to said control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced axially inward of said normal position, and spring means in said axial bore for biasing said control member to said normal position.

Claim 18

Socket-retaining means for splined drive shafts comprising, a drive shaft end having an axial bore extending inwardly from the end face of the shaft, a series of longitudinal splines, alternated by longitudinal grooves on the drive shaft end, a socket element having an axial bore open at its rear end and provided with a series of longitudinal grooves alternated by internal longitudinal splines detachably fitting said splines and grooves respectively of the drive shaft, abutment means terminating said internal splines within the socket in said bore, a guide paSsage traversing the drive shaft, and intersecting the axial bore thereof, a retaining pin disposed in said guide passage and movable transversely of itself therein between a retaining position in which the opposite outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed with the axial extension of two peripherally opposed grooves of said drive shaft end for locking cooperation with two opposed abutment means on said socket element and a release position in which said outer extremities of said retaining pin are disposed within the axial extension of two peripherally opposed splines on said drive shaft end for releasing said socket element, and a control member in the axial bore of said drive shaft end for moving said retaining pin to said retaining and release position thereof, the retaining pin having an intermediate portion that is fixed to said control member for conjoined movement together therewith between a normal position in said axial bore and an actuated position therein spaced axially inward of said normal position, and spring means in said axial bore for biasing said control member to said normal position.

Claim 19

A socket-retaining means according to claim 9 in which said control member is of rubber, a shoulder in said axial bore, and said spring being a portion of said control member abutting on said shoulder and elastically deformable thereagainst in said actuated position of said control member.

Claim 20

Socket-retaining means according to claim 9 in which said guide passage provides cam slots for said retaining pin radially at opposite sides of said intermediate portion thereof, said cam slots being inclined longitudinally of said drive shaft end and guidingly receiving said retaining pin for defining said retaining position therefor when said control member is in said normal position and said release position therefor when said control member is in said actuated position.