GB2033538A

GB2033538A - Shaft couplings

Info

Publication number: GB2033538A
Application number: GB7928089A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-10-13
Filing date: 1979-08-13
Publication date: 1980-05-21
Also published as: GB2033538B

Abstract

The drive coupling comprises a pair of gear members 11, 12 received within a sleeve 25 so as to rotate in unison therewith and be able to move axially relative to the sleeve, each gear member being connected to a respective shaft as by splines 15, and stop means 28 associated with each gear member and co-operating with the sleeve for preventing the sleeve from moving axially out of engagement with the gear members. Each stop member 26 consists of two halves secured by bolts 50 and overlies a lubricant seal 32. The sleeve 25 is provided with lubrication ports 25a. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drive coupling The present invention relates to a drive coupling, and is particularly concerned with a drive coupling for transmitting drive from a gear box to the sprocket assembly of an armoured flexible conveyor (AFC) as used in coalmining.

According to the present invention there is provided a drive coupling for transmitting rotary drive between a pair of co-axiall shafts, the coupling including a pair of gear members received within a sleeve so as to rotate in unison therewith and be able to move axially relative to the sleeve, each gear member being connected to a respective one of said shafts, and stop means associated with each gear member and co-operating with the sleeve for preventing the sleeve from moving axially out of engagement with the gear members.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial section through a drive coupling according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the coupling shown in Figure 1.

The drive coupling is generally shown at 10 and includes a pair of axially aligned gear members 11 and 12. Each gear member has an internal bore 14 which is provided with splines 15 to receive the splined end of a shaft onto which the gear member is to be fixedly connected. Each gear member is provided with a recess 20 into which the end of the shaft projects to receive a circlip to restrain axial separation between the gear member and the shaft on which it is received.

Each gear member is provided with gear teeth 22 which mesh with internal teeth 23 formed in a sleeve member 25. The sleeve member 25 extends between both gear members and thereby ensures that both gear members rotate in unison.

In order to prevent the sleeve member 25 from sliding axially away from either gear member, both gear members are provided with a collar 28. Each collar 28 is restrained from moving axially relative to its associated gear member by the provision of an annular groove 29 in which the collar 28 is seated.

Each collar 28 is provided with an axially extending annular flange portion 30 which overlies the sleeve member 25. A ring seal 32 is provided between each flange portion 30 and the sleeve member in orderto retain lubricant within the coupling during use.

Each collar is formed by two halves which are detachably connected to one another in order to enable the collar to be split and removed from its associated gear member. Connection may be achieved by using threaded bolts 50 which extend through aligned bores 54 formed in each half. The bolt head 51 and nut 52 are each received in a recess 53 so as not to protrude beyond the periphery of the collar. The recess also provides access to the nut 52 to enable it to be chiselled away in the event of it ceasing on the bolt 50. The abutting faces of each collar half, if desired, may be provided with a tongue and groove formation.

In order to accommodate for slight mis-alignment of the two shafts to be connected, each gear member is provided with slightly rounded gear teeth and the opposed overlapping surfaces of the sleeve member and flange portions are provided with a chamfer thereby enabling each gear member and associated collar to angularly deflect with respect to the sleeve member.

The sleeve member 25 is provided with lubrication ports 25a which in use are closed by plugs 25b.

It will be appreciated that the above coupling is very compact axially which is a very advantageous feature when the coupling is used to connect drive between the gear box and sprocket assembly of an AFC conveyor since it enables reduction in the overall width of the conveyor assembly thereby enabling more coal to be cut for each traverse along the coal face.

A further advantage is that either shaft may be axially withdrawn from the coupling. Accordingly if the gear box is to be removed it is only necessary to undo the bolts holding the gear box to the drive head of the AFC to permit withdrawal of the gear box. This is because on withdrawal of the gear box the gear member and associated collar merely slide axially out of engagement with the sleeve member 25.

Additionally, the coupling may be split to enable either shaft to be removed radially. Thus, if the sprocket assembly is to be removed, the collar associated with the gear member fixed on the sprocket shaft is split and removed. This enables the sleeve memberto be slid over the gear member thereby permitting the sprocket assembly to be removed from the drive head frame.

It will be appreciated that decoupling of the drive coupling for removal of the gear box or sprocket assembly is quick and therefore substantially reduces stoppage times of the AFC.

It is to be understood that the axial length of the splines on each gear member and also the length of each gear tooth is chosen to be a minimum bearing in mind the required loading which has to be transmitted. This length will therefore vary with the use of different materials of construction.

1. A drive coupling for transmitting rotary drive between a pair of co-axial shafts, the coupling including a pair of gear members received within a sleeve so as to rotate in unison therewith and be able to move axially relative to the sleeve, each gear member being connected to a respective one of said shafts, and stop means associated with each gear member and co-operating with the sleeve for preventing the sleeve from moving axially out of engagement with the gear members.

