Bellows flexible joint

Claim 2

A bellows-type universal joint comprising a pair of rotatable end members, a first flexible cylindrical bellows having its axial ends secured to said end members con-structed to transmit a torque therebetween, said first bellows and said end members being rotatable about the axis of said cylindrical bellows, a second flexible cylindrical bellows received within said first bellows, the ends of said second bellows being engage-able with said end members and unsecured thereto and comprising a non-torquebearing member, elastomeric material received between said first bellows and said second bellows, said end members being relatively movable to rotate about nonaligned axes.

Claim 3

A flexible torque transfer assembly compris-ing: a rotatable driving member and a rotatable driven member, flexible means interconnecting said driving member and said driven member constructed to transmit torque and rotary motion between said members, said flexible means permitting angular dis-placement of the driven member relative to the driving member from an axially aligned position to various positions of axial misalignment, said flexible means comprising a first cylin-drical bellows interconnecting and secured to said driving member and said driven member and comprising a torque-bearing element of said flexible means, said bellows having a plurality of grooves formed therein, a second cylindrical bellows received within said first cylindrical bellows and radially spaced therefrom, said second bellows being engageable with and unsecured to said driving member and said driven member and comprising a non-torque-bearing element of said flexible means, means to reduce torsionally induced stresses within and deformation of said first cylindrical bellows comprising elastomeric material received between said first bellows and said second bellows.

Claim 4

A flexible torque transfer assembly compris-ing: a rotatable driving member and a rotatable driven member, flexible means interconnecting said driving member and said driven member constructed to transmit torque and rotary motion between said members, said flexible means permitting angular dis-placement of the driven member relative to the driving member from an axially aligned position to various positions of axial misalignment, said flexible means comprising a first cylin-drical bellows interconnecting and secured to said driving member and said driven member and comprising a torque-bearing element of said flexible means, said bellows having a plurality of grooves formed therein, a second cylindrical bellows received within said first cylindrical bellows and radially spaced therefrom, said second bellows being engageable with and unsecured to said driving member and said driven member and comprising a non-torque-bearing element of said flexible means, means to reduce torsionally induced stresses within and deformation of said first cylindrical bellows comprising elastomeric material received between said first bellows and said second bellows.

Claim 5

A flexible torque transfer assembly according to claim 2, said second cylindrical bellows being concen-tric with said first cylindrical bellows when the torque transfer assembly is in an aligned condition.

Claim 6

A flexible torque transfer assembly according to claim 2, said second cylindrical bellows having greater flexibility than said first cylindrical bellows.

Claim 7

A flexible torque transfer assembly comprising: a rotatable driving member and a rotatable driven member, flexible means interconnecting said driving member and said driven member constructed to transmit torque and rotary motion between said members, said flexible member permitting angular dis-placement of the driven member relative to the driving member from an axially aligned position to various positions of axial misalignment, said flexible means including a first cylin-drical bellows interconnecting and secured to said driving member and said driven member, said bellows having a plurality of grooves formed therein, a second cylindrical bellows received within said first cylindrical bellows and radially spaced therefrom, said second bellows engaging and unsecured to said driving member and said driven member, said second bellows being coaxial with said first bellows, an annular enclosure defined by said first and second bellows and said driving and driven members, means to reduce torsionally induced stresses within and deformation of said first bellows comprising elastomeric material received within and filling said annular enclosure, inlet means to said enclosure constructed to permit the injection of said elastomeric material in its molten state, outlet means from said enclosure constructed to peRmit the escape of air from said enclosure during injection of molten elastomeric material.

Claim 8

A flexible torque transfer assembly comprising: a rotatable driving member and a rotatable driven member, flexible means interconnecting said driving member and said driven member constructed to transmit torque and rotary motion between said members, said flexible member permitting angular dis-placement of the driven member relative to the driving member from an axially aligned position to various positions of axial misalignment, said flexible means including a first cylin-drical bellows interconnecting and secured to said driving member and said driven member, said bellows having a plurality of grooves formed therein, a second cylindrical bellows received within said first cylindrical bellows and radially spaced therefrom, said second bellows engaging and unsecured to said driving member and said driven member, said second bellows being coaxial with said first bellows, an annular enclosure defined by said first and second bellows and said driving and driven members, means to reduce torsionally induced stresses within and deformation of said first bellows comprising elastomeric material received within and filling said annular enclosure, inlet means to said enclosure constructed to permit the injection of said elastomeric material in its molten state, outlet means from said enclosure constructed to peRmit the escape of air from said enclosure during injection of molten elastomeric material.

Claim 9

A flexible torque transfer assembly according to claim 5, said inlet means being formed in one of said rotatable members, said outlet means being formed in the other of said rotatable members.

Claim 10

A flexible torque transfer assembly according to claim 5, said second bellows having greater flexibility than said first bellows.