Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A coupling including first and second opposed members clamped to each other by a clamping means, each of said members having a contact surface for contacting one another, each of said members having a series of inner and outer centering elements for centering said members, each of said centering elements having only one centering surface extending outwardly relative to a central region of said member and transversely relative to said contact surface, said inner centering elements of said first member being disposed inside said outer centering elements of said second member, said outer centering elements of said first member being disposed outside said inner centering elements of said second member, said centering surface of each said inner centering element of said first member being disposed to abut said centering surface of only one adjacently disposed inner centering element of said second member, said centering surface of each said outer centering element of said first member being disposed to abut said centering surface of only one adjacently disposed outer centering element of said second member, each of said centering elements having remaining transversely extending surfaces in addition to said centering transversely extending surface, said remaining transversely extending surfaces of one member being separated sufficiently in a radial and circumferential direction with respect to adjacent remaining transversely extending surface of the centering element of the other member to allow for expansion without deformation of said centering elements when said coupling is at a maximum operating temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
A coupling including first and second opposed members clamped to each other by a clamping means, each of said members having a contact surface for contacting one another, each of said members having a series of inner and outer centering elements for centering said members, each of said centering elements having only one centering surface extending outwardly relative to a central region of said member and transversely relative to said contact surface, said inner centering elements of said first member being disposed inside said outer centering elements of said second member, said outer centering elements of said first member being disposed outside said inner centering elements of said second member, said centering surface of each said inner centering element of said first member being disposed to abut said centering surface of only one adjacently disposed inner centering element of said second member, said centering surface of each said outer centering element of said first member being disposed to abut said centering surface of only one adjacently disposed outer centering element of said second member, each of said centering elements having remaining transversely extending surfaces in addition to said centering transversely extending surface, said remaining transversely extending surfaces of one member being separated sufficiently in a radial and circumferential direction with respect to adjacent remaining transversely extending surface of the centering element of the other member to allow for expansion without deformation of said centering elements when said coupling is at a maximum operating temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein each said inner centering element of said first member disposed inside said outer centering element of said second member is separated from said outer centering element of said second member by a preselected distance, and each said outer centering element of said first member disposed outside said inner centering element of said second member is separated from said inner centering element of said second member by said preselected distance, said preselected distance being at least great enough to prevent radial deformation of said inner and outer elements when said elements are at said maximum operating temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein a member and said centering elements of said member comprise the same material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A coupling according to claim 3, wherein said centering elements are unitary with said member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said clamping means comprising axial clamping means for axially clamping said contact surfaces of said first and second opposed members together.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said first opposed member has at least three inner centering elements and at least two outer centering elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said first opposed member has at least three outer centering elements and at least two inner centering elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A coupling according to claim 7, wherein said first opposed member has three outer centering elements and three inner centering elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said series of inner centering elements of said first opposed member are disposed on said first opposed member with an equal angular separation relative to a longitudinal axis of said opposed member, one said outer centering element being disposed adjacent each said inner centering element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A coupling according to claim 9, wherein said opposed members comprise cylinder means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coupling according to claim 10, wherein said first opposed member has three inner centering elements and three outer centering elements, said inner centering elements being disposed on said first opposed member at an angular separation of 120°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein each said centering element comprises flange means disposed adjacent a peripheral portion of said opposed member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A coupling according to claim 12, wherein said flange means comprise pin means having rectangular cross sections.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A coupling according to claim 13, wherein said first and second opposed members comprise hollow cylindrical members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A coupling according to claim 14, wherein said flange means are unitary with said opposed members, and said flange means extend outwardly from said opposed members.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A coupling according to claim 15, wherein said first and second opposed members each have three flange means and said flange means are disposed at an angular separation of 120° relative to a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A coupling according to claim 14, wherein said pin means project transversely from said contact surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said centering elements are disposed in said contact surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A coupling according to claim 18, wherein said centering elements comprise substantially flat cam means extending transversely from said contact surfaces.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A coupling according to claim 19, wherein each said contact surface has a complementary depression for receiving each said flat cam means, said depressions having a depth greater than or equal to a distance said cam means project above said contact surface when said coupling is at said maximum operating temperature.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
82 words
A coupling according to claim 5, wherein said clamping means comprises: first plate means having first and second sides, each of said plate sides exhibiting at least two depressions, second plate means having pin means for engaging said depressions in said first plate side of said first plate, fastening disc means having pin means for engaging said depressions in said second plate side of said first plate, and fastening means for fastening said first and second plates and said fastening disc together.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said fastening means comprises threaded connecting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A coupling according to claim 21, wherein each said first and second plate sides of said first plate exhibit three said depressions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said depressions on each said plate side are arranged in a circle with equal angular separation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A coupling according to claim 23, wherein said fastening means is disposed at a center of said circle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said depressions comprise cylindrical holes extending half-way through said first plate means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
A coupling according to claim 26, wherein said pin means comprise cylindrical pins, said cylindrical depressions having a diameter at least as great as a diameter of said cylindrical pins when said coupling is exposed to a maximum operating temperature.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said fastening disc and said second plate means comprise the same material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coupling according to claim 25, wherein said second plate means and said fastening disc have hollow cylindrical projections extending through a central bore in said first plate means, said fastening means passing through said hollow cylindrical projections.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
165 words
A coupling according to claim 5, wherein said axial clamping means comprises: first plate means having a circular depression on one side and a coaxial annular groove on another side, said plate having a bore extending therethrough, said bore having a diameter smaller than said circular depression and being concentric with said circular depression, second plate means having a bore extending therethrough, connecting piece means having large and small coaxial circular projections and a bore inside said small coaxial circular projections, said smaller circular projection capable of engaging said bore in said first plate, said large circular projection capable of engaging said annular groove in said first plate, and fastening means for fastening said first and second plates to said connecting piece means, said fastening means passing through said bores in said first and second plate means and said bore inside said small circular projection in said connecting piece means, said fastening means having a head which engages said depression in said first plate means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said centering surface of an inner centering elements and of a corresponding outer centering elements are coplanar and said corresponding centering elements extend in opposite transverse direction from said centering surface plane.