Continuously lubricated coupling

Claim 2

A continuously lubricated gear-type coupling for connecting a pair of substantially coaxially aligned rotatable shafts, comprising: a hub means, having outwardly extending gear teeth, secured to an end of one of said shafts by a key means for rotation therewith; a sleeve means surrounding said hub means, having inwardly extending gear teeth in meshing engagement with said outwardly extending gear teeth, said sleeve means including an annular metallic sealing ring means between an inturned flange portion of said sleeve means and a shoulder portion of said hub means for preventing the flow of lubricant between said flange portion and said shoulder portion; a second hub means connecting said sleeve means to the other of said shafts forming a closed chamber within said coupling, said second hub means including an annular lip portion tapering inwardly in a direction away from said sleeve means thus forming an annular trough means on an exterior radial face of said second hub means; a plurality of inlet port means in said exterior radial face for continuously supplying lubricant from said annular trough means to within said closed chamber; a plurality of outlet port means in the end of said sleeve means opposite to said second hub means for removal of said lubricant from said closed chamber after said lubricant has lubricated said inwardly and outwardly extending gear teeth; a sealing means connected to the end of said one shaft within said closed chamber for preventing gases exterior to said coupling from entering said closed chamber from between said hub means and said one shaft, said sealing means being seated within an annular recess formed in an end of said hub means and having an annular resilient sealing ring forming a gas-tight seal between said sealing means and said recess; and an annular impeller means surrounding said one shaft and secured to an end of said hub means adjacent said sleeve means, said impeller means including radially extending means formed on a radial face thereof for propelling gases radially outward from said one shaft, thereby preventing said gases from entering said coupling through said key means and causing corrosion thereof.

Claim 3

A continuously lubricated gear type coupling for transmitting torque between substantially coaxially aligned, axially spaced, first and second rotatable shafts, comprising: first and second coupling halves each including: a hub means, having outwardly extending gear teeth, rotatably secured to said first and second shafts respectively by a key means, and a sleeve means surrounding said hub means and having inwardly extending gear teeth in meshing engagement with said outwardly extending gear teeth, said sleeve means including an annular metallic sealing ring means between an inturned flange portion of said sleeve means and a shoulder portion of said hub means for preventing the flow of lubricant between said flange portion and said shoulder portion; a cylindrical spacer means connected between said first and second coupling halves for transmitting torque therebetween, said spacer means forming a closed chamber within each of said coupling halves and further including an annular lip portion on each end thereof tapering inwardly in a direction away from an adjacent said sleeve means thus forming an annular trough means on exterior radial faces of said spacer means; a plurality of inlet port means in said exterior radial faces for continuously supplying a lubricant from said annular trough means to within said closed chambers; a plurality of outlet port means in the ends of said sleeve means opposite to said spacer means for directing said lubricant from said closed chambers of said first and second coupling halves after said lubricant has lubricated said meshing gear teeth in said first and second coupling halves; a sealing means connected to the end of each of said shafts within said closed chambers for preventing gases exterior to said coupling from entering said closed chambers from between said hub means and said shafts, said sealing means being seated within an annular recess formed in the ends of said hub means within said closed chambers, each said sealing means having an annular resilient sealing ring forming a gas tight seal between said sealing means and its associated said recess; and an annular impeller means surrounding said first and second shafts and connected to the ends of said hub means adjacent said sleeve means respectively, said impeller means including radially extending means formed on a radial face thereof for propelling gases radially outward from said shafts.

Claim 4

A continuously lubricated gear type coupling for transmitting torque between substantially coaxially aligned, axially spaced, first and second rotatable shafts, comprising: first and second coupling halves each including: a hub means, having outwardly extending gear teeth, rotatably secured to said first and second shafts respectively by a key means, and a sleeve means surrounding said hub means and having inwardly extending gear teeth in meshing engagement with said outwardly extending gear teeth, said sleeve means including an annular metallic sealing ring means between an inturned flange portion of said sleeve means and a shoulder portion of said hub means for preventing the flow of lubricant between said flange portion and said shoulder portion; a cylindrical spacer means connected between said first and second coupling halves for transmitting torque therebetween, said spacer means forming a closed chamber within each of said coupling halves and further including an annular lip portion on each end thereof tapering inwardly in a direction away from an adjacent said sleeve means thus forming an annular trough means on exterior radial faces of said spacer means; a plurality of inlet port means in said exterior radial faces for continuously supplying a lubricant from said annular trough means to within said closed chambers; a plurality of outlet port means in the ends of said sleeve means opposite to said spacer means for directing said lubricant from said closed chambers of said first and second coupling halves after said lubricant has lubricated said meshing gear teeth in said first and second coupling halves; a sealing means connected to the end of each of said shafts within said closed chambers for preventing gases exterior to said coupling from entering said closed chambers from between said hub means and said shafts, said sealing means being seated within an annular recess formed in the ends of said hub means within said closed chambers, each said sealing means having an annular resilient sealing ring forming a gas tight seal between said sealing means and its associated said recess; and an annular impeller means surrounding said first and second shafts and connected to the ends of said hub means adjacent said sleeve means respectively, said impeller means including radially extending means formed on a radial face thereof for propelling gases radially outward from said shafts.