Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A mounting for a load shaft driven from a prime mover through a transmission in a housing with freedom of limited nutation about a predetermined reference point on the shaft axis, comprising an annular inner race with two concave raceways secured to said load shaft, an annular outer race fixedly secured to said housing and axially split into two halves each having a toroidal inner surface with arcuate generatrices curved about said reference point, and two sets of barrel-shaped rollers respectively interposed between the guide surfaces of said halves and the raceways of said inner race, said outer race being of substantially greater axial width than said inner race for keeping said rollers confined upon a relative swing of said races to either side of a mid-position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A mounting for a load shaft driven from a prime mover through a transmission in a housing with freedom of limited nutation about a predetermined reference point on the shaft axis, comprising an annular inner race with two concave raceways secured to said load shaft, an annular outer race fixedly secured to said housing and axially split into two halves each having a toroidal inner surface with arcuate generatrices curved about said reference point, and two sets of barrel-shaped rollers respectively interposed between the guide surfaces of said halves and the raceways of said inner race, said outer race being of substantially greater axial width than said inner race for keeping said rollers confined upon a relative swing of said races to either side of a mid-position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1 wherein the axial width of said outer race approximately equals three times the axial length of said rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said sets of rollers is provided with a respective annular cage having a maximum diameter greater than the minimum diameter of the respective guide surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A mounting as defined in claim 3 wherein said annular cages are relatively angularly staggered with peripheral interleaving of said sets of rollers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmission is provided with a stub shaft connected with said load shaft through a universal joint on said reference point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer race is surrounded by enough clearance to enable a relative swing of said races from said midposition in excess of ± 3°.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1, further comprising resilient bumper means engageable by said outer race in either of two limiting positions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A mounting as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner race has a pair of end faces with outer edges lying on a pair of imaginary cones with apices on said reference point, said guide surfaces extending axially beyond said end faces to substantially said imaginary cones in said midposition.