Articulated coupling

Claim 2

An articulated coupling, comprising a first cylindrical half-coupling having an end face; a second cylindrical half-coupling disposed substantially coaxially with said first half-coupling and having an end face facing the end face of said first half-coupling; a first recess formed in said end face of said first half-coupling facing said second half-coupling, said first recess being shaped as a cylindrical annular groove having external and internal walls; a second recess formed in said end face of said second half-coupling facing said first half-coupling, said second recess being shaped as a cylindrical annular groove having external and internal walls; a hollow cylindrical cage installed substantially coaxially in said grooves of said half-couplings with a clearance from said walls of said recesses; openings formed in said first half-coupling and passing radially through said external and internal walls of said first recess groove; openings formed in said second half-coupling and passing radially through said external and internal walls of said second recess groove; openings formed through said cage substantially coaxially with said openings of the first and second half-couplings; rollers installed with a clearance in said substantially coaxial openings of said first and second half-couplings and said cage and resting on both walls of said groove and on said cage; and means for retaining said rollers in said openings comprising a casing and elastic gaskets, said casing being mounted on said gaskets outside said half-couplings with a clearance from said half-couplings.

Claim 3

An articulated coupling as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting axial thrust from one of said first and second half-couplings to the other provided at the center portions of said end faces of said half-couplings.

Claim 4

An articulated coupling as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for transmitting axial thrust comprises two contacting end surfaces of said half-couplings, as least one of said end surfaces being spherical.

Claim 5

An articulated coupling, comprising a first cylindrical half-coupling having an end face; a second cylindrical half-coupling disposed substantially coaxially with said first half-coupling and having an end face facing the end face of said first half-coupling; a first recess formed in said end face of said first half-coupling facing said second half-coupling, said first recess having walls and forming an annular collar over the periphery of said half-coupling; a second recess formed in said end face of said second half-coupling facing said first half-coupling, said second recess having walls and forming an annular collar over the periphery of said half-coupling; a cylindrical cage installed substantially coaxially in said recesses of said half-couplings with a clearance from said walls of said recesses, said cage having opposite end faces and annular grooves formed in said end faces and forming two walls between which said collars of said half-couplings are disposed with a clearance; openings formed in said first half-coupling and passing radially through both walls of said cage and said collar of said first recess; openings formed in said second half-coupling and passing radially through both walls of said cage and said collar of said second recess; openings formed through said cage substantially coaxially with said openings of the first and second half-couplings; rollers installed with a clearance in said substantially coaxial openings of said first and second half-couplings and said cage and resting on both walls of said groove and on said collar; and means for retaining said rollers in said openings comprising a casing and elastic gaskets, said casing being mounted on said gaskets outside said half-couplings with a clearance from said half-couplings.

Claim 6

An articulated coupling, comprising a first cylindrical half-coupling having an end face; a second cylindrical half-coupling disposed substantially coaxially with said first half-coupling and having an end face facing the end face of said first half-coupling; a first recess formed in said end face of said first half-coupling facing said second half-coupling, said first recess having walls and forming an annular collar over the periphery of said half-coupling; a second recess formed in said end face of said second half-coupling facing said first half-coupling, said second recess having walls and forming an annular collar over the periphery of said half-coupling; a cylindrical cage installed substantially coaxially in said recesses of said half-couplings with a clearance from said walls of said recesses, said cage having opposite end faces and annular grooves formed in said end faces and forming two walls between which said collars of said half-couplings are disposed with a clearance; openings formed in said first half-coupling and passing radially through both walls of said cage and said collar of said first recess; openings formed in said second half-coupling and passing radially through both walls of said cage and said collar of said second recess; openings formed through said cage substantially coaxially with said openings of the first and second half-couplings; rollers installed with a clearance in said substantially coaxial openings of said first and second half-couplings and said cage and resting on both walls of said groove and on said collar; and means for retaining said rollers in said openings comprising a casing and elastic gaskets, said casing being mounted on said gaskets outside said half-couplings with a clearance from said half-couplings.

Claim 7

An articulated coupling as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means for transmitting axial thrust from one of said first and second half-couplings to the other provided at the center portions of said end faces of said half-couplings.

Claim 8

An articulated coupling as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means for transmitting axial thrust comprises an insert installed between said half-couplings, said insert having spherical ends contacting said half-couplings.