Patent ID: 11920637
Assignee: AWC FRAC VALVES, INC.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 10:
11. A method comprising:
disposing a first shaft and a second shaft in an end to end arrangement;
positioning a sleeve over the end to end arrangement, the sleeve comprising:
a body with a plurality of radial holes extending through a wall of the body, the plurality of radial holes comprising:
a first set of two radial holes positioned symmetrically disposed about a center plane extending through the body of the sleeve; and
a second set of two radial holes symmetrically disposed about the center plane;

coupling the sleeve to the first shaft via a first set of fasteners comprising shear components extending through the first set of radial holes and partially into the first shaft;
coupling the sleeve to the second shaft via a second set of fasteners comprising shear components extending through the second set of radial holes and partially into the second shaft;
allowing the sleeve to self adjust the alignment between the first shaft and the second shaft while transmitting torsional, translational, or torsional and translational loading through the shear components of the first set of fasteners and the second set of fasteners;
retaining the first set of fasteners within the first shaft via one or more retaining mechanisms; and
retaining the second set of fasteners within the second shaft via one or more retaining mechanisms;
wherein the torsional, translational, or torsional and translational loading is not transmitted through the retaining mechanisms.