Gear type coupling with overload protection

Claim 1

In a gear coupling comprising a floating shaft, hubs fixed to said floating shaft at each end thereof, said hubs having a plurality of outwardly extending gear teeth, and sleeve means having an inner axial bore operably connecting each of said hubs to a driving shaft and a driven shaft, respectively, the improvement comprising: (a) first external intermediate sleeve element having its inner surface fixed to said inner axial bore of each of said sleeve means, said inner surface of said external intermediate sleeve element having shear connection receiving means; (b) second internal intermediate sleeve element having an inner axial bore and an outer surface, said inner axial bore having a plurality of gear teeth adapted to mesh and coact with said gear teeth of a respective hub, said outer surface of said internal intermediate sleeve element having shear connection receiving means; (c) bearing means operably engaging and supporting said first and second intermediate sleeve elements; and (d) shear connection means received in and retained by said receiving means in said external and internal intermediate sleeve elements, said shear connection means adapted to transmit a predetermined amount of torque between said elements.