Elastic couplings

Claim 2

Elastic coupling adapted to connect first and second bodies movable in rotation around substantially aligned axes, the elastic coupling comprising a crown including a number of substantially identical elastic elements separated by rigid members for connection with said bodies, adjacent elastic elements being connected by adhesion to the rigid manner which separates them and successive rigid members being adapted to be connected, in rigid manner, one to the first body and the other to the second body, said rigid members thus forming a first and a second assembly constructed and arranged to be associated, respectively, with the first and with the second body, and means for precompression of the elastic elements at rest, said precompression means comprising a first element including a first axial wall for exerting a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the first assembly, and a second element including a second axial wall for exerting a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the second assembly, the first and the second element being adapted to be fixed, respectively, to the first and to the second movable body, said first axial wall covering the outer tangential walls of the rigid members of the first assembly, and the second axial wall covering the outer tangential walls of the rigid members of the second assembly.

Claim 3

Elastic coupling according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second elements comprises a transverse wall perpendicular to the axis of the movable body with which it is associated, and means for connecting a transverse surface of each rigid member with the transverse wall of the corresponding element.

Claim 4

Elastic coupling according to claim 2, wherein each rigid member has a U-shaped profile whose base constitutes a transverse surface of the elastic crown and wherein said connecting means include, on one hand, on the transverse wall of each element of the precompression means, oblique axial projections, equal in number at least to half the number of rigid members and, on the other hand, on said base of each rigid member, openings adapted to receive said oblique projections, the position and dimensions of the oblique projections being such that they can retain said rigid members and be introduced inside openings of the rigid members when the crown undergoes a greater precompression than the precompression at rest.

Claim 5

Elastic coupling according to claim 1 wherein each of the rigid members comprises a projection of radial direction, the projections of radial direction of the rigid members of the first assembly being arranged so as to be in contact exclusively with said first axial wall of the first rigid element, when the latter is installed around said crown, and the projections of radial direction of the rigid members of the second assembly being arranged so as to be in contact exclusively with said second axial wall of the second element when the latter is installed around the crown.

Claim 6

Elastic coupling accoRding to claim 1 wherein the sum of the internal heights, in an axial direction, of said first and second axial walls is substantially less than the total height, in the axial direction, of said crown.

Claim 7

Elastic coupling according to claim 5, wherein said internal heights, in an axial direction, of the first and second axial walls are equal.

Claim 8

Elastic coupling according to claim 4 wherein each rigid member is formed in the shape of a metal sheet folded into a U with two lateral wings with which the elastic elements are connected by adhesion, the central surface of this U folded sheet being extended radially to form said projection of radial direction, this central surface forming, in addition, a projection, in the axial direction, of said crown.

Claim 9

Elastic coupling according to claim 1 wherein said axial walls have a substantially frustoconic shape having substantially the same axis as that of the body movable in rotation with which the corresponding element of the precompression means is associated, the largest diameters of these frustoconic walls being facing each other, these largest diameters being greater than the smallest diameter of the outer tangential walls of said rigid members, and the sum of the internal heights, in the axial direction, of said axial walls being substantially constant and less than the total height, in the axial direction, of said crown at rest.

Claim 10

Elastic coupling according to claim 8 wherein each rigid member of the crown includes a tapping with an axis substantially parallel with that of the movable body with which it is associated, each element of the precompression means comprising a transverse wall, perpendicular to the axis of the body movable in rotation, having openings elongated in a radial direction, and arranged opposite said tappings of the rigid members, the number of openings being at least equal to half the number of rigid members, the precompression means including screws with a head and arranged to cooperate with said tappings and openings so that the base of each screw head can be supported on the edges of an opening and approach the axis of the crown on screwing said screws in the corresponding tappings.

Claim 11

Elastic coupling according to claim 1 wherein each axial wall is substantially cylindrical and of diameter substantially less than that of the outer surface of the crown when the elastic elements of the crown have not undergone precompression, teeth, equal in number to half the number of elastic elements, being cut out, at regular intervals, in each of said axial walls, each of these teeth having dimensions such that they can cover, at least in part, the outer tangential wall of a rigid member, said dimensions of each tooth and those of the gap which separates two consecutive teeth of a same axial wall being such that, when the crown is inside the two axial walls, each tooth of the first axial wall is arranged in the gap separating two consecutive teeth of the second axial wall and vice-versa.

