GB708018A - Improvements in or relating to shaft couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

708,018. Gas-turbine plant. ROLLS-ROYCE Ltd. Sept. 10, 1952 [Sept. 14, 1951; July 9, 1952], Nos. 21686/51 and 17364/52. Class 110(3) [Also in Group XXIV] A shaft coupling, described as connecting the compressor and turbine shafts of a gas turbine, comprises means, such as a stub shaft 11, rigid with one shaft 10 (the compressor shaft) formed with a part spherical annular inwardly facing recess 22, an annular member 27 having a partspherical outer surface co-operating with the spherical surface of the recess being engaged with a thread 26 on a part 25 rigid with the other shaft 24 (the turbine shaft), restraining means, such as a ring 29 with axially extending fingers 30, preventing rotation of the annular member 27 about the shaft axes. and a torquetransmitting member in torque-transmitting engagement with both shafts, e.g. a sleeve 37 in engagement with splines 35, 40, the restraining means and torque-transmitting member preventing rotation of the annular member on the thread when the coupling is engaged. The restraining ring 29 is secured to the stub shaft 11 and its axially extending fingers engage in slots in the annular member 27. As shown, the splines 40 are formed on a ring 17 on splines on the stub-shaft 11, and the sleeve 37 can be moved axially to disengage it from the splines 40, whereby the two shafts 10, 24 can be rotated relatively to each other to screw the annular member 27 along the thread 26 and thus adjust the two shafts axially with respect to each other. Means are provided to prevent undesired axial displacement of the torque-transmitting sleeve 37, consisting of a collar 42 having inwardly projecting castellations engaging between the splines 35 and in circumferential grooves 36 therein, a spring- loaded plunger 47 holding the collar in place. In a modification, Fig. 5, (not shown), a restraining ring is screwed into an air seal part within the compressor shaft and has spline-like projections engaging both in slots in the annular member and with radially directed projections on the compressor shaft, the two shafts being axially adjusted with respect to each other by withdrawing the restraining ring and inserting a tool through the compressor shaft to engage the annular member, which is then turned on its thread.