Overload release device for a motor drive

Claim 2

An overload release device comprising: a driving gear, said driving gear having axial ends and a peripheral surface with gearing on the peripheral surface, a central cavity extending into the gear from one axial end, a plurality of tongues extending radially and axially into the cavity from adjacent said one axial end and terminating in free ends, a shaft through said driving gear, a hub member on said shaft, portions of said hub member within said cavity and second portions of said hub member overlying the free ends opposite the one axial end whereby the driving gear is restrained by the tongues against axial movement independent of the hub in at least one direction.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said hub member has a first face opposing in overlying relationship a second face of said driving gear and restricting axial movement of the driving gear independently of the hub in a direction opposite the restraint imposed by the overlying free ends and second portions.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein the first face is an axial end wall of the hub and the second face is a bottom wall of the central cavity.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein the first face is an axial end face of a disc projecting radially of the hub and the second face is an axial end wall of the driving gear.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 wherein the hub has a portion thereof projecting axially beyond said one axial end of the driving gear including a radially extending disck, said disc overlying portions of said cavity, a sealing ring received around portions of said hub and overlying the said disc opposite the said cavity, means pressing said ring into contact with a portion of said disc, and means retaining the ring on the said hub.

Claim 7

The device of claim 5 wherein the portion of the said disc contacting the said washer includes a circumferential axially projecting raised bead.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 wherein the said device is received in juxtaposition to a housing member having an axially extending peripheral wall encircling the device, and the periphery of the sealing ring is pressed against the axial wall in a lip seal.

Claim 9

The device of claim 7 wherein the hub has an axial collar projecting beyond the disc away from the cavity, the sealing ring has an inner diameter received around the collar, the retaining means is a washer received around the collar, the washer having an inner diameter press fit against the Collar creating a seal in the area of the press fit, and the retaining means urged against the sealing ring.

Claim 10

The device of claim 8 wherein the outer periphery of the retaining means is angled to bend peripheral portions of the sealing ring away from the retaining means whereby the lip seal formed at the periphery of the sealing ring is an angled lip seal.

Claim 11

The device of claim 9 wherein the said hub is die cast on a shaft around a knurled portion of the shaft.

Claim 12

The device of claim 1 wherein the tongues are resilient and are bent from their normal state during insertion of the hub into the central cavity and thereafter returned to their normal state overlying the said second portions of the said hub.

Claim 13

An overload release device comprising: a housing, bearing supports in said housing, a shaft suspended from said bearing supports, a driving gear encircling said shaft, a hub portion on said shaft, a driven gear on said shaft, a resilient connection between said driving gear and said hub portion effective to transmit torque from said driving gear to said hub connection, said driving gear having axial end walls with a cavity extending into the body of the driving gear from one axial end wall, portions of said hub received within said cavity, tongues formed integrally with said driving gear projecting into said cavity and terminating in spaced relation to a wall of said cavity, second portions of said hub having an outer diameter of greater dimension than the inner diameter of said tongues, and said portions entrapped between a back wall of said cavity and the said tongues to prevent axial movement of the said driving gear on the said hub.

Claim 14

An overload release device comprising: a housing, bearing supports in said housing, a shaft suspended from said bearing supports, a driving gear encircling said shaft, a hub portion on said shaft, a driven gear on said shaft, a resilient connection between said driving gear and said hub portion effective to transmit torque from said driving gear to said hub connection, said driving gear having axial end walls with a cavity extending into the body of the driving gear from one axial end wall, portions of said hub received within said cavity, tongues formed integrally with said driving gear projecting into said cavity and terminating in spaced relation to a wall of said cavity, second portions of said hub having an outer diameter of greater dimension than the inner diameter of said tongues, and said portions entrapped between a back wall of said cavity and the said tongues to prevent axial movement of the said driving gear on the said hub.

Claim 15

The device of claim 12 wherein the said tongues are deformable to increase the dimension of their inner diameter whereby the said second portions of the said hub can be inserted into the said cavity by deforming the tongues, said tongues being resilient to return to their normal state after deformation.

Claim 16

The device of claim 13 wherein the driving gear is constructed of a plastic and the hub is constructed of a metal die cast around the shaft.

Claim 17

The device of claim 14 wherein the said housing has a peripheral wall encircling the driving gear and a portion of the hub when the said shaft is mounted in the said bearings, the said hub having a disc portion extending radially outwardly from a central portion of the hub into overlying relationship with an axial end wall of the driving gear radially outwardly of the cavity whereby the said disc overlies the cavity, an axial rib or bead on said disc remote from the said cavity, a resilient sealing ring received around said shaft having an inner diameter engaging the axial projection on said shaft and having a bottom face engaging the said bead in sealing relationship.

Claim 18

The device of claim 15 wherein the outer periphery of the said sealing ring forms a lip seal against the peripheral wall of the housing.

Claim 19

The device of claim 16 wherein a retainer ring is received over a portion of the said housing and is effective to maintain the sealing ring against the said rib or bead and the periphery of the said sealing ring against the said peripheral wall of the housing.

Claim 20

The device of claim 17 wherein the retaining ring is press-fit around an axially projecting collar of said hub.

Claim 21

The device of claim 18 wherein the outer periphery of the said retaining ring extends at an angle to the remainder of the ring and deforms the sealing ring.

Claim 22

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub made of metal and constituting the inner part; a plastic gear constituting the outer part; and means to keep the plastic gear from moving axially and separating from the metal hub comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart tongues on one part and a radial wall on the other part sized and shaped to afford snap-in assembly.

Claim 23

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub made of metal and constituting the inner part; a plastic gear constituting the outer part; and means to keep the plastic gear from moving axially and separating from the metal hub comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart tongues on one part and a radial wall on the other part sized and shaped to afford snap-in assembly.

