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US3930379A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Compensating and equalizing coupling for transmission of large torques, such as between the gear and the propellor of a ship

Assignee: Mannesmann Meer AG
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Filing: 1974-05-08
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Granted: 1976-01-06
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Expires: 1994-05-08
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Abstract

Abstract The coupling has two annular flanges respectively secured to driving and driven shafts and spaced apart axially. A hollow shaft is interposed between the flanges, and is connected to these flanges through holding elements extending axially from the flanges on the outside as well as inside of the shaft and being connected to the hollow shaft through individual rubber elements whereby a holding element on the outside is radially aligned with a holding element on the inside with two radially tensioned rubber elements inbetween, one on the inside and one on the outside. The holding elements as connected to one flange are on their axial other end interconnected by an annulus, two annuli facing each other in pairs and about the (axial) center of the hollow shaft but leaving a gap between.

Inventors

  • 👤 Heinz M. Hiersig
  • 👤 Wilhelm Koster

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:02
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D3/00; F16D3/50; F16D3/72; B; B63; B63H; B63H23/00; B63H23/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 311 words
Compensating and equalizing coupling for transmission of large torques, such as between a ship's drive transmission gear and a propellor shaft, comprising: a hollow shaft; means (a) including i. a first, cylindrical structure having larger diameter than the shaft and receiving one end of the shaft in axially overlapping relation; ii. a second, cylindrical structure having smaller diamater than the shaft and being received by the shaft at the one end in axially overlapping relation; iii. means for interconnecting the first and second structures independently from the hollow shaft and connecting the interconnected structures to serve as primary input part of the coupling; and iv. a first plurality of resilient elements interposed radially between and connected to the shaft and said first and second structures to provide for radially extending resilient interconnection between the shaft and said structures; and means (b) including: i. a third cylindrical structure having larger diameter than the shaft and receiving the other end of the shaft in axially overlapping relation, but axially spaced apart from the first structure; ii. a fourth cylindrical structure having smaller diameter than the hollow shaft and being received by the shaft at the other end in axially overlapping relation, but axially spaced apart from the first structure; iii. means for interconnecting the third and fourth structures and connecting these interconnected structures to serve as secondary, output part of the coupling; and iv. a second plurality of resilient elements interposed radially between and connected to the shaft and said third and fourth structures to provide for radially extending resilient interconnection between the shaft and said third and fourth structures; so that said hollow shaft floats between the elements of the first to fourth pluralities and remains disconnected from said gear and said shaft except through the means (a) and the means (b) which in turn are interconnected only by said hollow shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 311 words
Compensating and equalizing coupling for transmission of large torques, such as between a ship's drive transmission gear and a propellor shaft, comprising: a hollow shaft; means (a) including i. a first, cylindrical structure having larger diameter than the shaft and receiving one end of the shaft in axially overlapping relation; ii. a second, cylindrical structure having smaller diamater than the shaft and being received by the shaft at the one end in axially overlapping relation; iii. means for interconnecting the first and second structures independently from the hollow shaft and connecting the interconnected structures to serve as primary input part of the coupling; and iv. a first plurality of resilient elements interposed radially between and connected to the shaft and said first and second structures to provide for radially extending resilient interconnection between the shaft and said structures; and means (b) including: i. a third cylindrical structure having larger diameter than the shaft and receiving the other end of the shaft in axially overlapping relation, but axially spaced apart from the first structure; ii. a fourth cylindrical structure having smaller diameter than the hollow shaft and being received by the shaft at the other end in axially overlapping relation, but axially spaced apart from the first structure; iii. means for interconnecting the third and fourth structures and connecting these interconnected structures to serve as secondary, output part of the coupling; and iv. a second plurality of resilient elements interposed radially between and connected to the shaft and said third and fourth structures to provide for radially extending resilient interconnection between the shaft and said third and fourth structures; so that said hollow shaft floats between the elements of the first to fourth pluralities and remains disconnected from said gear and said shaft except through the means (a) and the means (b) which in turn are interconnected only by said hollow shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
Coupling as in claim 1, the two means for interconnecting including respectively first and second flanges to which the first and second structures and the third and fourth structures are respectively connected, the first flange connected to a drive shaft, the second flange connected to a driven shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 59 words
Coupling as in claim 1, wherein the structures each being comprised of a plurality of individual elements which when interconnected establish the respective cylindrical structures, whereby an element of the first structure is radially aligned with an element of the second structure, and an element of the third structure is radially aligned with an element of the fourth structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
Coupling structure as in claim 3, the elements of the first and second structures being connected to a first flange, the elements of third and fourth structures being connected to a second flange, the first and second flanges respectively included in the two means for interconnecting.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
Coupling structure as in claim 4, wherein the two means for interconnecting further including four annuli respectively for interconnecting the elements of the first through fourth structures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
Coupling as in claim 3, wherein a separate resilient element of the plurality is disposed between each element of the plurality and the hollow shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
Coupling as in claim 6 wherein each resilient element is bonded to the respective holding element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
Coupling as in claim 6, wherein each resilient element is bonded to a plate at an interface therewith, the respective plates being fastened to the hollow shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
Coupling as in claim 8, wherein the plates have larger extension in axial direction than the respective axial extension of the resilient elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
Coupling as in claim 9, wherein each plate where extending beyond the interface with the respective resilient element is bolted to the hollow shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 42 words
Coupling as in claim 3, wherein two holding elements on the plurality and two resilient elements of the plurality establish a sub-assembly connected to the hollow shaft, there being aligned bores in the elements of the subassembly for insertion of tightening bolts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 41 words
Coupling as in claim 1, wherein the radial distance between first and third structures on one hand and the second and fourth structures on the other hand is about 6 to 10% of the diameter of the first and third structures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
Coupling as in claim 1, wherein the means for interconnecting provide for radial tension bias of the resilient elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
Coupling as in claim 1, wherein the resilient elements have radially smaller dimensions than their respective dimensions in axial and in azimuthal direction.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1896968A Cited
FR750729A Cited
US2126705A Cited
GB536140A Cited
GB579226A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-01-05 1979-07-07 1980-01-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-01-05 1983-07-07 1984-01-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-01-05 1987-07-07 1988-01-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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