Patent ID: 6113497
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
A coupling for connecting a drive shaft to the flywheel of an engine comprising:a first metallic disc having a large central opening for receiving a bearing structure and a plurality of smaller openings spaced apart just inside the outer perimeter of said disc for attaching said disc to said flywheel;a disc-shaped annular elastomeric member having two sides, the first side being chemically bonded to said first metallic disc, said elastomeric member having a diameter smaller than said first metallic disc such that said peripheral attachment openings are not covered by said elastomeric member, said elastomeric member also having a central bore with an internal annular shoulder such that said bore has a larger diameter on the side adjacent to said first disc which corresponds to the central opening in said disc, said bore having a smaller diameter on the opposite side;a second metallic disc having the same approximate diameter as said elastomeric member and being chemically bonded to the second side thereof, said second disc having a central shaft attached thereto which extends through the bore of said elastomeric member, said shaft having an annular shoulder which divides said shaft into two segments such that the diameter of the first segment immediately adjacent to said second disc is the same as the smaller diameter of said bore, the diameter of the remaining segment corresponding to the inside diameter of said bearing structure, the shoulders of said shaft and said bore corresponding to each other such that said first shaft segment fits flush against the shoulder of said bore; andan annular bearing structure inserted around said remaining shaft segment and inside the large central opening of said first disc such that said bearing structure abuts against the shoulder on the bore on said elastomeric member.