Splined assembly with retaining rings

Claim 2

In a splined assembly a female member having an aperture, a male member receivable in said aperture, said members having splines mating within said aperture for preventing relative movement between said members in all but two opposite directions, said female member having an annular retaining groove in said aperture intersecting the female member splines, said male member having an annular retaining groove intersecting the male member splines that aligns with said retaining groove in said female member when said members are in a desired mating relationship, a round retaining ring that when positioned in said retaining grooves when said retaining grooves are aligned assumes a retention position wherein it is in interference contact with said splines on said members at the groove intersections to resist relative movement between said members in said opposite directions independent of any other means, the retaining groove in one of said members having a depth sufficiently greater than the depth of the intersected splines so that said retaining ring may be displaced under load to an assembly-disassembly position within said one member''s retaining groove out of the path of the splines on the other member, the splines on said other member having ramps at one end for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said one member as said members are mated on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in one of said opposite directions with the splines on said other member thereafter maintaining said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position until said retaining grooves are aligned whereupon said retaining ring assumes said retention position to retain said members in assembly, and the splines on said other member at one side of their intersection with the retaining groove in said other member having ramps for forcing said retaining ring into said assemblydisassembly position on said one member on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in the other of said opposite directions whereafter the splines on said other member maintain said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position to permit disassembly of said members.

Claim 3

In a splined assembly a female member having an aperture, a male member receivable in said aperture, said members having splines with major and minor diameters mating within said aperture for preventing relative movement between said members in all but two opposite directions, said female member having an annular retaining groove in said aperture intersecting the female member splines, said male member having an annular retaining groove intersecting the male member splines that aligns with said retaining groove in said female member when said members are in a desired mating relationship, a split round retaining ring that when positioned in said retaining grooves when said retaining grooves are aligned assumes a retention position wherein it is in interference contact with said splines on said members between their major and minor diameters at the groove intersections to resist relative movement between said members in said opposite directions independent of any other means, the retaining groove in one of said members having a depth sufficiently greater than the depth of the intersected splines so that said retaining ring may be displaced under load to an assembly-disassembly position within said one member''s retaining groove out of the path of the splines on the other member, the splines on said other member having assembly ramps at one end for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said one member as said members are mated on application of a predetermined force urgiNg relative movement between said members in one of said opposite directions with the splines on said other member at their tips thereafter maintaining said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position until said retaining grooves are aligned whereupon said retaining ring assumes said retention position to retain said members in assembly, and the splines on said other member at one side of their intersection with the retaining groove in said other member having disassembly ramps for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said one member on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in the other of said opposite directions whereafter the splines on said other member at their tips maintain said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position to permit disassembly of said members.

Claim 4

In a splined assembly a female member having an aperture, a male member receivable in said aperture, said members having splines with major and minor diameters mating within said aperture for preventing relative movement between said members in all but two opposite directions, said female member having an annular retaining groove in said aperture intersecting the female member splines, said male member having an annular retaining groove intersecting the male member splines that aligns with said retaining groove in said female member when said members are in a desired mating relationship, a split round retaining ring that when positioned in said retaining grooves when said retaining grooves are aligned assumes a retention position wherein it is in interference contact with said splines on said members between their major and minor diameters at the groove intersections to resist relative movement between said members in said opposite directions independent of any other means, the retaining groove in one of said members having a depth sufficiently greater than the depth of the intersected splines so that said retaining ring may be displaced under load to an assembly-disassembly position within said one member''s retaining groove out of the path of the splines on the other member, the splines on said other member having assembly ramps at one end for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said one member as said members are mated on application of a predetermined force urgiNg relative movement between said members in one of said opposite directions with the splines on said other member at their tips thereafter maintaining said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position until said retaining grooves are aligned whereupon said retaining ring assumes said retention position to retain said members in assembly, and the splines on said other member at one side of their intersection with the retaining groove in said other member having disassembly ramps for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said one member on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in the other of said opposite directions whereafter the splines on said other member at their tips maintain said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position to permit disassembly of said members.

Claim 5

In a splined assembly a female member having an aperture, a male member receivable in said aperture, said members having splines with major and minor diameters mating within said aperture for preventing relative movement between said members in all but two opposite directions, said female member having an annular radially inwardly facing retaining groove in said aperture intersecting the female member splines, said male member having an annular radially outwardly facing retaining groove intersecting the male member splines that aligns with said retaining groove in said female member when said members are in a desired mating relationship, a retaining ring that when positioned in said retaining grooves when said retention grooves are aligned assumes a retention position wherein it is in interference contact with said splines on said members at the groove intersections to resist relative movement between said members in said opposite directions independent of any other means, the retaining groove in said male member having a depth sufficiently greater than the depth of the intersected splines so that said retention ring may be displaced under load to an assembly-disassembly position within said male member retaining groove inward of the minor diameter of the splines on said female member, the splines on said female member having assembly ramps at one end for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said male member as said members are mated on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in one of said opposite directions with the splines on said female member at their minor diameter thereafter maintaining said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position until said annular grooves are aligned whereupon said retaining ring assumes said retention position to retain said members in assembly, and the splines on said female member at one side of their intersection with the retaining groove in said female member having disassembly ramps for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said male member on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in the other of said opposite directions whereafter the splines on said female member at their minor diameter maintain said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position to permit disassembly of said members.

Claim 6

In a splined assembly a female member having an aperture, a male member receivable in said aperture, said members having splines with major and minor diameters mating within said aperture for preventing relative movement between said members in all but two opposite directions, said female member having an annular radially inwardly facing retaining groove in said aperture intersecting the female member splines, said male member having an annular radially outwardly facing retaining groove intersecting the male member splines that aligns with said retaining groove in said female member when said members are in a desired mating relationship, a retaining ring that when positioned in said retaining grooves when said retention grooves are aligned assumes a retention position wherein it is in interference contact with said splines on said members at the groove intersections to resist relative movement between said members in said opposite directions independent of any other means, the retaining groove in said male member having a depth sufficiently greater than the depth of the intersected splines so that said retention ring may be displaced under load to an assembly-disassembly position within said male member retaining groove inward of the minor diameter of the splines on said female member, the splines on said female member having assembly ramps at one end for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said male member as said members are mated on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in one of said opposite directions with the splines on said female member at their minor diameter thereafter maintaining said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position until said annular grooves are aligned whereupon said retaining ring assumes said retention position to retain said members in assembly, and the splines on said female member at one side of their intersection with the retaining groove in said female member having disassembly ramps for forcing said retaining ring into said assembly-disassembly position on said male member on application of a predetermined force urging relative movement between said members in the other of said opposite directions whereafter the splines on said female member at their minor diameter maintain said retaining ring in said assembly-disassembly position to permit disassembly of said members.