Gear type coupling

Claim 2

A gear type coupling comprising: a sleeve member substantially defining an axial bore and having radially inwardly extending gear teeth; an outer hub member positioned within said sleeve member and having an annular body portion with radially outwardly extending gear teeth and radially inwardly extending gear teeth; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth having arcuate circumferential faces the radii of which passes through a common point along the axis of said coupling; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said sleeve member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith; said outer hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; an inner hub member within said outer hub member having outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said outer hub member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith; said inner hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said outer hub member and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; pilot means between said inner and outer hub members comprising bearing surfaces on said outer hub member engageable with bearing surfaces on said inner hub member for maintaining said inner and outer hub members pivotable about said common point; and said bearing surface on said inner hub member being spherically convex having a radius which passes through said common point for maintaining said inner and outer hub members pivotably operable about said common point thereby maintaining radial concentricity between said inner and outer hub members.

Claim 3

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pilot means restricts relative axial movement between said inner and outer hub members.

Claim 4

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 2 wherein said inner and outer hub members are simultaneously axially movable relative to said sleeve member.

Claim 5

The coupling of claim 1 wherein said bearing surfaces on said outer hub member comprise: concave spherical bearing surfaces in mating engagement with said convex bearing surfaces on said inner hub member, the radii of said concave spherical bearing surface passing through said common point along the axis of said coupling, for maintaining radial concentricity between said inner and outer hub members.

Claim 6

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bearing surfaces comprise: axially opposed inner hub bearing surfaces secured adjacent the sides of said inner hub outwardly extending gear teeth, said inner hub bearing surfaces comprising corresponding segments of a sphere thereby providing annular spherical bearing surfaces; and axially opposed outer hub bearing surfaces secured adjacent the sides of said outer hub inwardly extending gear teeth and engageable with said annular bearing surfaces of said inner hub member.

Claim 7

The coupling of claim 1 wherein said bearing surface on said outer hub member comprises: conical bearing surfaces in engagement with said convex bearing surfaces on said inner hub member; said conical bearing surfaces defined by a line struck normal to each of said conical surfaces passing through said common point, whereby radial concentricity may be maintained between said inner and outer members.

Claim 8

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 6 wherein said bearing surfaces comprise: axially opposed inner hub bearing surfaces secured to adjacent sides of said inner hub outwardly extending gear teeth; said inner hub bearing surfaces comprising corresponding segments of a sphere thereby providing annular spherical bearing surfaces; and axially opposed outer hub bearing surfaces secured adjacent the sides of said outer hub inwardly extending gear teeth and engageable with said annular bearing surfaces of said inner hub member.

Claim 9

A gear type coupling as set forth in claim 1 in which, a spindle shaft is non-rotatably connected to said inner hub member and extends axially therefrom, said inner hub member and a portion of said spindle shaft extend into the axial bore of said sleeve member; first and second abutting annular rings are secured to said sleeve member for defining a radially inwardly extending annular groove between said rings; and a third annular flexible metallic ring means engages said spindle shaft and includes a rigid annular portion extending radially outwardly therefrom and into said annular groove for flexibly sealing said sleeve member around said spindle shaft.

Claim 10

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 1 in which, said inner hub member outwardly extending gear teeth have axially arcuate circumferential faces the radii of which passes through said common point.

Claim 11

The gear type coupling as set forth in claim 1 which further includes, a radially outwardly extending annular shoulder portion on at least one end of said outer hub member for abutting said sleeve member to limit angular pivoting of said outer hub member relative to said sleeve member.

Claim 12

The gear type coupling as setforth in claim 1 which further includes, stop means to limit angular pivoting between said inner and outer hub members.

Claim 13

A gear type coupling comprising: a sleeve member substantially defining an axial bore and having radially inwardly extending gear teeth; an outer hub member positioned within said sleeve member and having an annular body portion with radially outwardly extending gear teeth an radially inwardly extending gear teeth; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth having arcuate circumferential faces the radii of which passes through a common point along the axis of said coupling; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said sleeve member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith; said outer hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; an inner hub member having outwardly extending gear teeth, at least one intermediate hub member having outwardly and inwardly extending gear teeth, said intermediate hub member outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said outer hub member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith, said intermediate hub member inwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said inner hub member outwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith, said intermediate hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said outer hub member and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween, said inner hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said sleeve and relative to said outer hub member and relative to said intermediate hub member to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; pilot means between said inner and intermediate hub members and between said intermediate and said outer hub members comprising bearing surfaces on said Outer hub member engageable with bearing surfaces on said intermediate hub member and bearing surfaces on said intermediate hub member engageable with bearing surfaces on said inner hub member for maintaining said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members pivotable about said common point; and said bearing surface on said inner hub member and said bearing surface on said intermediate hub member which is engageable with said outer hub members bearing surface each being spherically convex and each having a radius which passes through said common point for maintaining said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members pivotably operable about said common point thereby maintaining radial concentricity between said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members.

Claim 14

A gear type coupling comprising: a sleeve member substantially defining an axial bore and having radially inwardly extending gear teeth; an outer hub member positioned within said sleeve member and having an annular body portion with radially outwardly extending gear teeth an radially inwardly extending gear teeth; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth having arcuate circumferential faces the radii of which passes through a common point along the axis of said coupling; said outer hub member outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said sleeve member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith; said outer hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; an inner hub member having outwardly extending gear teeth, at least one intermediate hub member having outwardly and inwardly extending gear teeth, said intermediate hub member outwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said outer hub member inwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith, said intermediate hub member inwardly extending gear teeth engageable with said inner hub member outwardly extending gear teeth to provide a non-rotatable connection therewith, said intermediate hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said outer hub member and relative to said sleeve to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween, said inner hub member angularly pivotable about said common point and relative to said sleeve and relative to said outer hub member and relative to said intermediate hub member to compensate for angular misalignment therebetween; pilot means between said inner and intermediate hub members and between said intermediate and said outer hub members comprising bearing surfaces on said Outer hub member engageable with bearing surfaces on said intermediate hub member and bearing surfaces on said intermediate hub member engageable with bearing surfaces on said inner hub member for maintaining said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members pivotable about said common point; and said bearing surface on said inner hub member and said bearing surface on said intermediate hub member which is engageable with said outer hub members bearing surface each being spherically convex and each having a radius which passes through said common point for maintaining said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members pivotably operable about said common point thereby maintaining radial concentricity between said inner, intermediate, and outer hub members.