2. A drive coupling according to claim 1 wherein each gear member has an external toothed formation for co-operation with internal toothed formation formed in the sleeve, the toothed formations being co-operable so as to permit each gear member to deflect axailly relative to the sleeve.

3. A drive coupling according to claim 1 or 2

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Drive coupling The present invention relates to a drive coupling, and is particularly concerned with a drive coupling for transmitting drive from a gear box to the sprocket assembly of an armoured flexible conveyor (AFC) as used in coalmining. According to the present invention there is provided a drive coupling for transmitting rotary drive between a pair of co-axiall shafts, the coupling including a pair of gear members received within a sleeve so as to rotate in unison therewith and be able to move axially relative to the sleeve, each gear member being connected to a respective one of said shafts, and stop means associated with each gear member and co-operating with the sleeve for preventing the sleeve from moving axially out of engagement with the gear members. Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial section through a drive coupling according to the present invention. Figure 2 is an end view of the coupling shown in Figure 1. The drive coupling is generally shown at 10 and includes a pair of axially aligned gear members 11 and 12. Each gear member has an internal bore 14 which is provided with splines 15 to receive the splined end of a shaft onto which the gear member is to be fixedly connected. Each gear member is provided with a recess 20 into which the end of the shaft projects to receive a circlip to restrain axial separation between the gear member and the shaft on which it is received. Each gear member is provided with gear teeth 22 which mesh with internal teeth 23 formed in a sleeve member 25. The sleeve member 25 extends between both gear members and thereby ensures that both gear members rotate in unison. In order to prevent the sleeve member 25 from sliding axially away from either gear member, both gear members are provided with a collar 28. Each collar 28 is restrained from moving axially relative to its associated gear member by the provision of an annular groove 29 in which the collar 28 is seated. Each collar 28 is provided with an axially extending annular flange portion 30 which overlies the sleeve member 25. A ring seal 32 is provided between each flange portion 30 and the sleeve member in orderto retain lubricant within the coupling during use. Each collar is formed by two halves which are detachably connected to one another in order to enable the collar to be split and removed from its associated gear member. Connection may be achieved by using threaded bolts 50 which extend through aligned bores 54 formed in each half. The bolt head 51 and nut 52 are each received in a recess 53 so as not to protrude beyond the periphery of the collar. The recess also provides access to the nut 52 to enable it to be chiselled away in the event of it ceasing on the bolt 50. The abutting faces of each collar half, if desired, may be provided with a tongue and groove formation. In order to accommodate for slight mis-alignment of the two shafts to be connected, each gear member is provided with slightly rounded gear teeth and the opposed overlapping surfaces of the sleeve member and flange portions are provided with a chamfer thereby enabling each gear member and associated collar to angularly deflect with respect to the sleeve member. The sleeve member 25 is provided with lubrication ports 25a which in use are closed by plugs 25b. It will be appreciated that the above coupling is very compact axially which is a very advantageous feature when the coupling is used to connect drive between the gear box and sprocket assembly of an AFC conveyor since it enables reduction in the overall width of the conveyor assembly thereby enabling more coal to be cut for each traverse along the coal face. A further advantage is that either shaft may be axially withdrawn from the coupling. Accordingly if the gear box is to be removed it is only necessary to undo the bolts holding the gear box to the drive head of the AFC to permit withdrawal of the gear box. This is because on withdrawal of the gear box the gear member and associated collar merely slide axially out of engagement with the sleeve member 25. Additionally, the coupling may be split to enable either shaft to be removed radially. Thus, if the sprocket assembly is to be removed, the collar associated with the gear member fixed on the sprocket shaft is split and removed. This enables the sleeve memberto be slid over the gear member thereby permitting the sprocket assembly to be removed from the drive head frame. It will be appreciated that decoupling of the drive coupling for removal of the gear box or sprocket assembly is quick and therefore substantially reduces stoppage times of the AFC. It is to be understood that the axial length of the splines on each gear member and also the length of each gear tooth is chosen to be a minimum bearing in mind the required loading which has to be transmitted. This length will therefore vary with the use of different materials of construction. CLAIMS

3. A drive coupling according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each gear member is provided with a bore for receiving a respective one of said shafts so as to be rotatable in unison therewith.

4. A drive coupling according to claim 3 wherein the inner mouth of each bore is enlarged to define a recess in order to enable detachable stop means to be attached to the end of the associated shaft received in the bore so as to prevent axial withdraw al oftheshaft.

5. A drive coupling according to any preceding claim wherein the stop means comprises a collar detachably connected to each gear member so as to project radially therefrom.

6. A drive coupling according to Claim 5 wherein each collar has an axially extending flange portion which overlaps a respective end of the sleeve, sealing means being located between the sleeve and each flange portion in order to define a sealed enclosure.

7. A drive coupling according to claim 5 or 6 wherein each collar comprises two collar halves engagable along a diametric plane and are detachably secured together.

8. A drive coupling according to claim 7 including bolts for securing the collar halves together, the collar halves being recessed to accommodate the head of each bolt and also each nut received on the bolt.

9. A drive coupling substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.