Claim 24

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub made of metal and constituting the inner part, a plastic gear constituting the outer part, measn to keep the plastic gear from moving axially and separating from the metal hub comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart tongues on one part and a radial wall on the other part sized and shaped to afford snap-in assembly; said hub member and said plastic gear having interfitting slot and finger means to provide a stopping means for prescribing limitations of relative angular displacement.

Claim 25

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub made of metal and constituting the inner part, a plastic gear constituting the outer part, measn to keep the plastic gear from moving axially and separating from the metal hub comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart tongues on one part and a radial wall on the other part sized and shaped to afford snap-in assembly; said hub member and said plastic gear having interfitting slot and finger means to provide a stopping means for prescribing limitations of relative angular displacement.

Claim 26

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; and a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof; and a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal, and retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith.

Claim 27

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; and a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof; and a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal, and retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith.

Claim 28

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof, a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal, retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith, said washer having peripheral edges overlying the circumferential wall of said housing and deformed at a re-entrant angle to engage said wall and form together therewith a lip seal.

Claim 29

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof, a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal, retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith, said washer having peripheral edges overlying the circumferential wall of said housing and deformed at a re-entrant angle to engage said wall and form together therewith a lip seal.

Claim 30

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof; a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal; retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith, said retainer means comprising an annular retaining ring having a central flange adapted to be press-fit into assembly with said hub, thereby to form a secondary seal with said inner part.

Claim 31

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a hub member constituting the inner part; a gear constituting the outer part; a housing having a circumferential wall circumscribing said inner and outer parts; said hub member having an axially projecting annular rib on one radial face thereof; a flexible rubber sealing washer overlying said one radial face and engaged by said rib to establish a primary seal; retainer means connected to said hub and overlying said washer to retain same in assembly therewith, said retainer means comprising an annular retaining ring having a central flange adapted to be press-fit into assembly with said hub, thereby to form a secondary seal with said inner part.

Claim 32

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a pin having a portion knurled to form a striated surface and a hub member integrally die cast on said pin to form a mechanically bonded sealed joint with said pin at said striated surface, the hub forming the inner part, and a plastic gear constituting the outer part.

Claim 33

In an overload release device for a motor drive of the type having inner and outer relatively rotatable parts confining one or more cylinders for compression to afford a flexible overload release, the improvement of: a pin having a portion knurled to form a striated surface and a hub member integrally die cast on said pin to form a mechanically bonded sealed joint with said pin at said striated surface, the hub forming the inner part, and a plastic gear constituting the outer part.

Claim 34

An overload release assembly comprising: spaced-apart bearing means; a shaft rotatably suspended between said bearing means; said shaft having a knurled portion intermediate said bearing means with a hub die-cast around said knurled portion; said hub having three circumferentially spaced-apart radially projecting lobes with leading and Trailing cam surfaces; said hub having a radially projecting disc extending beyond said lobes at one axial end of said lobes; said disc having an axially extending raised bead thereon circumferentially thereof opposite the said lobes; a plastic ring gear; said ring gear having a cup-shaped central depression; said central depression substantially triangular with rounded apices; radial recesses extending outward from said depression in the areas intermediate the apices; said recesses having bottom walls; said recesses having tongues formed integrally with the gear extending radially inward and axially into said recesses from an axial end of the gear remote from the bottom wall of the recesses; said lobes terminating in radial flanges at one axial end of the lobes remote from the disc; said flanges having outer diameters greater than the inner diameters of the tongues; said hub inserted into said central cavity with said lobes projecting into said recesses; and the flanges entrapped between ends of said tongues and said bottom walls; resilient cylinders received in spaces underlying said disc; said spaces defined by the apices walls and the cam surfaces; a housing member having a peripheral wall encircling said ring gear and at least portions of said hub including said disc; a sealing washer overlying said disc; a retainer press-fit around a portion of said hub urging said sealing washer against said bead and deforming a peripheral portion of said sealing washer in a reverse angle, said periphery of said washer forming a lip seal with said peripheral wall of said housing and a pinion gear mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith.

Claim 35

An overload release assembly comprising: spaced-apart bearing means; a shaft rotatably suspended between said bearing means; said shaft having a knurled portion intermediate said bearing means with a hub die-cast around said knurled portion; said hub having three circumferentially spaced-apart radially projecting lobes with leading and Trailing cam surfaces; said hub having a radially projecting disc extending beyond said lobes at one axial end of said lobes; said disc having an axially extending raised bead thereon circumferentially thereof opposite the said lobes; a plastic ring gear; said ring gear having a cup-shaped central depression; said central depression substantially triangular with rounded apices; radial recesses extending outward from said depression in the areas intermediate the apices; said recesses having bottom walls; said recesses having tongues formed integrally with the gear extending radially inward and axially into said recesses from an axial end of the gear remote from the bottom wall of the recesses; said lobes terminating in radial flanges at one axial end of the lobes remote from the disc; said flanges having outer diameters greater than the inner diameters of the tongues; said hub inserted into said central cavity with said lobes projecting into said recesses; and the flanges entrapped between ends of said tongues and said bottom walls; resilient cylinders received in spaces underlying said disc; said spaces defined by the apices walls and the cam surfaces; a housing member having a peripheral wall encircling said ring gear and at least portions of said hub including said disc; a sealing washer overlying said disc; a retainer press-fit around a portion of said hub urging said sealing washer against said bead and deforming a peripheral portion of said sealing washer in a reverse angle, said periphery of said washer forming a lip seal with said peripheral wall of said housing and a pinion gear mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith.