Shaft coupling

Claim 1

A unitary coupling for non-rotatably connecting axially aligned shafts which have keyways in axial alignment and a key member for said keyways, said coupling comprising an integral single piece body of resilient material having opposite complementary half sections with inside arcuate surfaces adapted for engagement with laterally opposite sides of the shafts, said half sections having adjacent captive ends and a hinge of said material joining said ends, portions of said captive ends having a slot therebetween adjacent said hinge, each of said captive ends having surfaces forming a corner with a space between said surfaces and said spaces together forming a keyway adjacent said slot, complementary flanges on respective free ends of said half sections including fastening means, said half sections having an initial relationship extending at an acute angle outwardly relative to each other from the hinge wherein portions of said arcuate surfaces are spaced at progressively varying distances from the respective sides of the shaft and portions of said surfaces at the corner are spaced at progressively varying distances from said key member to enable the body to be placed over and clear of the shafts before clamping, said half sections being adapted to be drawn toward each other and toward said key member and the shaft progressively from the captive ends to the free ends by use of said fastening means whereby the arcuate surfaces engage the shafts and the surfaces at the corners engage the key member.