Claim 12

Elastic coupling according to claim 10 wherein the base of the gap separating two teeth of a same axial wall comprises a reinforcing wall whose height, in an axial direction, represents a large fraction of the height of each tooth, this reinforcing wall being adapted to occur at the same level, in an axial direction, as the free end of a rigid member associated with the other axial wall, each of the rigid members having, in the vicinity of said free end, an outer tangential wall of diameter less than that of its outer tangential wall in the region of its other end, this portion of less diameter of each rigid member extending over a length, in an axial direction, which is greater than the distance separating, at rest, the top of the tooth of one axial wall from the base of the gap of the other axial wall in which this tooth is inserted.

Claim 13

Elastic coupling according to claim 1 wherein said first element of the precompression means is identical to the second element of the precompression means.

Claim 14

Elastic cOupling according to claim 1 wherein said crown includes a central hole and said first and second elements have corresponding central holes.

Claim 15

Elastic coupling adapted to connect a first and a second body movable in rotation around substantially aligned axes, this elastic coupling comprises a crown including a number of substantially identical elastic elements and rigid members separating said elastic elements, said rigid members providing connection with said bodies, adjacent elastic elements being connected by adhesion to the rigid member which separates them, and successive rigid members being adapted to be connected, in rigid manner, one to the first body and the other to the second body, these rigid members thus forming first and second assemblies adapted to be associated, respectively, with the first and with the second bodies, and means for precompression of the elastic elements at rest, said precompression means comprising a first element adapted to exert a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the first assembly, and a second element adapted to exert a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the second assembly, the first and the second elements being adapted to be fixed, respectively, to the first and to the second movable bodies, each of said elements of the precompression means comprising a transverse wall perpendicular to the axis of the movable body with which it is associated, and means for connecting one transverse surface of each rigid member with the transverse wall of the corresponding element of the precompression means, each rigid member having a U-shaped profile whose base constitutes a transverse surface of the elastic crown, and said connecting means including, on one hand, on the transverse wall of each element of the precompression means, oblique axial projections, equal in number at least to half the number of rigid members, and, on the other hand, on said base of each rigid member, openings adapted to receive said oblique projections, the position and dimensions of the oblique projections being such that they can retain said rigid members and be introduced inside openings of the rigid members when the crown undergoes a greater precompression than the precompression at rest.

Claim 16

Elastic coupling adapted to connect a first and a second body movable in rotation around substantially aligned axes, this elastic coupling comprises a crown including a number of substantially identical elastic elements and rigid members separating said elastic elements, said rigid members providing connection with said bodies, adjacent elastic elements being connected by adhesion to the rigid member which separates them, and successive rigid members being adapted to be connected, in rigid manner, one to the first body and the other to the second body, these rigid members thus forming first and second assemblies adapted to be associated, respectively, with the first and with the second bodies, and means for precompression of the elastic elements at rest, said precompression means comprising a first element adapted to exert a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the first assembly, and a second element adapted to exert a stress of substantially radial direction exclusively on the rigid members of the second assembly, the first and the second elements being adapted to be fixed, respectively, to the first and to the second movable bodies, each of said elements of the precompression means comprising a transverse wall perpendicular to the axis of the movable body with which it is associated, and means for connecting one transverse surface of each rigid member with the transverse wall of the corresponding element of the precompression means, each rigid member having a U-shaped profile whose base constitutes a transverse surface of the elastic crown, and said connecting means including, on one hand, on the transverse wall of each element of the precompression means, oblique axial projections, equal in number at least to half the number of rigid members, and, on the other hand, on said base of each rigid member, openings adapted to receive said oblique projections, the position and dimensions of the oblique projections being such that they can retain said rigid members and be introduced inside openings of the rigid members when the crown undergoes a greater precompression than the precompression at rest.

Claim 17

Elastic coupling according to claim 14 wherein said first element of the precompression means is identical to the second element of the precompression means.

Claim 18

Elastic coupling according to claim 14 wherein said crown includes a central hole and said first and second elements have corresponding central holes.