Flanged connection for shafts or tubes

Claim 1

A connection for coupling elongated members together at adjoining ends of the members, each member having a longitudinal axis, the connection comprising: a pair of flanges, one flange extending radially from the adjoining end of one elongated member, the other flange extending radially from the adjoining end of the other elongated member, said flanges abutting each other in face-to-face engaging relationship; a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores extending through said flanges in directions parallel to the longitudinal axes of the elongated members, at least some of said bores of said one flange being aligned with at least some of said bores of said other flange to provide sets of aligned bores, said bores being defined by inwardly facing surfaces; a plurality of fasteners, said fasteners having substantially solid cross-sections, each fastener extending through a set of aligned bores, each fastener including means for effecting radial expansion thereof, said fasteners being expandable by said expansion means into clamped conditions in which they abut against the inwardly facing surfac e of said bores, each said fastener including interfitting conical members, said expansion means including said interfitting conical members, each said fastener including: a barrel having an external surface approximately corresponding in diameter to said inwardly facing surfaces of said bores; said barrel also having a collar at one end which extends radially outwardly of said external surface, said barrel further including an internal conical passage therethrough which converges inwardly in a direction away from said collar; a conical plug disposed in said conical passage, said conical plug having an opening therein, said barrel and conical plug constituting said interfitting conical members; a disk having a diameter exceeding those of said bores in said flanges, said disk engaging said barrel at a side of said barrel opposite said collar, said disk having a hole therein; a lock screw extending between said disk and said conical plug, said lock screw cooperating both with said hole in said disk and said opening in said conical plug to threadably couple said disk and said conical plug together; whereby advancement of said lock screw causes said conical plug to move axially in said conical passage of said barrel to, in turn, effect radial expansion of said barrel.