GB837659A - Improvements in or relating to torque-transmitting mechanical couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

837,659. Universal joints. MAYBACHMOTORENBAU G.m.b.H. March 6, 1958 [March 7, 1957], No. 7327/58. Class 80 (2). [Also in Group XXXV] A universal joint between a prime mover and a " single-bearing machine," i.e. a machine having a driven shaft journalled directly in its casing by one bearing only, comprises a centring bearing by which one end of the shaft of the machine is supported on one end of a driving- shaft of the prime mover, and a torsionally elastic torque transmitting coupling between the two shafts. In one form, an internalcombustion engine drives a shaft 11 carried by a bearing 12 and connected through a torsionallyresilient universal joint 20 having a centring bearing 18 to a shaft 14 upon which is mounted the armature 13 of an electricity generator, a single bearing 15 supporting the far end of the armature shaft in a casing 16. The universal joint is formed by a rubber ring 20 vulcanized to flanges 21, 22 fast with the driving and driven shafts, and the centring bearing comprises a part-spherical end of the armature shaft 14 received in a cup-shaped socket 19 in the driving-shaft. In a modification, the driving- shaft 11, Fig. 2, is formed with a hollow extension 24 connected by a rubber ring 28 bonded between inner and outer sleeves to a surrounding cup-shaped extension 27 on the armature shaft, a self-aligning roller bearing 25 centring the armature shaft within the driving-shaft. The rollers of the self-aligning bearing 25 are mounted in a cage 32, Fig. 3, formed with teeth 33 along one edge which can be engaged by a single pawl 34 carried on the driven shaft. On relative rotation between the driving and armature shafts 11, 14, the pawl 34 serves to step the roller cage 32 around, so that the rollers do not always run on the same surface areas of their associated races.