GB817490A - Improvements in and relating to flexible couplings for transmitting or restraining torque especially in planetary or epicyclic gearing - Google Patents

Abstract

817,490. Toothed gearing; shaft couplings. ALLEN SONS & CO. Ltd., W. H., and HUTCHINSON, A. C. Aug. 6, 1957 [May .4, 1956], No. 13885/56. Classes 80 (1) and 80 (2). A coupling for transmitting or restraining torque, of the kind comprising a part such as a sleeve having internal and/or external teeth or like formations engaged with similar teeth &c. on adjacent parts, has the teeth &c. on one coupling part of less axial width at a region in one plane than at a region in another plane at right angles to the first, to allow deviations from axial alignment in or about the plane of teeth &c. of lesser axial width. The device may be applied to a shaft coupling, but as shown, a sleeve 24 having external teeth 23, 25 according to the invention transmits the reaction torque of internally toothed rings 16, 17 of a planetary gear to a fixed outer casing T. The teeth 23, 25 engage teeth 22, 26 on a sleeve 20 connected to the toothed rings 16, 17 and a ring secured in the casing 1, respectively. Rings 27, 28 at the ends of the teeth 22, 26 limit the axial movement of the sleeve 24. The teeth 23, 25 are narrowest in the plane of Fig. 1, and increase to a maximum axial width at regions 29, 30 in a plane at right angles to the plane of the Figure. The axial width of the teeth in the regions 29, 30 is substantially the same as the distance separating each pair of movement-limiting rings 27, 28, so that the sleeve 24 cannot move axially, but can tilt about an axis perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1. The internally toothed rings 16, 17 have external teeth 18, 19 meshing similar teeth on the sleeve 20, and are meshed internally by planet pinions 8 mounted in a carrier 4 fast with a driven shaft 3. An input shaft 2 is connected by a toothed universal joint 12 to a floating sun gear 11. Specifications 660,497 and 714,232 are referred to.