Coupling for end gudgeon and internally heated roller

Claim 2

A heated rotatable member comprising: a core having a surface including a first wall and a second wall spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first wall for defining a groove in said surface; drive means mounted in juxtaposition with said groove for supporting and rotating said core, the coefficient of thermal expansion of said drive means being different from that of said core; and means for compensating for unequal thermal expansion and contraction of said drive means and said core, said compensating means having a first portion engaging said drive means to provide support for and rotation of said core by said drive means, and a second portion extending at least partially into said groove spaced from said first wall and in slidable engagement with said second wall to accommodate for movement between said drive means and core resulting from said unequal thermal expansion and contraction.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said surface of said core is an internal peripheral surface defining a coaxial bore in at least one end of said core, said bore further having an end wall defining a seat for said drive means, and wherein said first and second walls are circumferentially disposed in said peripheral surface to define an annular groove.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a gudgeon having an annular shoulder disposed in said bore, said shoulder having a face bearing against said end wall; and means for keying said shoulder to said core to transmit rotation of said gudgeon to said core.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said compensating means comprises a radially resilient open ring having opposing lateral surfaces, one of said surfaces being said first portion and engaging said shoulder of said gudgeon, and the other of said surfaces being said second portion and having a beveled edge substantially complimentary to said second wall.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4 wherein said annular groove is located a preselected distance from said end wall such that said beveled edge of said second portion is wedged against said second wall of said groove and said lateral surface of said first portion is maintained in engagement with said shoulder of said gudgeon for all relative locations of said gudgeon and said core due to unequal thermal expansion and contraction.

Claim 7

Means for drivingly coupling a support gudgeon of a first thermal expansion characteristic to an internally heated roller of a different thermal expansion characteristic, said means comprising: a first circumferential wall and a second circumferential wall, spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first wall, for defining an annular groove in said roller; and means for urging said support gudgeon into coupled engagement with said roller, said urging means having a first portion operatively connected to said gudgeon and a second portion extending at least partially into and in sliding engagement with said second wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion and contraction of said support gudgeon and roller is compensated for by sliding movement of said urging means in said groove to maintain said support gudgeon in coupled engagement with said roller throughout an operating range of temperatures.

Claim 8

Means for drivingly coupling a support gudgeon of a first thermal expansion characteristic to an internally heated roller of a different thermal expansion characteristic, said means comprising: a first circumferential wall and a second circumferential wall, spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first wall, for defining an annular groove in said roller; and means for urging said support gudgeon into coupled engagement with said roller, said urging means having a first portion operatively connected to said gudgeon and a second portion extending at least partially into and in sliding engagement with said second wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion and contraction of said support gudgeon and roller is compensated for by sliding movement of said urging means in said groove to maintain said support gudgeon in coupled engagement with said roller throughout an operating range of temperatures.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6 wherein said urging means comprises a radially resilient open ring having opposing lateral surfaces, one of said surfaces defining said first portion, and the other of said surfaces having a beveled edge substantially complimentary to said second wall and defining said second portion.

Claim 10

For use with an internally heated roller having a cylindrical core of a first thermal expansion characteristic, an internal peripheral surface in said core defining a coaxial bore in at least one end of said core, a first circumferential side wall in said surface and a second circumferential side wall in said surface spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first side wall for defining an annular groove in said core, and a gudgeon of a different thermal expansion characteristic received in said bore in driving engagement with said core, means for urging said gudgeon into coupled supporting and driving engagement with said core regardless of unequal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core because of temperature changes, said urging means comprising: an element in engagement with said gudgeon for urging said gudgeon into said bore to maintain said gudgeon in supporting and driving engagement with said core, said element extending at least partially into said annular groove, and having a portion in sliding engagement with said second side wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core is compensated for by sliding movement of said element in said annular groove which maintains said gudgeon and said core in engagement.

Claim 11

For use with an internally heated roller having a cylindrical core of a first thermal expansion characteristic, an internal peripheral surface in said core defining a coaxial bore in at least one end of said core, a first circumferential side wall in said surface and a second circumferential side wall in said surface spaced from and angularly disposed relative to said first side wall for defining an annular groove in said core, and a gudgeon of a different thermal expansion characteristic received in said bore in driving engagement with said core, means for urging said gudgeon into coupled supporting and driving engagement with said core regardless of unequal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core because of temperature changes, said urging means comprising: an element in engagement with said gudgeon for urging said gudgeon into said bore to maintain said gudgeon in supporting and driving engagement with said core, said element extending at least partially into said annular groove, and having a portion in sliding engagement with said second side wall, whereby unequal thermal expansion or contraction of said gudgeon and said core is compensated for by sliding movement of said element in said annular groove which maintains said gudgeon and said core in engagement.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 8 wherein said element is a radially resilient open ring having opposing lateral surfaces, one of said surfaces being in engagement with said gudgeon to capture said gudgeon in said bore, and the other of said surfaces having a beveled edge substantially complimentary with said second side wall and defining said sliding portion of said element.

Claim 13

In a roller having a longitudinal axis and a coaxial support member, a roller mounting providing for unequal thermal expansion characteristics of the roller and the support member, said mounting comprising: a shoulder on said roller against which said support member seats in an axial direction, a retainer element engaging said roller and engaging said support member in the opposite axial direction, and cooperating accomodating surfaces on said retainer element and roller, said surfaces being angled with respect to the axis to cause movement of said retainer element radially toward or away from the axis in response to thermal contraction or expansion of said support member relative to said roller.

Claim 14

In a roller having a longitudinal axis and a coaxial support member, a roller mounting providing for unequal thermal expansion characteristics of the roller and the support member, said mounting comprising: a shoulder on said roller against which said support member seats in an axial direction, a retainer element engaging said roller and engaging said support member in the opposite axial direction, and cooperating accomodating surfaces on said retainer element and roller, said surfaces being angled with respect to the axis to cause movement of said retainer element radially toward or away from the axis in response to thermal contraction or expansion of said support member relative to said roller.